healing

Last night I was in charge of navigating my girlfriends and myself to an art opening in center city. I have the most experience with public transit, so I was happy to accept this role. We arrived smoothly, although we did walk farther than anticipated. That was the end of my leadership success.

From the gallery I schlepped us to another neighborhood only to discover that our destination was closed and the alternate shop was a block away from the gallery. Then due to traffic slowing our bus, we missed our train home. I suggested a nearby pub where the slow service caused us to miss the next train and my misreading the schedule caused us to miss the last train of the night. Epic navigation fail!

My friends graciously rolled with the continuously changing plan, and we eventually arrived home, two hours later than expected. Somewhere along the line I noticed myself slipping into self-criticism that easily could have led to a shame spiral. I also noticed my frustration was not mirrored back by my friends. They were just hanging out. Not in the environment we had planned, but not letting that disrupt the opportunity to have an animated conversation.

I grasped this cue and realized that while my plan had indeed failed, that didn’t make me a failure. I got to choose if I would sulk on the extended journey home or to embrace the chance to rally and enjoy the good company available to me. I remembered Louise Hay’s words that to be truly loving, we should never, ever criticize ourselves. And just like that I dropped the self-blame and joined in the laughter.

Radical Self-Care, Gimme a Break!

Last night I was in charge of navigating my girlfriends and myself to an art opening…
The weather, my schedule, and my energy level all lined up in a magnificently cooperative way which allowed me to go for a hike in the woods this morning. Nature is my happy place. Living in Philadelphia, I no longer have daily access to the ocean as I did when I lived on the coast of California. However, we do have an amazing urban park that has the magical quality of making me feel like I’m on vacation.

Being outside and breathing fresh air, surrounded by the lush beauty of Mother Nature feeds my soul deeply. After a few minutes I begin to feel more alive, more myself, more radiant. It seems as though the greenery is scrubbing my aura clean; like a car wash but for the energy field. Trees embody the energy of earth and water from below and fire and air from above, providing a tangible balance of the elements. I can easily understand why Druids believed the forests to be sacred.

Having started my day filling up with bliss from being outside, moving my body, and quieting my mind has set me up with an amazing mood. There aren’t many activities I know of that provide physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual regeneration all at once. Having easy access to the woods (complete with gorgeous creek nonetheless!) is truly a blessing and I cherish it every time I visit.

Radical Self-Care, Nature Rules!

The weather, my schedule, and my energy level all lined up in a magnificently cooperative way…
I try to get a massage twice per month. My muscles really need the therapy because giving bodywork is so physically demanding. And my psyche needs the nurturing and soothing release that results from relaxation and touch. I also learn new techniques and have “stolen” some of my best moves from other therapists. Finally, I am reminded of what it’s like to be a client, to anticipate a session, and to be cared for. This inspires me to bring my best to each and every session.

While it may just be another day at work for me, often it is the highpoint of a client’s week. I’m incorporating an attitude of celebration into my work. A friend and coworker offers a cheerful “Happy massage day” as a greeting to clients when they arrive. While I may not use these words, I intend to embody the feeling behind them, and to appreciate the efforts required for people to actually show up for themselves and receive a session.

In addition to aspiring to be the most caring and compassionate self at work, I’m upping my earlier statement. Forget about “trying” to get two massages each month: I schedule a massage at least every other week. This is my new statement of intent. As Yoda, the beloved Star Wars guru, said, “Do or do not. There is no try.”

Radical Self-Care, Happy Massage Day!

I try to get a massage twice per month. My muscles really need the therapy because…
Some days it’s really important to recognize that you can’t do everything and something has to give. So I’m acknowledging that for today, practicing self-care trumps writing about self-care. Need I say any more? 😉

Radical Self-Care, Take a Break

Some days it’s really important to recognize that you can’t do everything and something has to…
Kundalini is a unique form of yoga that has deeply transformed my life. I don’t intend to tackle the gigantic topic of how it works because I actually don’t understand this mystery myself! What I do know is that is does work; I feel peaceful, radiant, and energized each and every time I practice. I am content to follow along and do what the teacher tells me to do without an intellectual understanding.

What I can say is that the practices use the ancient technologies of sound, breath, and body postures and movements to stimulate chakras, organs, and glands in order to create specific effects. There’s usually chanting, sometimes a gong, and mudras (hand positions). The goal is to draw kundalini, a powerful yet dormant energy, up the spine to awaken the chakras, and ultimately experience enlightenment.

While I can’t claim to yet be an enlightened being, I have experienced deep states of bliss and the amazing sensation of oneness; being at home with the divine and completely comfortable within my own body. Creating health by energizing organs and glands seems to be just a side affect, but an enjoyable and vitalizing one at that. Sometimes the exercises are difficult, often they seem weird, but that is a price I’m willing to pay to feel the glow.

I highly recommend seeking out a teacher to guide you along this mystical and magnificent path. If there’s not one available to you, I did find this book to be helpful. It speaks about the importance of the gentle awakening of kundalini because an abrupt forcing of the energy can be uncomfortable, even dangerous. Taking the gentle route is not exactly the American way, but really a must in this field of study.

Radical Self-Care, Kundalini Yoga

Kundalini is a unique form of yoga that has deeply transformed my life. I don’t intend…
Experts are suggesting that we keep our brains active in order to keep them healthy. It’s the “use it or lose it” theory of mental functioning. There are numerous ways to go about this; crossword and Sudoku puzzles are perhaps the most popular. I find crosswords to be terribly frustrating and number puzzles somewhat addictive, so I take a different route.

