self-care

I suspect that the torn meniscus in my knee is a message from Spirit urging me to Slow Down. There were previously other, gentler messages that I chose to ignore. If we don’t answer the knock at the door, sometimes the result is a brick through the window. I am choosing to answer the door. While I snoozed through the first knock and the more instant knock, I’m jumping up (figuratively anyway!) for the loud banging. No bricks needed here, thank you very much!

Part of my slow down plan involves traveling differently. I’m off to Kripalu (!!!) for a continuing education workshop. I’ve expanded my itinerary to allow for one and a half days of travel in each direction. Very different than the original agenda of a 5 am bus with three transfers depositing me disheveled and exhausted moments before the first class.

So I’m on the commuter train on the way to the Amtrak train. It’s altogether a 7 hour journey to Boston where I’ll spend the night and a leisurely morning before boarding another train to the retreat center. For those who view time as money, it’s a horrifically inefficient plan. For someone who’s primary goal is wellness, it couldn’t be more optimal!

For starters, train travel doesn’t charge for luggage. Or make you jump through hoops regarding carry on bags which eventually get separated from you because when an entire plane full of people tries to avoid baggage fees, there’s never enough room in the overhead bins. Grrr! So I’ve been able to pack my big suitcase with a few decadent luxuries like supplements, my yoga mat, and all the aromatherapy oils I desire. Not just the ones the can fit in the quart sized ziplock bag.

I’m traveling in style with my reusable water bottle full of filtered water and travel mug full of my favorite tea. I have a few grounding crystals in my pockets and lace up shoes; neither of which will need to be removed. I have a packed lunch including proper utensils. I’m also wearing a knee brace with magnets without fear of setting off any alarms or being subjected to a body cavity search.

I have several books to read and a presentation to prepare. I’m grateful that I’ll have more than one cubic foot to do my work while riding comfortably with no worry of getting stuck in the middle seat. Once I get there, I have the added bonus of a mini adventure exploring a city I’ve never visited. I have no plan other than a hotel room booked. I have no contacts other than a online dating match that turned out disastrously and clearly I hope to avoid.

So finding an extra three days to journey to your next destination might not be in the cards for you. Yet I encourage you to think how you can create more space in your daily life for comfort, ease, and wellness. Can you allow yourself five extra minutes to get ready in the morning without rushing? Can you carve out a half hour to chew your food and receive pleasure and nourishment from your meals? Can you get to bed any earlier so the next morning arrives more peacefully? On the morning of your Slow Down journey when you obsessively decided to do one more load of laundry, can you leave it unfolded in the basket so you don’t have to hurry out the door? (I assure you that this is indeed possible!)

What choices can you make to set yourself up for success when it comes to living a balanced, harmonious, joyful life?

Healer, Heal Thyself Part 6: Slow Down

I suspect that the torn meniscus in my knee is a message from Spirit urging me…
From the very first twinge of pain I felt in my knee, I’ve been using Reiki. For starters, it’s the most effective natural pain reliever I know. It keeps the ki (life-force /qi/chi/prana- all different words for the same energy) flowing. Combined with the breath, it allows me to release discomfort instead of tensing up, which only worsens pain. So Reiki has been helping me with pain management without dulling my senses. As I’m working on healing a meniscus tear with entirely holistic and alternative treatments, I need to fully feel all the sensations as I believe they are informing me of what my body needs.

I’m also using Reiki to promote the overall healing process. I truly believe that the body has innate healing abilities. I want to support this process by maximizing the resources available for this inside job. That means reducing stress which drains internal ki, making it less available for cartilage repair. That also means boosting energy to all systems (muscular, digestive, endocrine, etc) as they work together to promote harmony within. And of course that means providing healing energy directly to the knee to facilitate the process at the injury site.

I’m also experiencing a great deal of mental, emotional, and spiritual healing. Acceptance, forgiveness, patience, willingness to integrate wisdom, alignement with my life purpose, awakening, mindfulness, surrender to the divine plan, peacefulness, even joyfulness are all outcomes of the work this injury has inspired. I’m also facing fears of financial scarcity as I’ve been guided to eliminate a day of working at a spa, which is good for my wallet but not my health or mission. Reiki is supporting this deeper level of healing by balancing body, mind, and spirit in each moment.

