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Are You Sleep-Deprived? 5 Ways to Get Enough Rest

“Sleep…knits up the raveled sleeve of care.”  William Shakespeare

Is everything going well for you in the bedroom? High-achieving, high-energy entrepreneur Arianna Huffington wants to know. No, it isn’t your love life she’s worried about. She’s asking if you are among the millions of sleep-deprived humans who may be endangering their lives by burning too much midnight oil. In her new book, The Sleep Revolution, Huffington reveals the secret of her success–she healed her terrible habit of never getting enough sleep.

Sleep is a subject of deep concern for everyone. You need it, and if the truth be told, you want it desperately. Sometime in the past few decades, not sleeping very much became something to brag about. There’s so much to do in this modern, merry-go-round life that those twenty-four hours that have been allotted to each day aren’t enough anymore. Listen and you’ll hear people buzzing about how little sleep they get like it’s a contest to see who can stay awake the longest. Arianna Huffington respectfully points out the science behind the human need for rest. In 2007, she herself collapsed from exhaustion. In working to clean up her act, she discovered the beneficial impact on health, mental clarity, and happiness that comes from good rest.

As an energy healer and spiritual teacher, I’ve worked with thousands of people who need more balance in their lives. Sleep is a vital component of good health and spiritual wellbeing.  Maybe you, too, are working too hard and too long and then having trouble winding down when it’s time to get some sleep. Here are 5 steps you can take to recover your capacity for healthy rest:

  1. Have a Bedtime Routine – There’s a reason why bedtime stories and lullabies are going-to-bed traditions. Everyone can benefit from a comforting routine to ease them into sleep. Know how much sleep is ideal for you and plan to get that perfect amount just about every night. Make your bedroom a soothing haven by creating a bedtime ritual of reading, prayer, music, deep breathing or other relaxing practice.
  2. Put Out the Lights — Do what’s needed to make your sleeping space completely dark. Wear an eye mask if need be. Light at night interferes with the body’s biological clock and the secretion of melatonin. Research shows that blue light, like that emitted by electronic screens, is particularly powerful at suppressing melatonin. Red light has the least power to affect melatonin. The greater the dark, the deeper your sleep.
  3. Keep It Cool – Researchers have found that people sleep best in a room that is on the cool side—mid to upper 60s. You can find your personal best by experimenting with the warmth of your bedding and adjusting the room temperature, but keep in mind that cooler is better for your sleep.
  4. Enter the Quiet Zone – Needless to say, you’ll sleep better away from any noise that might wake you. If there are occasional sounds in the environment that disturb you, try creating some “white noise” with a fan or a recording that makes a soft and steady sound. It’s the same principle as driving around in the car until the baby falls asleep.
  5. Step Back from the Chaos — Is it safe to watch the late night news before trying to sleep? Read a horror novel? Have a heated discussion with your spouse/sister/child? Not at all. As you prepare to power down for the night, turn your focus to the peaceful and the positive. Plant the seeds of a happy and hopeful tomorrow by focusing on hope and happiness tonight.

Working in harmony with nature is the secret to getting good sleep. Your body is part of nature, and you can’t thrive without respect for your inborn programming—going to bed when it gets dark and waking when the light returns. When morning comes, head outside to greet the day and absorb the sunlight. The light of day will shut down your melatonin production and boost your wakefulness and mental clarity. Sleep is your good friend, and if you need a refresher any time, naps are highly recommended!

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3 Ways To Celebrate Life On Earth Day

Deborah King Earth Day

From this God’s-eye-view, I saw how fragile and infinitely precious the Earth is. I’m hopeful for its future. — NASA astronaut Piers J. Sellers

Mid-twentieth-century humans were the first to see planet Earth turning majestically in space. Do you remember the first time you saw our planet as “the big blue marble”? For astronauts who leave their craft and walk in space, the experience can be a form of pilgrimage. How amazing it is that we were given a new planetary perspective at just the right time—when perilous changes were beginning to threaten our world. Our bond with Mother Earth is not only critical for our physical survival, it is also key to our spiritual wellbeing. If you long to reignite and reawaken your connection to the Earth, you are not alone. The time to reconnect is now and you won’t need a space suit!

You don’t have to travel far to see your earthly home from a new perspective and renew your grounded and loving relationship with Mother Earth. Restore your personal healing connection with our planet in 3 easy ways:

