Creating Space with Reiki

With even 11 years of Reiki practice under my belt I still find myself looking at my own re-creation in my life and the spiritual path that Reiki has become for me. When Reiki called to me in my 30’s. My focus at that time was getting my life in order and healing the many things I felt were “wrong” with me. I was a mother of young children, a life partner, a nurse, and a survivor of PTSD, among other things.

Reiki found me and I began to put the many shattered pieces of myself into order. Even as I struggled through my own mind and judgments; Reiki was there, gently guiding me. In some times it had been the only place I found solace.

Now as June approaches I find myself approaching the age of 40. Many people love to tease their family and co-workers about being over the hill and washed up, yet I don't view it this way. At this point in my life I am still a mother of early 20 something children, I am a partner to a sweet and very kind lover, I remain a survivor of PTSD, and although I have added massage therapist, clinical hypnotist, and qi gong instruction to my tool box I am still getting my life in order. And each wrinkle and line, each change to my body and sometimes to my mind are evidence of the lessons I have learned and the loves that I have shared and sometimes lost, but each moment has created who I am today and my capacity to forgive on even deeper levels myself and those who may have wronged me in some way in my life.

The one thing that has changed however is the thought process that something is “wrong” with me and that I am broken or malfunctioning. What I identified as sick and wrong so long ago I now realize is the action of war within my own being, and I am happy to say that I no longer consider myself the kind of warrior willing to berate or malign the temple of my body or mind with unkind thoughts and words. I have laid down my weapons of sharp edged thought and piercing memories, I have put to sleep the idea of remaining in a barred cold prison built seemingly by my parents and life’s early experiences; when in truth it was only real because I believed it could be. Because I never knew another way.

I have unknowingly begun to create the space for God to dwell deep within me. With each feeling that clutches my heart, each thought that twists my stomach; I know the kindest thing is to gently nudge the truth out from the fear that still lives in the cells of my body. To allow the light to shine upon the things that my own mind lovingly buried so that I should not suffer deeply and daily for the travesties and hurt that had been my past. As I move gently through the process I have begun to invite the light, and the Creator of the light, even deeper into my life experience.

The practice of Reiki is still my tried and true friend and confidant. A place to find solace and peace, a place that can never cause any harm. Reiki is a place that nurtures the gentle and kind practice of less worry, less anger and of kindness to the self.

This is the first of 3 articles of Creating Space with Reiki, more to come…

At war within

I don't often take a stand on political issues, and even though the inspiration of this post comes from our new found war with Libya, the meaning here is meant to be individual and uplifting to ourselves.

I have noticed myself feeling reactive about the recent events on our world horizon. It has drawn me to the deep inner truth that if my world is at war, perhaps I am currently at war within myself.

The more I consider the possibility that I am at war within myself the more I am noticing the ways in which that is true for me. I have begun to have some allergies to foods and have begun to experience the achyness of what appears to be fibromyalgia. The more I delve deeply into the meaning of what these two things are and how they seem to affect me the more I understand that in some ways I am reacting to my environment via allergies and discomfort. As I am in the process of unravelling myself I have begun to find so much more compassion for me and all of the things that I may not know about myself. I also am really impressed with how effectively my body has been communicating with me regarding my surroundings and the foods that I ingest.

Perhaps the way to invite compassion on a global level is to invite compassion and peace first within ourselves. Perhaps each time we begin to feel as though we must judge ourselves or the experiences we would rather not have; instead we can lay down our weapons of mass destruction that we have been subduing ourselves with; and create a kinder way to access and heal difficult and challenging energy blocks within us.

If we truly want our world to change we must first feel the peace within ourselves. To feel peaceful within we must begin to understand and forgive ourselves, less explosions and more kindness and love.

That is my two cents this week, lets all uncover the barriers we have created within ourselves that turn our hearts and minds toward war within, and begin to prefer inviting healing and light deeply into our lives.

Just for today do not worry.

Just for today do not anger.

