Other teas:
Active Clarity - a Vanilla Earl Grey with Licorice Root
Discover Joy - Lemon Vanilla Green with Ashwaganda
Have Hope - Peppermint Creme with Holy Basil, Oatstraw and St. John's Wort
Enjoy Rest - Apple Cinnamon Chamomile with Ashwaganda
Find Strength - Passionfruit Jasmine Green wiith Jiaogulan
If any of these teas strike your fancy and fulfill a need for self-care, check out their website:
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.
"I can cope with problems. I am courageous and grow slowly just as nature does."
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
For your body to heal it is important to learn how to be in a healing state.
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:
Things you might need support for:
Consider this:
Standing still and moving forward are not mutually exclusive!
"You must learn to be still in the midst of activity and to be vibrantly alive in repose."
Indira Gandhi
Years ago I had a passion for ice dancing. I had a partner, two pros and I spent 10 years and more hours than I can count at the skating rink. I couldn't get enough. The day came, though, when I couldn't do anything right. I kept falling, I didn't want to be there and I got so frustrated that I told my partner I was taking a week off. I put my skates away, didn't think of the dances we were learning and just took a break.
Returning to the rink the following week was magical and you would think I had been practicing 24/7. Everything clicked. By stopping and giving my mind and body a rest, I actually moved forward in my progress.
I have kept this experience in my mind and refer to it when I feel myself pushing too hard.
The Art of Extreme Self-Care by Cheryl Richardson is an easy to read, life-changing book. She offers 12 strategies to transform your life one month at a time, such as The Absolute No List, Soul-Loving Space, Wake Up! and more.
The process that Julia takes you through covers a significant time frame, so you don't have to expect immediate results. It's a chance to be the tortoise and not the hare.
Is it time for a social media break? Or, is it time to turn off the TV? Is it time to just say no? Or, is letting go the priority right now?
I will share something with you. I am challenged at this time with Lyme, co-infections and other brain infections and I am often gathering information instead of just letting my body guide me. I am no different than anyone else despite all of the years of study. And, they say we teach or write what we most need to learn! So, I am taking a break from Instagram and adding to the healthy choices I am making. Perhaps some of these might help you overcome symptoms of stress or trauma, as well.
My nervous system is thanking me for taking this time to focus on what I need. My brain is rewiring with new perceptions and ways of thinking. Is it a challenge? Some days it is. The first step is identifying and reducing the patterns that keep you from moving forward.
The amount of "self-help" modalities, books and resources has skyrocketed since I first studied kinesiology 35 years ago and entered the field of holistic health and well-being. Although I certainly see this as a positive thing, I am concerned that too many people have become focused only
on what is "wrong" with them, with the expectation that with enough
"work" they will finally be fully healthy - body, mind, spirit. I hate to burst the bubble, but you
are here to make mistakes, learn and grow. You can always find
something that needs to be fixed, changed or re-balanced.
I
offer this suggestion:
Spend some time focusing on the positive
qualities that you already have, what you are proud of, what you've accomplished or what you
are good at. Give yourself a pat on the back each day, not from an ego
place, but from an observation place. Be aware of your positive
qualities, talents, values, abilities, passions, accomplishments. See what other people already see in you.
A while back I decided to create a private Pinterest folder with passions that I have had and still have. I learned a lot as I could see a common thread that also highlighted many of my abilities and accomplishments from skiing, to creating jewelry, to gardening, to making paths in my woods with my JawSaw. My passions are also ways that I regroup, get out of my head, create something and simply relax or have fun.
Enjoy exploring all aspects of YOU. There will always be something you want to learn, feel better about, heal and let go of. First, be aware of all that you offer the world!
The next time you are remembering a wonderful experience that you have had, make an imprint of these feelings. This exercise takes less than a minute to do and immediately begins a re-programming of your nervous system.
Focus on the positive feelings associated with the memory or a present time experience that you are having.
Tapping at this point begins the process of programming a positive feeling, a positive experience, a positive memory. Do this any time your heart "sings" and create a new thought pattern for your brain.
This simple exercise may have you looking for and expecting to find positive moments. What a wonderful shift in perspective. Yes, the world is a little crazy right now, and yes, people may disappoint you. AND what if a stranger stops you and compliments you on your beautiful blue eyes? Tap in that feeling and enjoy the moment!
The degree of stress that you are feeling often shows up in your eyes. One of the main reasons is that you FEEL with your eyes (THINK with your ears).
FIRST STAGE STRESS
Eyes are glassy, staring, dull and tired;
You are responding to an immediate shock or you are holding on past your limit of endurance; Example: lack of sleep, dehydration, not enough food, working too much, etc.
You feel out of control and doing the best you can. Take time to focus on deep breaths, drinking some water, grounding and relaxing as best you can.
