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Over 6,000 years ago in India, during Vedic times, the rishis (enlightened seers) connected to the unified energy field and brought back information on how the body worked and what promoted health, making Ayurveda the oldest form of health care in the world. The Sanskrit term is made up of “ayus,” which means life, and “veda,” which means knowledge or science; thus ayurveda is the knowledge (or science) of life. “Ayu” comprises the mind, body, the senses, and the soul—the whole package of what we call “life.”

The fundamentals of Ayurveda can be found in the ancient Hindu scripture called the Rig Veda, which contains a series of prescriptions for helping people overcome various ailments. Ayurvedic doctors today don’t look at the illness or disease condition you have and try to treat that; instead, they look at telltale signs within your mind and body’s unique make-up to figure out where you personally are out of balance. Each person’s state of balance, and therefore the state of their health, is truly individual. In this way, ayurveda is very empowering: each of us is able to take charge of our life and healing—the very basis of energy medicine at its finest. It not only aims to help you regain balance if you’re already sick, but is very proactive in preventing illness.

Ayurveda is based on the premise that the universe is made of five elements—air, fire, water, earth, and ether. The rishis said that man is a microcosm of nature, so the five basic elements that are present in all matter also exist within each individual person and are represented by three doshas, or energies: Vata, Pitta, and Kapha. Vata (air and ether) is the force that directs nerve impulses, circulation, respiration, and elimination; kapha (water and earth) is responsible for growth and structure (protection); and pitta (fire and water) governs metabolism in digestion as well as in organ and tissue systems.

The doshas are the place where body connects with mind—the place where our thoughts turn into matter. When any of the doshas go out of balance, Ayurveda has specific lifestyle and nutritional guidelines to help individuals reduce the excess dosha and get back into balance. By restoring our doshas to a state of balance, we can have a mind-body that is always healthy. In Ayurvedic literature, a healthy person is defined as “he whose doshas are in balance, appetite is good, all tissues of the body and all natural urges are functioning properly, and mind, body, and spirit are cheerful…”

Cheerful! Are you filled with joy? Can you maintain or quickly return to a loving space in the face of adversity? Are you grateful for the blessings (and challenges) in your life?

When you see what Ayurveda means by being in balance, you can understand how this ancient system of energy medicine is light-years ahead of present-day Western medicine. The whole emphasis is on where you stand as an individual. Your unique mind-body constitution is called prakruti, which means “nature”—your individual nature or body type. It is very helpful in your own quest for health and energy healing that you learn what your prakruti is—which of the doshas are most prominent in your make-up and what you can do to keep all the doshas in balance. Through observation over time—looking at your own tongue, face, eyes, nails, and lips—you can learn to diagnose which doshas need adjustment. Ayurvedic physicans also take your pulses—the same ones an acupuncturist feels to see if your qualities of life are strong, weak, flat, fast, or shallow—and can thus tell which doshas are in excess.

There are four areas of life that can be altered to keep the doshas in balance: diet, exercise, daily routine, and seasonal routine. For Vata, the key is regularity, for Pitta it is moderation, and for Kapha it is stimulation. When Kaphas are out of balance, they tend towards sinus congestion, poor circulation, and sluggish digestion that can lead to obesity; they need to get up and move! Pittas out of balance tend toward excessive anger inflammatory conditions, and be over-stressed workaholics.  Those with a Vata constitution can have poor digestion, easily catch colds, develop insomnia and fatigue. This is, of course, a very brief peek into a highly complex system of health care.

If you’d like a better idea of what your doshas are, click here for a quiz that will help you determine your prakruti. And if you’re interested in learning more, I teach Ayurveda in the LifeForce Healing Program as well as in workshops.

Have you despaired over the condition of our beloved planet: global warming, rampant pollution, the rape of natural resources, and the propensity of humans to hate and kill other humans who don’t hold the same beliefs, skin color, or sexual orientation? Have you wondered what you, an individual, can do to change the way things are? As it turns out, you can be a powerful force for good. And if enough individuals are aligned in the same way, together we can do a LOT to help the planet come into balance at a higher vibratory level.

In 1905, Albert Einstein proved that as we break matter down into smaller and smaller components, we move beyond the material realm and into the place where everything is simply energy. This is the Law of Vibration, which is a law of nature; these laws are found in the occult teachings of ancient Egypt.

In the Law of Vibration, the lower the vibration, the slower something moves; the higher the vibration, the faster it moves. So the difference between the chair you are sitting on and the wind blowing through the window is really only the difference between the levels of vibrating energy, or frequencies. The chair, which seems solid and unmoving to the naked eye, is merely vibrating at a slower rate, while the wind blowing through the open window is moving much faster.

The same is true for emotions and thoughts. Fear, grief, and despair vibrate at a very low frequency, while love, joy, and gratitude vibrate at a much higher level. Positive thoughts vibrate much more quickly than dark negative thoughts. If a frequency is vibrating fast enough, it is emitted as a color of Light. If you wanted to convert sound to Light, for example, you would have to raise its frequency by forty octaves! Obviously, Light is a much higher vibration than sound.

When two frequencies are brought together, the lower always rises to meet the higher one. This is called resonance. Using the principle of resonance, you can actually increase the speed at which your body’s molecules vibrate by thinking and feeling love, joy, and gratitude. When our atoms speed up, we can reach higher dimensions of consciousness and the closer to Spirit or Source we become.

There have always been some humans on earth who knew that we have the power to control our mental/emotional forces. But the natural laws—the “secret knowledge”—was closely guarded by the few (so they wouldn’t be burned at the stake!). Now this knowledge is available to all who seek it, and this knowledge is what you can use to help not only yourself, but also the Earth. As a spiritual teacher, it’s my job to pass this information on to you.