Just for today be kind to every living thing.

Just for today be thankful.

Just for today do your work honestly.

All My love!

Our Agreements

Agreements are the things we make daily with ourselves, our families, our co-workers, and society. They are the unconscious voices inside our minds and sometimes inside our very hearts that help us to function in the world.

As lightworkers the agreements that we make often define who we think we are in the world. Making an agreement to heal the world is a large endeavor!

Some of us are aware of the agreements that we have made regarding healing our community, and yet a larger part of us are not aware of the conscious agreements we have made; and even more important may be the subconscious agreements we make without even a clue of what we are doing or why.

This is the time of the year that heralds the harvesting of our past year's endeavors. It is also the time of the year that is most ripe for us to look at the things that are not working in our lives and evaluate anything that is draining us of precious time and energy.

As the Winter months approach it is a time for self reflection and going deeply inside ourselves to prepare for the next cycle. Many times in the hustle and bustle of daily life these natural flows are not noticed or celebrated, yet they remain important to us all in learning to manage ourselves and our agreements.

Questions to ask yourself are:
Are my agreements to people in my life more important than my agreements to myself?
Are the agreements that I uphold as a global light worker for my community balanced with my own personal self care?
Do I feel drained after I have said YES to an activity to help others?
Do I have a daily self care program in place and do I follow it no matter what is happening in my life?

If you are feeling drained, taken advantage of, or as if there is not enough time to get things done for other people and you consistently place yourself on the back burner; you may be dealing with some agreements and self expactations that could be altered just a tiny bit to support your life and your healing work. We don't want to throw out the baby with the bath water... we just want to find the path of least resistance when searching for a balance in our healing and lightworking activities and our own personal health.

Good Luck!

Here, Now, Today!

This is what the sky looked like right above the Gulf Water Blessing that Dr Emoto and my friend Kumari did for the damage to the water and the animals in the Gulf due to the oil spill.

We spent a delightful day hearing them both speak before we went to pass-e-grill for the blessing. The sky turned dark gray and black, but right above us this was the incredible picture. I wanted to share that moment with you. That was a day that I won't soon forget!

Updates on Eli!

He is still getting big!

He has monsterous paws, well okay not monsterous, but large anyway.

He loves people.

He loves stuffed animals and the snowy fuzz they contain as he gleefully

deposits it around the floor of our house.

He deals with baths, but they are not his favorite.

He pushes people with his nose when they walk through his penned area.

(I'm beginning to think he is coralling everyone.)

Most of all though he is my teacher and my friend.

Being a student of energy for going on 20 years now...

This little guy has taught me more about

being in the now moment than any teacher or technique.

In the study I have embarked on reading Cesar Millan training books

and watching his National Geographic show,

I have witnessed time and again the power of the moment of now.

Eli teaches me each day about being in the now,

it is so simple for me to understand.

Dogs take this day and this moment, they don't worry or fret over the future or the past.

If their owner is fretting the dog becomes an immediate and direct mirror

for the energy of that thought process by pulling on the leash, getting excited and jumping at people, barking uncontrollably.

"The human is un-grounded!!!"

the dogs

scream with their behavior,

what tattle tails!

Eli simply yanks on the leash as if he has somewhere to get to,

pulling me along,

my focus in the beginning was that I needed to get him under control; but the reality was that even during a simple walk,

in some parts of myself I was out of control, in the future or in the past;

but certainly not in the now.

I have had incredible opportunities to learn about Reiki Energy

during our walks.

Eli never lies to me about me.

For years I thought about how wonderful it was for dogs to put their trust in the humans,

what I have learned is that I must place

trust in Eli on an equal level,

our relationship is symbiotic. Even though he looks to me to provide

for his needs and safety,

I rely on him for his companionship and protection.

He is still young, infact he will be 5 months old tomorrow!

I am happy to have the opportunity to share my life and time with such a noble companion!

I look forward to more lessons with

Master Elijah of the Crystal Waters....

