alternative medicine

2023 was a doozy of a year for me. Low back pain, which I had managed (mostly) successfully for decades, flared up, an old knee injury returned with vengeance, and I developed menopausal frozen shoulder.

It was A LOT.

As you might imagine, my daily life and mobility were severely impacted. What was surprising to me is that my go-to remedies were largely ineffective, and often exacerbated the pain.

Walking for more than 12 minutes became problematic. The one time I tested this limit, my low back and hip seized, leaving me on the sidewalk deep breathing for several minutes until I was able to slowly hobble back home. It was quite the humbling experience.

Even the gentlest yoga often triggered discomfort the next day. This frustrated me to no end- I didn’t ever do anything that hurt in the moment, but still experienced consequences afterwards.

I tried several other therapies with similar results.

And then I decided to just stop. I was going to rest and give my body time to heal. Over the course of the next six months, I was largely sedentary. As you might imagine, this wasn’t a terrific solution either. I began to lose range of motion EVERYWHERE.

Reiki kept me company through this challenging period. It provided the insight that this… episode was part of my soul’s journey. I became immersed in this revelation so much so that a new blog, A Soul’s Journey, emerged as a means to share my story.

Daily infusions of healing energy helped me to see the beliefs that were untenable and misaligned with my life purpose. I was blocking support (low back), resistant to stepping into the next phase of my life (knee) and carrying burdens that were not mine (shoulder).

I was hanging on to patterns and identities that prevented me from being fully present in each moment and clinging to coping mechanisms that ranged from outdated to destructive.

I learned a lot during this period, and I think that was the whole point. AND I still desired to be able to move more freely in addition pursuing this spiritual growth.

Somewhere along the way, my yearning for movement that wouldn’t trigger pain pointed me towards Gyrokinesis, a movement therapy I’d discovered when I lived in California. I looked for a local teacher in Philly and was unable to find an accessible, affordable solution.

I turned to the internet and found a teacher offering online classes. Skeptical that I would be able to follow the nuances of this technique via a screen, my desperation won out and I gave it a try.

Since you might not know, “The Gyrokinesis Method is a movement method that addresses the entire body, opening energy pathways, stimulating the nervous system, increasing range of motion, and creating functional strength through rhythmic, flowing movement sequences. This method coordinates movement, breath and mental focus.”

I copied this excerpt from Non Edward’s website.

I was delighted that I enjoyed the classes and felt no pain afterwards. My mobility began to return and now I can actually turn around to back up the car safely. I’m noticing a difference in my feet, legs and pelvis when I stand and realized that I’m still carrying patterns leftover from a dismal experience with bilateral plantar fasciitis 12 years ago! The pain in my feet went away, but I was still clenching and holding tension in the same ways I did to walk when every step hurt.

I addition to recommending Gyrokinesis wholeheartedly, particularly for anyone dealing with chronic pain, I’d like to give Non a round of applause. She’s incredible! She has a vast understanding of anatomy and physiology, a clear and imaginative way of communicating the exercises while simultaneously demonstrating them. She does so graciously and gracefully without ever making me feel like a bull in a china shop and manages to position herself on camera so we can see what’s happening.

This is a skill set that is quite rare! Having knowledge and being able to share it clearly and compassionately is practically unheard of; doing it via Zoom is a mastery that should be shouted from the rooftops.

Adversity, Adaptation and Gyrokinesis

2023 was a doozy of a year for me. Low back pain, which I had managed…
There are loads of reasons you might be experiencing, or teetering on the edge of, burnout.

Doing all the things without support from society or family or the workplace is a common source of depleted energy.

Chronic stress is exhausting. And insanely epidemic.

Avoiding our emotions takes an extraordinary bite out of our reserves. Consistent worry and attempts at controlling life or other people are heavy drains on our batteries.

Feeling like you’re lost and alone in a hostile world is another factor that saps energy.

These issues slowly (or not so slowly!) drain life-force over time. If it’s not replaced on a steady basis, the body, mind and spirit suffer.

