Cross-Patterning - So Simple, Yet Powerful

I love when something simple produces powerful results! And, that is where cross-patterning exercise, also called Cross Crawl, comes in. Every time you walk, run, play tennis, dance, you are activating your brain hemispheres by physically crossing the
mid-line of your body. 

Cross-Patterning can be done sitting or standing. Bring the opposite hand to the opposite knee and repeat with both hands. That is the basic move. To make it more fun, put on music and try different variations such as reaching behind to touch the opposite foot. To improve your balance, cross pattern with your eyes closed or pretend to swim with your eyes closed.

Next blog I will talk about using just your eyes with Cross-Patterning.

What are the benefits of this simple exercise?

• Body awareness;

• Right/left brain hemisphere integration;

• Improved balance;

• Resets and rebuilds your nervous system and spinal muscles;

• Decreases stress;

• Improves learning ability;

• Sharpens vision;

• Improves memory;

• Better coordination;

• Improves academic skills: spelling, reading, listening, comprehension;

• Improves whole-brain learning.
  

 As a figure skater and ice dancer, I always watched the Olympics in awe of what these skaters could do. In the 1980 Olympics, Brian Boitano was seen cross-patterning before he went on the ice to perform! I was so excited because few people knew about energy exercise at that time. He went on to win the Gold Medal for the United States.

 

Tree Frog Farm Flower Essences

Tree Frog Farm on Lummi Island in the Pacific Northwest is another wonderful resource for flower essences. I can't remember a time when I did not have their remedies in my office. 

If you are not sure which flower essence is best for you, look through the categories on the website where you can scroll by qualities, symptoms and physical correlation. 

Flower essences also available: Chakra Blends , Life Process Blends such as Calm Centered Clear, Organ Energy Meridian Blends such as Triple Burner remedy pictured to the right and Aromatherapy such as Clear the Air Mist.

I highly recommend signing up for the newsletter to receive valuable information regarding flower essences and their healing properties as well as special monthly savings for remedies.

www.treefrogfarm.com 

 

 

 

Green Hope Farm Flower Essences

I am so fortunate to have found the highest quality flower essences from various places in the world. Green Hope Farm happens to be in my state of New Hampshire and produces more flower essences than I can count. I have included these remedies with my business for over 20 years and clients continue to rave about their healing experiences.

I encourage you to visit the website - www.greenhopeessences.com - and utilize the wealth of information that is written about each flower essence as well as the story behind each collection. Molly Sheehan's blogs are incredibly informative and an adventure to read. She and her staff are so helpful if you have a question. I also think they are all angels. I'll tell you why.

10 years ago my cousin's son was in a hit and run accident and left at the side of the road for 16 hours, paralyzed from the waist down! When his grandmother (my aunt, Sonja, who I traveled with studying kinesiology) called to tell me what had happened, I immediately started muscle testing to see how I could help him. A flower essence combination called Run and Play came up. I couldn't imagine sending that with the possibility that he might not walk again. I researched each individual flower essence in the combination and knew that I had to get that remedy. I contacted Molly to order it and explained what had happened. The next day (angels helping?) I received a box from Green Hope Farm with 8 flower essences in it with no extra charge!! It was an amazing, thoughtful gift and one that the whole family was grateful for. I have never forgotten the generous contribution that Molly and her staff made.

And now, 10 years later, Matt is married, an occupational therapist, an adaptive skier and the kindest soul.

The photo above is from the Animal Wellness Collection at Green Hope Farm. They love animals and have created a set of flower essences to help any animals you may have who need some assistance. The flower essence that is sold the most from this collection is ANXIETY. It is an essence for humans and pets and greatly needed.

In the next blog, I will introduce another company selling wonderful flower essences for healing.

Bach Flower Essences for Healing

I was introduced to flower essences and their healing properties 35 years ago when
I began my study in kinesiology (muscle testing) and holistic health. In the 1980s Bach Flower remedies were the most well known even though the use of flower essences can be traced back thousands of years with many cultures using these essences to treat emotional health and well-being. Today I am fortunate to have access to many other flower essences that offer support with healing and I will write more in another blog.

Flower essences are wonderful gifts from nature that help you to heal and strengthen your electrical system when it is out of balance. They help you cope with stressful situations while giving you an opportunity for self-healing.

In 1930, Dr. Edward Bach created 39 flower essences that are still being used today. He believed that physical symptoms were a result of disharmony on the mental, emotional and spiritual levels. 

The following is a list of books that I use as a reference for Bach flower essences. Each one offers a different perspective while keeping to the original understanding of each flower's healing properties.

The Bach Flower Remedies by Edward Bach, MD and F.J. Wheeler, M. Keats Publishing

Advanced Bach Flower Therapy by Gotz Blome, M,D. Healing Arts Press

The Essences of Bach Flowers by Rachelle Hasnas, M.S.W. The Crossing Press

Bach Flower Remedies for Children by Barbara Mazzarella, Healing Arts Press

Bach Flower Therapy by Mechthild Scheffer. Healing Arts Press

The Encyclopedia of Bach Flower Therapy by Mechthild Scheffer. Healing Arts Press

 

What Books are on My Desk?

I am a collector of information and thus, I have a lot of books. When I read for pleasure, I am happy to upload a book on my tablet and phone. That comes in hand as I am always early to any appointment. Dad had us 20 minutes early to any place we went as kids. So, I'm programmed and don't mind sitting and reading until the appointment time.

When I read professionally, I want the book in my hand. I like to tab sections, highlight key points and be able to refer back to any page easily. Right now I have 4 books of interest that I am reading:

1. I mentioned this book back in March and it is worth repeating: Heal From within - A Guidebook to Intuitive Wellness by Katie Beecher, MS, LPC, Medical Intuitive. This is a self-help "manual" that assists you in understanding physical, mental, emotional, spiritual health. There is a step-by-step approach and each chapter is also a resource and information to keep going back to as you grow and heal.