When the mind is thinking positive thoughts and the heart is producing high level emotions like love and joy, they create an energy together that is transmitted into the universe. This wave will travel infinite distances and attract things that are vibrating at the same frequency. Lower frequencies will be raised up through resonance. In other words, the Law of Vibration is the foundation for the Law of Attraction. Whatever thought/emotion waves you generate will be the type of things that are attracted to you! That is how the Law of Vibration works in tandem with the Law of Attraction: through the frequencies and resonances that are produced. Like energy attracts like energy.

When you are steeped in unconditional love—the highest emotional vibration—all your atoms are singing the song of life at its highest. You are no longer part of the problem; you are part of the solution to the problems of the planet. If you react to what is happening around you with anger or bitterness or fear, you are lowering your own vibration and sending out a low thought/emotion wave. Jesus said: “Agree with thine adversary quickly… “ (Matt. 5:25). He is talking about your adverse reactions, the low vibration of your resistance. “Agree” means to raise your vibration to get in tune with Source, to resonate with the divine flow.

One of the best ways to develop your vibration is in the study of energy healing and energy medicine – healing courses offer you opportunities to step up to the next level.  Check out our upcoming courses for one in your area or come by livestream.

So let your Light shine and send forth a positive vibration on Earth, and you will be helping to raise the vibration of Earth itself!

Here we are, gathered together in our love for our home, this beautiful planet Earth. Most of the time, we are in our minds, thinking about all we have to do, about all the hurts we are experiencing, about how we don’t have enough, or how we aren’t enough. Today, we are going to shift our awareness from who we are and what our Mother, the Earth, needs from us: to thank her for all she provides and to offer ourselves as helpers in the great task of repairing the world.

Sit quietly and connect to whatever nature is around you. Can you hear the wind rustling the leaves in the trees outside your home? Do you smell the flowers on your altar? Can you feel your cat curled up on the couch near you? Notice whatever sounds and sensations are around you.

Now, turning your attention from outside, come in to your center, to the heart chakra. Breathe gently in and out of your heart. Rest here as you start your journey deep into the earth.

A long time ago, the ancient peoples of the earth lived in harmony with the earth. They knew that Earth was a living, breathing being, just as they were. The world was not separated into the sacred and secular; all life and all creation were sacred. Then, hundreds of years ago, the industrial revolution swung into high gear and we started treating Earth badly; we heedlessly dumped pollutants of all types into her soil, her waters, her mantle of sky. We raped her forests, killed off many of the species that made up her animal and mineral kingdoms.

Breathe in the sorrow of what we have done to Earth. Connect to her suffering. Feel her pain.

In Judasim, there is a concept called tikkun olam, which means “repairing the world.” In the mystical tradition of the Kabbalah, God made the world but didn’t complete it. It was left one step away from divinity so that human beings could complete creation. But instead of taking responsibility for the world, humans insisted on the right to eat from every tree in the Garden. This made the work of tikkun much harder, and so every human being is called to do the work of healing and returning the soul to the world.

To repair the world, we have to first repair our consciousness so that we can see the world and each other as Source intended. Breathe in a strong intention to be of service in helping to repair the world.

How can we help repair the world if we are not standing firmly upon the earth? Often in meditation we focus upward to commune with Spirit, raising our energy up to and out the crown of the head. Today we travel in the other direction. It’s in the lower chakras of the feet and the toes, and below, that we need to tap into and connect with Earth’s energy.

The Earth Star chakra is below our feet, about 12-18 inches down into the Earth. It is through that chakra that we put down roots into the earth’s core. This is the key doorway that allows us to receive energy from the Earth and to be supported by it.

The chakras in the center of the sole of each foot allow energy to flow in and out the feet. Your Earth Star is a large wheel of energy, or a sphere. Visualize a cord of energy, like the roots of a tree, going down from the bottom of your feet and connecting to your Earth star.

Feel your connection to the earth. Ground your energy by plugging into the Earth Star. Below the crust of the earth, deep down in Earth’s core, below the shifting tectonic plates, beneath the floor of the mighty oceans.

Ask Mother Earth to help you stay grounded and stable. Talk to her. Thank her. Honor her. Promise to help her by remembering to water your plants, hugs trees, listening to the messages she sends to you through the natural world. Remember this space, and tune into it whenever you get ungrounded, flighty, too much in your head.

Go into the darkness of the earth, its rich, nourishing soil, to reconnect with the parts of yourself you have tried to hide. Bow low before the powerful dark energies you have split off from. Now that you have your roots planted in this nourishing earth, now that you are stable in your grounding, you can acknowledge what you have tried to hide, to ignore, to pretend wasn’t who you are.

You are light and dark, yin and yang, earth and sky, male and female. You are one with it all. There is only One. You are whole, and holy. From this place of Oneness, you are now ready to repair the world.

May every day be Earth Day.

This week we are celebrating two major holidays: the Jewish Passover and the Christian Easter. Both come at the beginning of Spring because they hold the promise of redemption and resurrection—the flowering of the soul as it seeks the light and grows in consciousness.

