Meandering Paths to Spirituality and Wellness

2012-06-12T08:03:00.000-07:00

Do you want to experience a transformative Reiki session?

Reiki is a Japanese word that was used by Mikao Usui to refer to a system of natural healing that relies on Divine energy. Reiki is a combination of two words: Rei, which means "spiritually guided" and "ki" which means chi, or energy. So the whole word, Reiki, means "spirtually guided healing energy.''

Mikao Usui was a spiritual seeker who introduced Reiki to the world after spending many days and nights in a sacred mountain. Several versions of the history of Reiki abound in the internet; the truth of the matter is there is very little authentic historical data surrounding the development of Reiki during Usui's time. more

Self-attune to Reiki: An Online Guide

Reiki means spiritually guided healing energy. Reiki is available to everyone. Although some people were born with the purpose of helping others heal, we are all created equal- we are all connected to Source. This connection to Source provides us with divine healing energy and it is the birthright of every individual. But our frenetic, fast paced lives have resulted in blockages that prevent us from accessing Reiki freely and effortlessly.

This guide will help you reconnect to Reiki through the cultivation of certain cognitive but spiritually-based practices. The guide will lead you through a 15-day spiritual journey that will help you incorporate spiritual practices into your daily routine, with the goal of re-attuning you to Reiki. There are five email privileges included in this guide.

For more details, register for free at uTurn Guide and key in How to Self-Attune to Reiki.

The three-week interactive guide costs only $9.95

2011-12-01T02:04:00.001-08:00

The arrival of migratory egrets are recorded in writing, not through the lens. Read more....

Writer's Block? Could it be a Writing Detox?

2011-09-27T08:58:00.000-07:00

Consider looking at writer's block from a different perspective. It could be a blessing, not a curse!

Writer's Block

Who Gets Well, Who Doesn't

2011-09-27T04:01:00.000-07:00

What spells the difference between people who heal and those who don't? Is there a magic formula? Read about some of the characteristics of people who are able to jumpstart their self-healing capabilities.

Who gets well, who doesn't....

Carnival of Healing

2011-08-18T22:04:00.001-07:00

How You Can Help Yourself Heal

2011-08-18T19:21:00.001-07:00

Healing is a journey, not a one-stop trip. When we become ill, our whole being is telling us that things in our lives are not working well, that our way of living is not good for our mental, spiritual, emotional and physical health.

How can you help yourself heal? Take time to listen to your body - for a change. The body is a marvelous creation and is forever trying to communicate with us, telling us way ahead that we are doing something that may later on cause a major problem.

But the problem is, we don't listen. We rush to the doctor, rush to buy the pills, rush to take the pills. We rush, rush, rush. And therein lies the problem. It is rushing day in and day out, that causes us to disengage from our bodies. We live in our heads and forget that the body has its needs. We become disembodied. We become prone to illnesses and we end up with dis-ease.

If and when there is an ache in your body, stop, breathe, listen. Go back to your body. Re-inhabit your body. Talk to your body and ask it what is wrong with it, how you can heal the malady. We have been taught to tell ourselves that "we are not our body." That, I think, is so sad, so wrong and it is the reason why so many people suddenly find themselves being diagnosed with a full-blown disease.

Our bodies are the vehicles through which we are able to enjoy this life on earth. If we disown it, if we disengage from it, how on earth can we have a good and fulfilling life?

Photo courtesy of Scott Liddell

Brighter Planet's 350 Challenge

2011-08-01T05:09:00.000-07:00

Brighter Planet's 350 Challenge

Carnival of Healing #238

2011-06-01T23:24:00.000-07:00

Welcome to another round-up of blogs on healing and spirituality!

I have hosted a few editions of the Carnival of Healing, but this is the first time that I've received so many good blog contributions. I've included as many as I could - my apologies to those who could not be accommodated here.

This is a huge carnival - there is literally a smorgasbord of interesting blogs in this edition. For a change, I've decided to let the bloggers 'talk' about what their blog is about, so you'll see portions of their blogs underneath the blog titles.

So, here they are...read, learn, enjoy!

Dealing with Setbacks

Let’s face it, setbacks suck. You’re happily moving along with your life, when something unexpected happens that completely takes you off track.