I think of my life-force energy much the way I do money. I want to have more deposits than withdrawals. I want to spend wisely and curtail all waste. I want to invest in ventures that bring the greatest returns.

It sounds simple, right? Maybe. That doesn’t mean it’s easy. Some obligations are non-negotiable, no matter how draining they are. Some phases of life require a hefty expenditure of energy with delayed benefits. Sometimes the perfect storm hits us out of the blue and catches us off guard.

Don’t get me started on menopause!

Many of the remedies our society points to are not helpful at all. Scrolling on social media, alcohol, binge watching trashy TV and comfort foods might bring momentary relief but don’t actually nourish us in any meaningful way.

If the problem is a deficiency of life-force energy, then deposits of the same are the only true medicine. These can come from time spent in nature, connection with uplifting people, joyful movement, creative projects, and pleasure.

Sadly, these activities might not seem accessible from the vantage point of burnout.

Which is where Reiki comes in. Reiki is a holistic healing technique that bathes the recipient in spiritually guided life-force energy and stimulates the body’s innate abilities to restore itself. It’s the easiest, safest, most powerful strategy I’ve discovered in over 25 years of exploring the journey of healing.

If you need to start making some deposits in your life-force account, look no further. To make things even easier, you have the choice of staying in your fuzzy pajamas and receiving an infusion without leaving home. Or coming to my office in your fuzzy pajamas. 🙂 No judgment here.

While I provide sessions year round, for the month of January, I’m offering 24% off all in-person and remote Reiki treatments. Book by the 31st to take advantage of this deal and get started on the road to recovery.

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Reiki for Burnout

There are loads of reasons you might be experiencing, or teetering on the edge of, burnout.…
Folks are often surprised, maybe even bewildered, at all the ways I apply Reiki in my life. Recently a Reiki 2 student commented that it seems like I’m just doing Reiki all day.

She’s right!

But probably not in the way you think. I do live in the world, same as you. I pay my bills, shop for groceries, cook my meals, brush my teeth. I have dentist appointments and get the oil in my car changed and do the laundry. So. Much. Laundry!

I have not forsaken all the usual tasks, but I do bring Reiki into them.

To me, Reiki has become a state of being rather than a task. So, when I’m on hold with the internet provider, Reiki is flowing. When I’m brushing my hair, I’m connected to the flow of life-force energy and aligning myself with its frequency. Before I put the car in drive, I pave the way forward with Reiki intentions.

This is my recipe for maintaining equanimity while dealing with whatever the world presents me. I meet each moment, turning towards whatever pops up with compassionate attention and.. yup, Reiki.

Much of the time, I’m successful. I’m still participating in this human experience and do lose my sh*t from time to time. But it’s rare, usually doesn’t last long, and I recover pretty quickly.

If full-time Reiki sounds a bit overwhelming, let me assure you that I started this journey 21 years ago with a simple daily practice. For about 15 minutes every morning, I used the traditional hand positions to fill myself up with healing energy.

Over time, my practice began to expand. I brought Reiki into the shower with me, washing my body with ki as well as soap and hot water. I brought Reiki to the yoga mat, infusing my breath and awareness with it. It came along on my meditations and walks, gushing from my open palms and surrounding me with supportive and protective energies.

Gradually it grew, seeping into more and more of my daily life. This wasn’t effort-full by any means! Once you realize you have full-time access to healing powers that help smooth the way through the rough spots and deepen the joyful moments, willingness to apply them emerges quite naturally.

I believe that committing to a daily practice is the first step for all of us. Once you get into a habit of showing up for yourself and taking time for self-compassion, self-empowerment, and self-healing, you begin to notice the rewards. And once you get familiar with the rewards, you begin to notice pretty quickly when you aren’t experiencing them and quickly want to return.

There’s nothing particularly special about me. I’m not overly motivated or assertive or ambitious. Quite the opposite! I’m just very averse to suffering and lazy enough to want the simplest, safest, easiest support system that provides amazing results with only beneficial side effects.

I was willing to devote a mere 15 minutes of my mornings to a practice that gave me full-time access. Eventually I began to take more and more advantage of this full-time access, because… why not? Why not use your superpowers all the time to help you with all the things?