The ritual meal of Passover, called the Seder, is designed as a journey from darkness to light. Seder means “order,” and its significance lies in God’s order for how to proceed from spiritual slavery through purification and on to spiritual freedom, as shown by God’s redemption of the Israelites from Egyptian bondage. One part of the story involves the sacrificial lamb whose blood on the doorway to a home indicated that God would “pass over” that house and the firstborn would be spared. In Christianity, Jesus became the lamb who sacrificed himself so that others would be saved. Then Jesus took it one step further and ascended bodily to heaven. Usually the term “ascension” (as used by religions) applies to those who enter heaven while still alive, such as what is called the “assumption” of Mary. In the case of Jesus, he died, was resurrected, and then raised bodily to heaven.

What does ascension have to do with your own spiritual journey? It’s not being raised bodily into heaven, but that does serve as a symbol of what ascension means for the spiritual seeker: moving up the ladder of spiritual growth and having the ascension experience of merging with the Clear Light of God (while still keeping your physical body). So in fact there are two types of ascension: spiritual ascension involves the liberation of the soul, while physical ascension has been reserved for a select few souls who have mastered all the physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual aspects of life and are able to take their bodies with them into the higher realms.

Think of ascension as the process by which you eventually transform your material desires and habits, thoughts and emotions, into the spiritual desire and pursuit of liberation and God-realization. This takes place through a series of initiations, like many of you have experienced at my events and workshops. As you climb the initiatory ladder through the various planes, you eventually ascend in a full merger with the I Am Presence, , while still here on Earth.

You don’t have to be perfectly healthy to ascend, or completely free of all negative emotions or ego and the lower self. It is said you have to balance only 51% of your karma to ascend. You’ll feel similar to the person you were before, but you will be operating at a higher octave and carrying more Light. You’ll be more connected to spirit and to the Ascended Masters. In times past, when people took the initiation in which they had the full experience of ascension, they usually left their bodies and went into the spiritual world. However, nowadays people ascend and continue to serve on Earth in order to help bring in the New Age. Even those at lower level initiations who are unaware of the initiation as it happens, or who don’t think of themselves as “spiritual,” are open to finding their life’s purpose and trusting their intuition.

Here are some signs that you could call “symptoms” of ascension:

1. You feel like you’re on an emotional rollercoaster. You are easily touched and can cry over any heartwarming moment, even a commercial on television. Try to stay present with your emotions and feel them fully, allowing them to pass through you with ease.
2. You feel a stronger connection to nature. You may like animals you never liked before, or appreciate even the coldest winter.
3. You may feel like a yo-yo in your energy levels. One day you can barely crawl out of bed, while another day you feel like you’re walking on air and bouncing off the walls. Don’t worry. It will stabilize. This can include unusual sleep patterns, and your dreams may be very intense.
4. You may develop food intolerances, allergies, or crave strange foods. Listen to your body and trust it. Remove offending foods and then try them again in a few months.
5. You become more aware of synchronicities in your life. Appreciate the guidance you are getting from these signs and messages.
6. You may have body aches and pains, especially in the neck, shoulder, and back, which are the result of intense changes in your DNA level as the “Christ seed” awakens in you.
7. You may feel called to change your job or career.
8. You may feel lonely, even in the company of others. Don’t let this cause you anxiety; it’s just difficult to relate to others at this time. You also may feel like you’ve lost your passion. You simply need to shut down for a while in order to upload the new Christ-seed energy.
9. You may feel slightly disoriented and even feel a loss of identity. Who is that person in the mirror? Don’t worry; you are okay.
10. You feel a deep desire that is hard to explain to go “home.”

We all evolve at our own pace. Ascension is not a competitive sport. Each of us must go through all the levels, all the initiations, on our way back “home.” So as you celebrate the beginning of Spring and the holidays that give us such deep symbols of spiritual growth and freedom, take a moment to feel gratitude for being on your own journey of ascension!

Have you been knocked off your feet by the flu this season? It’s been a particularly nasty flu season and it’s not over yet. Flu season usually lasts through the end of March, but sometimes it can go on even through May.

There are steps you can take to protect yourself from getting the flu or to help you get over it.

How do you know if what you have is the flu? According to the Mayo Clinic, the following are all symptoms of the flu, although you may not have all of them:

• Fever of 100.4 F or higher
• Stuffy or runny nose
• Dry cough
• Sore throat
• Severe widespread muscle aches
• Extreme fatigue or exhaustion
• Headache

Avoiding a bad case of the flu depends far more on having a strong immune system than it is about vaccination (which is highly controversial). If you have a well-functioning immune system and still get sick, you’ll move through the illness with fewer complications and return to health much sooner than others will. Remember, the flu is a virus, not a bacterial infection, so antibiotics don’t help.

So how do you keep your immune system in top-notch shape? First you’ll want to have a therapeutic level of Vitamin D, which is one of the best ways for avoiding all sorts of infections. It’s the most important (and least expensive) action you can take. Monitor your vitamin D levels with a simple blood test to see if they are within the 50-70 ng/ml range. If you don’t get enough sun, take an oral supplement, but make sure it’s vitamin D3. If you take a high dose (around 8,000 IUs/day) to get your levels up, also take 800-1,000 micrograms of vitamin K2, which helps prevent any vitamin D toxicity and works synergistically with D. If you feel like you are coming down with something, consider taking 50,000 units of Vitamin D3, once a day for 3 days.

Next, make sure you are getting plenty of rest. Most of the people I know who have gotten the flu this year were pretty much fatigued or stressed out already. If your body is tired, or if you’re in an emotional tailspin, it’s hard to fight off infection. So make sure you are doing something to relieve stress (meditate!) as well as getting enough sleep each night.

