My Grandmother Celebrated Her Centennial Birthday

This weekend my family celebrated my grandmother’s 100th birthday. We celebrated all weekend. We had so much fun. Relatives drove up from the south. We spent hours opening up cards. She received presents, flowers, phone calls and ate so much delicious cake and good food.

My dad wrote a press release for my grandmother and submitted it our local paper, but even though, my dad submitted it a month ago and followed up with emails and calls and I reached out to the paper too, they didn’t respond back to either of us and didn’t include it in the paper this past week so I thought I would share it with you all here.

Alice Arrington, a resident of Ridgefield, CT for the past 10 years, celebrated her 100th birthday on Friday, May 7.

Honoring My Friend Who Was Taken Away Too Soon

Every May 1, I always think of my college friend, Sunil Rajan, who died on his birthday May 1, several years ago.

In college, I had a really bad seizure. I had a history of seizures since I was 13 years old. It was so scary. Because I had a really bad seizure in college, I had to stay up all night and then go to the hospital to see if they could stimulate it with strobe lights to see if I had epilepsy. Sunil was one of a few friends who came to my apartment and stayed up all night with me and because I wasn’t allowed to sleep a wink, he didn’t sleep a wink either.

He was a good friend. He had compassion for me.

Later after college, by chance we met again and continued our friendship. Shortly after that, he fell from a ladder while at work and had a grand mal seizure and had to be rushed to the hospital. He was diagnosed with a brain tumor.

Why Wait? Believe It, Dream It, Achieve It!

I hope you are enjoying the spring. Recently, I celebrated Easter with my family.

My grandmother is 99 years old and still dresses up.

It made me think: What is the secret to a long life?

Health, of course,

and happiness.

It is following your passions to make your life enjoyable. It is also knowing you are loved and supported.

Looking back on the details of my grandmother's life (that I know), I know she came from humble beginnings growing up in the country in Virginia. She moved to NYC to finish her education when she was sixteen. She married my grandfather who joined the military and they toured the world. She even went to see Josephine Baker perform when she lived in Paris. Her world expanded when she saw different cities and cultures. She had four children. She was psychic. She continued to travel all around the world. She beat colon cancer. She felt loved. Her amazing childbirth story is going to be in my book about childbirth around the world. Imagine childbirth in the 40's. Next month she turns 100!

Are We Truly Giving Informed Consent and Informed Refusal Around The World?

Happy World Health Day. This year’s theme is building a fairer, healthier world for everyone and so I want to share the story of my grandmother.

My grandmother had an adverse reaction to the Covid-19 vaccine. She had a very strong reaction. I reported it to VAERS, The Vaccine Adverse Event System, a national early warning system to detect possible safety issues with vaccines in the U.S. It is managed by the CDC and the FDA. My parents were happy that I reported it. They were very worried. None of us had ever seen her in such a condition. Luckily, with my expertise for holistic health and wellness and being a medium, I was able to give her a natural remedy that relieved the symptoms and she is okay again. But my parents were not sure if she would ever be okay again.

My grandmother is 99 years and so with the virus we have been keeping her home. It’s difficult for her to walk so my parents called for a visiting nurse to give her the shot at home. The nurse asked her if she had any severe allergies and if she used an epi-pen (which she does not), but did not mention any of the side effects that my grandmother developed later as being a possible adverse reaction. The nurse stayed with her for 15 minutes but it was several hours before the adverse effects kicked in. When they kicked in, they kicked in forcefully and she was inconsolable.

My Big Purpose: Why I've Been A Healer

I love being a healer. I have been a healer for about 17 years. It was never something I intended to do, but I had a calling and over the years the calling continues.

Why?

Because I was sick with a debilitating illness for 15 years. I was misdiagnosed for 15 years. I felt doctors didn’t respect me and take me and my symptoms seriously. I felt that I lost 15 years of my life which could have been avoided and I don’t want the same to happen to anyone else. Life is supposed to be joyful, but you can’t be joyful when your needs are not met physically, emotionally, and spiritually. Because of what I experienced, I have great empathy for those who have chronic illnesses and chronic conditions who are being told there is no cure and they have to accept their illnesses.

I Know It Hurts. I Know You’re Angry. Break The Cycle of Being in A Toxic Romantic Relationship (Once And For All)

You’re not doomed to continue the cycle of attracting narcissists or toxic relationships.