Unfortunately, there’s nothing we can do about setbacks expect take them as they come and deal with them. Because they’re going to come, you don’t have much of a choice in the matter, that’s a fact of life. You can take precautions to reduce the amount of setbacks you have, but you can’t plan for everything, and the unexpected happens from time to time.

Emotional Health in Children -How to Help Children with Emotional Problems

Children are resilient and can cope with many difficult experiences, but sometimes their emotional health suffers. The world is a large and sometimes scary place. The playground may not always be fun and games and growing up is not easy. As parents, we hope to have happy, well-adjusted children, and want for nothing more.

But, what should we look out for? We investigate the three main conditions causing emotional distress in children today. The three most common childhood problems seen by Psychologists are Anxiety and ADD

Wellness Through Friendship

We all know that friendships bring joy to our lives. Times spent with close friends are some of life’s most enjoyable and enriching experiences. But friendships not only make us feel good, they actually make us healthier.

In fact, a number of studies have shown that maintaining strong, intimate connections with others increases our physical health dramatically. One study from Brigham Young University and the University of North Carolina found that people with poor social connections were faced with a 50 percent higher chance of death.

Why Are People Driven to Destroy Themselves?

One of the themes that often come up when dealing with addictions is the tendency for self-destruction – when the drive to use drugs, alcohol or other compulsive activities renders a person unable to stop that behaviour but to spiral faster and faster into destroying himself. Why do some people seem to have this need to destroy themselves? What can they do to break out of this obsessive drive that seems to grip them so powerfully?

11 Ways to Live Life

Life is not a bed of roses, but you can live life meaningfully and happily. It is up to you to change your thoughts and change your life to enjoy living life fully.

1. Hope: Hope is about expecting good things to happen. We live because we believe that tomorrow will be a better day.

There is no medicine like hope, no incentive so great, and no tonics so powerful as the expectation of something better tomorrow. ~ Orison Swett Marden

Staying Present

This came to me in a meditation the other day.

“Every time you come back to the present, you go home. The more you go home, the more you and home begin to merge. It is this merge that you have been waiting for your whole life.”

Focusing on the breath is helpful and helps to re-establish healthy deep abdominal breathing patterns and increase chi (life force energy), but again, sometimes I still get caught up in the every day ups and downs of life and my incessant thinking mind takes over for a while.

How to Lose Weight with Little Sacrifice and Without Going to the Gym

In this post I will present to you my diet plan to lose weight consistently, with little sacrifice and without the need to go to the Gym.

I will write a series of follow-up posts every week to show you my results as I follow this plan.

My diet plan has only 4 rules, or pillars:

Reduce stress

Eat more vegetables and fruits

Reduce ingestion of carbohydrates (especially at night)

Exercise for 1 hour 4 days a week (only walking and small periods of running).

The Sky is Not the Limit

Passion. Direction. Refusing to give up. When these people failed, they didn’t think ‘I’m a failure, I’m no good at this, someone like me could never get to the top’ – Instead, they used that failure as a learning experience, and they continued on. And don’t think that talent has anything to do with success either. Just ask any successful musician – they didn’t get to where they were because they were talented, they got to where they were because they worked hard, practiced hours on end, and when things got tough they didn’t give up.

Compassion as Remedy

New studies have found that extending compassion and care for others not only opens our hearts and helps others, but actually protects us from stress. Participants in one study who showed more compassion toward others had lower blood pressure, lower heart rate, and lower levels of cortisol (which is a hormone that is released when we’re stressed), than the participants who showed less compassion toward others.

Chiropractor Injures Back

I was doing some ‘minor’ yard work last weekend, didn’t notice anything at the time but I felt something not quite right. Slept well that night but later the next day became a little stiff in the low back. Went to work Monday morning and the pain got a little worse. So, against my better judgment I had a massage (my back was quite irritated by then and I suspected it shouldn’t be aggravated; there is a time for everything, this wasn’t the time). I couldn’t get off the table.

I had many thoughts about this event. Here’s is what I’ve learned...

Love is Power!

