Snow-Date

Have The “Perfect Holiday” on Your Terms!

12042013_Holiday

“Christmas, my child, is love in action.
Every time we love, every time we give, it’s Christmas.” ~ Dale Evans

 

Whatever holidays you celebrate between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Eve, you might find yourself anticipating the upcoming festivities with more dread than joy. Who can blame you? For many, the holidays are way too full of unrealistic expectations and that nagging feeling that you owe yourself and your family the “perfect holiday” no matter what financial, emotional or family challenge you’re facing.

 

The way I see it, common holiday gripes fall into three categories:

 

I can’t afford it! If it’s hard to make ends meet under normal circumstances, the additional cost of buying gifts, mailing out cards, and putting up holiday decorations – plus splurging on festive clothing, and holiday meals – can make your bank account scream for mercy.

 

I don’t have time!  Wondering how to heap all the extra holiday chores on top of your normal workload?  Wish you could skip some (or all) of the decorating, shopping and entertaining? Doing the holidays up right is a big job, especially when you’re also juggling family, work, and household obligations (and who isn’t?).

 

My extended family makes me crazy! Unresolved family issues from the far and recent past are often exacerbated by the holidays.  As an energy healer, I can assure you that memories of holidays and special occasions, good or bad, lodge in your psyche – and come flooding back every year. Unresolved family issues, resentment, trauma and abuse come to the surface when everyone gathers, and what was supposed to be a season of brotherly love can become a pressure cooker of stress and anxiety!

 

You can take control of the holidays, and have a light filled season on your own terms. Here are some tips that you owe it to yourself to try:

 

Scale it down. Got time or financial constraints? Give yourself a pass on any events or obligations that you can’t (or don’t want to) handle.  Henry David Thoreau may have been on to something when he said, “Distrust any enterprise that requires new clothes.” If you’re dreading attending a fancy event, quote Thoreau to yourself and blow it off in favor of something that gives you real joy – like cuddling up on the couch drinking hot chocolate and watching The Good Wife! Scaling down goes for gifts, cards, travel, or anything else that doesn’t contribute to your true enjoyment of the season.

 

Give yourself and your family the gift of forgiveness. Hit the “reset button” with your family. Spend time before the holidays journaling about each of your family members, and consciously forgiving them for past wrongs. You don’t have to forget, I fact, pushing down negative feelings is the worst thing you can do! Simply acknowledge your feelings about the person or event, and choose to forgive them. You will feel a sense of relief and lightness that will carry you through the season. While you’re at it, forgive yourself in advance for tackling the holiday on your own terms – skip the guilt if you choose not to bake, send out cards, or buy gifts.

 

Experience the joy of helping others! Being of service is the key to your own enlightenment and balance. Spreading your light to others less fortunate is especially important during the holidays, and it can be accomplished in small ways that bring joy to the giver as well as the recipient! Bring cookies to someone ill or alone, sing in a choir, donate clothes or small gifts to the needy, or just make a special effort to have a kind word for the harried service people who are working extra hard this season. When you take the pressure and stress off yourself by approaching the holidays on your own terms, it gives you the spiritual bandwidth to help others!

 

Take care of yourself.  Don’t let holiday obligations cause you to put your own spiritual and health practices aside.  Make sure you schedule time for yourself to meditate, exercise and journal. This will keep your mind clear and your spirit light – allowing you to enjoy the season and spread that joy to others around you. Get plenty of rest, and don’t go overboard on rich food or drink.

 

The goal of tackling the holidays on your own terms is to finish the season with an abundance of joy and more light. Make time for the things that you love about the holidays, and skip the rest! You’ll wake up in January ready to tackle the New Year – without finding yourself in the hole when it comes to your finances, your health, or your spirit!

Prayer

Connect with Your Ancestral Guides!

10292013_ConnectWithAncestors

 

The dead may not be with us in body but they’re with us in spirit, and during this time of year, at Halloween, they feel especially close!  On November 1st, in the US, Mexico and other areas in the western hemisphere, people honor their deceased loved ones with Day of the Dead celebrations. Families and friends gather to pray for and remember those who have died. In South America, altars are built at gravesites, heaped with skulls made of sugar, marigolds, and the favorite foods of the departed. Families celebrate the memories of those who have died — treating them as something to be honored and celebrated.