Many people don’t realize that the way your gut is functioning has an enormous impact on your immune response. In fact, 80 percent of your immune system lies in your gastrointestinal tract! Avoid sugar, especially high fructose corn syrup, and processed foods (a good idea at all times) because sugar can wipe out the beneficial bacteria as well as feeding yeast and viruses. You can take a probiotic supplement to help reestablish good gut bacteria. Eating fermented foods also helps, as does taking a high-quality source of omega-3 fats (found in fish or krill oil).

Regular exercise helps keep your immune system humming along by increasing blood flow throughout your body. If you get sick, however, delete your workouts entirely until you are better. And make sure you are drinking plenty of water!

Of course, you need to take the usual precautions, especially if your workplace seems to be crawling with sickies: wash your hands with a simple, chemical-free soap (no need for antibacterial soaps); cover your mouth and nose when you cough or sneeze; if possible, avoid close contact with those who are sick; and please stay home yourself until you are better!

Then there’s garlic. It not only wards off vampires, but also protects against infectious diseases like the flu by boosting your immune system. Scientific studies have shown garlic to be more effective than the flu drug Tamiflu! (although it’s not for those who have a lot of Pitta, the Ayurveda “fire” element) Another great item in your “medicine cabinet” is zinc. If you take zinc within a day of getting your first symptoms, it can cut down the time you’re sick by at least a full day. Between 50-65 mg/day of zinc (preferably in syrup, not lozenge form) also reduces the severity of symptoms. Note that zinc is not recommended if you have asthma or chronic illness.

If you do get sick, be sure to stay warm and dry and out of the wind and cold; it’s especially important to keep your neck covered if you do go out.

Of course, there’s always chicken soup. Seriously. It really does help with cold and flu symptoms. There’s a natural amino acid in chicken called cysteine that thins the mucus in your lungs so you can get rid of it more easily. Forget the canned version. Make some at home with plenty of pepper (which also helps thin mucus). Here’s a simple recipe: put chicken bones (from organically-raised chicken) in a big pot and cover with water; bring to a boil and then lower heat. Simmer for at least an hour. Throw in any vegetables you like, but the broth alone is the important ingredient!

Finally, while you’re lying on the couch feeling miserable, watch some old episodes of Seinfeld, or Friends, or The Big Bang Theory—anything that makes you laugh. Laughter is always healing.

This week we celebrate two of the greatest leaders of our country—Presidents Washington and Lincoln. Back in their day, no one could even imagine the possibility of a woman as head of state. Today, many countries have women leaders. What does it mean to be an empowered woman leader?

Nora Ephron, who wrote the screenplays for Sleepless in Seattle, When Harry Met Sally, You’ve Got Mail, Julie and Julia, and Silkwood (among others), gave us many enjoyable movie-going experiences. She also took the helm and directed and produced many of the movies she wrote. But many people don’t know that she blasted her alma mater, Wellesley College, for turning out a generation of “docile” women. As she said, “Above all, be the heroine of your life, not the victim.”

Women are often too good at playing the role of victim, which automatically precludes them from becoming the leaders we look up to. That doesn’t necessarily mean you have to become Mrs. President, or Ms. President for that matter (although if you’re reading this Hillary, please run in 2016!). What it does mean is that you’re not afraid to stand up and be counted, that you’re not afraid of speaking your truth, and that you’re not afraid of leading others—whether that’s on a personal scale, such as in a private practice as a coach or a healer, or in the public sector as an elected official, as head of a company (maybe even your own company), as a leader in the non-profit world, or as a world-wide teacher.

It could mean simply having a brave moment. When Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat in the colored section of a Montgomery, Alabama bus to a white passenger and was arrested for civil disobedience in 1955, she certainly didn’t have a clue that she would become known as “the first lady of civil rights” and “the mother of the freedom movement.” She had recently attended a training course for civil rights activists and was just plain “tired of giving in.”

At what point will you be tired of giving in, of giving up your dreams and ambitions? You’ve always wanted to write a blog to help young girls with their self-esteem; what’s stopping you? You feel nudged and pushed to teach others what you know about how to get and stay healthy; why aren’t you doing it? When will you step into the role you know you were meant to play on the world’s stage?

Many people believe a number of myths about leadership that stop them before they even get started. Here are a few of them:

1. Leadership is not about possessing power over others. You don’t have to use manipulation, coertion, or domination to influence others. You can use your intuition, good communication, and your ability to delegate to help everyone contribute their best to whatever your effort is. As Lao Tzu put it: “A leader is best when people barely know he exists; when his work is done, his aim fulfilled, they will say: we did it ourselves.”
2. You don’t have to be a “born leader.” You can learn the skills and techniques that will allow you to be an effective leader. So many women have internalized society’s message that it’s wrong to be outspoken or even to be more powerful than men. That training can be overcome. Sheryl Sandberg, who is the Chief Operating Officer of Facebook, says, “We hold ourselves back in ways both big and small, by lacking self-confidence, by not raising our hands, and by pulling back when we should be leaning in.” She has not been afraid to cry at the office, and she leaves work every day by 5:30 to get home to her family. Yet even she needed to be pushed by the men in her life to demand more compensation than she was first offered for her top corporate position.
3. There is a romanticized view of leadership that assumes that leaders make all the difference in whether or not a group reaches its goals. Don’t worry, even as a leader you are not in complete control of what happens. Don’t overestimate your importance or the expectations of others over what you should accomplish. Just do what you feel pulled to do and be open to the suggestions and help of others.

None of us is an island. I could not do what I do out in the world if not for my team of helpers and the support of my husband. I know it’s scary stepping out in front of the crowd, but you’re never alone out there, even if you’re the only one holding the mic. I will be talking a lot more about leadership because the world needs you. There are people out there waiting for your wisdom, compassion, and love to touch their lives. What are you waiting for?