In this article I will talk about unconditional self love and the extensions of it in the form of love that you feel for another. Unless you feel love for yourself you can’t feel it for anyone else. You cannot share what you don’t have but then you can have a need for love and if someone needs you or you need someone, that’s what you call love. That is not love but rather possessiveness. Love is not about neediness, expectation, sacrifice, ownership, vulnerability or anything else that leads to a state of powerlessness.

Law of Attraction: Why Can't I Make Myself Happy?

This is post 137in my series on the Law of Attraction in Action. You CAN use your power to attract all that you need. I do it every day!

In my post, 'Enjoy Being Happy', a reader said that the harder she tries to find peace, self-love and happiness, the more she ends up with anger, frustration and dissatisfaction. She does know she wants those things but sees her life as based on struggling with feeling like she has too little time to take care of her obligations to others as it and feeling fat. She doesn’t see how she can make any more demands for things like self-fulfillment or self-appreciation.

Happiness Golden Rule: The Secret of Socrates

This post is part of a series of special articles about happiness, seeking what I call the happiness golden rules. These are the key guidelines, the conditions you need to satisfy in order to genuinely and instantly become a happier person.This post’s happiness golden rule is based on a quote by Socrates, the famous Greek philosopher.“The secret of happiness, you see, is not found in seeking more, but in developing the capacity to enjoy less.“ – Socrates(469 BC–399 BC) I genuinely believe Socrates is right. Let me explain why.It’s amazing that almost 2500 years have passed since Socrates “revealed” his secret for happiness but we still don’t seem to get it. And the majority of us simply don’t follow it.

Teenage Depression

Adolescence is intense. And it’s no wonder that statistics indicate 1 in 8 teens experiences depression at some point.If you’re reading this, then you’re either know a potentially depressed teen or you are a potentially depressed teen. But those are two extraordinarily different audiences. To that end, on this page, you’ll find two different sections.

If you are concerned about a teen you know who may be struggling with depression, then right right along.

And if you are a teen struggling with depression, then follow this link to the bottom of this article where I have a special message for you.

Depression and Positive Affirmations

If I’m feeling down, or depression is setting in I only have to take a look at my thoughts and I find a mad activity of negative thoughts that only multiply the feelings of hopelessness, sadness and despair. There is no doubt about it that thoughts affect emotions and vice versa. It’s kind of like the chicken and the egg dilemma, which comes first?

Fill Your Gas Tank

Are you one of those people who gives so much of your energy to others that you have none left for yourself? Are you the shoulder that everyone cries on? The person all your friends come to for advice and help? Do you take care of everyone else’s needs before your own? If so, you’re headed for disaster. You’re actually hurting yourself and all of the people you’re taking care of. I’ll explain.

How to Cope with Menopause

Menopause and mood swings very often occur in conjunction with one another and both can have dramatic effects on a woman’s life. Understanding that both menopause and mood swings are a natural occurrence and are a basic part of life for most women will help you learn to deal with the problems they create. Mood swings that are directly related to menopause occur because of physical and hormonal changes that a woman cannot control.

Compassion...the Greatest Gift You Can Give Yourself!

Several years ago, I began the journey of understanding, embracing, and living the practice of compassion. It seemed a natural progression to take in my quest to be abetter, more enlightened person. I did my best to set aside 10 minutes every day to open my heart with compassion to my family, my friends, my community, and especially any person with whom I might be experiencing difficulties.

Why Carry Your Heavier Cross?

Have you ever felt those times when the cross you’re carrying seems heavier than it should be? Much heavier than you can bear? Much heavier than the crosses other people are carrying? In fact, why carry your heavier cross?

Our crosses it seems, vary greatly in the burden and the difficulties they inflict upon us. Why do some crosses appear to be far easier? And why do some appear to be so huge and heavy, our trust upon God’s wisdom and justice is already shaken to its very core?

Lemon Essential Oil for Good Health

Botanically referred to as citrus limonum, lemon oil is used by aromatherapists to promote both emotional and physical well being. Having a piquant, lemony odor, lemon essential oil also has antidepressant properties. When the oil is used in an aromatherapy massage, it can aid in relaxation and alleviate depression. Lemon essential oil also stimulates the mind. When the powerful lemon oil aroma molecules are inhaled it is said to help in enhancing concentration and improving memory.