 

The belief behind the Day of the Dead rituals is that deceased loved ones return to Earth on that day to be with their families. In my work as a spiritual teacher and energy healer, I detect the presence of ancestors, not just on November 1st, but all year round!

 

Recently, during one of my energy healing courses, I had the opportunity to provide comfort to an attendee who was reeling from the recent loss of both her mother and her 19-year-old son. Her son was killed in a car accident, and less than a year later, her mother fell victim to cancer. The grandmother and grandson had been extremely close, and my student consoled herself with the belief that the spirit of her mother was looking over her son – but she was having difficulty dealing with her own feelings of loneliness and loss. “Sometimes I feel like they are right here with me – I could almost reach out and touch them!” she sobbed. As I scanned her energy field, I became aware of the presence of an older woman and a teenage boy. I was delighted to confirm to my student that her loved ones were not only together and supporting each other, but they were watching over her. I was also able to provide her with some simple energy healing techniques she could use to feel their presence, every day!

 

I urge you to take the opportunity to connect with those beings on the other side that are there to help and support you, if you will simply open the door. They might be loved ones who have recently passed, ancestors who you know through stories or photographs. These guides are available for many different purposes— for healing you or helping you to heal others, for spiritual development, to protect you, to aid in your creative endeavors, or even to help you find a soul mate!

 

How do you connect with those who have previously passed on? To begin sensing and communicating with the spirits of the dead, you need to expand your consciousness beyond the five basic senses. It’s easy to develop these abilities; they are deeply buried in your cellular memory and just need to be reawakened.

 

The following steps will help you connect to any ancestral guide who is there for you. Among the most common of these guides are deceased grandparents and great-grandparents, but use your intuition in choosing your ancestor—it could be anyone in your family tree.

 

  • When you go to bed at night, after you turn out the light and before you fall asleep, state (out loud or silently) your intention to connect to the ancestor most appealing to you. Do the same thing when you first awaken, before you open your eyes.

 

  • Choose the person, whether or not you knew him or her personally, who resonates with you the most. Chances are, whoever first comes to your mind is the right one. Picture the person in your mind.

 

  • Tell this individual that you want him or her to be there for you. Ask a specific question or for help with a particular problem.

 

  • Come to a healing course, in person or via livestream: at every workshop, I help attendees connect to their ancestors; this activity will help deepen your connection.

 

Here is the main rule to remember with guides: they want to help, but they won’t unless they are specifically asked. If you just take a few moments every day, in the morning and at night, to tune in to your guides, you can ask them exactly what you want assistance with, and they will be more than happy to help!

 

Your ancestral guides can be a great source of love and light in your life. To learn more, check out my new book, Entangled in Darkness: Seeking the Light.

dk-blog-nature2

Embrace Nature with all Five Senses!

Nature spontaneously keeps us well. Do not resist her!”

Henry David Thoreau

 

I returned from Miraval last week, looked at the calendar and asked myself, “Where has July gone?”  In just a few days I’ll be back on the road, headed to my next workshop at Omega in beautiful upstate New York. While I’m there, despite my busy schedule, I’ll make sure to spend some time walking and basking in the natural beauty of the rolling hills and lake of this fabulous wellness center.

Spending time in nature isn’t just good for the soul – it’s good for your health. A study in Japan, of “forest therapy” is based on the theory that because humans evolved in nature, it’s where we feel most comfortable. Physical and mental benefits can be achieved by synchronizing our rhythms with the rhythms of nature.

The study has proven that leisurely forest walks (with cell phone turned off or left in the car), result in a 12.4 percent decrease in the stress hormone cortisol, a seven percent decrease in sympathetic nerve activity, a 1.4 percent decrease in blood pressure, and a 5.8 percent decrease in heart rate. Not only that, but participants also report better moods and lower anxiety after a walk in the forest.

