Follow Your Tao

            

 I just got my book, Follow Your Tao - A Simple Guide to Balancing Energy For Inner Harmony, by Stephanie Nosco. I follow her on Instagram and love how she is able to bring many disciplines such as Chinese Medicine, Qiqong, Five Elements and Buddhism, to her understanding of the body.

The chapters are divided by organ pairs:

Knowing Your Truth -  Heart and Small Intestine

Dare to Dream - Liver and Gallbladder

Ground of Intention - Spleen and Stomach

Holding On and Letting Go - Lungs and Large Intestine

From Fear to Faith -  Kidneys and Bladder

"To follow your Tao is to live in accordance with your own meaning, values and energy: to discover your self,, nurture your growth and enjoy a harmonious and healthy life."

Stephanie Nosco

 

Good Energy

 

By now you may have heard about and/or listened to Dr. Casey Means, author of the book Good Energy - The Surprising Connection Between Metabolism and Limitless Health. Dr. Means did a fascinating interview along with her brother Callie on Tucker Carlson's network - www.tuckercarlson.com  I admit that 40 minutes into the interview, I had to take a break. The statistics that Casey fired off about the poor health of our children was devastating. On the positive side, she and her brother are featured on many cable channels and they are opening up the important discussion of health, not just for the children, but for the country's health, as well. 

Even if you, like me, have devoted much of your time, energy and money into being healthy, you will be surprised at what there is still to do. Some of it is out of our hands at the moment and yet many more choices can be made to be healthier. I believe Dr. Casey, along with many others will be instrumental in making it easier to be healthy. There is so much to do, but I remain optimistic. The good energy is in motion.

I highly recommend getting Casey's newsletter. It contains a wealth of information, links for products that can benefit your family's health and lots of recipes.

www.caseymeans.com  

 

Human Design Chart

 A friend of mine introduced me to her archetype information based on a Human Design Chart. I was so intrigued and that, of course, meant I had to look into it. I love studying the different modalities that are able to give an overview of our purpose, gifts and talents, challenges. And, so often, the valuable information validates much of what we know about ourselves and often disregard.

There are many websites that use this comprehensive system with elements from ancient and modern disciplines to create a life blueprint. Some of these elements come from the I Ching, the Kabbalah, the Hindu-Brahmin Chakra system and quantum physics.

The website I visited and ordered my Human Design chart from is: www.ahumandesign.com Obviously, there are many more places to go and I am not endorsing this site, but the information I received is so accurate!

To get the human design information, I had to include my birth date and time and where I was born. That's it. 

Of the four human design types - Generators, Projectors, Manifestors and Reflectors - I am a Projector. Reading my 200+ page overview was like reading the story of my life. I am happy to say, my chosen career path fits precisely based on my profile. The challenges of the Projector are exactly what I have had to learn and overcome and it was a reminder to continue to keep the challenge/solution pages front and center. The lessons are ongoing.

If you are struggling with finding purpose or have difficulty with decision-making or want deeper insight into your personality and overall life path, give Human Design a chance.

Chaos

Today I pulled the Chaos card from The Empathic Oracle deck by Steve Wilson and Michelle Motuzas. Interesting. There is certainly chaos in the world today and I have to ask myself if I am experiencing inner chaos, as a result. I will be considering this today.

Included in the book is a passage for this card:

"Am I free to experience what is offered in this moment of chaos? Or am I hindered by using my energy to hold back the chaos, which holds  all the parts of its wild and energetic abandon? Does the fear of being wild and unfettered cause me to retract into a colorless state?"

Ponder this along with me.

Trauma Release

Thankfully there is a lot of understanding, information and support for the release of trauma in the body. This hasn't always been the case and functional and holistic doctors and practitioners have been leading the charge in the research and understanding of how to identify and release trauma from the body.

Several summers ago, I was able to participate in The Biology of Trauma Summit put on by www.healthmeans.com and Dr. Aimie Apigian. Since then, many more Biology of Trauma summits have been presented with a wide range of authorities on the subject.

I do find myself overwhelmed at times with all of the information that is out there. I like to keep things simple. I have spent years working with clients who have experienced traumas on all levels: physical, mental, emotional and/or spiritual. When their healing can be both gentle and simple, their progress is often quite significant.