Gentle Nurturance = Gentle Word

Many of us probably see such scenes on a regular basis. Those of us who are parents know full well that gently nurturing a child’s growing body and mind isn’t always easy. Sometime days it feels as if good parenting requires sainthood. But gentle nurturance is the way that we adults constantly demonstrate, in hundreds of seemingly insignificant ways, that a child is a person worthy of love and consideration.

Sleep as Beauty Aid

A good sleep is most essential for the health of a body. Clear eyes, glowing skin, an energetic body and a happy mind are as much indications of good health as they are of beauty. So one can say, “Sleep well to look well.

I am a blogger myself and I know how much time, effort and energy goes into a blog - so I'm being generous...

...here's more!... Lack of Sleep Leads to Decline in Brain Function, Meditation Facts! , Bible Verses About Children, Annoyed and Disappointed. But not Angry, Christian Hypnosis: Meditative Prayer, Question Me a Koan, Riddle Me a Truth, Self Improvement Tools, Juice Cleanse, Avoid Dietary Sugars.

Last month's Carnival of Healing was hosted by Anne Asher of Posturally!. Next month's carnival will be hosted by Sia Alexander of Heal Love Now. See you there!

How to Live Longer - Learn from the Okinawans!

2011-04-24T18:13:00.000-07:00

The older Okinawans live up to the ripe old age of 100. Learn how you can incorporate their habits into your life so that you too can live a long, happy and healthy life!

Muntinlupa City, Philippines Bans Use of Plastic Bags and Styrofoam Products

2011-04-20T19:03:00.000-07:00

Muntinlupa City is a coastal province in the Philippines. Last year the city decided to ban the use of plastic bags and styrofoam products. Hardly anyone believed it would be implemented....read more....Muntinlupa Bans Use of Plastic Bags and Styrofoam Products

Reiki and Western Medicine

2011-03-06T23:34:00.000-08:00

By Rosanna C. Rogacion

In the early 1900s, a Japanese spiritual seeker by the name of Mikao Usui climbed Mt. Kurama, which was considered a sacred mountain. His sole purpose was to find the answer to the question, "What is the ultimate purpose of life?" Usui fasted and meditated for twenty one days and it is generally believed that he attained enlightenment on the twenty first day. From that time on Mikao Usui dedicated his life to healing through a natural system which he called "reiki."

Reiki (ray-kee) means "spiritually guided healing energy." It is an ancient, natural healing method involving the laying of hands on the body and channeling universal energy. A Reiki treatment brings about reduction in stress levels, resulting in deep relaxation that allows the person to tap into an unlimited supply of "life force energy" to improve health and enhance the quality of life.

How Reiki Heals

We are alive because "life force energy" is flowing through us. This energy flows within the physical body and it also flows around us in a field of energy. In addition to food, air and water this "life force energy" nourishes the organs and cells of the body and supports their vital functions. It is responsive to thoughts, feelings and experiences. When the natural flow of the "life force energy" is blocked or distorted, the organs and tissues are unable to function effectively.

As a result, disease patterns arise and negatively affect the person's emotional, mental, physical and spiritual well-being. Stress, trauma and unresolved issues are the main forms of negative energies which disrupt the natural flow of "life force energy" in the body.

Reiki heals by flowing through the affected parts of the body and the energy field and by charging them with positive energy. It raises the vibratory level of the energy field in and around the physical body where the negative thoughts, feelings, memories and impressions are attached. This causes the negative energies to break up and fall away. Reiki clears and heals the energy pathways, allowing the "life force energy" to flow in a healthy and natural way.

During a reiki session, the person experiences an increase in the flow of "life force energy." In this state Reiki cleanses the body of built-up toxins, relieves pain, calms the mind and relaxes the muscles, releases pent-up emotions and accelerates the body's natural ability to heal.

Reiki in hospitals

Reiki is now widely practiced in the western world particularly in the United States and Europe. Reiki practitioners in these countries can now be found working in hospitals where they assist patients during critical medical procedures.