One of the amazing things about Reiki is that it is activated by my intention, yet guided by spirit, or my Higher Self. I can “program” it to flow steadily for the goal of healing the meniscus tear. I call this the slow release technique, which is amplified by the symbols learned in Reiki 2. Then spirit guides that process; which means I don’t need an intellectual understanding of what the highest good is or what needs to happen. I simply trust in the intelligence of Reiki to cover those aspects which are beyond my pay grade.

It’s spectacularly simple, yet incredibly powerful! Anybody can learn Reiki in a short period of time and use it for anything and everything that ails them. I have several Reiki classes coming up. I’d love to have you attend! If Philadelphia isn’t convenient for you, I bet there’s a Reiki Master in your area who enjoys spreading the healing as much as I do.

Healer, Heal Thyself Part 5: Reiki

From the very first twinge of pain I felt in my knee, I’ve been using Reiki.…
Welcome to my journey of healing a torn meniscus using holistic, alternative therapies that align with my belief system. I recently explored body-mind-spirit healing, and next up is the ancient sacred practice of yoga. I’m not talking about the fast-paced, “work-out” style of yoga that seems to be popular in the U.S. these days. I don’t like to feel like I’m doing jumping jacks in my yoga practice! That seems like an invitation to injury (or re-injury) which is most definitely NOT part of my plan.

First of all, I am not a doctor and this is not medical advice. In addition to following the suggestions of your medical practitioner, you might consider consulting a yoga therapist.

Yoga therapists are trained to help people adapt poses and develop a practice that is safe for any body type or physical limitation. This would be my recommendation for most people wishing to use yoga to support the healing of any injury. Find a trained teacher who can guide you through the practice.

Having been a student of yoga for the past 25 years, I have loads of experience at accepting what my body can and cannot do. I’ve given up the idea of trying to look like the person on the mat next to me. I have no idealized version of how my practice should look and I feel quite comfortable doing what I can, no matter how restricted it may seem. This acquired humbleness and authenticity combined with 15 years of practicing massage therapy allows me to feel confident guiding my own practice safely.

For me, yoga is an exercise of the mind; of bringing my awareness into my body to focus on softening the areas that hold tension. It helps me to inhabit my body rather than just using it as a vehicle to carry me from place to place. Bringing compassionate awareness into the painful areas brings prana (the Sanskrit word for life- force energy that we call ki in Reiki healing) to the tissues that need it- the very tissues that I tend to ignore and numb out.

For me the combination of breathing deeply, infusing my cells with prana, focusing my mind, becoming fully present, and mindful (and in this case slow and gentle) movement is extraordinarily healing. Plus it stimulates the Relaxation Response; a physiological reaction that releases feel-good, calming chemicals in my brain. It’s like getting the benefits of a two week vacation rolled into an hour. Seriously, what could be better than that? Maybe a massage… but that’s for the next installment. 🙂

Healer, Heal Thyself Part 3: Yoga

Welcome to my journey of healing a torn meniscus using holistic, alternative therapies that align with…
Recently I announced my intention to chronicle my exploration of holistic healing therapies for a meniscus tear in my knee. Given my belief system (see Part 1), the infrequency of intense pain, and my knowledge of complementary and alternative medicine (especially Reiki), it is clearly the right path for me. Also, I am not a doctor and this is not medical advice.

Pain is often a message from my spirit or psyche telling me I am off track, misaligned with my True Self or life purpose, or exposing myself to negativity, toxins, or some sort of abuse, misuse or neglect that is taking its toll on my body. I view it as a cry for help. As such, I do my best to welcome it and get curious about the wisdom that this message intends to reveal.

I’m not a masochist by any means. I value pleasure and comfort a lot! However pain seems to be a warning ding (or DING!) that I need to change course. For this reason, I’m not relying on pain killers. I want to notice the dings before they become DINGS! and to do so, I need to be fully aware of what I’m feeling. I do keep a CBD creme on hand for soothing the DINGS! that occasionally reveal themselves, while simultaneously exploring what they are trying to tell me.

Disclaimer: I do believe that thoughts and words have an impact on my health. Holding resentment or anger within me eventually causes pain in my body. Ignoring my spirit’s cries for change will also lead to discomfort. AND I’m certain there are other contributors to pain as well- karma and soul contracts and other mysterious factors which I do not claim to understand. So while I believe that all negative thoughts contribute to pain, the reverse does not follow: not all pain is caused by negative thoughts.