2. Unlocking Lyme - Myths, Truths & Practical Solutions for Chronic Lyme Disease by William Rawls, MD. If you, or anyone you know, has Lyme or thinks they may have Lyme, this is a comprehensive guide from a doctor who personally struggled with Lyme disease and then gathered all of the knowledge and expertise he discovered in order to help others with this mysterious illness.

 

3. Brain Save! by Dr. Titus Chiu is a six week plan that he has devised to help heal the brain from concussions, brain injuries and trauma. I have heard Dr. Chiu present in some of the trauma summits that I've attended and I have taken a master class with him. As a functional neurologist and someone with first hand knowledge of concussions and post concussion syndrome, he understands the process of healing the brain.

 

4. The Body Code - Unlocking Your Body's Ability To Heal Itself  by Dr. Bradley Nelson. When I first studied with Dr. Nelson, I realized that he had created a step-by-step system for healing that incorporated all the 30+ years of my study with kinesiology and holistic health. I use the Body Code app daily. It has enhanced the healing work that I do with clients. The book gives extensive explanations of each section of the body code app. I encourage you to watch Dr. Nelson in his YouTube videos where he demonstrates how he uses this information.

Space Clearing

It finally looks and feels like spring despite an early April snowstorm here in New Hampshire. My daffodils have popped, the lilac tree has buds and the birds are making nests and singing.

I am looking forward to opening all of the windows and clearing the energy out of the house. Everything smells so much better once that is done. Obviously, throughout the year there are times we can't open the windows. You can always smudge but you may not like the smell or the smoke.

Another option that I use in between clients is the Australian Bush Space Clearing mist. This mist includes the Australian Bush individual flower essences: Angelsword, Boab, Fringed Violet, Lichen and Red Lily - a delightful and healing blend. Space Clearing can be used for any situation that has created negative energy or simply to energize any room or space.

I order all of my Australian Bush individual flower essences, combination flower essences such as Emergency, Focus, etc. and the various mists from a wonderful company:

www.southernherb.com  

 

An Energy Boost Exercise

There can be many days when your energy feels "off" or drained. You many feel some brain fog. It happens to everyone. Luckily there are many simple exercises that can be done in  1 - 2 minutes that can boost or balance the energy in your body.

HOOK UPS ENERGY BOOST

• Place your thumb or middle finger on your forehead between the eyebrows and the other in your belly button

• Slightly pull up the skin in both places, close your eyes and take a deep breath and relax.
  

•  Continue until you take a spontaneous deep breath or sigh.

The Hook Ups connect the energy between your head and you body, connect Central and Governing Meridian and strengthen your aura. 

 

Hertz Frequencies for Meditation and Healing

Music and sound has been a part of everyone's life for all of time. Some sounds and music are irritating and unsettling, while others cause you to relax, cry, laugh, reflect, create, heal. It's a personal experience. When I am feeling low in energy I go to Motown or Latin music. It lifts my soul and I have to dance or at least move to the beat. That may not be your preference... and you probably already know what you like.

There are special music tones or frequencies that offer the mind, body and soul healing benefits and 9 of them are called Solfeggio Healing Frequencies. These date back to the 10th century and have helped people relax, meditate and heal.

Examples:

174 Hertz helps to calm and sooth the headspace and is used for pain relief;

285 Hertz offers feelings of safety and security;

417 Hertz helps release past traumas; anguish and negativity;

528 Hertz is considered the "miracle tone";

741 Hertz supports emotional balance and assists problem solving.

YouTube offers many choices for all Hertz frequencies. I particularly like Inner Lotus Music but it is only one of many subscription options. Listen to them all and find the sound that resonates for you. Even 5 or 10 minutes a day, sitting quietly listening to a Hertz frequency could have a profound benefit for you.

 

Polarity Breathing Exercise

Life can be stressful. In your hurry to go places and do things, you often forget to breathe deeply. This blocks the natural positive and negative ionization process in the body.

You are designed much like a battery, with positive and negative charges throughout your body. If your breathing is shallow, it is if you took the positive side of a battery, plugged it into the negative side of the flashlight and then expected the light to go on. Nature doesn't work that way.

The following is a simple exercise for re-balancing the positive and negative ions in your body, thus reducing stress:

• While holding the tongue to the roof of your mouth, hold one nostril closed and breathe IN deeply through the other;

• Hold the other nostril closed and exhale;

• Repeat this pattern 3 times and then reverse the process.

 

Reduce Stress with Eye Positions

When you find yourself in overwhelm with a lot of mind chatter, deep breathing in all eye positions can offer relief.  Since you feel with your eyes, you may find an emotional release as you do the exercise. Go with it and let it flow. That may be the relief you need.

Take a deep breath with each step:

1. Look straight UP;

2. Look diagonally UP RIGHT;

3. Look to the RIGHT;

4. Look diagonally DOWN RIGHT;

5. Look straight DOWN;

6. Look diagonally DOWN LEFT;

7. Look LEFT; 

8. Look diagonally UP LEFT;

9. Look STRAIGHT AHEAD;

Repeat all steps with your eyes CLOSED.

If you do find yourself feeling emotional, stop and add Frontal/Occipital Holding to the eye rotations. This technique brings blood, circulation and intention to the front of your brain. You will feel more present because the forehead stimulates thinking, imagination and choice without added emotion.

Frontal/Occipital Holding by itself is a wonderful stress release. Just hold and breathe. Add a visual if you wish. Children love this technique and it gives you an opportunity to place your hands on their head and quietly talk to them. A "meltdown" melts away and you will see them take a deep cleansing breath.