Dr. Mehmet Oz, who is one of the leading cardiovascular surgeons in the United States was one of the first to include a reiki practitioner in his department at The Columbia Presbyterian Medical Centre in New York City where he runs the heart assist device program and the Complementary Care Centre. The New York Times Magazine reported that Dr. Oz has allowed the use of reiki during open heart surgeries and heart transplant operations. Says Dr. Oz: "Reiki has become a sought-after healing art among patients and mainstream medical professionals."

Since 1998, the Columbia/HCA Portsmouth Regional Hospital in Portsmouth, New Hampshire had been giving their surgical patients the option of 15 min pre- and post- surgery reiki treatments. As a result of this, there has been less use of pain medication, shorter length of stay in the hospital and an increase in patient satisfaction.

In the Reiki Clinic at Tucson Medical Center in Arizona, a team of Reiki practitioners give reiki to patients. Reiki was first offered to patients in the Cancer Care Unit but has since expanded to other units in the hospital after it had been proven that pain, chronic conditions, and post operative surgery conditions all responded well to reiki.

One of the largest hospitals in northern California is the California Pacific Medical Center and here, Dr. Mike Cantwell, a pediatrician specializing in infectious diseases, provides one to three hour-long reiki sessions. When asked how reiki helps his patients Cantwell said, "I have found reiki to be useful in the treatment of acute illnesses such as musculoskeletal injury, pain, headache, acute infections and asthma. Reiki is also useful for patients with chronic illnesses especially those associated with chronic pain."

Reiki practitioners are also becoming mainstays in delivery rooms in hospitals where reiki is given to mothers and babies to help alleviate the trauma of the birthing process. Tests conducted at Hartford Hospital in Hartford, Connecticut show that Reiki used during pregnancy reduced anxiety by 94 percent, nausea by 80 percent, pain by 78 percent and improved sleep by 86 percent.

More research and scientific studies are being conducted to further verify the efficacy of reiki and through the years many hospitals in the west have incorporated reiki in their programs.

Dr. Nancy Eos of the University of Michigan Medical School is one of the increasing number of doctors who incorporates reiki in their medical practice. "I can't imagine practicing medicine without Reiki," Eos says. "With Reiki all I have to do is touch a person. Things happen that don't usually happen. Pain lessens in intensity. Rashes fade. Wheezing gives way to breathing clearly. Angry people begin to joke with me."

Although it takes much practice and study before one can qualify to be a teacher or reiki hospital worker, anyone can learn reiki for self healing. The easiest way is to attend a reiki class. You can choose to learn Western Reiki, which incorporates the use of symbols, or Traditional Usui Reiki which follows the healing system that Mikao Usui practiced.

Traditional reiki practitioners believe that we all have the ability to heal ourselves because universal energy flows through each of us. But the stresses of modern living usually block this flow. However, a person who has a regular spiritual practice that includes silence, solitude and prayer can readily access reiki and use it for self-healing. You can follow the basic hand positions for self-healing and with patience you can experience this very simple yet immensely powerful natural way of healing

More Articles About Reiki

Reiki As Complimentary and Alternative Medicine

Traditional Usui Reiki

Clinical Trials Show Efficacy of Reiki

Medical Community Embraces Reiki

Reiki and Cancer

Reiki Treatment in Drug and Alcohol Rehabilitation Program

Practicing Reiki Without the Symbols

2011-03-06T21:20:00.000-08:00

As published in The Reiki Digest

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2011

Reiki without symbols
By Rosanna Rogacion

For the past six years, I have been a Reiki Therapist here in my native Philippines, a country situated very close to Japan, the home of Mikao Usui.

The Philippines is in the Far East, an archipelago consisting of 7,100 islands (yes, that’s a lot of islands!). It is my homeland and it is also the home of thousands of hands- on- healers –- so many that at one point the country was well known for its so-called psychic healers. There are currently fewer than 20 Reiki practitioners in our country and among these, I am one of the very few involved in the lesser known form of Reiki – one of the many branches of Reiki that are called Traditional Reiki Ryoho.

This form of Reiki that I practice does not incorporate symbols. There are no specific hand positions, and emphasis is given to spiritual practice. There are also no attunements. When I teach Reiki , I give Reiju, which is a simple, no fuss affair that only takes a few minutes yet effectively reconnects the person to Reiki.

