body-mind-spirit healing

We’re approaching Independence Day here in the U.S. While I’m not much interested in parades, day drinking or fireworks these days, I do like to honor the spirit of the holiday.

Freedom.

It’s buzzing in the microcosm and I’m going to take full advantage, bringing that energy into my microcosm.

Much of what inhibits personal freedom can be addressed from within.

Outdated coping mechanisms and unhealed wounds can cause behavior that is not aligned with our intentions.

Limiting beliefs absorbed in childhood can diminish self-worth and cause us to expect less from life than what is actually available.

Habitual thought patterns and addictive tendencies can keep us stuck.

Addressing all of this begins with awareness, compassion, curiosity, and the willingness to choose differently.

When you feel into the intention of experiencing more freedom, what stands in the way? When you feel into that obstacle, what lurks beneath it? And beneath that?

Keep going and I’m willing to bet that you arrive at a fundamental disconnection from your essence and the divine nature within you.

One simple remedy is to place a hand over your heart in a gesture of loving kindness and to speak to yourself using the words you’ve always longed to hear.

I see you. I’m here with you. You’re doing great. You’ve got this.

Find that words that resonate deeply and really drink them in.

Follow it up by repeating “freedom” as a sacred mantra. Let the frequency of freedom vibrate within you and spread throughout your entire being.

Make this a daily practice. Repetition is key. Healing is a process and requires devotion and stamina.

You are worth the effort.

If you have access to Reiki superpowers, absolutely turn them on for this simple healing ritual.

If you’d like support for this endeavor, or whatever you’re working through, I’m just a few clicks away. If you want to go all-in, I have one opening for a 5 session Reiki+ intuitive coaching package.

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Reiki + coaching

Cultivating Inner Freedom

We’re approaching Independence Day here in the U.S. While I’m not much interested in parades, day…
Quite frequently people who come to receive a Reiki session report feeling stuck. They want to let go of an emotion, thought, or behavior that seems to be holding them down or holding them back, but don’t know how. I think most of us can relate to this- I sure can!

Reiki has helped me to let go of resentment, to forgive myself and those involved in numerous upsets, to release grief that had lingered way past its shelf life, and to transmute cravings for unhealthy foods, and escape a wide variety of coping mechanisms. I’ve witnessed it do all this and more for my clients.

Flooding the energy field with Reiki helps us to rise above the ego-mind and to align with the higher self, that part of us which is eternal and unchangeable.

From this perspective, we have a better view of unhelpful patterns and the thoughts and beliefs that hold us hostage.

Being immersed in the flow of spiritually-guided life-force energy helps us to feel safe, accepted, and more at ease.

This sets the stage for the type of deep inquiry that can lead to lasting change. From this sacred space of realized wholeness and empowerment, we are able to create shifts that support the changes we desire in our lives.

And yet, it is really up to each of us to make those changes if we expect to see lasting change.

Reiki is indeed a tremendous support in this process, but it is not the process itself. It is not a magic elixir that enables us to sit back and watch as our world morphs into something more desirable.

The thoughts we think contribute to our future and also affect our ki (life- force energy). If we wish to improve our lives, it is essential that we take responsibility for becoming aware of how we continue to contribute to our troubles, either consciously or unconsciously. Reiki can help us do that (indeed it is a huge help in that department!).

The work of partnering with clients who want to go to the next level and get off the merry-go-round entirely is my real passion. So much so that I developed a Reiki + Coaching combo for those who want to do the necessary inner work that leads to transformation.

Finding the places (often thought patterns, outdated coping mechanisms, old protective strategies, or inherited beliefs) where people get stuck and helping them get unstuck is a true joy. It involves a more active treatment where the client participates in a dialog exploring resistance to moving forward in addition to the usual passive practice of receiving the healing energy.

Now this process is not for everyone. Examining one’s shadow can be uncomfortable and requires a great deal of courage. If you’re seeking a path to healing old wounds in order to recreate a life based on peace, love, and joy then my Reiki + Coaching treatment just might be the technique to help you along the way.

Learn more here.

I also offer a 3 session package at 10% off the individual rate, good for two months from the date of purchase and a 5 session package at 15% off, good for three months. Availability is limited. Packages are a great way to commit to doing the work. If you’re interested, please contact me to briefly share your goals and I’ll ask a few questions to see if we’re a good match.