Thats his big long name

sounds fancy doesn't it?

The Empty Cup

One day, a university professor who taught philosophy went to visit a famous Zen master for tea. While they sat, the professor talked and talked about 'Zen' posing hypotheses, recounting what he'd learned, arguing with...

well, with himself...because while he sat there, talking...the Zen master was preparing tea.

The Master placed a cup in front of the professor, and one in front of himself, and poured tea into his cup, right up to the brim, but even as the cup filled, the master kept pouring...

Soon tea spilled over the sides and pooled on the table, which is when the professor said:

"Master - stop - my cup is full! "

To which the master replied:

"You are like this cup. How can I show you Zen if you do not empty your cup?"

I have spent the last few months gearing up for some big changes in my life. Gathering the information and ideas I felt I would need to support myself through such incredible life altering changes.

As I sat here today, feeling as though it was time to write, and wondering what on Earth I really had to say, I gazed out of the upstairs window... seeing tree tops and clouds and birds flying in the sky. The feeling I had at that moment was how much less complicated life is when we are above the cement of the world where the thoughts and actions live, moving around through our daily lives pushing and pulling ourselves and our desires.

More than preparing for changes for the past few months I have been preparing myself for the last few years. Consciously peeling away those things that stand in the way of my mind's liberation. My dedication to my spiritual path has brought me to this point...

The Ego says "The sky is falling the sky is falling.... it is the end of the world and life as we know it... run, hide, give up, give in, close your eyes, stop listening!" My ego remains ever more dramatic...

The truth in my soul whispers... this is the empty cup... trust... have faith... be not afraid...

I always enjoyed the Hatha yoga that I learned through a video tape that my Guru released quite a few years back. The knowledge that the true movement in yoga was in the stillness BETWEEN the movements has always intrigued me.

So many of us focus on what we are doing, forcing, or considering and making the mistake in thinking that this is where the true growth and learning comes from. When all along... the truth is always under our noses... the silence between the undertakings, changes, challenges, and opportunities is where wisdom is cultivated.

I am accepting the experience of my empty cup...

No pushing, no pulling, no forcing.... what a release of spiritual information is available to me in this process, I feel humbled by the experience and by all the souls that have assisted in bringing me to this place.

I appreciate your precious time and wish you the experience of a profoundly empty cup!

Namaste'

Yummy-ness...

Gosh, I really loved this weekend but especially today. I allowed myself to be with whatever my little heart desired. I allowed myself to feel as though my massage/healing work was play and was truly over joyed to spend some time of my day off nurturing another soul... getting paid was a bonus!

Working a daily job has taken me from the somewhat lazy... AHEM... life I led. Now I owned my own business and had a massage office and worked hard and sometimes not so hard... a lot of my work was worry about the bills and making ends meet... I am glad for that time to have passed. During this time I learned a lot about healing and facillitating safe spaces for my clients and I also learned a lot about advertising and how to set up sucessful business practice.

The one thing I didn't understand was the yumminess of life. I spent so much time following myself, my intentions, my integrity, and my bussiness around that I forgot to have some fun and take myself less seriously.

Stupendously it took making the decision to close my business and to free myself from all baggage and realtionships that are not serving me for me to find the yummi-ness within. Today was a yummy-day... filled with sunshine, pure water for drinking, meditative and breath work that comes from a tantric perspective, spending short but sweet time with my daughter, facillitating aromatherapeutic bodywork, and getting ready to finish an amazing and growth filled book... that was when the experience of yummi-ness really grasped me. Lying on my side in my bed gazing at the gorgeous green colors out side my window, the blue of the sky broken by the dancing clouds, and dappled sunlight filtering through the trees into my room.

I recognized this moment for what it was... complete and utter comfort... a moment that if I listened would chauffuer me into a deep sense of contentment. Soon I had laid down that beautiful book, laid down my busy mind at the alter of stillness... wrapped myself in my favorite soft blanket and drifted into a womb like state... 3 hours later I awoke refreshed and full of yummi-ness.