If you’re already on your Reiki journey, why not take advantage of the New Year reset energies to reinvigorate your self-treatment commitment? Or consider booking a Chakra-cleanse remote Reiki (December’s special) or an in-person session if you’re in Philly.

If you have yet to be initiated into the Reiki world, join my mailing list and be amongst the first to know about upcoming classes. I’m planning to offer Reiki 1 certification training in January.

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Full-Time Reiki Activation

Folks are often surprised, maybe even bewildered, at all the ways I apply Reiki in my…
Check out this interesting article! Some of the action steps are oversimplified, IMO, but there’s still a whole lot of good info here about psychological stress and how it impacts the body in a way that cultivates anxiety.

The Life-Changing Link Between Anxiety and Muscle Tension

In my work with hundreds of clients experiencing anxiety over the past 20 years, I’ve seen how stress amplifies anxiety. When people learn to mitigate the physiological effects of stress, very often anxiety diminishes greatly or even disappears altogether. Imagine a garden in which you stop watering the weeds. Only the most tenacious, deeply rooted buggers will persist.

It’s amazing to me how non-invasive, safe, gentle and natural treatments such as massage, Reiki and movement education can so profoundly impact a condition that is so disruptive to so many people and so very poorly treated by the medical system. (I’ll spare you my rant about that! Hint: follow the money.)

When the nervous system is regulated and we’re not constantly receiving “DANGER” messages and flooded with adrenaline, it’s easier to access clarity, cognitive abilities and inner power making many seemingly overwhelming challenges much more manageable.

Holistic treatments look at the whole being, including the mental and emotional components, as well as the physical and bio-chemical factors. Those of us in the healing arts are well aware of how complex health is because of the seeming illogical responses people may have to circumstances that trigger the fight/flight/freeze/fawn response. Deactivating the triggers requires us to first uncover them and treat them with compassion rather than attempting to suppress or atack them.

Back to the article… From this same website, “Clinical somatics is neuromuscular education… to retrain muscle memory and relieve pain.” It’s a practice of noticing where muscles are chronically and unnecessarily contracted and teaching them to release. Easier said than done, it’s true! But effective for those who have the determination to stick with it.

If building new neural pathways and learning how to use your body more efficiently just seems like too much work, consider booking a Reiki-massage if you’re in the Philly area or a remote Reiki session, wherever you may be. I’ll do all the work and you can just lay back and soak it up. Sometimes healing is more about undoing than doing.

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Somatics Approach to Anxiety

Check out this interesting article! Some of the action steps are oversimplified, IMO, but there’s still…
Last week a potential client asked me what my success rate was.

Ummmm…

I really had to give that some thought! I am 100% successful at delivering Reiki and/or massage to the clients who request it.

But that obviously wasn’t what she was looking for. She wanted to know how many of my clients were relieved of their symptoms, but that’s not a question I can accurately answer. I’d estimate that 95% of the time, people feel better when they leave my office. What happens after that is generally out of my hands.

Imagine you were seeking treatment for insomnia. Reiki and massage are both fabulous at calming the nervous system so people can fall asleep more easily and stay asleep. I can do my very best work, you’d feel calm and rested when we parted, but you could go home and drink a pot of coffee before bedtime. You probably won’t sleep very well, but you still received many of the wellness benefits anyway.

Holistic healing is a lot like not drinking a pot of coffee before bed. Or getting out of debt by curtailing spending and taking up a side job. All of our choices are affecting our progress.

My clients who switch to decaf after lunch experience tremendous results. Those who rely solely on me while continuing to drink coffee at bedtime get temporary relief.

There’s no judgment here. Anybody can get a session and feel better. Those who want to continue feeling better work with me. We become a detective team, exploring the options that they face every day to pursue or decline wellness.

Success rate? Here’s a more accurate question, one I wasn’t quick enough to express on that phone call. Are you willing to adapt your behavior and make healthier choices that support your goals? Your response is directly correlated to the success rate you can expect. And my services will mostly definitely support you in the process.