It’s no surprise that spending time in nature is key to your spiritual, mental and physical health. Wherever you live and whatever your summer plans might be, there’s not another moment to waste. Get out of the house and spend some time enjoying the warm weather and beauty of the great outdoors!

The idea with shinrin-yoku, inspired by ancient Shinto and Buddhist practices, is to let nature enter your body through all five senses, Bring all of your senses into play and try out a few of these ideas:

1) Journal outdoors:

Take a few minutes out of each day and sit outside with your journal. While you’re outside you can spend some time meditating, listening to the birds or just jump right into your writing. You may choose to write about what’s going on around you, what you hear, and what you see. Or you may choose to write about how you’re feeling. Doing this daily will give you a specific time that you’ll spend outdoors.

2) Look up:

Enjoy nature by learning something new about the birds in your area or the stars in the sky – pick up a guidebook, or download a smart phone app to help you identify birds, or stars and constellations. You can stay in your own backyard, or go off on a weekend excursion to spot some new ones. Either way, bird watching and stargazing will give you a whole new reason to be outside!

3) Enjoy the night:

Grab a friend (or not) and take a long walk in the moonlight – look at the stars and listen to the sounds of the night – the moonlight will cast a new light on everything.  You don’t have to be in a rural or suburban area to enjoy nature – urban areas offer the opportunity to head outside and enjoy the night air and the stars too!

4) Mix up your exercise routine:

Put your gym membership on hold and exercise outdoors. Swimming, kayaking and stand up paddle boarding are all great ways to work out without overheating. Try walking in the early morning or evening—explore a new trail or park in your neighborhood. No matter what style of exercise you choose you’ll benefit from the sun on your face (wear a hat or some sunscreen!) and the wind in your hair.

5) Let the outside in:

Pick up some of your favorite flowers, and open the doors and windows to let in the summer breeze. I’ve picked up a few pots of my favorite herbs and every time I walk by them I get a fresh waft of basil and mint.  They’re a great addition to summer beverages and salads. Now is also a good time to put out collections of shells and rocks from past vacations, or look for some new ones.

6) Go camping:

You know I’m a big supporter of the joy of sleeping outside- I’ve slept outside every night for years. There’s nothing like it to cement your connection with nature and mother Earth.  Even if you don’t do it every night, break out the tent and sleep outdoors at least once this summer. You might want to start the evening with a campfire – even if it’s just in your own backyard.

9) Exercise your creativity:

Set up an easel and paint, or grab your sketchpad or phone camera and capture the natural beauty that’s around you. Take a walk on the beach and collect driftwood, stones or shells. Bring them home and arrange your collection on a shelf or coffee table or frame a mirror or photo with driftwood. You’ll keep the carefree memory of summer all year long.

I hope these ideas have inspired you! Please share your comments below and on Facebook and let me know your favorite way of refreshing and recharging yourself, naturally!

StandingInYourPower1.png

Standing in Your Power

 

 

 

When you hear the word “power,” do you think of control over other people, or money, or even forcefully influencing the course of events? Well, that’s one dictator-type of way to define power, but there is another definition: the ability to act in a effective way. For example, there is the power of speech, or the power to raise the dead, or the basic power of saying no to what you don’t want and yes to what you do want.

 

 

So what does it mean to stand in your own power? It means you honor whatever is really important to you. It means you know who you are, what you are capable of, and why you make the decisions you make. Nothing can rock your boat or shake the foundation of who you are.

 

But let’s face it, most of us get in our way. We indulge in self-doubt, self-sabotage, and mind games like “I don’t deserve this,” or “I’m not good enough.” Do you feel powerless? Are you scared of what others will say about you? Do you feel overwhelmed by your circumstances, or inadequate to handle the complexities of your to-do list? Do you keep sabotaging your own success?

 

Then you’re not standing in your own power.

 

It’s easy to give your power away. Do you let your partner always choose where you’re going to eat or which movie you see? Do you kowtow to your kids’ demands? To your boss’s? Do you take on whatever you’re asked to do, no matter how full your plate is already? Do you invalidate your own thoughts and feelings to please others? What or who are you allowing to rule your life?