Working a daily job has given me back the yummi-ness of life... the utter acceptance of what is... the beauty of what it is like to take time that is meant just for myself and no one else... When was the last time you gave yourself the permission to drift into the womb-like stillness and be yummified?

I sure do encourage you to find a space of time, a day off or even a 20 minute segment of your busy day where you shut your door to the children and the bills and the spouse and the dog and the phone... and... and... and... and just relax... be... breathe... and yummify!

Namaste'

Advanced Reiki Training

When I first became a Reiki Master Teacher I was so excited to get out into the world and teach as much Reiki to as many people as I could.

I molded my classes around the way I had learned and for years I used the very same manual my Reiki Master had used in my classes.

This past 6 months began a different level of teaching for me. At some point I realized that the manual I was using was not really showing my own personal flair or what I felt was important with Reiki and so I wrote my own Reiki level I and II manuals. They are still functional works in progress!



The incredible thing about this process for me is that I realized that Master Teacher was no longer a term that I felt was describing me. It was this year that I began to think of myself as a Reiki Master Instructor. This term feels more solid for my foundation and little did I know that it would also assist me to begin to delve even more deeply into my own Reiki practice and Reiki's roots.

I feel that this change came at the most synchronous time ever, as it was time for me to publicly teach an Advanced Reiki Class. I wanted more for my students than I had received during my ART class, more than I had taught before. I wanted my students to feel the Earth move and to experience energetic healing through every sense they had available. I wanted them to have a sense of being removed from everyday life and to take a step into illumined spirit filled healing.

I had the honor to craft a beautiful ART class that I believe is still echoing in the minds of the participants. I am ever so thankful for the experience of being able to witness to the courage, focus, and outstanding commitment that I witnessed this weekend with the talented individuals I worked with. Reiki never ceases to amaze me whether in a class room or healing setting, yet... humans with their hope, resiliency, and grace are even more amazing to behold.

I am thankful at even deeper levels for Reiki and the gift it has been in my life, and I can not wait to teach the more advanced levels more often!

Namaste'

Inner Strength

Sometimes our lives seem not our own. As if bosses, co-workers, family, lovers, and friends push and pull us into directions that we would rather not go.

ACIM (a course in miracles) says that the only lack we need heal is the separation we feel from God.

I believe it is this feeling of separation from a creator that causes many people to separate themselves into neat and tidy socially acceptable pieces, and leaves them with a big fat hole inside their hearts and minds. One that often they have no idea how to fill.



I have noticed in these few short weeks of working in a doctors office that people generally don't expect the best, nor do they look forward to it.

It is such a foriegn way of looking at life for me, that I find myself somewhat taken aback, and as I sit here today being sent home from work for feeling ill, I am recognizing that I have been very lucky in my life. For the last five years I could go to work and look forwad to what I was going to do and I only shared my work space with myself and each client.

I believe my facebook friend Gary really said it best today when he quoted a familiar saying.

"It is easy to be a monk on a mountain top."

I have found myself slowly feeling infected by the words and the attitudes of an office staff that is just trying to make it through thier days. Just working to pay their bills and get what feels like a minute of relief. As though their lives are happening too fast and they can not keep up.

I believe that my life is universally guided and that each and every one of us here on this planet can make a difference to this world. I believe that I have been gifted with the experience of this job so that I can remember what it is like for people who do not have the tools, experience, or love that I have to share and offer. To remember that my strength is my spirit and the spirit that resides in each person, REGARDLESS of their own beliefs and thoughts and pains, is just as strong, beautiful, and eternal as mine.

Because of my own past and the feelings I have had about the medical system here in Florida I

have not wished to work in the field as a nurse, and yet I find myself in this job that challenges my rusty nursing skills, but more than that, I find my inner mettle being forged.

This is the time that the Guru sends the disciples away from the ashram. When they have been able to experience the love and safety of their creator in a controlled environment that always seeks the spiritual enlightenment and betterment of each spirit.