If you’re intrigued about becoming a leader, check out this program: /events-workshops//the_5-day_lifeforce_leadership_program_that_will_change_your_life

As the romance industry kicks into high gear for Valentine’s Day, are you wishing there was someone who would send you flowers and chocolates and express his or her undying love of wonderful you?

Maybe you’re sitting on your couch at home in front of the TV watching all those gorgeous stars strut around in designer gowns and jewels on the award show circuit, and you’re comparing your body, courtesy of Ben and Jerry, and your life to theirs. You see the winners thank that magnificent love of their lives, the one without whom they never could have won this award, and you sigh over their perceived happiness—which you, of course, will never have. Because you think you’re somehow unlovable.

We are taught by society that our worth as individuals is related to youth, beauty, money, power, romantic relationships, and status. If your self-worth is based on these external factors, you’ll always be stuck with the feeling of “I’m not enough.” The grass will always be greener in someone else’s yard, while your green will be the color of jealousy.

Did you grow up with siblings who were better at everything than you were? Or with parents who belittled your actions or ideas or dreams? Were you teased or bullied at school? Did you think you were somehow unlovable and alone? And did it carry over to your adult life with your business or romantic partners?

Maybe it’s time to get emotionally honest with yourself. To stop numbing your feelings by eating or drinking or shopping too much in order to avoid the discomfort, sadness, and pain. And it’s time to understand what “loving yourself” really means.

Here’s what it doesn’t mean. You are not loving yourself if you are centered purely on yourself and you go after what you want without caring who gets hurt along the way. Self-worth is not something you can buy with a new car or new wardrobe. Loving yourself doesn’t mean being on a constant high and never experiencing sadness or despair or anger or any of the so-called negative emotions.

What it does mean is that you stop berating yourself for who you are not. You stop judging yourself so harshly, and stop the constant criticizing of what you look like and who you are and the life you lead.

It can also mean that you finally divorce or break up with someone who is abusive to you, that you confront someone who has hurt you, that you look for a job that validates your talents, or that you start a recovery program for whatever substance you abuse. It means you understand that feeling your own pain is a major step in healing and that you can cry over the wounds you received in childhood. It may even mean going to therapy or working with an energy healer because you are so unhappy with yourself.

Sometimes it’s easier to believe all the negative things we think about ourselves than it is to appreciate ourselves and believe we are worthy of love. The good news is that when you change the way you think about yourself, the rest will simply fall into place.

One of the best ways to change your thinking about yourself is to learn to trust your instincts and gut reactions. If you’re going to love yourself, it really helps to believe in your Self—in that intuitive inner voice that you’ve probably been ignoring all these years. Your Higher Self is a conduit of pure unconditional love. Tap into that through meditation or prayer or any other method that works for you, and you will know that you are loved no matter what you think is wrong with you. Once you have bathed in the warm glow of unconditional love, which is available to all of us all the time, you will be able to forgive yourself for not being perfect, and you’ll be able to be good to yourself (and to others).

What does all this have to do with a dozen red roses and a heart-shaped box of chocolates? Everything. If you’re busy feeling unlovable and constantly putting yourself down, how attractive is that to someone else? If you’re feeling good about yourself, even though you’re not perfect (and who is?), it won’t matter how you wind up spending Valentine’s Day. It won’t matter if those roses come from a lover or if you ordered them yourself as a special treat for a special person—you.

On February 2^nd, in many towns across America, a  groundhog will emerge from his burrow. If it is cloudy, that will seem to imply that spring has come early; if it is sunny, so goes the legend, the groundhog will see its shadow and go back into the burrow for another six weeks of winter.

What is it about seeing our shadow that makes us want to burrow away, to pull up the blankets and slip back into sleep?

In energy medicine, as well as in Jungian psychology, the shadow is everything of which we are not fully conscious or which we don’t recognize as being part of ourselves. We simply don’t want to know about the least desirable aspects of ourselves.

What’s the problem with keeping the nastier side of ourselves out of sight? Well, for one thing, what happens is that you can wind up projecting your own deficiencies onto others. You may believe your co-worker is stealing from the company, while in fact your jealous shadow side is always looking for ways to steal the praise that co-worker receives for doing her work well. In other words, your personal faults turn into a perceived moral deficiency in someone else.

Conspiracy theorists, and TV shows like The X-Files, are always talking about the “shadow government”—the private individuals who are really controlling what happens in the world rather than the elected officials. They are the ones carrying out black budget projects and covert operations. You can think of your own shadow that way. The face you show the world, the person you have elected to be seen as, is friendly and cheerful and good, while your shadow is governing the fact that you are always sandbagging your relationships one way or another.

Part of the inner work of healing ourselves has to do with making peace with those parts of ourselves that we don’t want anyone else to see—the parts Christianity calls the seven deadly sins, Buddhists call the negative emanations of mind, and Moslems call the nafs, our lower selves. It takes energy to deny and block our shadow side—energy that could be used in far more constructive ways in our quest for becoming fully integrated, healthy and happy individuals.

The first part of making peace with the shadow is to become aware of it. You recognize that everything has its shadow side. Benevolent Mother Nature, the goddess Gaia, whips out her deadly shadow side in hurricanes, tornadoes, earthquakes, fires, floods, and volcanic eruptions. Societies and cultures also have their shadow side. The technological boom that has given us our favorite devices—computers, smart phones, tablets, televisions—has lessened our direct face-to-face relationships. Have you ever seen a group of teens sitting together all looking at their phones instead of talking to each other? As Albert Einstein put it: “I fear the day that technology will surpass our human interaction.” That day may have come.

