I very much enjoy Jeff’s teachings on a very uncommon style of meditation. Instead of going up and out, escaping the body, he guides us down and in, landing squarely in our humanity.
He’s offering yet another free webinar that I’m excited to attend.
Here’s an excerpt from his newsletter:
THE PEACE PARADOX – Why Chasing Calm is Making You Miserable (and What to Do Instead)
Together we’ll explore:
• Why chasing “calm” often creates more inner tension • How true meditation can welcome ALL emotions – even rage, grief, and fear • The astonishing paradox of peace – how true peace emerges when you stop trying to be peaceful! • A radically compassionate, deeply human approach to spiritual practice
This is not about transcending your humanity—it’s about befriending it.
I often share his free webinars here because they address the very obstacles that I and so many others experience on the spiritual path. He’s very generous with his offerings and these freebies offer a taste of what you can expect from his programs should you wish to go deeper.
I have no financial ties to him, this is just an amazing opportunity I want to pass along.
I very much enjoy Jeff’s teachings on a very uncommon style of meditation. Instead of going…
We’re reaching that part of summer when I’m just over it. My resilience for heat and humidity has dwindled and I’m ready for falling leaves and pumpkins. Instead, we have winds that feel rather like standing in front of my blow dryer. 😅
Every morning I go out onto the porch for a sunrise meditation. Lately I feel like I’m entering a swamp when I step outside. At 6am!
Looking on the bright side, there’s no need to hit the sauna. Getting in the sweltering car a few times every day must have some sort of detox effect, right? And going into most stores has got to have benefits similar to a cold plunge, what with the 30 degree temperature differential.
I joke that I now have a 10am curfew. I don’t love being hermetically sealed inside for so much of the day, so I try to get out to the woods early. It’s a few degrees cooler by the creek.
I took a little video to remind me of this little oasis. May it offer you some relief and a touch of nature’s medicine. Imagine yourself being there in person, drinking in the fresh air and cool breeze.
Adapting my routine and bright-side-thinking can only take me so far, though. Let’s be realistic, mint tea and coconut water are refreshing, but they aren’t miracle workers.
Eventually my inner rebel emerges.
“You can’t make me stay inside!”
(It might help to explain that I give my internal voices a descriptive character name and speak of them as separate beings. It’s just a tool for understanding the workings of my mind. It ends up sounding like there’s a full cast in my head. Because there often is! Can you relate?)
Please note, this rebel is the same character who said, “You can’t make me go outside!” when summer began. 😆
She’s just contrary. But the thing about rebelling is… that’s not really freedom. When you’re just doing the opposite, breaking the rules, rocking the boat just to be different, you’re still controlled by the status quo.
Last year about this time, she came out and insisted we absolutely could go for a hike in the 95 degree weather. The hike itself was fine, but afterwards, a whopper of a headache erupted. The end result could hardly to be described as “freedom”.
What I did today was mediate a negotiation. Ignoring, suppressing or overriding the rebel generally fails. At best, it’s energy consuming and not much fun.
Same goes for the inner overprotective mother. She’s the one who’d prefer I remained at a consistent 72 degrees year round. Bah!
So I called upon the inner stern auntie, a role I have perfected in real life with my niece and nephews. I’m fair, but not a softie with them, and this wise, compassionate, mature part of me is best qualified for overseeing arguments between children as well as different aspects of myself.
Rule #1: Everyone has a chance to say their piece.
The rebel wants to go out and it’s past our 😂 10am curfew. Helicopter mom says no, it’s too hot.
Rule #2: We don’t rule things out just because they didn’t work in the past. Instead, we workshop ideas to improve them and plan accordingly.
I’ll spare you the details, but I sorted through options of when and where to go, what to bring, what I could do before and after in order to get a proper walk in the woods without ending up dehydrated and decrepit.
In this way of relating, everyone wins. The parent figure gets to keep us safe, the rebel gets to go out and experience some freedom, the auntie gets to play peacekeeper.
This approach works for all sorts of inner incompatibility. When I find myself resistant to doing the thing I promised myself I would or wouldn’t do, torn between two choices or completely clueless about how to proceed, I invite all the characters to a round table session and discuss how to meet everyone’s needs.