When one has been loved and healed enough, the Guru will send you into the world away from the safety and support of the ashram... because it is the presence of the true spiritual disciple that lifts up the spirits of others.

We communicate energetically the information we hold within our hearts, minds and spirits. The duality is... to be so true to the nature of the alter of our own heart and what we know to be true within us, that we can withstand a room full of doubts, fears, and pain. That we do not waiver or allow the seeds of doubt to populate our own minds and hearts.

This is my own lesson of the last 3 weeks. To remember who I am, where I came from, and who I want to be. To recognize that taking care of me is the most important thing I can do, and to take care of me my beliefs and attitudes MUST be aligned with the power and strengths of my spiritual fortitude and NOT be wasted on the drifting thoughts and words of those who have forgotten their own strength.

The photos above are mandalas I was inspired to draw for my clients. Each client has expressed that as they gaze at the images they have recieved the feeling of healing and spiritual support. I just love when Spirit speaks through art!

May your days be blessed!

Big Changes

It has been two weeks since my life changed in a big way. I thas been two weeks since I last taught Reiki and had the honor to welcome more students on to their path in Reiki. it has also been two weeks since I got a brand new job!

Since that time everything has changed. I find myself with not as much time to ponder things, I have decided that idle time is truly the enemy of intelligent people.

Since that time I have also embraced a spiritual truth. A truth that perhaps we aren't always aware of, but a truth that exists none the less. This truth challenges me in a way that I have not been challenged and I welcome the depths of the lessons and growth that are occuring and that will occur because of it.

The truth is this: walk what we talk. Now this is simple and everyone has heard it before, but it takes on a new meaning when you shove yourself head first into new life experiences. When you give up the reigns of your life and the things you have always "thought" you were "supposed" to be doing to the forces that be. These are the moments that all of my preparation and knowledge and suggestions to my student and clients really hold weight.

Having my own office for 5 years really gave me the power to control my surroundings. Giving up the office and returning to the work force means letting go of control, assuming that my higher power and the creator of all things has my best and highest good at heart. Working in a busy doctors office, where my entire focus is on what I am doing, which client I am seeing, and what my doctor may need from me has brought me fully into the present moment. Honestly my mind has no time to wander into the past or future because I have so much that I have got to do and remember. I come home with energy from the day, I go to sleep earlier because physcially my body needs the rest as I adjust to my new 5 a.m. waking schedule, however my mood has lifted incredibly.

Yet I still have kids and a home and animals and friends and... and... and... I find myself wondering how to juggle groceries and family time and cooking and cleaning. I hear my therapist self giving suggestions and I recognize that I am currently my own client. After all these years of helping and suggesting and supporting my clients, I am now helping, suggesting to, and supporting myself.

I have realized that i make a choice each day to support my health and growth even while 8-9 hours a day are devoted to a job that really has nothing to do with my heart and spirit. My time is supporting me and my kids, but even greater it is supporting this moment... the moment of NOW.

My inner therapist and Reiki Instructor whispers in my ear the ancient and not so ancient truths of the language of energy and time management. I heed the voice and I take the time first thing in the morning to offer thanks for the day and offer my body Reiki and a nourishing meal so that I can serve the people I come in contact with in the best way I can throughout the day.

I write today from a hotel room at Cocoa Beach. While soft snores come from the bed as the last nap of the weekend is being taken. I feel incredibly blessed in this moment. That I have the opportunity to face my challenges and new experiences while wielding some of the most powerful tools for living that I have ever had the honor to share with people.

I am my own product my own sucess, my own masterpiece. To walk in honor and service and to allow the Creator Spirit into each endeavor is truly what it means to be in service. Whether in a doctors office, a construction site, a massage office, or an office building. The true reigns of our life are always with the force that is greater than everything, and relaxing into each part of life is the unyielding secret of happiness.

May your weeks be blessed and may you welcome your endeavors with love and enthusiasm!