Many of the people whose public image we admire have dark secrets or terrible home lives. Imagine how many women have swooned over handsome men only to be shocked when they came out of the closet of homosexuality. Think of the spiritual teachers whose teachings helped many connect to the richness of their inner lives but whose private lives included sex with students or favoring those who contributed big sums of money. Or the adulation we give sports heroes who turn out to be doping.

Even deeply spiritual people often go through a “dark night of the soul” when they can be overcome with terrifying feelings of depression and doubt. It’s all part of the process of being a fully integrated human being in our less-than-perfect world.

But the shadow side isn’t all darkness. Our shadow is also, as Jung put it, the “seat of creativity.” It may show up in dreams and visions that reveal the depth and complexity of your inner life—the rich mixture of dark and light that artists throughout the ages have called upon to create their masterpieces. It’s the deep darkness in which the seeds of your perfection take root and grow, like the lotus with its roots planted in the mud and its beautiful flower shining in the light of day.

When you learn to make friends with your shadow, make sure to look not only at its darker components—the ones you wish you didn’t have—but also at your untapped talents and powers. Reclaim them all, and accept who you are—the whole package: good and bad, dark and light, negative and positive, yin and yang. There is no way to reach Oneness without accepting all of yourself.

So when the groundhog comes out of his burrow this year, may he not be frightened by his shadow and retreat for six more weeks, but welcome Spring, shadow and all!

On the first day of the first week of Earth, Genesis begins with “And God said . . .” Later in Genesis, Eve was fashioned out of man’s rib, “And the man said . . .”—the first recorded words of a human being. God had spoken, and mankind, made in the image of God, could likewise speak, whereas none of the other beings in creation could use words in that way. Clearly “speech” was a special gift from the Creator.

That doesn’t mean we have always used this gift to the best of our ability.

I always had a fear of public speaking. In fact, I was downright terrified. In college, I wouldn’t show up for finals where I had to speak in front of others. In my last year of law school, when I had to be in moot court, you could say I didn’t shine. I molded my law career as a transactional attorney, putting deals together in the back room.

Then I went through a vast change in my life, left the pursuit of law, and dug deeply into consciousness and healing studies. One day I got a very strong message from Spirit that I was to bring my healing work to the world. Seriously, me? I was willing but the flesh was weak. So I decided that the only way to get over my fear was by the process of immersion. In one day, I booked myself to give a seminar once a week for 12 consecutive weeks, in 12 different venues.

At the first workshop I used a trick I had learned as a mountain climber. There, I had learned to traverse dangerous vertical “friction slabs” where there is no way to protect yourself, no cracks or nubbins for feet and hands, just pure balancing. The way I conquered my fear was to convince myself I was walking across a kitchen floor. So to overcome my fear of public speaking, I convinced myself, in my strong-willed way, that there was actually no audience.

I walked into the room, pointed at someone, and without so much as a “hello” to the group, said, “you’re first!” I would work with that audience volunteer as if there was no one in the room watching, and when finished with him, I would call up another. By the time I got to the 12^th session, people were lined up to get in, and I could at least glance at the audience. Today I talk at events and workshops with thousands of participants, without notes and even without knowing what my topic will be. I have learned to get out of my own way and let Spirit work through me.

Why do I tell you about this? Because you, too, may have avoided exposing yourself to a wider audience for your work. Or you may have trouble communicating even on a one-to-one basis. Do you mumble or stumble over your words when in a confrontational situation? Can you express your feelings to someone else? Do people misunderstand your intentions because you haven’t spoken clearly?

Here are five tips for developing your gift of speech so you can communicate better—at work and at home.

1. Have the courage to say what you think. You have something valuable to contribute to the conversation; don’t be afraid that your input isn’t worthwhile. Be open and honest.
2. Remember that communication involves not only spoken words, but also body language and nonverbal cues. Your whole body can talk, especially your hands and face. Use larger gestures if addressing a large group. If your arms are crossed and shoulders are hunched, you are saying that you’re unwilling to listen or to communicate.
3. Enunciate. Are people always asking you to repeat yourself? Try to speak clearly. Consciously slow down your speech a bit; if you talk too fast, others will think you’re nervous and find you difficult to understand.
4. Pretend you’re talking on the radio or on TV. Would an audience that can’t see you get the drift of what you’re saying? Raise and lower your pitch, animate your voice, and use an appropriate volume.
5. Learn to listen. When you really understand what someone else is saying, your response will be so much more effective.

Your ability to express yourself will grow as you practice good communication skills. Use the gift of speech wisely, and your relationships, both personal and business, will prosper.

You know the feeling—you can’t keep your eyes open for another second. You didn’t sleep well last night, or any night for that matter. The least bit of stress totally wipes you out. You’re snapping at your partner or co-workers. You have no energy for exercise. And you can’t keep up with your work. What’s wrong with you?

Well, it could be that you’re overworked and underpaid, stressed out trying to balance work, kids, and aging parents, or that you’re just getting older. But it could also be as simple as a deficiency in magnesium. Three out of every four aren’t getting enough of this vital mineral.

Magnesium is needed for more than 300 crucial bodily functions, such as lowering blood pressure, protecting the heart and blood vessels, thinning the blood, relieving constipation, taking care of your bones (along with calcium), helping you to relax and sleep better, preventing diabetes, and boosting your energy. A growing number of health care professionals believe magnesium could be the most important nutrient for health, and certainly for energy.