 

Pleasing others is a habit. You probably developed it when you were very young when you learned that being cute or using good manners or getting good grades made your parents happy and that made you feel good. Or maybe you had to push away your own needs to fit into your family. You learned to keep your opinions, thoughts, and emotions to yourself. You—the real you—was silenced. You followed the crowd rather than making waves. You learned to give away your power for the approval of others.

 

At what cost? You denied your own voice, the authentic you.

 

So, how do you stop giving your power away? Before you agree to make 30 cupcakes for the school holiday party when you have a looming work deadline, STOP and ask yourself what you REALLY want. Then, honor yourself. Keep standing in your power as you clearly say NO. In order to stand in your power, you have to allow yourself the option of saying no. It doesn’t matter what the home room teacher thinks about you. It doesn’t matter if your kids get mad at you. You simply can’t do it all without hurting yourself.

 

At some point, all of us face the choice of either claiming our power or giving it away. Focus on what is right for you. Quit worrying about what other people think of you. Have the courage to stand up for yourself. Dare to endure criticism from others. Be willing to shock the people who assume you will always comply with whatever they ask of you.

Standing in your power doesn’t mean that you have to be perfect. It means that you accept yourself as you are—your weaknesses and your strengths, your smart actions and your foolish blunders—no matter what anyone else thinks about you.

Don’t think you have to wait until you feel ready or worthy. Remember, no matter what you do, some people simply won’t like you; you will never be able to make everyone else happy. When you don’t take care of yourself because you are trying to make others happy, you start to resent the very people you are trying to please.

 

Whenever the situation arises where you have to make a decision about what to do, ask yourself this question: Am I standing in my power or am I trying to please someone else? Be clear about your priorities. What’s more important than your own balance, harmony, and health?

 

Simply put: Don’t be a martyr! We all know those unfortunate souls who bend over backwards to make others happy when everyone can see that they are ignoring their own needs. It’s the harried mother whose kids look impeccable while she hasn’t washed her hair in a week and her clothes look like they came out of the dirty laundry basket. Martyrs don’t love or nurture themselves. You, on the other hand, do!

 

Pleasing someone else is not the same as caring for them. It’s the old story: if you’re not caring for yourself, you’ll have nothing left, no inner resources, to really care for another. It is vital that you learn to stand in your own power for your own mental, physical, emotional, and even your spiritual health!

 

Do you have trouble connecting with your intuition? When you’ve learned to stand in your own power, your own I AM, you will be able to connect on a much deeper level to your spiritual core and to the invisible realms. Think about it.

meditation-blog.jpg

Motivations for Becoming a Life Coach

You have reached the point in your life when you realize that your greatest happiness comes from helping others. You want to experience greater spiritual growth and know that service is the key to unlocking your potential. Yet you also need to pay the bills. You can satisfy all those requirements by becoming a life coach. The life coaches that we have trained through the Deborah King Center LifeForce Coaching program come from a wide variety of backgrounds, but all share a common belief that everyone can experience true fulfillment and reach their highest potential.

Are you ready to listen to your intuition, which is saying that life coaching would be a great path for you to follow? Here we share more about the journey of becoming a life coach, so you can envision yourself growing into a richer, greater you.

Navigating Life from Within

During our life coach workshops, you will receive the necessary knowledge and advanced communication techniques to be an effective and confident life coach. You’ll learn to navigate your life from inner wisdom instead of reacting and responding to outside stimuli. You’ll feel like part of the solution—helping to make our world a more peaceful and happier place.

Our LifeForce Coaching program is made up of teaching videos, blueprints, workshops (both live and streaming) and guided meditations. All are designed and targeted to help you achieve your life coaching certification. More specifically:

  • You will be able to overcome obstacles in your own life and achieve better harmony and balance . . . and help others to do the same.
  • You will learn how to be mindful and accountable to your own clients by providing valuable assistance, listening, and guidance.
  • You will learn to understand your clients’ goals and how to help them achieve those goals.