The myths circulating about narcissists are preventing you from breaking the cycle.

If you have been in a toxic, abusive relationship, look at your past and the areas of your life to see where you need healing. It is a fallacy that empaths always attract narcissists. Wounded empaths attract narcissists, but not all empaths are wounded. Some are empowered. Wounded people attract wounded people. Narcissists are wounded. If you’re in a relationship with a narcissist, you will never be able to change them, but you can heal yourself and set healthy boundaries and learn the signs so that you do not welcome another narcissist into your life.

Spread A Little Kindness To The Ones You Love And To Yourself

Hi Everyone!

Today is National Random Acts of Kindness Day which is part of Random Acts of Kindness Week which runs until February 20.

What can you today to share your kindness with someone?

Can you write a letter or email someone you care about, someone who made a big impact in your life, and them know how much you love them or the difference they made in your life?
Can you volunteer to help someone in need?
Can you perform a random act of kindness with a stranger or a loved one?
Can you give something to someone else?
Can you offer your time with someone? An ear? Or a hand?

What will you decide to do?

Fill Up Your Heart With Self-Love

Hi Everyone!

I was inspired to create a self-love series.

I used to dread Valentine’s Day. I used to feel bad that I was not in a romantic relationship. I used to feel sad on that day. But just like we can set goals and intentions every day, we don’t have to wait until New Years; we can fill ourselves up with love every day, we don’t have to wait for someone to love us. So last year I filled myself up with so much love. I meditated. I spent time outside in my hammock and going for walks. I exercised. I read. I took baths. I listened to inspirational podcasts. I studied numerology and astrology. I did shadow work. I wrote gratitude lists and I healed myself.

Last Friday, I started Fill Up Your Heart: Self-Love Series on Facebook. I decided to broadcast it on my business FB page, The Dancing Curtain and in my private FB group for empaths and creatives who wish to live an extraordinary life. Click here to join the private group. The series has just begun! I wanted to start it before Valentine’s Day to help support those who are single or broken-hearted but it continues until February 26. I wanted to make the series long enough so that people really felt that their hearts are filled up with love. Watch the replays on the pages and invite a friend.

Inspiration, Mindfulness, Self-care, Spirituality, Holistic HealthKhristee RichFebruary 15, 2021self care, self-love, self-care tips, mindfulness, self-discoveryComment

The Best Gifts Of All Are The Ones That Make You Feel Good

When I was sick with my chronic illness, I didn't have the knowledge I have today. It was through trial and error that I learned the importance of not only choosing the right supplements, but high quality supplements. It was through time and research that I Iearned that what we put on our bodies is as important as what we put in our bodies. Our body is the largest organ we have and it absorbs everything we put on our skin. Everything we put on our bodies and in our bodies and around our bodies contributes to either good health or poor health.

I have so much empathy for those who are struggling with a chronic illness. I know that they often don't have the energy to research and understand what is best for them.

But I do know that if you purchase gifts for your loved ones that help them to feel good, they will treasure those gifts for a long time and appreciate you.

Here are some of my favorites:

How To Stay Inspired When You’re Not

It's almost time for Thanksgiving. Are you excited? Thanksgiving will not be the same this year. Many of us will not be with our complete families. Many of us have lost loved ones this year. Many of us have lost jobs or revenue. Many of us are feeling scared and uncertain about the future. Many of us have been working hard all year and need a break and have lost our vigor to keep going or to be motivated or inspired.

If that is you, you are not alone. I was feeling that way recently. I lost my vigor and I am normally a very optimistic and ambitious person. But sometimes life gets overwhelming or we don't see the fruits of all of our work; we just see the obstacles and more to do. We wonder why we work so hard. Isn't life supposed to be joyful?

Everyone Wants Quick Answers

Years ago, I met a woman in Connecticut while networking. In my circle at the time, it was common for people to do trades, but my experience from the past was all trades were not always equal. Not all services were equal. Some were more expensive than others. Some required more time than others. And some practitioners were more talented and experienced than others. It would be one thing for a massage therapist to get a massage from another massage therapist, but people often traded in different industries. I had been disappointed by trades before and I decided to stop. If someone was interested in my services, they would need to pay me and if I was interested in theirs I would pay them. After all, I did need to pay my bills and I was very good at what I did.