How does magnesium affect your energy? For one thing, too little magnesium can decrease the number of your red blood cells, making it harder for them to deliver oxygen to your tissues. In other words, it’s harder for your body to breathe, and so it has to work harder, making you feel more tired. If you experience heart-pumping anxiety, it might be because your magnesium levels are too low, so your heart has to work harder (beat faster). One scientific study of magnesium in postmenopausal women showed that when they were low in magnesium, they “needed more energy and more oxygen to do low-level activities…”

How do you know if you are deficient in magnesium? The most telltale signs are irritability, anxiety, and lethargy. Instead of upping your caffeine intake or relying on sweets for an energy boost, first take a look at what you’re eating and when you’re eating it. To keep enough magnesium in your blood, eat five servings a day of foods that are rich sources of magnesium. The Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for magnesium for women over the age of 31 is 320 milligrams (mg) and for men over 31 it’s 420 mg a day. Spread your five servings over the course of the day to keep replenishing your store of this magnificent mineral. It will take at least a week of eating this way to get your energy back up.

Here are the foods that are highest in magnesium:

1. Quinoa—A rare whole grain and complete protein (1/2 cup contains 118 mg of magnesium).
2. Black Beans—1 cup has 120 mg of magnesium.
3. Brown Rice—1 cup of brown rice contains 84 mg of magnesium plus essential amino acids. Pair it with black beans for a complete protein and magnesium-rich meal.
4. Spinach—1/2 cup of boiled spinach has 78 mg of magnesium. Cooked spinach, rather than raw, makes it easier for your body to absorb the minerals during digestion.
5. Lentils—A great high protein meat substitute, 1 cup of lentils contains 72 mg of magnesium.
6. Kidney beans—1 cup of kidney beans has 70 mg of magnesium.
7. Shredded Wheat—1 cup is a good source of fiber and has 61 mg of magnesium. Raisin Bran is another good cereal, with 77 mg of magnesium per cup. Try making muffins from Raisin Bran.
8. Oatmeal—Begin your day with 1 cup of oatmeal, which contains 61 mg of magnesium.
9. Whole Wheat Bread—Two slices of whole wheat bread contains 46 mg of magnesium. Get a big energy boost from a midday peanut butter and banana sandwich!
10. Bananas—A good source of magnesium (up to 32 mg), and also a source of potassium, another nutrient needed by the heart.

Other sources of magnesium include soy beans, bran, almonds and brazil nuts, and seeds. A daily multivitamin doesn’t have enough magnesium to take care of a deficiency. So bump up your magnesium-rich foods to ratchet up your energy!

Does life seem dull to you? Are you experiencing each day as a sensory feast or has everything lost its zing? Often, as we age, our five senses—taste, touch, sight, hearing, and smell—lose some of their potency. I remember a friend’s father who lost his sense of smell in his eighties, and as a result lost most of his ability to taste food, since smell and taste are intricately related.

You can reawaken senses that have become dulled and once again enjoy life to its fullest.

If you’ve ever watched an infant for any length of time, you’ve seen how totally it embraces each new experience. A baby stares at your face as if it were the Mona Lisa, a work of total wonderment. A sudden noise produces a startle effect. The introduction of each new food can provide a circus-full of smelling, touching, and tasting. And babies are so tuned into vibration that the touch of a stranger can make an infant shrink away.

But adults are so busy thinking, caught up in solving problems and reaching our goals that we tend to ignore the information coming from our senses. We may eat in a rush standing up in the kitchen, or be totally unaware of what we’re tasting as we sit on the couch in front of the TV. We are also under constant bombardment from computers, televisions, smart phones, and a whole host of electronic machinery, as well as noise from the environment like airplanes going overhead or street traffic, so it’s natural for us to shut down to protect against sensory overload.

To enter once again the joy of your sensory kingdom, you can practice returning to a state of child-like innocence. One way to do this is through mindfulness practice. Mindfulness is an awareness of the present moment. You become less attached to thoughts about the past and stop worrying about the future, so you are Here and Now with whatever is in front of you.

Take a moment to try being mindful. Focus your attention on your breathing. Keep your eyes open and breathe normally. Whenever your mind wanders, which it will, keep bringing your attention back to the way the breath feels as it enters and exits at the tip of your nose. Concentration brings your mind into focus and helps to eliminate mental chatter. Mindfulness is beyond concentration. It is a state of awareness, a “presence” of mind. Once you have the idea of bringing yourself into the present moment, use that ability to sharpen your senses—one at a time.

1. Seeing without labeling: Pick up a familiar object and look at it as if you had just stepped onto another planet and don’t yet have a name for whatever it is or any idea of its function. Observe it. Look at its color and shape. You will feel a heightened sense of “nowness” when you practice conscious observation. Another way to heighten your sense of sight is to pay attention to your peripheral vision instead of focusing on just one small area at a time. And to really awaken your power of observation, start to consciously note what is being said by other people’s body language.
2. Listening from the place of silence: We are usually not aware of all the noise pollution we live with. We are tuned into the sounds that capture our attention, like cell phone ring tones, but manage to block out the sounds of planes, cars, kids playing in the park across the street (unless they are your kids, of course). Sit quietly, still your mind, and mindfully focus on the sounds you hear—birds in the trees, the traffic from a distant freeway, leaves in the wind, someone playing clarinet. If you can include the sounds in your awareness, you won’t be as upset about “noise.”
3. Tasting the yumminess: When was the last time you really savored your food? The American palate is bombarded with so much sugar and salt that the subtler flavors are wiped away. Food may seem tasteless without more ketchup or hitting the salt shaker. Prepare a simple meal of fresh unprocessed food. Think about where each food originated and how it made it to your table. Sit down to eat with no distractions—no TV or computer or book or music—and chew each bite slowly to see what flavors are released. If you really want to be shocked, have a friend help you do a blind taste test.
4. Smelling the roses: Your sense of smell is a direct route to your most vivid memories. You walk past a bakery and inhale the scent of fresh apple pie, and there you are Grandma’s at Thanksgiving. Pick up a lover’s forgotten shirt and you’re likely to bury your face in it to inhale his scent. Take the time to really experience the fragrance of the shampoo or soap you use, or the scent of different herbs or flowers. Try not to clutter your home with artificial aromas; use scented candles or incense instead of air freshener, open windows to air out rooms. Wake up your awareness of what you are breathing in. There’s a reason that another word for inhalation is inspiration.
5. Touching the core: Touch is one of our most vital sources of information about the world around us. Even the most mundane activities can become a journey of discovery if you pay attention to your sense of touch. For example, try washing the dishes mindfully and a chore can turn into an exhilarating experience!