  1. See the Sacred Places. As the ancients knew, some places on Earth are graced with high-vibration energy. Wise and intuitive people often built their holiest institutions over energy vortexes. Although they are wonderful places, you don’t have to travel to Machu Picchu or Stonehenge to visit a sacred site. North America is brimming with places that were held sacred by Native Americans for thousands of years. Do some research on your local area. You are seeking to heal and be healed as you unite your spirit with the creative energy of the universe. These natural vortexes rich with healing energy can help raise your consciousness. Your soul wants to experience unity with the powerful unconditional love that can heal the hearts, minds, and bodies of humanity. As a spiritual teacher and energy healer, one of the most powerful sacred sites I have found is Ojai, a charming small town located not far from Los Angeles, that has attracted seers, gurus and seekers for hundreds of years. There, they experience a profound expansion of their chakras, and their connection to Mother Earth.
  2. Visit the Wonders of Nature. If you have noticed how wonderful you feel after a day among trees, in the desert, on the beach, or in the mountains, you know the power of wild places to elevate your spirit. Any location you choose as your home in Nature will help build appreciation and admiration for the wonders of Earth. Whether you climb a mountain or sit on the beach or take a walk in the park, the time you spend outdoors in a natural setting without any electronic distractions will soothe and heal. Any members of the animal kingdom you encounter also have spiritual gifts to share. Watch the birds overhead and imagine your spirit soaring with them. Stand with your bare feet in the sand, soil, or grass and picture yourself as a tree, sending roots deep into the earth and drawing up the nourishment you need to live in balance and harmony.
  3. Tour the Good Works of Humankind. Today humanity is being challenged to step back from a headlong pursuit of technology that is harming Earth. It’s time to rebuild a deep awareness of our spiritual connection to this planet. Our spirits are part of the same creative energy that powers all things. The best works of humankind reflect this respectful connection. In a small survey of personal sacred places these came to light: the Cathedral of St. John the Divine in New York City; the groves of towering date palm trees in Indio, California; the Golden Gate Bridge; Michelangelo’s statue of David; any small neighborhood of new homes built by Habitat for Humanity. Even armchair travelers can visit the gardens, the feasts, the festivals, the celebrations, and all the diverse beauty of peaceful human activity. Wanderlust is a gift of loving appreciation for our planet.

By using your personal pilgrimage to expand your awareness—to bring yourself into balance, experience greater peace, raise your consciousness, and connect with Mother Earth—you are assisting every other person and creature on the planet to do the same. We are all connected. Being in a higher state makes it much more likely that we can come to creative and harmonious solutions to our global problems. A great love is what can help humanity heal Earth. Learn more about using energy healing to heal yourself, heal others and heal the world.

Young woman dissapointed on a medical weight scale.

3 Steps to Lose Weight by Clearing Blocked Emotions

“It’s easy – just move more and eat less!” say the lucky few who have never struggled with their weight. For the rest of us, it’s more complicated than that. Early nutritionist Adelle Davis hit the nail on the head when she said: “To say that obesity is caused by merely consuming too many calories is like saying that the only cause of the American Revolution was the Boston Tea Party.”

As a practitioner in the field of Energy Medicine, I’ve explored the topic of weight from an entirely different perspective, focusing on where unwanted weight comes from, and why it’s so hard to shed unwanted pounds. Although, undeniably, diet and exercise play a big part in how we manage weight, the why of the matter is a different story. Energetically speaking, I like to say that the first step in overcoming your battle with excess weight is to be open to the possibility that it’s “an inside job,” with repressed emotions at the heart of it.

As far as energy medicine is concerned, by far the most important factor concerning weight loss has to do with difficult emotions. These could be the result of childhood trauma, divorce, illness, job loss, or the death of loved one. Repressed emotions can affect the body in various ways. In the world of Energy Healing what we don’t process can hurt you, and those emotions end up stored somewhere in your body:

  • If you need to grieve a loss but fail to do so, it often results in ongoing problems with the lungs
  • Anger or bitterness that you refuse to acknowledge and let go often develops into problems in the mid-section of the body, in areas like the liver and gall bladder
  • A broken heart that is never mended can result in cardiovascular problems
  • Abuse (sexual, physical, or emotional) often shows up as extra weight – the individual unconsciously gains weight as hoped for protection from further assault

After a lifetime of working with people in workshops and online courses, I know that unprocessed emotions are one of the leading causes of weight gain. Anything that you reject, or push away develops a life of its own, literally a separate consciousness. Any time you shove down your emotional wounds and block the flow of energy to that area, you can wind up gaining more weight.

So what’s the secret to unblocking the emotions and letting go of the habits that cause you to retain and gain weight? You can start by getting in touch with your feelings.

Use this 3-step technique to allow you to get in touch with those old, stuffed down feelings so you can start the process of healing them:

  1. Relax – When you are in a state of relaxation for ten minutes or more, you have a chance to get in touch with feelings that you have pushed down in your body. Meditation is a great way to tune in to how you really feel.
  2. Face the old traumas – You may have memories that you are afraid will surface while you are in the process of getting in touch with your deeper wounds, but don’t worry. Any memories that arise will be much easier to handle now. Know that it isn’t necessary to remember an event in order to heal from it. Emotions connected to memories may arise, but they will seem distant, separate from the present-day you. You are completely safe now to explore the old traumas that are keeping weight on and preventing you from living in your healthiest body.
  3. Journal about the emotions that surface – what emotions come to the surface as a result of facing old traumas? Give them a name: jealousy, anger, guilt, disappointment, regret, then focus on letting them pass harmlessly through you without attaching. Picture them floating up and away, like clouds in the sky.