Sitting on Tennis balls

This is my gorgeous border collie mix... her name is Sadie. Sadie lives with my ex right now, we can't have dogs where I am, but I get visitation until that changes. Her sister Daisy is getting ready to make her transition, we have about 2-3 weeks before that time right now; but Sadie seemed a bit blue the other day and i wanted to spend some time with her.

Today I took Sadie to our favorite park and we walked and talked and I even got to lay on the ground. In Florida I don't try to do that much because I do not like the aggressive insects... but this park is heaven because we don't have that problem there.

And here I sit after a beautiful morning with my dog, on tennis balls and yes you did hear me right... my rump is a achin' and the balls help tenterize all that rump muscle, thank goodness something does. I am feeling that familiar raw feeling as I sit here. The feeling that sneaks up on me to let me know that the people I love most are in turmoil, and that unconsciously I am sending them energy, my energy, universal energy, ANY energy, and somehow not recieving as much as I could be to keep the balance.

I relized this as I slopped dirty water all up in my face and on my clothing while cleaning the vacuum cleaner. I sure did make a mess! This is one of those funny feeling days, a day that feels not all the way right; but there is no evidence of anything wrong. These are the days that I have come to recognize as a warning type of day. Wouldn't it be nice if the warning was a bit more clear than an uneasy feeling that seems to permeate my space?

Sunday I recieved a message from my great-grandmother via a really talented English medium named Geoff. I never knew her but it was evident that she knew about me. That she too shared my love of Infinite spirit God, and that she understood how much I honor my spiritual path. It was a nice confirmation of the work that I have done in my life and with my clients.

I have realized just now that my deceased dog Haven is hanging around, probably much like family does when a person is getting ready to make their transition to the other side. Perhaps Haven has come to be here and wait for Daisy to make the transition. Boy I miss my Havie an awful lot! Maybe that is what the "somewhat wrong but nothing is wrong" feeling comes from.

I am teaching Reiki this weekend and I feel great about that! We always have such amazing and meaningful classes and I always have such incredible clearing and healing time in the weeks before each class. I feel like I wanted to share that with you... that even though there are days that feel off... life goes on and all is well...

Healing is not always bright and shiny with cotton candy colors and visions of chiors of angels singing and swooping down from heavens curing all our ails... BUT sometimes it comes Damn close... and when it doesn't, we can just know that the deep residue of the unhealed parts of ourselves have heard our calls for freedom and balance. And when we are called to wade through that part of our process, finding patience is sometimes as good as it gets!

Everyday Miracles

It never ceases to amaze me how this moment slowly moves into the next moment and it becomes yes, this moment. If watching only this moment, sometimes after many moments, we recognize that a lifetime has emerged! Healing work is like this in a lot of ways for myself and my clients, and most likely for you as well.

I was working with a client this weekend and we realized that it has been a year since she started to see me... well almost a year. When she came to me she appeared a bit meek and extremely depressive. A hard outer exterior and devoid of much emotion... I believe that perhaps within her she felt only a modicum of hope as she made her appointment to see me. Sometimes our karmic lessons and our life contracts are large. It can seem as if the humanity and the compassion of God can not even touch us within the laws and lessons of life. For some of us that can be professional life, family life, and love relationships... whatever it is you know it when it hits you. This is the forging of the soul.

Every once in awhile I am gifted with the opportunity to watch a client do a 180 degree turn around. I love to work with the people that are fired up about making changes in their lives, and still willing to work within the fire of healing... when it is white hot, and hardest to remain in a state of courage and faith that this obstacle too shall pass. This woman is one of those people. Every one of us has an incredible light that we were meant to shine upon this planet. Some of us in big ways and some of us in smaller ways and yet each fire has the same weight.