I was introduced to Jodie Cohen, founder of Vibrant Blue Oils, in the Biology of
Trauma summit. She is a wealth of knowledge and has created profound essential oils for healing. My favorite for releasing trauma from the body is her Bladder Support essential oil. It is comprised of: Frankincense, Geranium Rose, Helichrysum italicum, Lavender, Petitgrain Combava, Rose Otto, Sandalwood, Spruce, and Valerian Root in a base of fractured coconut oil.

2 -3 drops of the oil are placed over the bladder, over an area of trauma or abuse or around the outside of the earlobes. Jodie states:

"Vibrant Blue Oils Emotion Support Bladder blend allows us to let go of the
negative past and release the emotional trauma from the body. It assists in
overcoming feelings of despair and the feeling of being pushed over the edge. It also has the ability to balance the right and left brain hemispheres."

Are You Feeling Drained?

" Adulting" can be more challenging than we ever thought it would be. Right now things are feeling rather heavy, chaotic, draining, exhausting. I am hearing from clients and friends - in the 50+ age range - that childhood felt so simple and uncomplicated. Of course, life without cell phones, texts, emails, social media and 24/7 news was indeed simpler and we didn't know any differently.

I always love to discover a flower essence that can change the vibration of our thinking, feeling and perspective.

I recommend Devil's Club flower essence from Tree Frog Farm - www.treefrogfarm.com  This is a flower essence for the times that you feel weighted down and world-weary or feel that you carry the weight of the world on your shoulders. The affirmation from the flower:

"I am solace to those who are spiritually wounded and world-weary." 

 

Green Hope Farm - www.greenhopeessences.com - offers Ragged Robin flower essence for the dark night of the soul. The flower offers:

"I AM order amidst chaos, the connective thread of light amidst significant upheaval. I AM one with the light." 

 

The Australian Bush flower essence, Mint Bush, is the recommendation  "when you find yourself in a period of perturbation." (Ian White) The affirmations that Ian
suggests are:

"I am now navigating my spiritual initiation with clarity and smoothness."

"I am now letting go of all confusion and chaos in my life."

ABFE can be found at www.southernherb.com 

Resilience

 resilience /rĭ-zĭl′yəns/

noun

1. The ability to recover quickly from illness, change, or misfortune.
   
2. The act of springing back, rebounding or resiling.

 Last week I received many calls and texts from friends and clients who were having a difficult time recovering from overwhelm. I would put myself in that category, too. For many the varying weather conditions has been exhausting. For others: dealing with the exhaustion of caring for elderly family members, having to make a major life decision, needing to express emotions, recovering slowly from illness. These life events have made resilience challenging.

Flower essences to support resilience:

From Tree Frog Farm - www.treefrogfarm.com

Arnica flower essence for the "shocks' of life that often get trapped in the nervous, muscular and endocrine system. The flower affirmation: 

"I am resilience during life's shocks, bumps and scrapes." 

Ruby Hellebore for resilience of the heart when experiencing sorrow, grief, hopelessness. The flower affirmation:

"I am courage and resilience during times of heartache and hopelessness." 

 

From the Australian Bush Flower Essences - www.southernherb.com

Banksia Robur to enhance recuperation back to vitality and full strength again,
especially for those who are normally very dynamic. The flower affirmation:

"I now feel joy, energy and enthusiasm for life." 

 Macrocarpa for physical strength, endurance and stamina. A wonderful support for the adrenal glands and other endocrine glands. The flower affirmation:

"I am now tapping into the unlimited energy source within me." 

 

The Enneagram and Self-Discovery

30 years ago I was introduced to the ancient psychological system of the nine Enneagram personality types. The information fascinated me along with the concept and the application for self-discovery and awareness. As a Behavioral Kinesiologist, I am always looking for ways to help my clients understand their behaviors, their gifts and talents and innate nature. I am not an expert in the Enneagram, as it is a serious study, but I have used the information especially for myself. I'll give an example.

I am an Enneagram number 1 - The Reformer: principled, purposeful, perfectionist. I have always felt a strong mission to help people especially as it relates to conquering adversity. As you can imagine, I have been challenged with the high standards I have set for myself and I have had to learn balance and letting go of my feelings of fixing everything.