Now that you’ve taken time to clear out the old emotions that have blocked you, perhaps for decades, keep the energy flowing on a daily basis by acknowledging new emotions as you experience them.

Continue you healing journey by using these two simple steps to stay balanced and in touch with your current emotions:

  • Meditation – taking time each day to quiet your mind allows you to regularly process events and emotions. This keeps your mind and body clear and balanced, and permits emotions to flow through you instead of getting stuck in your body.
  • Journaling – write down what you’re feeling, and what feelings trigger negative behaviors. I also recommend that you use journaling as an opportunity to reinforce your goals and intentions.

These simple steps of “emotional hygiene” will keep you happy and help you keep your weight where you want it. If you’d like to learn more about energy healing and how to release unwanted emotions and behaviors trapped in you, I invite you to explore my LifeForce® Energy Healing course. When you learn how to free trapped energy, you experience a complete shift in what is possible for you.

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7 Easy Steps for More Energy

“Everything is energy and that’s all there is to it.”  Albert Einstein

If everything is energy, why do you often feel like there’s a serious shortage of the stuff? Some days you wonder if the espresso machine in the office will simply explode from excessive demand. Everyone gathers around with their empty cup seeking energy. And when they get energy, maybe motivation, inspiration, enthusiasm, and joy will follow? That’s an awful lot to ask from a cuppa Joe.

Maybe the trouble isn’t a lack of energy at all. We do have it on good authority, from quantum physics no less, that the universe is made entirely of energy. Our material world is all energy, and so are we. The human body is part of a glorious energy system and each of us vibrates in keeping with the heavenly patterns installed in us for harmony, creativity, and wellbeing. That is unless your energy becomes blocked, stuck, entangled, or otherwise misdirected. No amount of caffeine can help an energy interruption that you yourself are causing.

The energy centers of your body, your chakras, move energy between your personal energy field and the energy field of the universe. In my work as a spiritual teacher and energy healer, I’ve seen how powerfully the energy centered in the chakras can affect your entire being. Without the smooth and healthy flow of energy through your body’s chakra energy system, feelings of emptiness, discouragement, helplessness, and exhaustion can overwhelm you. These energy blockages can be as unique as you are. Over time, your difficult experiences, emotional upsets, and traumas of every kind can block the smooth flow of energy you need to thrive—to be happy, healthy, loving, confident, and prosperous. Even one vital energy center blocked and out of balance can throw the others off, affecting all aspects of your life.

If everything is energy, then keeping the flow going really matters, to you personally and to the power grid we all share.  Here are 7 steps for helping your energy system stay on track and keep making its vital contribution to the give-and-take of life:

  1. Your first chakra, located at the base of your spine, is the seat of your feelings of safety and security in the world. To feel grounded and strengthen this chakra, get in touch with the natural world. Take a walk outside, touch the earth with your bare feet, hug a tree, and feel your connection to the beauty of Nature.
  2. Your second chakra, midway between your first chakra and your waist, is the sacral or sexual chakra. Because it can become clouded by issues of addiction, shame and guilt, this chakra benefits from a cleansing ritual, swimming in the ocean or taking a soothing sea salt and baking soda bath.
  3.  Your third chakra, halfway between your navel and breastbone, is the solar plexus chakra, seat of your ego, self-esteem and personal power. Physical activity recharges this energy center. Try some t’ai chi, yoga, or Pilates, especially outdoors in the early morning or late afternoon sun.
  4. Your fourth or heart chakra, located in the center of your chest, is the seat of love, compassion, understanding, and care (including self-care). The experience of unconditional love, giving and receiving it, opens and strengthens the heart chakra. Unconditional love is readily available from a pet—your own or one of the many loving animal friends waiting for your attention at a local shelter.
  5. Your fifth or throat chakra, the seat of communication and self-expression, is located right in the center of your throat. The inability to express your thoughts and feelings freely can compromise the working of this energy center. Any way that you can use your true and honest voice, from speaking to singing to writing in your journal, can help clear and balance the throat chakra.
  6. Your sixth chakra, also called the third eye for its connection to intellect and intuition, is located in the center of your forehead. A daily meditation practice can help you “open” your third eye to the world of inner wisdom and create greater clarity of vision, opening the door to inner guidance you may have been missing.
  7. Your seventh or crown chakra is located at the very top of your head and serves as your connection to Spirit, the intelligent energy that created the universe, the All That Is. Because this chakra is the portal to the greater energy system that surrounds you, you can only flourish with an open channel to this Source, your higher power. Meditation, prayer, and contact with Nature all help restore the crown chakra’s free flow of energy.

By reviving and renewing the energy system within, you can free up a power source for life that will make your dreams come true. With the energy you need to thrive, you can devote more of yourself to the things and the people you love. Now you can save the espresso for when you really need it!

If you’d like to learn more about balancing, clearing and charging your energy powerhouses, discover the secrets of chakra wisdom with me.