This engenders trust in myself and reduces future resistance and outbursts.
I learned this ages ago as an energetic practice of aligning head, heart and gut. Getting thoughts, emotions and instincts all onboard for decisions and actions. Since then, I’ve drawn on the IFS (Internal Family Systems) model. “No Bad Parts” by Dick Schwartz is a good entry point if you’d like to learn more.
The reason I’m using such a minor issue to demonstrate this technique is because I think it’s important to begin with the easy stuff. Jumping in to the deep end can backfire and cause emotional distress and a rift in self trust.
I’m happy to report that I’m back from the woods, showered, hydrated and feeling ready to meet the rest of the day. I’ve learned something about myself and am more likely to be self-compassionate moving forward as a result.
Whatever your day brings, whatever season you find yourself in, whatever inner turmoil might be brewing, I wish you harmony and peace. I hope these words can help you cultivate it.
Cultivating peace and harmony internally is essential to cultivating holistic health. Hit subscribe and stay connected for more tips and tricks to enjoy optimal wellness.
We’re reaching that part of summer when I’m just over it. My resilience for heat and…
Today I achieve level 54! That’s 54 voyages around the sun under my belt. How amazing is that?
There are two primary ways of dealing with birthdays and neither suit me.
One is bemoaning the loss of youth and collagen, criticizing the body’s aging process and wishing for the good ole days.
Bleep that! What most people call aging, I see as accumulated toxins and tension, suppressed emotions, buying into BS patriarchal beliefs that youth=value, and the result of decades of abusing and neglecting our poor bodies.
All of this is something I address daily with Reiki. And after 8,000+ days of soaking up healing energy, I’m just getting more and more powerful and wise and attuned to my worthiness.
The second popular way to celebrate birthdays is the f*** it approach. It could be performative- look at all the fun I’m having- see the photo proof on Instagram!
It could be self-destructive with overdrinking, overeating, overindulging, overspending, overdoing, trying to prove to the world that you can do/have/be it all.
Allow me to present a third option. One that becomes much more clear once you activate these higher levels.
An honoring of self. Here are some questions I consider when leveling up.
What would my soul enjoy doing today?
How can I express the essence of my true self?
What would feel really good for my body, not just in this moment, but also tomorrow morning?
What seeds do I want to plant for the next revolution around the sun?
Which weeds do I need to pull to fully activate the wise woman within?
Unsurprisingly, Jell-O shots and sheet cake, spa treatments and shopping sprees, amusement parks and bars do not make the cut. I’m more likely to opt for a visit to the woods, a bath or extra long meditation.
Next time you’re due to level up, I hope you’ll consider what is it that truly nourishes you rather than doing the thing that is expected.
This seems particularly relevant now. Just because you’re sensitive doesn’t mean you have to absorb all…
One of the most frequent questions I get from new clients is, “What did you notice during the session?” They seem torn between dread and hope that I’m interpreting information from their energy fields.
Not to worry! I don’t have access to your deepest, darkest secrets. Nor would I want that responsibility. I’m more interested in helping others develop self-awareness and access to inner wisdom rather than perpetuating the concept that we must rely on external “experts” to guide us.
When I’m giving a Reiki treatment, what I feel is a peaceful and healing energy flowing through me. Sometimes it gets more intense in certain places or my hands feel like they’re glued to a specific body part. I recognize that the client is really soaking up the energy when this happens and that this particular area is a potent access point.
All I need to know is that healing is happening and it’s beneficial to linger here.
The “why” is above my pay-grade.
It’s easy to jump to conclusions about the why, but I do my best to resist the ego’s urge to analyze and pretend to know exactly what is happening. I don’t have all the information to make such diagnoses or prognoses.
Fortunately, it’s not necessary. My job is simply to apply Reiki. It’s Reiki’s job to do the healing. Reiki is spiritual guided and emerges from the highest perspective, so it’s best to put it in charge.