Whether or not you’re wanting to participate in your wellness pursuit, gentle massage and Reiki treatments can promote vitality, peace, calm, creativity, and health. Schedule a session without any guilt or shame about your habits. We don’t have to discuss anything you don’t want to!

Your Healing Session

Success Rate of Healing Treatments?

Last week a potential client asked me what my success rate was. Ummmm… I really had…
Taking good care of ourselves can be a radical act in this day and age. Tapping into our inner wisdom, choosing to stay present with ourselves, and responding with compassion is downright revolutionary.

I’m not talking about tropical vacations, spa days, bath bombs, mani-pedis or goopy facial masks. (Unless that’s your thing.) There’s nothing wrong with pleasure-full indulgences, but that is not the heart of self-care.

What I’m talking about is committing to a daily practice of caring for yourself in only the way you can.

The simplest, safest, yummiest, and most impactful way I know how to do that (and I’ve been exploring for nearly 30 years!) is Reiki.

Anyone can learn how to do Reiki. It’s simply the art of connecting with universal life-force energy (which surrounds us all the time) and using intention and attention to direct it for well-being or any other goal that is aligned with your highest good.

It can be used to support magical and mystical studies, but in and of itself, it’s a very practical technique. There’s no need to have any woo-woo inclinations whatsoever (unless that’s your thing). The power is in the application. Meaning, when you make time to give yourself consistent Reiki treatments, over time you’ll see tremendous benefits.

It doesn’t require any special skills or pre-disposition. No fancy setup, music, crystals, oils, or herbs are necessary (unless that’s your thing).

All you need is a desire to experience something different and a willingness to take consistent action.

You’ll notice that I’ve used the word “consistent” several times. That’s because the work of healing means restoring balance in a world that is constantly promoting imbalance and integrating body, mind, and spirit in a culture that values the mind at the expense of the rest. Changing patterns against the tide requires devotion.

But it doesn’t need to be hard or even time-consuming. 10-20 minutes per day, most days of the week can contribute to amazing results. If you truly desire change, that’s a small price to pay!

I’ve created the most compact training for ordinary folks who want to participate in cultivating their own wellness, happiness, and creativity. My Reiki for Self-Care and Empowerment Class is coming up soon. It’s three 90- minute online classes. It’s the most convenient, affordable, accessible class I teach and it begins March 23, 2023.

Investment in yourself = $113.

Come and join the revolution.

Easy, Accessible, Doable Self-Care

Taking good care of ourselves can be a radical act in this day and age. Tapping…
I like to compare health to a bank account. Many of my students and clients find this analogy to be useful for understanding the benefits of Reiki. In the same way that we grow financial wealth by making more frequent or larger deposits that withdrawals, we can cultivate wellness wealth by accumulating life-force energy. Reiki is a safe and reliable method for amassing health credits.

Instead of relying solely on medical professionals to detect problems during annual checkups, there’s much we can do every day to boost the immune system and overall wellness. The body already knows how to be as healthy as it is able, and we can support its endeavors by giving it the energy necessary to do so. Reiki is a powerful, yet simple and safe, way to help all the body’s systems function more effectively.

Life-force energy (called ki, qi, chi, and prana in other cultures) can be cultivated by lifestyle habits such as eating natural foods, spending time in nature, getting enough sleep, and expressing creativity. I view each of these activities as a deposit into a wellness account.

Conversely, chronic worry and stress, consistent consumption of processed foods, over-giving, and being excessively sedentary can be viewed as withdrawals. Sadly, western culture generally steers us towards a ki deficit by overvaluing productivity and busyness and undervaluing rest and relaxation. In order to optimize wellness, we can take steps to offset this trend towards ki debt.

Granted, there may be factors beyond our control such as genetics, accidents, injuries, illness, and pollution. While we may not be able to change these circumstances, we can do everything within our power to minimize their effects and give ourselves the best possible chance to enjoy the optimal levels of health and wellness available to us.