What to Expect

Expect to emerge as a stronger and more compassionate person after taking the journey to become a life coach. Our LifeForce Coaching program will help in every aspect of your life and the life of your clients: family, career, relationships, personal growth, fitness, nutrition, weight, organization, and grief and loss. Why not begin your journey today?

InnerWisdom10.15.12.png

INNER WISDOM

 

Perhaps you recognize this conversation with yourself: “I really have to upgrade the operating system on my computer and bring my car in for an oil change, but first I have to get my taxes done. Why did I ever file an extension? I won’t have enough time to cook a decent dinner, so it’s pizza again. I’m such an idiot about money. I have no trouble losing money, but lots of trouble losing weight. What a loser! No wonder I don’t have a successful life!”

 

That nagging, self-deprecating voice is your internal judge and jury—the narrative you have going that reflects the way you internalized your parents, teachers, friends, therapists, and lovers, and all the others who contribute to your social conditioning. It’s sort of like an annoying reality show on TV that you can’t seem to shut off, with each character playing a part in your inner drama.

 

There is another voice inside your head, a voice that tends to speak softly, rather than shout at you. It’s the Jiminy Cricket voice, the gently nudging of your conscience. “You shouldn’t have told that lie. Things are going to get complicated. You should really go back to her and admit the truth.” Its promptings are ethical, and it pays to listen to this voice.

 

But there is still another voice that is the expression of your deepest wisdom. Sometimes it comes from your heart, other times from the gut. It definitely doesn’t come from your thinking mind, the one that is so often overrun by mindless chatter. What is inner wisdom? It’s not the stuff you learned in school. It has nothing to do with logic. The “voice” of inner wisdom may not even use words. It’s more like that feeling in the pit of your stomach that says, “Leave now. This place isn’t safe.” Or “this is the apartment for me.”

 

Research has shown that our intuition is accessible on a body level long before our awareness catches up. Scientists in the UK and at the University of Iowa have done studies on body wisdom versus the thinking mind by using decks of cards, some of which were rigged. Very quickly, the players’ heart rates dipped when they went near the decks that were rigged. Another study measured perspiration on the card players’ palms. The players started getting sweatier palms within ten cards, but they couldn’t say that the decks were rigged for sure, from their logical mind, until they reached the 80th card.

 

Do you try to hear your inner wisdom when you have an important decision to make, or when you’re embroiled in challenging circumstances and don’t know how to deal with it? How can you tell which voice is coming from your inner wisdom? Try this. Write the very first answer that comes to you about a question you’re having. When you read it, does it make you feel calm, peaceful, relaxed? If so, it’s a wise response. If it increases your tension and amps up your anxiety, it’s likely coming from  your less wise linear mind.

 

Of course, the best way to get in touch with your inner wisdom is through a contemplative practice like meditation or prayer. After you have sat in deep stillness, the answers you seek can rise like hot air balloons into your consciousness, quietly giving rise to the aha! of true understanding.

 

For many people, learning to listen to their intuition means trusting their gut feelings. Sometimes literally. An assessment of eating habits of female college students at Ohio State University found that those who listened to their body cues of hunger and fullness had a much lower body mass index than the women who tried weight control through counting calories. Intuitive eaters spend more time thinking about how their body feels and functions rather than what their body looks like to others. Try to listen to your stomach’s signals, the deep wisdom of what your body actually needs, and stop eating before you feel stuffed.

 

Yet another way to learn to listen to your intuition is to write down a problem and think about it just before you go to sleep, and your solution will often be within reach when you wake in the morning. Or the answer may even come in a dream, where we aren’t hampered by our logical conscious mind. Dreams have long served as warnings about health issues or other situations that your mind hasn’t yet grasped.

 

Sometimes our inner wisdom can explode in a flash of insight. You meet someone for the first time and you know he’s the one. Or you’re walking down the street and suddenly know you have to go into the restaurant you just passed. You’re not hungry, but something is compelling you. You go in, and there’s a friend you haven’t seen in years who desperately needs your help.