In body-mind-spirit healing, I at least want to explore the possibility that my spirit or psyche is offering me valuable information. In this case, I noticed that twice I tweaked my knee on a Sunday while running for public transit on my way to the spa where I work part time. Aha! This, my friends is a clue!

Stop rushing is the most obvious message. I KNOW this! Rushing creates anxiety, stress, a fight or flight hormonal reaction, and apparently knee pain. Now I must actually HEED this by allowing myself more time to get where I’m going or do what I’m doing in order to create a peaceful mode of being.

When I dig deeper, I recognize that I’m working too much, I don’t want to work on Sundays (that’s when all the fun things happen!), and that the spa isn’t my ideal work environment. It’s pretty obvious that I need to make a change in my life. Of course, fear and scarcity thinking try to creep in and remind me that Sundays at the spa provide a substantial and reliable income; but that’s the type of thinking that got me into this mess! When I dig even deeper still, I become aware that I need the energy that I expend on Sundays to invest in my passion, my life purpose, my own business of offering deeply healing work to clients at my office.

What follows is a leap of faith. Well, I’m not actually leaping these days, so more like a big, carefully aligned step in the direction my spirit sets for me. I’ve told the manager that I will work two more Sundays while she tries to find a replacement, and then no more. It was an uncomfortable conversation. She was clearly disappointed, but I was feeling an amazing sense of liberation as I KNEW I was making the right choice for my health, well-being, and happiness. Nothing means more to me than that.

Healer, Heal Thyself Part 2. Body-mind-spirit Healing

Recently I announced my intention to chronicle my exploration of holistic healing therapies for a meniscus…
So. I injured my knee. Much of the time it doesn’t hurt at all. Until it does. And sometimes it really freakin’ does! My chiropractor did an orthopedic test (specific movements with joints held in specific positions) and it appears I have a torn meniscus. Crap. Although… it is a wonderful opportunity to practice what I preach about self-care and alternative medicine.

Let me begin by saying I’m not a doctor. I’m not offering medical advice. I have no idea what you should do about your knee injury. I’m certainly not suggesting you shouldn’t seek medical attention simply because I’m not. However, you might like to include some complementary methods with whatever treatment you are receiving. Legal disclaimer over.

I’m exploring a wide range of holistic techniques to heal my knee. I’m quite certain that the problem is not the lack of a pharmaceutical drug, and surgery or other invasive procedures will only be considered if all other, and I mean ALL other, plans fail.

I believe in the power of body-mind-spirit healing, and listening to the messages the body provides.

I believe in the healing power of Reiki, bodywork, and compassionate touch.

I believe in using plants and food as medicine.

I believe that minimizing stress and inflammation supports optimal health and healing.

I believe in using mindfulness and breath as tools of integration.

I believe in the ancient sciences of yoga and Ayurveda.

I believe healing comes from the inside out and that my body knows what it needs if I only slow down enough to listen.

I believe I am the ultimate authority when it comes to my health, and while I will research techniques and therapies and consult with other holistic health practitioners, my treatment must align with my beliefs.

This is the beginning of a series in which I explore the journey of healing my knee using holistic, energy, plant, and spiritual medicine. And a magnetic knee brace, which I was gifted today. Because I also believe in synchronicity and kindness and hey, it certainly can’t hurt!

Up next: body-mind-spirit healing for a meniscus tear.

Healer, Heal Thyself Part 1

So. I injured my knee. Much of the time it doesn’t hurt at all. Until it…
Here we go again! Thanksgiving is still over a week away and already I’m seeing Christmas decorations in some local stores. This season can be overwhelming and super-stressful for so many of us. It’s easy to get wrapped up in the busy-ness of holiday traditions and seemingly endless to-do lists. It’s no coincidence that it’s also a season of colds and flus as we run ourselves ragged.

I encourage people to evaluate their intentions before overcommitting. Learning to say “no” is often one of the healthiest and empowering actions we can take when an activity is not aligned with our goals. Allowing time for rest and restoration is important all year long, but invaluable in the colder months of long, , dark nights. Choosing to stay home and recalibrate rather than overeating, overdrinking, overgiving, or overspending can be so supportive of health and well-being.

For those who are determined to push through and do it all, I highly recommend scheduling some healing support. Why wait till things go wrong, till the immune system crashes, the headaches descend or the low back gives out? Prepare yourself and prevent the aftermath of overdoing by making time for a massage, Reiki or acupuncture treatment, a trip to the chiropractor or hot baths, extra yoga or dance classes, or whatever you favorite mode of relaxation may be.