I had a wonderful opportunity to address the continuous releasing of perfectionism and learn from this situation. I ordered my Enneagram number 1 necklace from SoulKu - www.soulku.com - and I had been wearing it every day. I took it off one night and somehow the cord got tangled. Since I make jewelry, I thought I had the tools that could untangle the knot. Not so. I started laughing and realized that I was not supposed to fix the knot. This was a lesson for me. Keep the knot and enjoy the necklace and it's imperfection!

Along with the books below, the best place to learn more about the Enneagram is www.enneagraminstitute.com , founded in 1997 by the late Don Riso and Russ Hudson. 

The Wisdom of the Enneagram - The Complete Guide to Psychological and Spiritual Growth For the Nine Personality Types by Don Richard Riso and Russ Hudson

Understanding the Enneagram - The Practical Guide To Personality Types by Don Richard Riso

Enneagram Transformations - Releases and Affirmations For Healing Your Personality Type by Don Richard Riso

Personality Types - Using the Enneagram For Self-Discovery by Don Richard Riso

 

Can You Be Impartial?

 As a kinesiologist, I have to be impartial when working with a client. Impartial means that I have to be neutral, unbiased, unprejudiced. This is a difficult job if you are testing yourself or a friend or family member. It took me a year following certification to be able to work with friends and family without any expectation of the outcome of the session. I preferred testing a stranger.

If you are a beginner with muscle testing or still feel that you need more confidence in your ability to be impartial, I offer a few Australian Bush flower essences that might help.

Alpine Mint Bush is a support for any caregiver who is exhausted from the job and needs support. At the same time it is effective when you need to keep your issues separate from the person who you are helping. 

Freshwater Mangrove helps suspend your preconceived ideas
so that you can be open to new perceptions or experiences. 

 

Sturt Desert Rose supports you as you decide what is in your best interest away from bias, pressures and expectations. 

 

 

Yellow Cowslip Orchid allows you the ability to stand aside from emotional issues and assess a situation objectively.

Nhat Hanh Inspiration

 "We humans have lost the wisdom of genuinely resting and relaxing. We worry too much. We don't allow our bodies to heal, and we don't allow our minds and hearts to heal." ~ Nhat Hanh

 

Pain and Emotion

 As a child, I used to hear:

"Stop crying or I'll give you something to cry about." 

So, I sulked for days in my room, feeling very alone with the anger, frustration and upset with no tools for releasing the emotions.

As an adult, I was able to ask my dad about his reaction and why he thought that was going to help the situation. His response was that he didn't know what else to do.

You may have experienced something like that, too, and as a result, learned to repress your emotions and automatically push them away. Your brain may have decided that it was not safe to feel a specific emotion and created a fear response when that emotion comes up.

Emotions can become trapped in the body - anywhere - and the result is often feeling physical pain in your body. One way of identifying what you are feeling is to ask yourself how you feel when you are in pain. You may feel lonely, rejected, guilty, discouraged, etc. The answer to the question may be the discovery of the emotion that has been repressed. 

Some resources that may help with understanding what the pain in your body is telling you:

The Secret Language of Your Body by Inna Segal

Feelings Buried Alive Never Die by Karol K. Truman

Instant Emotional Healing by Peter Lambrou, Ph.D. & George Pratt, Ph.D.

www.curablehealth.com  

The Emotion Code and The Body Code - Dr. Bradley Nelson

www.discoverhealing.com 

 

A Healing Reminder

You have probably experienced a healing challenge at least once in your life. It could have been acute and may still be chronic. Your recovery and healing is unique to you regardless of what traditional or holistic references say. 

The best advice I can give you (and I continually need to hear this for myself) is:

Healing is not a linear process!

Be kind to yourself as you heal physically, mentally, emotionally and/or spiritually. Backslides are normal. Listen to your wise "little voice" that holds many of the answers. Step away from the noise and find a sacred space that allows you to just listen to your Body Wisdom.

A Bach flower essence that is helpful during a healing experience when you are feeling discouraged, skeptical and losing faith, is Gentian. One affirmation that I appreciate for this flower essence is:

"I can cope with problems. I am courageous and grow slowly just as nature does."

More Reasons For a Joy Journal

 On May 25th I wrote about starting a Joy Journal and discovering those things that make your heart sing. I want to add another perspective and reason for keeping a journal that documents those moments of delight.