Breaking Unhelpful Patterns with Reiki

Quite frequently people who come to receive a Reiki session report feeling stuck. They want to…
Common replies I hear when I tell a client that their Reiki or massage treatment is over:

“That went by so fast!”

“The shortest hour ever!”

“Already?”

And my all-time favorite?

“Nooooooo!”

It’s not that I’m cutting sessions short; truly an hour has passed, but it often doesn’t seem that way because in a relaxed state, time isn’t linear.

Many people experience altered consciousness during a session. Not quite asleep, not quite awake, someplace in between.

I suspect some enter a delta or theta brainwave state. This is the zone where deep healing happens.

In the in-between, minutes don’t matter, nor do they tick by in the way we usually experience them.

I’m usually in a flow state while providing sessions, so I have to keep an eye on the clock because time is different for me too.

Time might be relative in the treatment room, but that doesn’t make it any less valuable. Please believe me when I say that nobody is playing tricks with the clock!

You get the full benefits of a session, even if you’re asleep or in-between. Maybe even more as the healing can bypass any resistance from the conscious mind.

Time might be relative in the treatment room, but I can say with 100% certainty that when that happens, so does healing.

Time Flies When You’re Getting a Session

Common replies I hear when I tell a client that their Reiki or massage treatment is…
I’ve been collecting life-force energy for some time now. Having more deposits than withdrawals is part of my healthy aging plan. I think this is a brilliant strategy for wellness of all kinds, but is particularly important as we age.

What most people think of as “aging” is what I see as the compound interest of lifelong energetic debt. We can get away with neglecting of our bodies, even abusing them, for some time, but eventually the consequences catch up.

Every decision we make can include an awareness of this simple math. Will this action yield more or less healing energy in my system?

Don’t get me wrong- I’m no teetotaler. I don’t always opt for the supremely healthy choice, but when I don’t, I do the math first to decide if the results will be worth it.

Today, I went out for lunch. I usually prepare my own meals, but for the past 24 hours, I haven’t been able to stop thinking about bread. Very strange. I wondered if perhaps it was my body speaking to me? More likely a long-silenced part that never got onboard 25 years ago when I learned I had a wheat sensitivity. Whatever, the thoughts became a craving and I figured a sandwich would do the trick.

I knew that mediocre bread wouldn’t cut it. And gluten free bread isn’t usually great. It’s either crazy expensive, has questionable ingredients to make up for the gluey gluten goodness that traditionally holds bread together, or crumbles in your hands. I couldn’t think of any way to satisfy this desire at the grocery store and I had nothing at home that would suffice.

So off to the bakery I go. I chose what would be considered healthy fare by any American standards. Chicken salad on walnut raisin. Not a hoagie (hero, sub, grinder or bun the size of my head), just two slices of bread. It was most satisfying and quelled that incessant loop in my head.

As I stood up to bus my plate, I had to cough. This is highly unusual for me. Suddenly, there was a lot of phlegm in my throat. As I walked out the door, I noticed I was sniffly. Shortly thereafter, I was gassy. And then my ears started to itch.

No big deal, really. My body can manage all of this. But it’s using life-force to do so. I don’t need to feel guilty or worry or make amends. It’ll all even out if I offer an extra deposit- such as time in nature or meditating.

If this was my habit, though, it’s easy to see how I’d eventually end up in life-force deficiency. And I’d get chronically stuffy, which could create the perfect environment for a virus to move in. Or I could medicate the symptoms, ignoring the root cause and accrue even more problematic symptoms.

I thought of my friend Mika, who carries a digestive enzyme supplement with her for times like these. There are definitely ways to mitigate less than stellar decisions. But what I really want to point out is that I recognized these symptoms because they aren’t the norm for me. Many people wouldn’t identify phlegm-iness as a result of food choices.

The more active I am in building my life-force savings, the more obvious the costly fees are because the contrast is so great.

There is no one-sized fits all life-force savings plan. I’m not suggesting that you don’t eat out, or you don’t eat chicken salad sandwiches, or you go wheat- free. But I am suggesting you do some detective work, some experimenting, and begin an honest exploration into your expenditures and investments.

If you find yourself digging in your heels, unwilling to give up certain behaviors you know to be problematic, that’s ok too. To balance things out, you can put your focus on life-force deposits. So rather than taking something away, you can think of adding in a beneficial practice like yoga or tai chi. Or build a monthly session of massage and/or Reiki into your budget and calendar.