Make it a priority now and get it on the calendar! Save yourself the misery of getting sick or injured or suffering from stress and tension. Having two jobs, my own business, plans to travel to the Michigan tundra for a family Thanksgiving, an upcoming move to a different home, and all the other ordinary everyday stuff I’m loading up on self-care practices; including eliminating all inflammatory thoughts and foods, boosting my immune system with plant medicine, and receiving treatments from my awesome team of holistic health providers. Seriously, I don’t mess around!

If you’re wondering if a session with me would be helpful, let’s schedule a complimentary 15 minute phone consultation. Even if you’re not in the Philadelphia area, long-distance Reiki is an excellent option to stress relief, recharging batteries, and keeping life-force energy flowing and balanced. If we’re neighbors, let’s get you on the table for a therapeutic massage or Reiki treatment! Check out my website for details or contact me to schedule.

Holiday Madness

Here we go again! Thanksgiving is still over a week away and already I’m seeing Christmas…
I get this question a lot from clients, often when they are in great pain; either physical, psychological, or spiritual. They come seeking relief, having been sent by a friend or Google search, correctly informed that Reiki and massage are powerful, holistic healing techniques. Recently a young woman jokingly requested that I vacuum out all her anxiety. If only I could! Alas, healing does not work this way.

Human touch and muscle manipulation are potent vehicles of healing, as is the universal life-force energy transferred during a Reiki session. They can provide the nudge that the body or psyche needs to return to alignment with the Spirit. They can also offer the boost in motivation to follow through on lifestyle changes, the release of self-sabotaging beliefs, and the comfort of remembering that we are not merely broken bodies with problems struggling alone in an unfriendly universe. Reiki and massage are some of the most powerful healing tools that I’ve ever come across in my twenty plus years of spiritual awakening.

And yet it is up to each of us individually to decide if we wish to receive the many benefits these tools have to offer. We are ultimately the ones in control of our own healing and well-being. Providers like myself can offer support to our clients, but until emotions have been fully acknowledged, felt, and released there is no shortcut. Our pain is very often an indicator that we have gotten off-track. It serves the function of reminding us of our greater purpose, our true nature, and our mission in this lifetime.

My compassion allows me to dream of taking away the discomfort everyone experiences, but my inner knowing counsels that this would indeed be a disservice to the evolution and ultimate wellness of others. Being human is a difficult job. But we have been blessed with countless systems of support, transformation, and integration. If you’re wondering if a treatment with me might be helpful, please check out my website! I offer a free 15 minute phone consultation for this very reason. If you’re just not into massage or Reiki, that’s cool too. I hope you seek out one of the other alternative options so readily available today.

Can You Fix Me?

I get this question a lot from clients, often when they are in great pain; either…
Note: in this post, I’m referring to refined sugar; products of the sugar cane plant, as well as all its nefarious aliases and chemical substitutes. According to UCSF there are 61 names for sugar! No doubt this list will continue to expand as consumers get savvier and manufacturers get trickier. I’m not interested in the naturally occurring sugars found in whole foods which will be included as grams of sugar on a product label; I am strictly interested in the list of ingredients for this article.

I’m participating in a panel discussion through Weavers Way Coop in Mount Airy, Philadelphia on the topic of sugar addiction. Event details here. I will be sharing the stage with a nutritionist and a life coach, both of whom will provide valuable information. As a Reiki practitioner and massage therapist, I’m not qualified to discuss the effects of sugar on the body. As a recovering sugar addict and facilitator of body-mind-spirit healing, I do however bring a great deal of experience and awareness of the emotional component of changing one’s diet.

I think at this point we all know that sugar is not healthy for us. No one wakes up in the morning thinking, “I’m going to eat healthfully today, where are the donuts?” In fact many of us have a plan in place to avoid sugar, pack well balanced snacks and lunches, and nonetheless end up succumbing to the sweet temptress despite our best efforts. If you’re one of those rare people who can take or leave sugar, more power to you! Perhaps you can sign up for medical testing to see what secrets your body knows that could benefit the rest of us.