Daily Spiritual Practice

In my experience, I have seen that dedication to daily spiritual practice is at the core of every traditional Reiki therapist’s life. One of the best things about my work as a Reiki therapist is that there is no effort at all to channel energy during healing sessions and this is one of the benefits of having a daily spiritual routine. In some ways, daily spiritual practice takes the place of the Reiki symbols used in other forms of Reiki. Through the years I have seen that the degree and depth of spiritual practice has a direct influence on the depth of a therapist's professional practice.

I have had the pleasure of introducing Reiki to many people who have come for classes and it is interesting to note that no matter how strong and effective Reiki is after Reiju, it soon becomes history if the person does not indulge in daily spiritual practice.

During the first few years of teaching Reiki, I used to include Hatsurei–ho in my classes. This is a form of spiritual practice that has its roots in Japan. Hatsurei-ho incorporates body movements, deep breathing and visualization. Some people believe that Usui practiced this form of meditation.

However, now I advise students to focus on doing spiritual practices that are more in line with their religious traditions. And it works. I am a practicing Catholic and I know that the more I pray, meditate and focus on my spiritual growth, the stronger the Reiki flows to and through me. Reiki does not discriminate!

We often don’t hear what our bodies are telling us because our minds are filled with constant chatter. Daily spiritual practice stills the mind and provides the space where we can hear what is coming from within and then later on, we learn how to listen more effectively to what is outside of us.

Hand Postitions

There are only 5 basic hand positions that are used in this form of Reiki and these focus on the head. During most of my sessions I use some of them, sometimes I use all five but not in any specific order. At times I also do Byosen, which is a techinique for scanning the body for imbalances.

During a session, I always receive the guidance I need as to where to put my hands-- and it comes in various ways. Sometimes it is just a silent knowing that the energy needs to be concentrated on one part of the body. Or it could be a gentle pull that tugs at the hands and so I follow it and lay my hands on a part of the body. Most times, though, I feel guided just to lay my hands on the head and quite often my client will confirm that the energy is in various parts of the body. Spiritually guided healing energy knows where it is needed.

What Happens In a Session

There is always variety in a Reiki session. One session differs vastly from another- no two are ever the same. One person may need silence during the session; with another, cheerful banter can be more effective as the Reiki flows where it is needed without my human intentions getting in the way.

And where does the mind go? This again is where deep spiritual practice comes into play. There could be a feeling that one needs to pray, or simply “listen” to the impressions being given by the body.

At other times the heart senses that the person needs someone who will listen unconditionally.

How the human body responds to Reiki also varies greatly. Because I have no control over the energy, whatever is needed is what is given to the healee. Some fall asleep, others weep, sometimes legs jerk uncontrollably, or the body releases so much pent up emotions it begins to move in convulsion-like movements. Sometimes, as we discuss their personal issues, the clients’ bodies move in different ways- a clear indication that blockages are being resolved.

During a session there could be silence, laughter, tears, joy, sadness, relief and wonder. It is simply amazing and as each session progresses and ends, I always, always give thanks for this beautiful work that I had been gifted with. Being a reiki therapist is fulfilling, amazing, surprising…simply wonderful.

Beyond My Experience

Reiki has not only been a way through which I could help others. It has become a way of life for me and as s a Reiki therapist, I find it so heartwarming to be able to help others re-learn the language of silence and re-establish the lines of communication within the self.

I have no doubt that each Reiki therapist in every part of the world has his or her own fascinating story to tell no matter what their lineage. We are all fortunate because we all have access to the healing energy from Source and can witness the healing capacity of the body when the Divine is allowed to come through.It is sad that some Christian quarters have cast unfavorable opinions towards the Reiki community. I don’t think though that there is any cause for concern. Each one of us has the intent to heal ourselves and help others heal – our own small contribution towards helping the world through our own individual practice. And in the ultimate analysis, that is what matters most.