 

Whatever way is easiest for you to connect with your intuitive inner wisdom is the best way for you. There are no rules. No matter if your signals come from tingling fingertips, or from an ache in the gut, or from a sudden flash of insight, listen to what your inner wisdom is trying to reveal and you will have a happier and healthier life.

april-showers.jpg

Beating the April Shower Blues!

Are April showers making you blue? You are not alone. Many people experience a mood change when the weather changes. Grayer skies means less sunlight, and countless studies have demonstrated that a decreased amount of sunlight can incite melancholy and sadness. Your tendency on these darker days may be to stay in bed, watch endless hours of TV, eat comfort foods full of heavy carbs, and feel downright sluggish and sad.

Guess what? You don’t have to feel that way on account of those pesky April showers! You are a positive, sunny, happy person inside and you have all the power to change your attitude and MAKE your day sunny no matter what color the sky is outside!

The change first starts with your attitude and perception. Do you want to wallow in sadness and feel lazy and unmotivated all day? Or do you want to reap the benefits of LOVING your life and enjoying each and every moment? There is absolutely nothing stopping you from being happy on a dark, rainy day.

Let’s start with how you are looking at those April showers themselves. Rain is actually quite beneficial and important, because it provides the fresh water making our rivers flow, filling our lakes and keeping our plants alive and thriving. We cannot imagine our life without water. So perhaps instead of waking up to the sound of rain and thinking, “oh ick, it’s a horrible day outside,” you can change your perception and instead think, “oh how wonderful, my plants are getting nourished, the trees will be happy, and I am so truly thankful for this natural blessing.” You may not be able to change the weather outside, but you can certainly change your feelings about it.

You can also busy yourself with healthy, positive activities that will feed your soul. Why not explore hobbies that will motivate, stimulate and sharpen your inner creativity? Have you always wanted to try painting, drawing, knitting, or scrapbooking? What about dancing, singing, playing an instrument, or even just listening to your favorite music? Or finding a comfy place to settle down and dive into that book you have been wanting to read, but never seem to find the time or space to do so? Anything that feeds your creativity, mind and expression will feed your positive attitude on a gloomy day. Positive activities can go a long way!

A rainy day is a fabulous day to write in your journal and add in some extra meditation time! Sip a nice cup of afternoon tea or take a long, luxurious bath. You can raise your level of self-awareness, reflection, and energy! Let the soothing sound of the rain calm your stress and help bring you to a peaceful frame of mind.

Feeling lonely and don’t want all the solace and peace? Why not use this time to build your relationships? Try reaching out to a close friend or spending more quality time indoors with family members. A phone call with a loved one can do wonders to boost your energy and outlook. Or how about playing board games with your family and friends? You can find hours of fun entertainment that will lift your energy and attitude, and bring you closer to the ones you love — it’s a win-win for everyone!

You can take advantage of the time indoors and be productive. You can tackle that closet reorganization you’ve been putting off or conquer that work research you were procrastinating. If you cross off one item from your usual to-do list (despite the April showers outside), you may feel better about how you spend the rest of your day.

Feeling adventurous? When we were kids, we were far more likely to put on our galoshes and run outside to splash in the puddles. When was the last time you jumped in a puddle and played in the rain?

It may surprise you how awesome and fun it is to let go and enjoy the blessings from the sky! And how free and happy you can be if you let yourself feel that way…You have the power to beat the blues brought on by April showers and make every day an enjoyable day filled with positive activities. And the best part is, you can tap into this power on snowy days, sunny days, work days, school days, any day…Try starting your everyday with this sunny attitude. Smile first thing in the morning. See what a difference that alone can make…

Interested in adding more serenity and calmness to your day? Go to https://deborahking.b.smartzsites.com/what-is-meditation/ for more information.

spring-cleaning.jpg

Spring Clean Up

Dust off those cobwebs, it is high time for some spring cleaning! No, I am not talking about your closets (though they probably could use a good cleaning too) – I am referring to all that clutter you have in your mind! Are you living someone else’s dream? Are your own priorities collecting dust, having been pushed to the back of your mind? Is your daily life not reflecting the world in which you wish to live? Are you stressed out? If you answered yes to any of these questions, then you are overdue for a good spring clean up!