This is the piece of the puzzle that captivates me: why do so many of us fail when we try so hard to avoid harmful sweets? Yes, sugar has indeed been shown to be addictive; some claim it’s more addictive than cocaine. It’s certainly more readily available; in certain environments it’s downright difficult to avoid. Most every gathering I’ve ever been to was centered around some variation of cake. Ack! I will leave the proof of the addictive nature of sugar to the nutritionists and scientists. If you’re doubtful, check out the movie, That Sugar Film. It’s morbidly fascinating and deeply disturbing. But better to know the monster that lurks in your cupboards than to allow it to control your behavior from the shadows. Right?

In addition to the biochemical nature of addiction, I notice that many of us (myself included) are compelled to eat sugar for emotional reasons. It can be a balm for a broken heart, a celebration, a distraction from upset, and an attempt to soothe stress. Name an emotion, and I’m pretty sure I’ve used dessert to commemorate, numb, or avoid it. The problem lies in the fact that these strategies are hugely unsuccessful! Sugar does not alleviate stress; if it did, Americans would be the most relaxed people on the planet. When we stress eat, the result is a stimulating chemical reaction in our bodies and quite possibly guilt or shame in addition to the original stress.

From my point of view as a holistic practitioner, the path to breaking the sugar cycle involves emotional healing and being prepared for the inevitable cravings. This is where the healing power of Reiki comes in. Reiki can support us in becoming aware of our feelings, allowing them to surface, and processing them in a healthy way. It can help open intuitive pathways that guide us on the journey and connect us to the wisdom deep within. And perhaps most importantly, it can provide comfort and support in the moments we become triggered and would normally turn to a cupcake or ice cream, or my personal favorite, chocolate chip cookies, for solace.

While the process of examining, handling, and releasing emotional discord can be messy, takes time and effort, and is by no means the popular route; it has the potential for deactivating the landmines that send us running to the pseudo-comforting arms of sugar. It is certainly more effective than white-knuckling it through every party you ever attend, or relying on will power and the knowledge of the damaging effects that sugar has on your health. If you’re interested in a free 15 minute consultation or booking a Reiki session, either remotely or in person to kick that pesky sugar habit, I’d love to hear from you. Check out my website for more information about the services I offer or to contact me.

Reiki and Sugar Addiction

Note: in this post, I’m referring to refined sugar; products of the sugar cane plant, as…
I’ve been invited to participate in a panel discussion with other holistic healthcare providers on the topic of healthy aging. This is the second blog I’ve written to help me gather my thoughts and prepare myself for the event. The first entry was about cultivating ki (life force energy), and I’m certain there will be a third piece, perhaps even a forth, eventually.

It seems to me that the most important thing we can do to promote healthy aging is to prioritize our health. Many people would likely say that they desire good health, yet time after time the choices they make do not reflect this goal. Rarely does optimal wellness merely happen; it must be invited, welcomed, and fostered diligently. This occurs when we remind ourselves of its value (ease of movement, quality sleep and digestion, vibrant energy, etc.) and pursue it actively.

This is by no means a recipe for austerity or suffering. I believe the path of wellness overlaps the path of joy. Certainly there will be some compromises and adaptations along the way. Choosing better quality ingredients and suitable portion sizes by making favorite meals at home rather than ordering out is a perfect example of this philosophy. Upgrade or moderate the activities and foods you love to support healthy results without sacrifice. Go for a walk if you’re planning a Netflix binge later, thoroughly stretch your legs and back before getting on a plane, and opt for a hearty salad for lunch if BBQ is on the dinner menu.

I have plans to meet a friend for pizza and beer tonight. There are no words to adequately describe my love of pizza and beer, and yet I clearly recognize that I don’t feel my best after such a meal. So my plan is to neutralize the effects of white flour, cheese, and alcohol in advance. I’m stocking up on green vegetables and water throughout the day, and have chosen a restaurant that serves only the best quality ingredients. I’ll add some fiery pepper to counteract the congesting effect that dairy has on me and even more water throughout the evening to ensure proper hydration.

As I cannot imagine a life without my favorite things, I also refuse to resign myself to feeling achy, sluggish, foggy, or ill either. So instead I make the healthiest choices I am able in every moment. I know what foods and activities support my good health and opt for these most of the time. With some simple planning, it’s easy to reduce less-than-healthy habits for the most part, and when occasion calls for indulgence, I create balance as best I can.

Healthy Aging

I’ve been invited to participate in a panel discussion with other holistic healthcare providers on the…