This woman was sick and wanted to do a trade. She had heard about my work and how talented I was as a healer and intuitive and she needed help. She tried everything with doctors and she needed some answers. I told her that I didn’t do trades anymore. I was clear. I was clear with myself and I was clear with her. But even though she was very sick, it was immediately clear that she wasn’t willing to invest in my services. If I wasn’t going to trade with her, she wasn’t willing to pay.

I Can't Believe They Said That

When I was in high school, I attended a summer theater program at Northwestern University called Cherubs. it was specifically for high school students with an interest in theater. And since it was in Evanston, Illinois, students came from all across the U.S. I loved it.

I don’t know how I got onto the subject, but I remember telling a boy that I was black.

He said, “How can you be black? You’re white.”

To which I replied, “Both of my parents are black.“

“But you’re white… Are you an albino?”

At this point in my life, I was not ready for difficult conversations. I was dumbfounded. Did he ask me if I was albino? Obviously, he was not exposed to many blacks and didn’t know we came in all shades.

Creativity, Authenticity, Identity, MindfulnessKhristee RichOctober 9, 2020black lives matter, authentic writing, authenticityComment

Traveling With An Afro

Many years ago, I decided to cut my hair into an Afro. For a long time, I had worn my hair in braids and then I straightened my hair and finally, I decided to go natural and wear an Afro. I absolutely loved it. I felt that it captured my personality. Both of my parents were worried about me sporting an Afro because they had lived in the 60s with the civil rights movement, discrimination, and of course, segregation. They were afraid how their daughter would be treated with an Afro. I reassured them not to worry that I will be treated just fine.

But I definitely had different experiences with an Afro than I did when I was wearing braids or when I had straightened my hair. I remember one time going through airport security. I went through the big scanner where they make you put your hands up above your head and not breathe and then they slide the door really quickly to scan your body. It showed that I was wearing some metal.

Oh shoot! I thought, I forgot to take my rings off.

So, as soon as I got out of the machine, I said, “I’m sorry; I forgot to take my rings off. Here are my rings.”

Creativity, Authenticity, MindfulnessKhristee RichOctober 2, 2020 Comments

Peruvian Dark Night Of The Soul

Last fall, I went to Peru for a little over two months. When I arrived a white feather suddenly appeared letting me know my angels were with me. Later on, I went to a café and as I exited, I saw a large black feather at the doorstep. Excitedly, I picked it up knowing it was a sign, a big sign. But somehow at the time, I couldn’t remember what a black feather meant.

Many people assumed that since I was away for two months that I had the time of my life, that I went on a big adventure, but in fact I had a spiritual awakening.

During my trip, I collected lots of black feathers. They were everywhere. I had never seen so many black feathers. They were from the vultures that flew above the city. To be honest, I never felt that safe in the city. The crime had gone up a lot since I was there in 2016. It took me a long time to travel to South America alone because I was always worried about the crime. Many people warned me it was not as safe as in the U.S. or Europe and not to travel alone there. But since I was twenty, I wanted to go.

Spirituality, IdentityKhristee RichSeptember 10, 2020spiritual awakening, dark night of the soul, peru, peruvian adventureComment

Black Is Always More Aggressive

My parents have some dear friends. They invited them over for dinner one evening. Somehow the conversation turned to black dogs. At the time, my family had two black Labrador Retrievers. My parents’ friends were arguing that black dogs were more aggressive than lighter color dogs. It was an odd conversation. My family is black and they were white. My family had had many dogs over the years: 2 golden retrievers and three black labs plus my mother had a dog as a child. This couple had had one dog: a poodle. My father who loves a good conversation tried to steer the conversation to breeds saying that certain breeds were more aggressive than others and that it depends on how the dog was treated (if it was abused) but they stood steadfastly, saying that it was the color that determined the temperament. My father point black asked, “Are you saying a yellow lab is always less aggressive than a black lab?”

Authenticity, MindfulnessKhristee RichSeptember 2, 2020racism in America, racism in The US, prejudice, black lives matterComment

Have You Ever Been Told That Your Hair is A Hazard?

I am continuing to share more of my personal stories so that people can understand systemic racism.

When I worked in a psychiatric hospital in New York I had an Afro at the time. It was a very big Afro. One day the HR person asked me to come to her office and she told me that I had to cut my hair. I had never been asked to cut my hair for a job before.

I was perplexed.

“Why do I have to cut my hair?” I asked.

“Because it’s too long,” she said.

“What does the length of my hair have to do with my position?” I asked.