SECOND STAGE STRESS
The white (sclera) shows under ONE iris only and is eerie to see and feel;
Unresolved stress has been continuing for hours, days, weeks;
You are an accident waiting to happen with depth perception off;
THIRD STAGE STRESS
White (sclera) shows under BOTH eyes;
You have a hard time staying in the present moment;
Stress has continued for a very long time - years, even. Some of the stress is due to someone else's unresolved problems, such as a mom with a sick child;
You need support on all levels and you need it sooner than later;
You may feel that you don't have a choice, but please make one to take care of yourself. Ask for help!
Tapping over your Thymus Gland and the Spleen is a simple technique that can:
Do this daily or several times a day.
TAKE TIME TO TAP
"I do most of my work sitting down; that's where I shine.
~ Robert Benchley
Your torso and leg lengths have a great deal to do with your ability to concentrate, to stay focused, to be comfortable and to understand your stress response.
Basic body balance compares the length of the torso to the length of the legs. Someone with long legs/short torso has a higher center of gravity and is more comfortable sitting. Someone with short legs/long torso has a lower center of gravity and is built to move.
Which one are you? (And, you might be somewhere in between)
Extremely Long Legs and Short Torso
"I am built to SIT. I'm really stressed if I have to be on my feet for a long time during the day. If I am really interested in what I am doing I can force myself to be up. But, at the end of the day I want to sit, relax, watch TV, etc. and regroup."
Extremely Short Legs and Long Torso
"I am built to MOVE. I feel best when I am up and moving. To sit for long periods of time is 'cruel and unusual punishment' for me. At the end of the day I have energy to spare. I want to get out and have some fun or at least go for a run."
**Knowing your body type makes it easier to regulate stress.**
Long Legs/Short Torso - Your best exercise is bike riding, rowing, weight lifting. You can sit and exercise at the same time! Give yourself permission to sit 10 to 15 minutes to regroup after standing for long periods of time.
Short Legs/Long Torso - Discovering your body type may dispel labels such as ADD and ADHD! If you find yourself under stress, MOVE!
If you have a "squirmy" child, check out their leg and torso lengths. You probably already have an idea who needs to move to stay focused. Help them know their true nature.
"Puttering is really a time to be alone, to dream and to get in touch with yourself....To putter is to discover."
- Alexandra Stoddard, write, interior designer
I love to putter. There is no "to do" list or necessity or expectation. It's a solitary adventure that I can do anywhere. When I putter in the garden, I'm checking my plants to see what is blooming or ready to pop or needs more water. Or, I love walking around the gardens and brainstorming new settings or pathways that I could make. It's a quiet time to get grounded, listen to the birds and just marvel at nature.
If you are like me, you love to get the house or apartment to yourself to look through clothes or a drawer or simply organize or rearrange things. It's a time to play music that you love and maybe dance a little and just enjoy a chance to dream.
Puttering is an individual experience and Alexandra Stoddard adds:
"It helps us to become aware of what's still important to us, what continues to have meaning.
We learn wisdom from failure much more than success - Samuel Smiles
Isopogon is a flower found in Australia and one of the individual Australian Bush flower essences.
Isopogon is a flower remedy for people who live in their head and are dominated by their intellect. And, a positive outcome when taking this remedy is a greater connection between your head and your heart.
When you feel that you have not learned from the mistakes of the past, Isopogon is a wonderful essence to not only retrieve forgotten skills, but also to learn from past experiences.
Ian White writes in his book, Bush Flower Essences, "this remedy has also helped those suffering from senility, Alzheimer's disease and poor memory, but may need to be taken on and off for a few month."
The affirmations given for Isopogon are:
"I now learn from my experiences."
"I now relate to others with understanding and flexibility."
"I now have access to my skills, whenever they are needed."
The Australian Bush Flower essence website: www.ausflowers.com.au
Part of personal care and support is making sure that you have a strong "discernment meter" in order to recognize who or what is right for you and who or what is not.
Some questions to ask yourself as part of your self-care awareness:
The book, A Whack on the Side of the Head by Roger von Oech was first published
in 1983 and was used in companies as a creative tool for brainstorming. When I bought this book it also came with The Creative Whack Pack - 64 cards with different strategies and questions for creating new ideas.
What would Walt Disney do?
How do you reverse the way you look at your idea?
Where should your focus be?
What can you take less seriously?
Can you visualize yourself reaching your objective?
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
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.
The following is a daily energy exercise to help keep you clear, focused and integrated.
Doing this exercise will integrate the right and left side of the brain and body, allow for a cross-patterning energy flow, thus making you electrical. This exercise also re-balances the polarity (+ and - ions) in your body. It is like putting in fresh batteries!