If you have been challenged with health concerns - acute and chronic, long term stress, trauma, unsafe conditions, or more, you may still be experiencing a state of hyper-vigilance - a state of being highly alert to danger or threats.

Joe Dispenza asks:

"If your health goals come true, how would you feel? Can you feel the feeling?"

Hyper-vigilant people often have the hardest time FEELING JOY. When you are able to feel joy you are open, receptive and expansive. In a hyper-vigilant state you will often be closed off ready for the next shoe to drop. It's hard, then, to FEEL your health goals.

As with most challenges, step-by-step allows the learning to be at a pace that feels safe for you. Joy can be experienced by the small things and this still allows the brain to start the rewiring process.

I understand the experience of living through trauma and trying to repair the hyper-vigilant state. I also know it is hard to stay in that place of joy for extended
periods of time. And, I also know how great it is to laugh with the antics of my grandson, to watch the squirrel try to get the bird food, to enjoy my cat purring as she wakes me up in the morning.Those memories and feelings stay with me.

Something more to consider:

 

SoulKu Jewelry

 

I have been making jewelry for over 10 years. I learned beadweaving techniques and making jewelry became a passion rather quickly. I then taught advanced beadweaving for several years to women who also had a craving for crystals, beads, bracelets, necklaces. That said, I simply love jewelry.

I was introduced to SoulKu jewelry through a friend - www.soulku.com  SoulKu is a women owned business that was founded in 2011. The pieces are hand-made, simple, yet meaningful as they are infused with energy to honor friendship, love, courage, harmony, etc. It's worth a look. A portion of the purchases support non-profits that empower women, children and families. An example is below:

 

 

Essential Oils and Smell

 

 

We have heard the old adage, "stop and smell the roses." There is actually scientific evidence that smelling rose oil can turn off the fear response happening in your body. Credit is given to Nobel Prize researcher named Linda Buck. Her research centered around specific olfactory cells (connected to the sense of smell) in the nervous system and the body's response.

Jodie Cohen, in her book, Essential Oils to Boost the Brain & Heal the Body, says, 

    "The cells of the olfactory epithelium are in fact brain cells. This olfactory membrane is the only place in your body where your central nervous system is exposed and is in direct contact with the environment."

There are simple ways to use smell with an essential oil. 

• One way is to open the bottle and hold it a few inches below the nose and inhale deeply. 

• You can also place a drop of the oil in your hands, rub them together and then inhale the scent on your hands. 

• You can diffuse the oils into the air.

• You could also place a few drops on a cotton ball near your bed or on your pillowcase and get the benefit of the oil.

Smelling an essential oil has worked well for me as my skin is sensitive to the oils and often results in a rash especially when placing the oils behind my ears to stimulate the vagus nerve.

Everyone's body reacts differently to oils, so having the scientific study behind the benefit of smell and healing is incredibly valuable.

 

It's HOT, HOT, HOT!

 

It's July in New Hampshire and feeling like the oppressive days of August. You can cut the humidity with a knife and it is HOT. Now, New Englanders complain about weather all the time. It's too hot, too cold, too much snow, too much rain, not enough rain... It's kind of funny and we do laugh at ourselves.

Hot weather and temperatures in the 90s is no joke. It affects the body tremendously and can cause serious health concerns. Some people are more vulnerable to the heat than others and need to be even more cautious.

Symptoms to be aware of:

Heat Exhaustion Symptoms:

• Felling faint, dizzy

• Increased sweating

• Cool, pale skin

• Nausea/vomiting

• Rapid, weak pulse

• Muscle cramps

Heat Stroke Symptoms 

• Throbbing headache

• No sweating

• Body temperature above 104 degrees
  

• Red, hot, dry skin

• Nausea/vomiting

• Rapid, strong pulse

• Altered mental state

• Possible loss of consciousness

 

The flower essence I recommend for dealing with the heat is the Australian Bush Flower essence - Mulla Mulla. I just ordered another stock bottle at
www.southernherb.com because I don't want to run out.

This plant grows in the desert of central Australia which is the hottest part of the continent. Ian White says, "This plant prefers the rocky, loamy soil of hot, arid regions. The greater the heat, the better it seems to thrive."