Learning a new language is said to be great for the brain. I would love to take a class to refresh the German that I studied in school decades ago. Yet there is no room in my schedule for that. A friend introduced me to Duolingo, a free app that I use on my smartphone. Every day I spend five minutes firing off neurons and spreche deutsch, often while waiting for or riding on public transit.

Just as convenient is a Scrabble-like game called Words with Friends that I play on my phone. It gets me thinking in new ways, and while I can’t say it’s really affected my vocabulary, I’m all about remembering two letter words like za, xi, and qi that make it easy to rack up big points. The neat thing about this app is that you can play against a stranger, a friend, or even the system, and you can play at your own pace.

These are things that are fun and fit easily into the organic gaps that occur throughout my day. Because, let’s face it, if it isn’t easy and fun, it’s just not going to happen. It doesn’t really matter what you choose to learn or if it’s a useful skill. All that matters is that you give your brain a challenge on a regular basis. Mental exercise to stimulate the gray matter doesn’t need to be a tedious chore. But it does need to happen if we wish to improve memory and cognitive functioning as we age. It might not seem like a priority now, but it will be someday and I have no intention on waiting for a diagnosis to urge me on.

Radical Self-Care, Brain Power

Experts are suggesting that we keep our brains active in order to keep them healthy. It’s…
I bet you didn’t see that coming! It’s really important for me to have healthy treats on hand. It prevents temptation to indulge in junk foods that I will later regret. More than a decade of experimenting has taught me that I feel my best when I avoid gluten, dairy, and sugar. As I endeavor to always feel my best, I’ve learned to make fabulous yumminess that doesn’t contain any of those ingredients.

My favorite of these desserts can easily pass as brownies, even amongst non-health-food eaters. They’re often called “bliss balls”, and with good reason!

There are dozens of recipes online with lots of variety, here’s a simple one. You can experiment with spices like cinnamon or ginger, citrus zest, coffee beans, vanilla, or coconut. I’m a purist when it comes to chocolate, so I keep it simple, but that’s just me. Google “bliss balls” or “raw vegan desserts” and you’ll be delighted with the options. These little babies are dense and satisfyingly sweet. I feel energized when eating them and they are the antidote to cravings.

Brownies. Who knew they could be healthy?!?

Radical Self-Care, “Brownies”

I bet you didn’t see that coming! It’s really important for me to have healthy treats…
When you’re picky about the quality of food you ingest, it’s tough to eat out. When you’re concern for the environment inhibits reliance on single-use disposable containers, it’s nearly impossible to get take-out. Given that nearly every day I’m away from home at lunchtime, I need another option. Bagged lunches got boring a decade ago, and I wanted some variety from my standard green smoothie.

Last year I saw a post on Facebook about layering a salad in a Mason jar. I was intrigued but didn’t pursue it until yesterday. I had an extra long day and needed to pack two meals for the road. And as I was carrying everything on my back, it needed to be simple and efficient. In addition to my smoothie, I made a really hearty salad with organic vegetables and humanely raised smoked turkey breast. I followed the general instructions on this website and was really quite pleased.

I had a thirty minute layover at the train station and found myself an area with a breeze and a shaded empty bench. I shook my jar to distribute the dressing and mix things up and dug in. I immediately had a good laugh because my plastic fork was too short to really reach into the jar and was completely incapable of spearing carrots. I did the best I could turning the jar on its side and scooping, and aside from my technical difficulties, I was really quite pleased. The lettuce was crisp and none of the vegetables had gotten soggy.

If grabbing food on the go isn’t your thing because of cost, dietary needs, or lack of convenient options, jar salads can really be helpful. The ease of transport earns this concept a dozen gold stars. As with any packed lunch, variety is crucial, but that is only limited by the preparer’s imagination. Some pomegranate seeds would have been a nice addition to my recipe. Or pumpkin seeds. Or roasted sweet potato. Or chickpeas. Or …. well you get the idea! Just remember to bring a proper fork.

Radical Self-Care, Jarred Lunch

When you’re picky about the quality of food you ingest, it’s tough to eat out. When…
One of the most valuable aspects of being a Reiki Master is the ability to give myself daily treatments. I love that whenever I want, wherever I am, I can flow life-force energy for healing. It’s simple and powerful and helps me connect to my deeper truth every time. I also get a boost of energy each time I give a client a session. As Reiki flows through me, my body naturally absorbs some. It’s the best job perk ever!

Because I have access to healing energy on a daily basis, I sometimes forget the magnificent feeling of receiving a session from someone else. Yesterday I arranged to be the client and allowed myself to be flooded with Reiki. It was magical! I felt a deep sense of serenity and weightlessness that was profoundly nurturing. I felt like I was floating in a sea of wellness and that I belonged there. Afterwards it seemed like I had released a lifetime of burdens that had never been mine to carry.

It was a tremendous reminder to me of not only the amazing benefits of Reiki, but also of the importance of asking for help. Often I find myself identifying with the label of “independent woman” and trying to do everything myself. I am learning to recognize that there is no shame in asking for help, just as there are no rewards for going it alone. Receiving a gift allows another to enjoy the blessings of being a giver. Being in the flow of give and take is a beautiful aspect of belonging to a community. Allowing interdependence means becoming a better receiver, and that is a goal I am ready to pursue.

Radical Self-Care, Get Help

One of the most valuable aspects of being a Reiki Master is the ability to give…