As we go about our work as Reiki practitioners, we offer a form of service to the world. In a handbook attributed to Mikao Usui, he laid out the path for us when he said "In times like these, the happiness of humanity is based on working together and the desire for social progress. This is why I would never allow anyone to possess it (Reiki) just for himself!. . . .Each of us has the potential of being given a gift by the divine, which results in the body and soul becoming unified. In this way (with Reiki), a great many people will experience the blessing of the divine. First of all, our Reiki Ryoho is an original therapy, which is built upon the spiritual power of the universe. Through it, the human being will first be made healthy, and then peace of mind and joy in life will be increased."

Rosanna Rogacion is a Reiki Master Teacher whose practice is located in Manila, Phillipines.
POSTED BY BETH LOWELL AT 6:14 AM LINK | 1 COMMENTS LINKS TO THIS POST

Releasing Repressed Emotions

2011-02-13T18:17:00.000-08:00

Rescuing dogs and cats has been my personal advocacy for many years. But since there are no animal shelters near our place I have had to rely on my own resources in my efforts to help animals in need. As a result, our home has become a sanctuary for 10 rescued cats, 3 turtles that the previous owner could no longer take care of, a mynah bird that crash landed on our kitchen door, and a tri-color Pomeranian named Poco that I picked up from the street.

Poco was covered with mange and had only a few patches of hair when I brought him to the vet. That was four months ago and now he is a beautiful and loving black Pomeranian with tan and white markings. He is so sweet and has become a vital member of our family.

A week ago, we opened our home to a discarded female dog and her four pups. The mother dog, whom we named Chokie is understandably fierce because she is protecting her litter and does not know us. We have put them in a big cage, but somehow, the 2-week old puppies manage to get out every now and then. Chokie always barks and growls each time we come near the cage. It is always a challenge to clean their kennel.

Yesterday morning, I took Poco out and tied him up in the garden as I fixed the kennel of Chokie and her pups. Two pups were out of the cage and as I was about to return them, I somehow stepped on a nearby anthill and was bitten by what seemed to be a thousand ants. I lay the pups about a meter away from the cage and attended to myself. When I looked back at the puppies, Chokie was out of the cage and was beside her two renegade pups. Poco was about a meter away. I ran towards Poco and grabbed her and brought her to the house. Then I took our other dog, Spottie and brought her to the house too. I then checked on the cats - they were all fine. Chokie, surprisingly, was wagging her tail and looking at me with friendly eyes - so different from the fieceness she showed the past days.

I got some dog food and put it in a bowl and then got hold of a piece of hard plastic board which I intended to use to protect myself. But there was no need for that. Chokie left her pups and approached me, tails wagging and intently looking on the food container. I dropped the food bowl into the cage and she went right back in. As she ate, I returned the two pups and she just gave me cursory looks. At last, we had become friends.

An hour later, my back ached and my head was throbbing. Sunday is a busy day for me - there are errands to run, pets to check on and I was constantly texting my friend Carol who also rescues animals because there were two other dogs in need of a new home. There simply was no time to sit down and process the pain that I was feeling but I I knew that there was something inside me that was stirred by the morning's events and I also knew that I needed some quiet time.

By evening, the throbbing on my head had become a full blown headache and my whole body was a mess. All the chores had been done, the animals had been attended to and I finally had time to feel and sort out what was going on inside me.

As I silenced my whole being and focused on the headache, memories came back - of the time when a pup given to me was killed by a neighbor's dog that had just given birth; I remembered the time that our toy poodle was killed by a bigger dog we owned, and then, the memories of how I was attacked by a German Shephard when I was protecting my dog from it came rushing back. Tears flowed and my body trembled. It was then that I realized that seeing our little Poco a few meters away from what had seemed to be a fierce dog sitting beside her pups had triggered repressed fears that had been inside me for so long. I also realized that when the three past incidents happened, I did not cry nor was I able to release my sadness and fears.

I allowed myself to bawl and I cried for sometime. My body was trembling too, so I allowed that to happen, without question, without restraint. After a while, I stopped crying and my body rested. I allowed my mind to go back to those three incidents and re-lived them over and over until my mind and body were no longer reacting from the memories. When I reached that point, I was exhausted and drifted off to sleep. I knew from experience that I would be fine in the morning and I was. There were no pains. I was not afraid of Chokie. And, best of all, I could go back to the incidents when my two dogs were killed and I was attacked by a big dog without any emotional response and with the knowledge that things happen and we move on, heal and help others heal.