This flower essence will help rejuvenate your body and clear any fear of fire or hot objects or any past traumas associated with fire and heat.

 

 

Essential Oils For the Vagus Nerve

There are many companies that make essential oils such as Young Living and DoTerra. I have become more familiar with Vibrant Blue Oils having participated in many trauma summits with Jodie Cohen, founder of Vibrant Blue Oils, as well as studying with her. 

The following are essential oils from Vibrant Blue Oils that are having a positive impact on those who want to reset and regenerate their Vagus Nerve:

Parasympathetic Oil – Triggers the optimal rest and digest healing state. Includes: Clove and Lime

Bladder Support Essential Oil – Supports releasing trauma, shock, shame, helplessness. Includes: Frankincense, Geranium, Helichrysum, Lavender, Petigrain Combava, Rose, Sandalwood, Spruce, Valerian

Nerve Repair – Supports damaged nerves, relieves pain. Includes: Basil, Peppermint, Helichrysum italicum, Marjorum

Adrenal – Balances the adrenals to support anxiety, stress, low back pain and fatigue. Includes: Thyme, Rosemary, Manuka, Galbanum and Frankincense

Anti-inflammatory – Supports pain and inflammation. Includes: Dill Seed, Ginger, Ylang Ylang, Grapefruit, and Tarragon

Calm – Supports anxiety, calms tension, reduces stress and promotes relaxation. Includes: Tangerine, Orange, Ylang Ylang, Blue Tansy and Patchouli

 

Risk

 A favorite poem of mine:

 

Six Thinking Hats Exercise

Edward DeBono's Six Thinking Hats exercise is an alternative way to look at making decisions and setting goals using information, emotions, logic, creativity, caution and optimism.

Each "hat" represents a different perspective. You can use this technique individually or with a team to consider a problem from different angles.

An Overview of Each Hat:

WHITE HAT is the information hat and fact gathering. This is a neutral position hat.

RED HAT: is the intuitive and feeling hat. What is your gut reaction?

BLUE HAT: the planning and organizing hat.

GREEN HAT: the creative hat for new ideas and solutions.

BLACK HAT: the caution hat looking at risks, problems, pit-falls.

YELLOW HAT: optimism, looking at positive benefits and advantages.

 

Questions that go with each HAT:

WHITE:  Who, what, where? What are the facts?

RED: What is your hunch or intuition? What are your feelings or gut response?

BLUE: What is the main idea? What is action plan? Was the problem solved?

GREEN: What else can be done? What is the value? What might be holding us back?

BLACK: What are the risks? Are there weaknesses? What are the consequences?

YELLOW: Can we make this work? What are the benefits? What are the positive outcomes?

I have used the Six Thinking Hats in a networking group and it was a lot of fun and very informative. If you like working with a spreadsheet or graph, the below is an example of how to pull this together. Have fun with it!

 

Activating Your Vagus Nerve For Healing

 For your body to heal it is important to learn how to be in a healing state. 

This is a profound statement and not meant to discourage. Rather, it is an opportunity to connect with your Body Wisdom, Body Intelligence. I was pleased that the professionals presenting at the Biology of Trauma summits that I've attended all offer simple tools for healing overwhelming experiences that have affected the nervous system.

For healing to occur, the vagus nerve needs to activate the Parasympathetic Nervous system that puts you in a rest, digest, grounded and calm state. There are many simple, yet profound ways to do that. Utilizing the various techniques over time will actually rewire your brain and nervous system. Healing takes time and patience and can offer many learning experiences if you are open. Be gentle and kind to yourself.

Things you can do for yourself:

• Hum/Sing/Chant
• 
  Laugh
• Meditate
• Pray
• Connect with Nature
  
• Sunshine
• Gratitude Journal
• Deep Breathing
• Socially Engage
• Flower Essences 
• Essential Oils
• Yoga 
• Hold a purring cat
  

 Things you might need support for:

• 
  Acupuncture
• Therapy with trauma specialist
• Appointment with a health professional
  
• Somatic Therapy
• Cranial/Sacral Therapy
• Yoga with an instructor
  
• Infrared Sauna
• FLOTE
• Havening Technique ( www.havening.org )
  

 

 

 

Ear Massage Health Benefits

Ear massage or ear reflexology or auriculotherapy has many health benefits. First, it is important to know that you think with your ears, therefore, under stress it is often difficult to comprehend verbal information. Massaging all of the points on your ears can begin to relieve stress because the external part of the ear can be viewed as a microsystem representing the entire body.