What a pleasure it is to watch her recognize challenges and look at them deeply... releasing the fear about her emotions and the self judgement that she has a challenge that exists at all, means far less than the freedom that comes from doing such profound work. Once we realized how many moons it had been that we had been working together there was a special moment filled with AWE... with the silence of all that is, as we remembered her state of being at the moment of her first appointment. A miracle had been born within the moment drifting into the next moment... an entire year of healing had emerged. A history of old coats and hats, thoughts and beliefs that have been thrown out for a newer style, a healthier style.

As she left from this appointment with a greater sense of her accomplishments of the past year and her thoughts dwelling upon her healing goals for the new year to come, I told her how truly proud I am of her. For having the courage to face the monsters in her closets... and the monsters in her life. She said something that struck me then, "It couldn't have happened without you." She thanked me then and even though I understand that I am the face that the universe chose for the job that I do, it is her desire to return to balance and the light that caused her healing. It is her soul and the blessings of the universe that created such incredible healing. I am truly the gifted one to be in a position not only to witness the incredible healing but to learn and grow from it myself. I am filled with a sense of grace as I write this morning... because God has placed me within a profession in which miracles happen... each and everyday and I am allowed and honored to share in them as the children of the universe remember their own light and begin to shine it outwardly to uplift all of creation!

Namaste'

Once upon a time I was a know it all!

As I was sitting here getting the dregs out of my valor bottle this morning... I started to remember the first time I was introduced to essential oils. I thought they were snake oil, after all if it did not come out of a pill bottle what good was it anyway? At the time I had injured my back working as a nurse, it was 1998 or so, which meant I had been a nurse for only 2 years before my career might be over. I was taking vicodin for the pain and flexaril to relax the muscles. All that really happened was I slept a lot, but the pain didn't dissipate. At one point I had the violent side effect of attacking my partner at the time, vicodin for some people can bring out anger and rage tendencies. Sadly I was one of those people, luckily no one got hurt!

Pt was not helping, the meds were not helping, and sleeping just had me sleeping through my life and my young children's lives as well. I was miserable and the ice massage from that PT lady was driving me up a wall to boot. I was involved with a spiritual organization at the time and they swore by their essential oils. I scoffed, laughed, and made cracks about the way they smelled and the snake oil they were peddling to unsuspecting humans. (as if I knew a thing or two!) After all if it was not in a pill bottle it didn't work. If that stuff worked the medical community would embrace it and go with it, but alas the medical community in a large part denies the effectiveness of therapeutic grade essential oils and their efficacy for healing. And so I suffered... not too silently I might add!

I have to add here that at the time my mother had become a massage therapist a few years before this, and I had only had one or two treatments from her and they left me feeling broken and beaten the next day so I swore off all of that silly stuff! What I didn't understand is that the stress of being a single mom and going to nursing school had taken it's toll on me and my body... well that and the alcohol problem I had at the time. So during the massage the toxins moved into the blood stream and boy was I feeling them.... but I was too smart for that... massage was EVIL! I was certain.

So I was seriously in pain and didn't know how I would go back to work. One of my snake oily friends asked if she could put some oils on my back. "Sure," I said, "as long as you don't try any of that evil massage on me I already hurt enough." At this point my allopathic way of treating myself had gotten me no where. So I laid there and she dripped an oil on my back from above me. She didn't touch me she just let the oil sit there and some weird things started to happen. My vertebrae actually snapped back into place. Not just one but four different snaps crackles and pops I heard and I didn't even move. And even weider was that the pain decreased... no one had even touched me. That one oil she used that day was Valor, I placed my oil order immediately because the relief I had was so incredible that I had to find out more, plus who wants to have that much pain daily?

Since then I have used my oils for everything from strep throat to uplifting depression. What a cool memory to have on an over cast day while I attempt to get each and every tiny molecule of oil out of this bottle... lesson learned today... DON'T EVER LET MYSELF RUN OUT OF VALOR!

How to find some valor? Just click here

Everything is Energy!