I am well aware that other practitioners include reading of the energy field as part of the services they offer. Some claim to be psychic or highly intuitive, and I have no doubt that many are. Hopefully, they also have some training on how to discern the difference between the clients’ issues and their own projections and how to share information in a sensitive way so as to not cause harm.
I’ve had a great number of clients who carry the burden of a message delivered by another practitioner years, even decades, ago. This saddens me. After a Reiki treatment, folks are in an highly impressionable state. Words carry more meaning than perhaps they should. My early training stressed the necessity of approaching each session with unconditional compassion and non-judgment as the foundation of all healing work. Not all practitioners had such wise teachers.
My point being that Reiki practitioners are trained to deliver Reiki. It is a valuable service. If you’re seeking analysis of your energy field, that’s the realm of medical intuitives and psychics. If you want to be saturated in healing, spiritually-guided, innately intelligent life-force energy, you’ll benefit from a Reiki session. If you want information or advice, that’s a whole different treatment, one I don’t offer.
If you have any doubts about what a session entails, it’s a good idea to inquire before scheduling. All the Reiki practitioners I know love to talk about their work and relish a willing audience.
If you’ve received a troubling post-session report in the past, it’s possible that the practitioner was overstepping the scope of their practice. Likely they meant well, but just didn’t know that the implications of their well-meaning words might have been harmful.
I’m certain I’ve said things to clients that landed differently than I intended them to, and this also saddens me. We’re all doing our best with the resources we have in each moment. It is my hope that such shortcomings don’t prevent anyone from receiving the benefits of this amazing modality.
If you’re interested in a prediction/diagnosis/interpretation-free infusion of healing life-force energy, I’d be delighted to provide exactly that. Use the button below to schedule yourself a session. I look forward to it!
One of the most frequent questions I get from new clients is, “What did you notice…
Whoop whoop!
I’ve scheduled a Reiki 2 class for my Philly area friends. Anyone who has previously taken a level 1 certification training, with me or another teacher, is invited to attend.
Many students who join this training are eager to do remote treatments so they can send healing energy to friends and family from afar. It’s pretty amazing and we have a lot of fun with this.
But that’s not the only benefit of this training.
The distance symbol can also be used to send healing back to traumatic moments, mitigating the present day effects of previous woundings. We can give ourselves the acceptance, understanding, love and attention that we wish we had had in the past.
It can also be used to deposit Reiki in the future to optimize each day or smooth the way through upcoming challenges. And to secure parking spaces and restaurant seating in advance. 🙂
I use the power symbol each time I get in the car to build a protective force field around me. It also amplifies traditional healing and space clearing endeavors. And so much more!
And the mental/emotional symbol is quite useful for treating anxiety and depression, while simultaneously cultivating focus, clarity, and memory. Because it looks like a creature with an open mouth, I imagine it munching up limiting beliefs and cultural conditioning just like PacMan.
Of course, this is just the teaser! We spend quite a bit of time getting to know each symbol and how we can use them in a variety of ways.
Intrigued? We’d love to have you.
5 Thursday evenings from 6-8pm September 14, 21, & 28, October 5 & 19 (no class on October 12)
I’m offering a $25 early bird discount off the regular fee of $275 through August 24. We meet in my Mt. Airy office, near the intersection of Germantown & Mt. Pleasant Aves. I support your comfort to provide the best learning opportunity, so whatever you may need to make that happen is welcome. Let’s chat if you’re unsure if this is a match for you.
Whoop whoop! I’ve scheduled a Reiki 2 class for my Philly area friends. Anyone who has…
Wow! I just love this quote from Jeff Foster. It matches my personal journey of accepting all the things as they are. It’s impossible to be whole if any part of me has been rejected, so I’m choosing to welcome everything. It’s a practice with a steep learning curve, but every step forward results in greater peace within.
“Stop trying to heal yourself, fix yourself, even awaken yourself. Let go of letting go. Stop trying to fast-forward the movie of your life, chasing futures that never seem to arrive. Instead, bow deeply to yourself as you actually are. Your pain, your sorrow, your doubts, your deepest longing, your fearful thoughts…are not mistakes, and they aren’t asking to be healing. They are asking to be held. Here, now, lightly, in the loving arms of present awareness.”