Take advantage of your spring energy to clean your mind and set some new goals and boundaries for yourself following these 5 simple tips:

  1. Start your spring clean up by tossing out the old!
    Get rid of those old, tired ways of thinking that are dragging you down. No more negativity, self-doubt, and self criticism. Stop yourself when you feel that familiar Negative Nelly creep up on you. You want to see and feel the new, fresh you and that person is the happy, nurturing, loving you! Let her come out and shine this spring!
  2. Clean your mind from all those emotions that are dragging you down!
    How often do you find yourself obsessing over “what could have been” or “what should have been”? These thoughts are holding you back from moving forward and healing. Let yourself experience them, then move on. There is no reason to dwell on the past that cannot be changed. Focus on the present and future! There is so much sunshine to be enjoyed!
  3. Reconnect with the positive people in your life!
    Healthy relationships are important and are one of the best ways to boost your mental health! It is a wonderful gift to yourself to stay in touch with friends and family who brighten your days and are a positive influence on you. You may not be able to help it if your boss is a Negative Nelly and causes you constant stress, but you can control who you spend your free non-working time with, so make a choice to clean your mind and surround yourself with positive energy!
  4. Reduce your Daily Stress!
    One of the best ways to jump-start your mental spring clean up is by making a conscious effort to decrease your stress and anxiety. What better way to do so than through daily meditation? Just 10-20 minutes twice daily will do wonders to create more harmony and balance in your daily life. You will find you will approach problems from a completely different angle and will be a much calmer, happier you.
  5. Try Something New and Fresh!
    It is good for you to step outside your comfort zone every so often and try something new and fresh. Whether it’s making plans to take a trip to someplace you have never been (but always dreamed about going), taking a cooking class, learning a new language, planning a picnic with your family, or trying out a new local restaurant, making plans and activities that are new and exciting to you will make your life feel fresher and more stimulating!

Embrace these five simple suggestions to heart, and you will not only reinvigorate, but also clean your mind! You know how great you feel once you have cleaned out your closets and your drawers and reorganized your house?… Well, that wonderful, clean feeling can be echoed when you do a good spring clean up of your mind!

technology.jpg

Leave the technology behind, for a few moments . .

What brought you to the point where you were ready to start the work of healing yourself? Was it a betrayal of some kind or a relationship crisis? Maybe it was a health scare, or simply a nagging desire for spiritual growth? What’s most important is that you are willing to face your personal emotional stew instead of burying those feelings. It means that you need some time and space to bring forth your emotional baggage—you know, the stuff that needs to be emptied out so your energy can flow more freely.

I bet you feel a sense of time pressure. We all are racing around with our noses buried in our latest tech gadget, making it very hard for us to live in the present moment. It was different before all the technology that we think is supposed to save us time. All of this equipment, in fact, makes us work longer hours because there is no getting away from it.

You have to give yourself the space in which to do inner work. Here is a technique that only take 10 minutes that helps you into the present moment and creates an inner spaciousness.

Spend 10 minutes outdoors. Most of us work under artificial light a lot of the time and use electronic devices that create disturbances in our energy field—phones, computers, pads and pods, television, microwaves. When we do go outside, we are either in the car or protecting ourselves so carefully that we rarely get any direct sunlight on our bodies. This creates a lot of abnormality in our metabolic functions and our sleep.

It doesn’t matter if the weather is bad or if you live in a city, the key is to feel nature for a moment. In a city, look at the sky and listen to the birds. When in the country, walk barefoot on grass or at the beach. Eat your lunch sitting with your back against a tree.

By spending ten minutes a day reconnecting with nature, you can get back a feeling of calm. When you are in a state of relaxation for ten minutes or more, you can get in touch with feelings that you have pushed down in your body. You will realize that you are actually upset about the conversation you had with your mother yesterday or the argument you had at work with somebody the week before or maybe a divorce that you experienced ten years ago. And those are all fertile emotional ground for your healing.

It’s summertime – go outside for a few minutes and enjoy!