Reiki is a system that was brought to light in the modern times by Mikao Usui, for many believe it has existed far into antiquity through the Indian vedas. In this day and age it is also considered energy medicine or energy healing. The fact that the global consciousness to a large part has begun to work with manifestation and the law of attraction, is definitely a recognition that healing will also follow along the lines of consciousness and or unconsciousness. It also illustrates that recognizing the "energetic nature" of our universe on a conscious level may open a person up to the understanding that they themselves are energy and perhaps energetic healing would assist them in their life.

Reiki is "energy", everything is energy! We are made of atoms... the energy that one atom harnesses when split is a nuclear bomb. All form and dimensions and energy is vibrating at specific rates. Some Rates are seen and some rates are unseen, but the natural laws are in place within the divine matrix of all of creation. This being said we are creators within the divine matrix of the Creator with free will and unconscious creation as well. Fun stuff!

So as a healing facilitator I believe, as many others believe that our vibrations can indeed be altered according to thought and deed, as well as intention. I also believe that the unconscious plays a great part in the manifestations of our own personal universe. WE are like radio towers tuned into specific frequencies of life. Depending on our life experiences and our knowledge we find ourselves tuned into certain levels of experience and energy. When a person would like to uplift their vibration they are often led to meditation, spending time in nature, and breathing techniques. In fact some are told just think positively.

Has anyone ever told you to just think positively when your bank account has been over drawn, you forgot to pay a bill, or the dogs vet bill is more than you have? Or how about when your relationship is breaking up, or when your lovely child has made a decision that affects the entire family without your knowledge? The words to just think positively can really fall flat in the face of the emotions that will emerge during these types of challenges. And what if these types of challenges have been your entire life experiences with only a few peaks and tons of valleys? How easy or natural will "thinking positively" come to you?

If it is true that what we resist persists, then many of us are in need of some serious acceptance in our lives, but how? Working with clients that are in this state of affairs causes one to consider some type of medium to help them feel just a little better. Not eating the whole meal of bliss to start off with, perhaps just a bite of the appetizer, because to be honest the whole meal is just too far a jump for some people. For the past 12 years I have used therapeutic grade essential oils successfully with my family, friends, and then with my clients. Here is the magic... they do not have to do anything. Many times people who are living in these types of challenging circumstances are simply worn out.

A drop on your hands rubbed together and inhaled takes 30 seconds, yet the effect is immediate when using oils that are meant to uplift mood, focus the mind, or relax the body. Transdermally the oil has already begun to flow through the circulatory system and create changes in the hormonal systems, aroma-therapeutically when inhaled it is taken directly into the limbic region of the brain and will release feel good hormones according to the memories of the pleasant scent. There is not too much alteration in the paradigm of healing here. Just the introduction of a nice citrus component or perhaps lavender. These are scents that are familiar to everyone and often times hold good memories for the client. The science behind this is indeed incredible!

Essential oils are the life blood of a plant. They carry out the necessary and vital functions of the plant. They move through the cell walls of plant membranes feeding the plant tissues and carrying the waste out. The molecule of an essential oil is very small in comparison to the molecule of a fatty oil (such as olive). The chemical chains of fatty oils are long when most essential oil chemical chains are ring like in structure and very compact. Why is this important? Because essential oils are already engineered to nourish and cleanse cells and tissues. Their molecules are so tiny that they move easily through the skin into the blood stream, made available to every vital system. A fatty oil stays on top of the skin and takes a much longer time to "soak" in. Therefore the client is supported from within, and through the support from the natural changes within the body it can enable them to feel just a little bit better, and that my friends is truly the beginning of a healing moment! When a person can begin to feel just a little better, they relax and make way for more incredible changes to happen.

The great thing is that this really works. We want to feel better, and if that can happen through simply smelling a natural substance that makes you feel good, well that is quite a user friendly version of healing that can be expanded in the future. And some of the people you will come into contact with will turn you off if you start talking about a process that makes them have to remember things that are alien to them or plan time out of their day for self care.

I am going to enjoy extolling the virtues of some of my favorite things! If you would like more information on therapeutic grade essential oils please click here.

Namaste'