Find ways to make more deposits, even if your withdrawals remain the same, and you’ll accrue wellness credits over time. The benefit to quitting the habits that have less than desirable results, at least for a few weeks, is that your body can recalibrate and you’ll be better able to notice its reaction to something as simple as eating a sandwich for lunch.

Accruing Life-Force and Healthy Aging

I’ve been collecting life-force energy for some time now. Having more deposits than withdrawals is part…
Recently I shared a short video about why I usually don’t recommend stretching for my clients with muscle tension.

What?! 😳

Yup. Very often it doesn’t create the desired results because stretching doesn’t address why a muscle is tight. So it may or may not help in the moment, but rarely has a lasting effect, if any at all.

Here’s what you can try instead if you’re not getting anywhere with traditional stretching.

Of course, massage and Reiki can help with this too. Book a session if you need extra support- I’d be happy to put my skills to work! AND even if you’re getting regular bodywork, daily interventions like this can really make a difference.

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A Holistic Remedy for a Tight Upper Back

Recently I shared a short video about why I usually don’t recommend stretching for my clients…
Tight muscles are literally my business. It’s common knowledge that stretching will help, but I usually disagree.

To be clear, I mean deliberately holding a stretch to remedy muscle tension. I think that stretching like a cat and moving through the body’s range of motion is great for maintaining mobility. But sustaining a forward bend to address tight hamstrings, for example, often backfires.

So I made a three and half minute video to explain why.

P.S. I created a follow up video outlining what I do recommend.

I don’t recommend targeted stretching, and here’s why.

Tight muscles are literally my business. It’s common knowledge that stretching will help, but I usually…
Whether you’re unsure of how to get your healing journey started or stalled somewhere along the way, it can help to have a simple, daily practice to rely on. Something to sink your teeth into.

There’s so much information available to us these days that’s it’s easy to get lost down never-ending rabbit holes, exploring all the options, but never actually taking the first step.

I love kundalini yoga. I find it to be immensely transformative. Mantra, mudra, breathwork, movement, and meditation are all basic components that are combined for synergistic rewards.

You’ll have to leave your need to know at the door. While there are indeed reasons why making particular sounds and hand gestures creates a particular effect, the learning of these reasons often leads to years of study. Study is not practice. It produces information, not results.

I will say that chanting produces a vibration in the head that is said to affect the pineal gland. If that means nothing to you, don’t worry. It’s not necessary to understand to reap the rewards.

I’m not going to get into the history of kundalini yoga. Let’s just say it’s THOUSANDS of years old. From a time when there were fewer distractions and adepts could more easily drop into the moment and their bodies and notice the changes brought about by their efforts.

Nor will I get into the potential benefits of this particular practice other than to say it can help you get unstuck. But only if you do it.

I’ve chosen share kirtan kriya because it is so easy to do. It requires a mere 12 minutes of your time. It has four simple syllables, to be combined with four simple hand gestures.

This video does a good job of guiding the way. The chant is done aloud, then whispered, then silently, then whispered again, and finally aloud. Just follow along.

Traditionally a practice like this is performed for 40 consecutive days for maximum benefit. If that seems like a big commitment, ask yourself how much you’d like to experience relief. If you want to feel differently, you must do something different.

If you have access to Reiki, activate it before you begin and enjoy the bonus of marinating in healing life-force energy. While Reiki remains my number one all time suggestion for healing, for those who haven’t yet been trained or don’t want to or have access to a practitioner, this is a fantastic alternative.

It’s especially great for folks who find meditation or resting in stillness to be torturous. The movements and chanting give the mind something to focus on. This can be done sitting in a chair or standing, even lying down, if that’s necessary.

What do you have to lose? Twelve minutes a day is a pretty minimal investment. Give it a try and see how it feels. Showing up for yourself on a consistent basis is one of the most compassionate and empowering acts possible.

And you’re worth it.

Feeling Stuck? Try This.

Whether you’re unsure of how to get your healing journey started or stalled somewhere along the…
Maybe you’ve heard about the amazing health benefits of ginger. It’s been shown to support better digestion and decrease inflammation.

Yes please!

To get the rewards though, you need to be consistent with your efforts. A client tells me she eats lots of ginger because they get Indian takeout every week. While that is no doubt delicious, it’s far from medicinal.

Fresh is more effective than dried. So even sprinkling some powder on every meal will have questionable results.