Given that I far from perfect in my pursuit of a healthy lifestyle and have some chronic health issues that require extra attention, I turn to Reiki to fill in the gaps. Reiki is an ancient healing method, commonly defined as spiritually guided life-force energy. It is easy to learn and complements all other treatments. I know of no other modality that is pleasurable to receive, universally beneficial, and has no negative side-effects.

Reiki is not limited by time or space and therefore can be offered remotely, to be received from the comfort of your home as well as in-person. There are many ways to experience a treatment. Additionally, anyone can train to become a practitioner in a short period of time. During initiation, energy channels are opened, allowing access to this universal energy. Afterwards, making daily health deposits is as simple as inviting the Reiki to flow.

Consider investing in your wellness account consistently. Rather than waiting for an unwanted diagnosis, you can actively pursue the best version of health possible for you. Filling up you ki tank, either as a client or practitioner, is one way to do so with minimal effort and expense. It’s never too late to take steps to cultivate or preserve vitality and health.

Message me if you’d like some guidance on how to get started.

Cultivating Wellness with Reiki

I like to compare health to a bank account. Many of my students and clients find…
Are you looking to activate your personal power? For optimal well-being, happiness, creativity, abundance, and connection? Why not start the new year off with a bang and give yourself a helping hand? Reiki is a potent tool for dismantling the blockages that prevent us from experiencing our best possible lives. You could have limitless access to this healing energy with minimal cost or time.

Hidden beliefs, unconscious triggers, cultural conditioning, and outdating coping mechanisms can sabotage even the most sincere resolutions. Reiki can help us love and accept ourselves exactly as we are and support our efforts to be more peaceful, compassionate, and integrated. No need to keep white-knuckling it or banging your head against the wall. Instead, try cultivating balance from within.

Photo by nicollazzi xiong on Pexels.com

This is a simple, yet powerful, modality that can assist you in aligning desire and intent; body, mind, and spirit; head, heart, and gut so that all your parts are working as a team, rather that a bunch of rogue elements fulfilling personal whims at the expense of the greater good.

Join me for a series of four online classes in January. No experience or special skills are necessary. Anyone can learn Reiki and benefit quickly from consistent application. It’s the easiest, safest, most magical method I’ve discovered in 25 years of spiritual practice and personal development work. Whatever therapies, remedies, or potions you’ve got going on, you can add Reiki for amplification.

If you’re wondering what the heck Reiki is, I’ll attempt an explanation. Keep in mind that words don’t really do it justice. Just like kissing, one authentic experience will be more informative than volumes of books! But I know that’s not very helpful, so here we go. Reiki is a holistic technique for healing that relieves stress. It activates the body’s innate restorative abilities by flooding the system with universal life-force energy. Once we are no longer chronically depleted, overwhelmed, or barely existing in survival mode, we have so much more power to create change in our lives. One of my students described her experience as stepping off the hamster wheel. I think that’s a great metaphor!

If you’ve been burning the candle at both ends or spread too thin, taking care of everyone else besides yourself, or simply going along just to get along, it would be my great pleasure to introduce you to a different way. You can find details about the class here. If you’re interested in applying, just send me a message and we’ll see if it’s a good match for you.

Online Reiki 1 Certification in January, 2023

Are you looking to activate your personal power? For optimal well-being, happiness, creativity, abundance, and connection?…
Last month, three of us spent a few hours shredding 7 giant heads of cabbage to make sauerkraut. Full story here.

Not in my kitchen! Sheesh, it’s a messy project.

Then the full 5 gallon crock sat for about 5 weeks.

Also not in my kitchen!

After about 4 weeks, I received a report that it was starting to smell funky. Those aren’t the exact words, but I can’t bring myself to type what my dad actually said. 🙂

Earlier this week, a qualified taste~tester deemed it “done” and 12 quarts were jarred up and refrigerated.

A pint sells for $12 at my local co-op, so that’s equivalent of almost $300 of kraut for about $13 worth of cabbage and salt. Plus a boat-load of probiotics. Not a bad way to spend a Sunday afternoon!

Sauerkraut Update

Last month, three of us spent a few hours shredding 7 giant heads of cabbage to…