She said, “Because your hair is so long that patients could grab it and it could potentially endanger you. So it is a hazard.”

I declined to cut my hair. I would not cut my hair for my job.

For me, my hair was my identity and I didn’t see anything wrong with having an Afro and working in a psychiatric hospital.

Authenticity, Identity, MindfulnessKhristee RichAugust 31, 2020racism in America, racism in The USComment

How Much Do You Know About Vanilla?

I watched Sunday Morning this past weekend and learned about vanilla. With lockdown, more people are baking. Vanilla sales have gone up 500%.

The island of Madagascar is the largest producer of vanilla, producing 80% of the world’s vanilla crop. But vanilla is not native to Madagascar; it is native to Mexico. Vanilla is one of the most labor intensive crops in the world. Only in Mexico where the crop is native is there a bee that pollinates the crop. In Madagascar, every vanilla most be pollinated by hand. It is a very lengthy process to produce vanilla and because of that, it is worth more by weight than gold. Madagascar is one of the poorest countries in the world, so they can find people willing to do this laborous work. On average people in Madagascar are paid $50/month, but those who work on vanilla fields make $100/month.

Still with vanilla being so valuable there is a lot of theft and farmers must stay awake all night, so that their crop is not stolen. Still much of their crop is stolen and is sold on the black market for well over the selling price and many people, mostly children, are in prison for stealing vanilla.

That is why vanilla is so expensive, if you purchase pure vanilla.

Health and Wellness, MindfulnessKhristee RichAugust 4, 2020vanilla, Madagascar, artificial vanilla, artificial flavorsComment

Have You Ever Felt Judgment From A Spiritual Teacher?

Many years ago, when I lived in Connecticut and had a debilitating chronic illness, I attended a gentle yoga class. I enrolled in the class for relaxation and socializing. The teacher said that the class was intended to be slow and gentle unlike many yoga classes which were competitive, high-energy, and athletic. I had chronic fatigue and no stamina, so slow and gentle was definitely my speed plus this class was spiritual, so she seemed to be the right teacher for me at the time to try to muddle through my chronic illness. But even though she seemed spiritual, I was surprised to see that she was judgmental. On one instance, during her yoga class, I’ll never forget it, she asked us to do a pose which I wasn’t able to do. She asked us to thread our fingers through our toes and I just couldn’t do it. She looked at me, shook her head, and started laughing. It would’ve been different if I was laughing and making fun of myself, but I couldn’t do it. I was frustrated. It was preposterous to me and she just looked at me and laughed.

What Were You Taught To Believe?

They taught me to be afraid of you.

“Stand 6 feet apart.”

They taught me to be afraid of myself.

“Wear a mask. You may be contagious.”

They taught me not to trust the strength of my immune system.

“Only medication and vaccines can remedy this.”

They taught me to stay inside. “Don’t go out, unless it is necessary.”

And they closed our beaches.
When natural vitamin D from the sun boosts the immune system.

They taught me to watch the news constantly: for updates and further information.

When fear weakens the immune system and spreads more fear to others.

They taught me that you cannot overcome chronic illness,

but I overcame mine.

They taught me to spy on my friends and neighbors.

No one needs privacy anymore.

They taught me to report anyone acting out of duty.

They taught us that tracking us is acceptable.

They taught me that is not a time for freedom.

They taught me not to think for myself.

They taught me to bully anyone who disagrees.

They taught me to shame, blame, and criticize anyone who thinks for themselves.

Tough Love Is Killing Empathy

Tough love has really become en vogue in the last few years spawned on by the coaching movement. Tough love is considered love that’s “good for you.” Unfortunately, the popularity of tough love is justifying bullies. Many believe people are playing victims and when they do, they should not show them empathy or love, but call them out on their weakness to toughen them up.

I remember one time in a coaching session my coach said to me, “You are being a victim.”

To which I replied, “I am being authentic. I don’t appreciate you labeling me.”

When we label someone, we pigeon in who they are and don’t see the full person. They just become one word.

Do you identify with being referred to as only one word to describe you? Or are you fuller and more complex than a single word?

My coach then said, “You are being a baby.”

I said, “Do not call me a baby; do not label me. I do not label my clients and I appreciate you to show me the same courtesy.”

“Why?” she asked. “Wouldn’t you want to know?! I would want to know! I would want my coach to tell me if I was being a victim or a baby.”

The DancingHummingbird

The Dancing
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