What about prepackaged teabags? Meh. It’s pretty weak, most likely pretty old, and don’t get me started on the bag itself. Why are they shiny? Plastic. Hard pass!

If you’ve ever bought fresh ginger with good intentions only to throw it out a few months later when it’s all shriveled up, I get it.

It’s shaped weird. Why can’t it just be smooth and … organized? It’s all lumpy and chaotic.

Well, for starters, it’s a root. That’s what roots do.

But it doesn’t have to be as complicated as you might think.

First of all, you don’t need to peel it. Whew! I give it a good scrub with a vegetable brush under cold running water.

You don’t have to grate it either. Pu-lease! After massaging people all day, the last thing I want or my arms and hands need is intensive kitchen labor. And I could go the rest of my life without ever cleaning the grater again and be quite happy.

I slice it thinly. Easy peasy.

You don’t even have to simmer it on the stove if you have an Instant Pot. (btw consider getting one if you don’t! I use mine several times a week.)

The problem with simmering is you need to keep an eye on it, adjusting the temperature, making sure it doesn’t boil over or boil dry. I don’t have the energy for babysitting my tea.

But you can pop it in the IP, pressure cook it on high for 12 minutes, and enjoy tea for days.

I like to make my extra spicy and use it as a concentrate. I fill up half my mug with the ginger juice and top it off with hot filtered water. Voila!

The day that I finish the last drop, I start a new batch. It’s become second nature and now I almost always have some on hand. If it’s there, I’ll gladly drink a cup or two every day.

I’m all for healthy living, but it has to be simple and doable if I’m going to keep it up. This is my latest shortcut victory. What’s yours?

Ginger Tea- the Easy Way

Maybe you’ve heard about the amazing health benefits of ginger. It’s been shown to support better…
If you’ve ever followed someone’s advice for healing an ailment and found yourself disappointed in the results, you aren’t alone.

Lots of people share with me the tricks they use for xyz and often they are things I’ve already tried to no avail.

It’s frustrating.

The thing is, the root of the problem is often hidden. Two people might have frequent headaches, but the same treatment might not be effective for both of them since the causes are different.

If you’re dehydrated and have a headache, a big glass of water can work wonders. You can go on to write a book about water being the miracle healer, yet it will be 100% ineffective for someone with a mold allergy or a tension headache.

No worries, though. Your body knows. There is an innate wisdom within and you can learn to access it. I’m not saying it’s easy, at least not in the beginning, but like any skill, you can hone it with practice.

My suggestion is to be like a cat. They move in ways that feel GOOD! Now, don’t go researching “how to move like a cat”. That’s something I would have done in the past. 🙄

Instead, feel into what movements your body would enjoy. Let pleasure be your guide.

It all starts with an intention to tap in and honor the messages that come from your body. Next, you’ll need to create time and space to listen. Many of us are just running around all day, every day, so that we can’t receive the messages that come through.

Remember the olden days when phones were atttached to the walls of homes? And you had to be at there when the call came through? And then you had to pick it up, at that moment, and listen to the voice on the other side?

It’s a lot like that.

Your body will tell you how it wants to move and rest, what it wants to eat and when, and all sorts of other information- if you pay attention.

But you have to be available to pick up the phone.

Yes, this means forgetting about tons of external rules about how many steps you should take or what your target heart rate is. It might mean shaking things up in your family, workplace, or circle of friends.

But, let’s face it. If you keep on doing what you’re doing, you’ll continue to get what you’ve already got. I’m guessing that if you’re reading this, you’d prefer a different outcome.

Why not go directly to the source of wisdom?

I find Reiki incredibly helpful for increasing my clarity, motivation, and capacity to receive messages from my body. If you want to do the work, it could help you too. Or if you prefer to receive support and let me do the work, that can also help. It’s not the only way by any means. As far as I can tell, it’s the simplest, easiest, and most accessible though.

One of the things I really love about Reiki is that the healing energy sinks beneath the symptoms and addresses the initial imbalance. It might be in the mental, emotional, spiritual, energetic, or circumstantial realm which would have been overlooked by modern medical treatment.

What would your body appreciate today? If it’s Reiki or some gentle bodywork, why not schedule a treatment? Or perhaps you’d like a walk, a bath, some time on your yoga mat, or a nap. Only you know for sure.

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Healing Isn’t One Size Fits All

If you’ve ever followed someone’s advice for healing an ailment and found yourself disappointed in the…