Benefits of ear massage could be:

Reducing pain in the body with the release of natural painkillers;

Releasing positive endorphins creating a feeling of happiness;

Relaxing the body by activating the vagus nerve;

Activating nerves associated that resonate throughout the body;

Enhancing the immune system by stimulating the senses;

An article in The Institute For Integrative Healthcare website states: "Auriculotherapy is used throughout the world to reduce substance cravings and assist in the detoxification of addictive substances"

How to massage the ears:

Gently pull, extend, massage and roll all areas of the brain. Make this an enjoyable experience. Get all of the nooks and crannies.

Also spend time massaging behind the ear to stimulate the vagus nerve and move into the Parasympathetic state of rest and digest.

 

Below is a chart from Vibrant Blue Oils showing where to use essential oils on your ears. For more information: www.vibrantblueoils.com 

Break Family Patterns with Flower Essences

I just spent a weekend with a lot of family as we celebrated the birthday of the newest member who celebrated turning 2. When I get together with cousins and their kids and their kid's kids and my nieces and brother and sister-in-law, the stories start to flow along with plenty of laughs. The giggles often reflect the dysfunction that we all experienced in our not so perfect lives.

What I love about the work I do is helping people identify and clear these family patterns that no longer serve them. It is never about pointing fingers. It is about discovering the generational emotional and mental beliefs, fears, abuse patterns, cultural expectations and more that require releasing. On September 27, 2023, I wrote about ancestral math. I've added the image again because it shows how impossible it is to NOT have recurring familiar patterns. It's mind blowing!

 

One of my favorite flower essences from Australia for clearing negative patterns of the ancestors is from the BOAB tree. It is a huge tree with extensive roots in the ground that become tangled. Often there are younger Boab trees growing around it in a circular pattern. The smaller trees eventually get engulfed by, and merge into the older tree. This speaks to the theme of family enmeshment as does the tangled root system. This wonderful flower essence will clear karma and the negative energetic patterns that have traveled for many years through the ancestral line.

Ian White gives 3 affirmations for Boab in his book, Bush Flower Healing:

"I now release and clear all negative conditioning and family traits from my psyche."

"I create my own reality which is now free of all persecution and abuse."

"I now choose to fulfill my own destiny and not my family's."

I order my Australian Bush Flower essence stock bottles from: www.southernherb.com

 

Another flower essence to consider for clearing multi-generational patterns, especially experiences of abuse, trauma, alcoholism or prejudice, is Rose Campion. This is one of my favorite flowers and as I was dead-heading them today I could see the new growth as I cleared the old, dead flowers. How often does an older member of the family pass away as another one is being born? 

Tree Frog Farm carries this flower essence and offers this affirmation:

"I am access to wisdom from a healed family, tribal, ethnic and racial lineage."

www.treefrogfarm.com

Muscle Test with a Dumbbell

In previous blogs on muscle testing, I completely forgot to include the way I occasionally test myself. Self testing can be challenging. It is hard to stay neutral and put aside preconceived notions of what you would like the outcome to be. So, I use a dumbbell.

I have found that a 5 pound weight is just right for me. You might need something lighter or something heavier. Decide what is best for you. 

I prefer resting my forearm on a table with the weight in my hand and my palm facing inward.

Do a practice test: Think of something that makes you happy or is a positive in your life. The weight will stay put and you will be unable to lift it.

Now, think of something stressful or negative and watch the weight life right up.

You have probably experienced the reason why this works. Has anyone said to you, "sit down, I have something to tell you."? They want you to sit down before you fall down from the stress of the conversation.

      Comforting as well as stressful thoughts can affect your muscles.

Practice with this method. It is a wonderful way to test food. Hold the food in one hand as you test with the other. Know that your body's food needs can change often. A negative test may not mean that you are banned forever from eating that food. It may be a temporary sensitivity while you re-balance your body, mind, spirit. Muscle testing is such a wonderful method for getting to know your body and what it needs.