As a Transformtional Therapist this is how I help my clients release their repressed emotions. Feelings - both happy and sad- need to be expressed and released. Emotions brought about by traumatic incidents should, ideally, be addressed immediately. But sometimes we don't have that luxury. When events trigger intense emotional responses from our body, we must pay attention to the physical symptoms and allow the body to express itself. Otherwise, we will continue to carry unnecessary emotional baggages.

Writers and Their Journals

2010-12-08T19:27:00.000-08:00

Writers and Their Journals

Casrnival of Healing #228

2010-08-04T19:21:00.000-07:00

Carnival of Healing # 228

The Carnival of Healing is a monthly round up of helpful blogs covering health, spirituality, healing, wellness and personal growth. The wonderful thing about hosting (and reading) the issues of the Carnival of Healing is the amount of new things one learns.

We'll learn a lot in this month's issue. First off, we can now add another word to our vocabulary. Liminality is a word that many of us may not be familiar with. It means “a threshold”, or the bottom part of a door that must be crossed in order to enter." Liminality is characterized by ambiguity and disorientation -- a feeling of being neither here nor there ( and we all know how that feels!). In this blog, MyAliya narrates an episode of liminality and how she tried to cope with it.

Joana Cake shares with us her healing journey in A Woman's Journey From Anorexia to Self Love. Feeling good about herself was one of the keys to her healing. Tolemac's blog The Tree of Good Feeling offers a wonderful method on how we can feel good about ourselves. Feeling good is also the theme of Creativity is Your Nourishment by Bonnie Landau, which focuses on feeding the soul in order to nourish our lives.

How does one eat an elephant? Maybe by biting more than you can chew? Bite Your Words by Kristin Conroy is a whimsical but definitely helpful article that explores food phrases and how they relate to personal growth. It's a sweet, short read.

From Beyond Karma comes a short piece about Awareness, which features a short guided meditation on how you can become more aware of your feelings. Awareness isn't there when we multitask and Laura Weldon tells us why in To Be, Or to Multitask.

Once you understand why multitasking isn't good for you and you choose to be aware of the present moment, you can most assuredly Balance Work and Life in 3 Simple Steps as suggested by The Conscious Life.

So, are you Facing Financial Insecurity? Lower Your Stress Levels and Sarah Winfrey says you will be able to "assess the problem more accurately, address it more directly, and overcome it more quickly. It will also help keep your medical expenses down, as stress is one of the main causes of some major health problems."

Ah, debts, debts, debts! If you have debts and suffer from physical ailments, you may want to read Seven Health Problems Associated with Debt. Why not try to learn Chi Gong? It will not ease your debt problems but it may help ease the body pains. Herbs can help us feel good too and there are 80 Incredibly Healthy and Healing Herbs You Can (legally) Grow at Home that can help you feel better and ease some body pains.

Dogs have become our healing companions and here are 15 Amazing Facts About Therapy Dogs.

Some places are said to emit healing energies. Explore Magic Travel: 25 Places With Healing Powers I've been to 5 of the sites listed in this blog and I certainly experienced healing moments while I was there.

Let's end this learning spree with a dash of whimsy! I hope you'll drop by Madeleine Kane's Whimsical Limerick and try to post your own limerick. I did -- I bit some words, and it made me feel good and aware, fed my soul, made me forget about my debts and liminality (for a while).

I hope you enjoyed this month's Carnival of Healing as much as I enjoyed bringing it to you.

I want to thank Phylameana lila Desy for moderating the Carnival of Healing. Last month's carnival was hosted by Janet Dagley in The Reiki Digest. Next month's carnival will be hosted by Pearl in

Fresh Perspectives.

Have fun living your life!

Powerful Lesson for Today

2010-06-15T01:39:00.001-07:00

A wise yoga teacher once said that when we see something beautiful, we see God. Considering that beauty is in the eye of the beholder, it then follows that when we choose to see more than skin deep, then we will see God more clearly in our sisters and brothers, in all the animals and everything around us. Now isn't that just awesome?