― Jeff Foster, Beyond Awakening: The End of the Spiritual Search
Wow! I just love this quote from Jeff Foster. It matches my personal journey of accepting…
A series of events led me to pick up this gem again after many years. Some might call events like these random, but I call them divine intervention. The universe really is guiding me to my highest good if I only pay attention and follow the breadcrumbs!
In “The Big Leap”, Gay Hendricks offers simple strategies to overcoming what he calls our Upper Limit Problem. As you can see, this book is well-loved, and each rereading reveals deeper insights.
He describes a sort of thermostat that we all have for the upper limits of our ability to experience success, love, and creativity. When we pass that limit, it creates cognitive dissonance- the inability to hold two conflicting ideas- which causes inner conflict. Getting promoted while thinking that I don’t deserve success would be a common example. He goes on to say that we have two options- to shift the belief or tank the success and return to the comfortable thermostat setting.
Without awareness of this phenomenon, we default to the latter. Only by shining the light on the beliefs that hold us back can we move beyond this frustrating tendency to yank on the reigns when the going gets good.
He’s pointing to four limiting beliefs that lay the foundation for the Upper Limit Problem and boy, do they ring true! While it’s always easier for me to see patterns in people around me than in myself, his coaching is so gentle and nonjudgmental that I could see the remnants of beliefs in me that I thought I had cleared ages ago. As the themes of “stuck” and “self-sabotage” seem to be up for so many around me, I wanted to share this incredibly helpful tool for creating change.
A series of events led me to pick up this gem again after many years. Some…
Reiki helps to correct any type of imbalance, and it can be fun to think of choosing the goal of a session as if from options on a menu. A sense of humor can be very helpful in the healing process! Sometimes my clients come up with comical names for the type of treatment they desire. One asks repeatedly for The Reboot; a session devoted to resetting the nervous system and activating the relaxation response. She finds it incredibly recuperative given the intense demands of her career.
The Deactivator is also popular, especially for those recovering from trauma or dealing with chronic pain. It helps to break the uncomfortable cycle triggered by hyper-vigilance and near-constant sympathetic nervous system (AKA fight-flight-freeze) activation. Occasionally folks ask for The Activator when they’re feeling stuck or blocked and can’t seem to get motivated. Kinda like all-natural, energetic uppers and downers with no negative side-effects!
Over the past couple of years, most of my work has been centered around The Fill ‘er Up treatment. People who have become depleted energetically, physically, and emotionally seem to be developing bizarre symptoms such as rashes, digestive upset, or severe joint pain as the tank runs dry and there just isn’t enough energy for the body to do much more than survive. Physiological systems begin to break down and mysterious ailments pop up.
For the past few months, there’s been an emerging trend that stems from The Fill ‘er Up. The Flush and Fill; the perfect remedy for those who have experienced the emotional equivalent of running a marathon in a toxic waste dump. So many of my clients are empathic and tend to pick up unwanted energies as they go about their days. When tanks are already low, there are few resources available for protecting personal boundaries or lugging around accumulated burdens, and eventually the body and the psyche begin to suffer. Burnout looms on the horizon.
Reiki can transform any and all energies that do not belong to us or that have worn out their welcome. Breaking free from the heavy loads that are outdated or not even ours to bear is incredibly invigorating. I don’t know of any other therapy that is so simple, so gentle and so powerful; certainly not any that can be received from the comfort of home or in a practitioner’s office; or learned in just a few hours for those who desire frequent application.
If you’d like to learn how to give yourself daily Flush and Fills, consider taking a Reiki 1 class. I am offering one online beginning in July, and others are teaching in-person classes. If you can’t stand the idea of adding one more task, no matter how wonderful the results, to your to-do list, that’s what we professionals are here for. If you’re already a practitioner, simply set your intention to transform anything that is not aligned with your highest good to that which is, and proceed with the hand positions you’ve been taught. Whatever your desired degree of participation (or lack thereof!) is, Reiki has a niche just for you.
Luminous Heart Reiki & Massage 