Is there something you’ve always wanted to do but somehow have never found the time to pursue your dream? Maybe you want to walk the Camino in Spain, or trek in the Himalayas. Maybe everyone you know thinks you should audition for “American Idol.” Or there’s a book in you that is itching to get written. How do you go about turning your dream into a reality?

Here are 25 tips:

1. Say it out loud, with confidence. “I am going to try out for “Dancing with the Stars.” Or post it on Facebook. Or send out an email to everyone you know.
2. Be open to possibilities. You never know when a golden opportunity will come knocking at your door. Make sure you’re available to open it!
3. Get the training you need. Always wanted to build your own website, become an opera singer, start a non-profit organization? Sign up for classes, find a tutor, get another degree if need be. You have to have the skills for what you want to do.
4. Read, read, read. Go to a bookstore or library or download an ebook and find material that is related to the area you want to pursue. The more you know, the more real your dream will become.
5. Find a mentor in your desired field. Apply for training programs so you get educated in the requirements.
6. Ask everyone you know if they have connections in your dream field. Always wanted to be a radio show host? Ask if they know someone who works in broadcasting. You’ll be surprised at what six degrees of separation can provide.
7. Do what you can by yourself. Want to open your own hair salon? Find the space and do the renovation and decorating yourself.
8. Be ready for the unexpected to happen. You never know who is going to walk through the door, or call or text or email, or what will happen because of weather, or the economy, a sudden illness, or a parent or child who absolutely needs your attention.
9. Whatever you do, don’t quit your day job until your dream job can pay the bills. It’s great that you want to express yourself creatively, but have you ever heard the term “starving artist”?
10. Find a different job that has more flexible hours or a better schedule so you can take the classes or hone the skills for your dream work.
11. Be different. Write a startling or humorous resume. Use bright colored sheets on your massage table. Combine allopathic and holistic approaches in your health care practice.
12. Learn how to ask for help. You may be good at asking for directions, but how are you about admitting you can’t do it all yourself? Learn that it’s not a sign of weakness to need help. Be confident in your project or goal, and get help when you need it.
13. Don’t let rejection make you abandon your dream. J.K. Rowling’s first Harry Potter book got 12 rejections before it found a publisher. Steven King got 30 rejection letters for his first novel. And Alex Hayley, the author of Roots, received 208 rejection letters. Keep on trying!
14. Be the one in charge. You always wanted to help the underprivileged kids in your community and have made many suggestions to various agencies about what they should do. Bite the bullet and say you’ll manage/head the program yourself.
15. Have a good support network. You’ll meet people in the area you want to pursue. Get their contact info and contact them from time to time to compare notes, get advice, or brainstorm new solutions.
16. Ask for feedback. You’ve designed everything you need for your new venture. Take into account how others react to it. Don’t be too proud to admit that they might be right about some things that need fixing. On the other hand, don’t be so weak-willed that you cave on things you really believe in.
17. Don’t be shy. If you’re going to try out for “American Idol,” you better be ready to toot your own horn. If you’re opening your own business, name it after yourself and claim it!
18. Learn how to communicate better. Take a workshop in dialoguing. Learn how to be a really good listener. Find someone to teach you how to negotiate with your boss or your clients.
19. Stay as emotionally stable as possible. If you get easily overwhelmed, observe the stress you’re dealing with. Maybe find a therapist or coach to help you understand your triggers and how to release stress without negatively impacting your goal.
20. Reward yourself. Maybe your dream is to fit into a size 8 after decades of being a plus size. Every ten pounds you drop is a cause for celebration—a massage at a spa, a new haircut, a babysitter for the kids or a night on the town. Whatever your goal, reward the incremental steps along the way.
21. Express yourself creatively. It doesn’t have to be through one of the arts. Maybe you’re most creative in the kitchen, or in business, or in sports. But find some way to express your individuality and let it shine.
22. Don’t be afraid of failure. Everyone fails at some point in time, and it is the richest experience you can have. As the old saying goes: pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and start all over again.
23. Know when it’s time to quit. You will go through many difficulties on the road to your own personal success. But when all the joy has gone out of the adventure, when you’re buried in negativity, stop for a moment to ask yourself: is it time to stop heading down this road and find another?
24. Take a personal problem and turn it into a great solution. One woman who was tired of always having to paint over her kid’s scuff marks in the hallway designed a little brush you could fill with the paint color and it’s now a huge booming business.
25. Don’t worry. Be happy. Whether or not your dreams come true, if you can maintain a clear and harmonious inner emotional balance, you will have a rich life.