Natural Healing
Natural Healing modalities
I like to incorporate many healing modalities in my own practice. I also incorporate them into all my chakra work. They all have many benefits to self healing, relaxation and stress reduction. I hope you will find a few you can incorporate into your life. Some of them are better suited to small windows of time when you are in a rush and others are better suited to your lunch hour or your day off. Keep reading below to find the ones best suited for you. I would love to hear from you. Let me know which ones you have incorporated into your life and what changes they have brought about for you.
forest therapy
My favorite practice is forest therapy also known as shinrin-yoku or forest bathing. It was developed in Japan in the 1980's. It means taking in the forest atmosphere or taking in the forest through our senses. It is not exercise or a hike it is more about being mindful and slowing down. It is noticing the colors, patterns, smells, sounds, feeling a subtle breeze and breathing deeply. It is about being fully present in body, mind and soul. You walk slowly, you touch the trees or may sit or lie down under the canopy and look up through the branches.
For me, it gets me out of my head, my worries lessen or go away. I breathe deeper, gain a new perspective and feel more appreciation & gratitude for the small things in my life. I feel a deep inner peace for days after spending time in the forest. I don't have to go too far from home either. There is a nature preserve in my area and there may be one near you too!
There have been numerous studies on its health benefits such as reduced blood pressure, lower cortisol levels, improved concentration, and a boost to your immune system. Government and institutional organizations are beginning to recognize the importance of how nature can improve well being. The United Nations has even proclaimed International Day of Forests to be on March 21st.
For me, it gets me out of my head, my worries lessen or go away. I breathe deeper, gain a new perspective and feel more appreciation & gratitude for the small things in my life. I feel a deep inner peace for days after spending time in the forest. I don't have to go too far from home either. There is a nature preserve in my area and there may be one near you too!
There have been numerous studies on its health benefits such as reduced blood pressure, lower cortisol levels, improved concentration, and a boost to your immune system. Government and institutional organizations are beginning to recognize the importance of how nature can improve well being. The United Nations has even proclaimed International Day of Forests to be on March 21st.
Journaling
I personally use journaling everyday as a way to get in touch with my true inner thoughts and feelings. Sometimes things pop up on the paper that I was not even consciously aware of. I recommend journaling about 3 pages because when you get to about 1 &1/2 pages that's when the truth pops out and you can see what you really need to work on. It's also interesting to look back a year and see what you were doing and see the personal growth and transformation you've had.
Journaling is good for stress relief. One scientific study showed lowered blood pressure and improved liver functionality after writing for 15 to 20 minutes 3-5 times a week over a 4 month period. It also improves immune function and helps wounds heal faster. Journaling also improves your memory, your mood and helps the brain regulate emotions.
So, go get a notebook and give journaling a try! No one has to see it or read it so you can express yourself freely and write as neat or sloppy as you want. You can start by just describing your surroundings or your day or even the weather. Then, keep writing quickly till 3 pages are full. Sometimes I start out by writing "I have to write three pages & I don't know what to write today!" Just have fun and let your feelings out or write about yesterday or something you're planning to do soon to get the words started on the paper. Soon you'll have more clarity, happiness and less stress.
Journaling is good for stress relief. One scientific study showed lowered blood pressure and improved liver functionality after writing for 15 to 20 minutes 3-5 times a week over a 4 month period. It also improves immune function and helps wounds heal faster. Journaling also improves your memory, your mood and helps the brain regulate emotions.
So, go get a notebook and give journaling a try! No one has to see it or read it so you can express yourself freely and write as neat or sloppy as you want. You can start by just describing your surroundings or your day or even the weather. Then, keep writing quickly till 3 pages are full. Sometimes I start out by writing "I have to write three pages & I don't know what to write today!" Just have fun and let your feelings out or write about yesterday or something you're planning to do soon to get the words started on the paper. Soon you'll have more clarity, happiness and less stress.
Meditation
Meditation is another healing modality I use almost everyday. If you are new to meditation and/or short on time I would recommend the Calm App. They have a free trial. Their meditations are guided and last only 10 minutes. Since its an app on your phone it can go with you anywhere. Another really great meditation to check out is HeartMath. It's simple to learn and there are YouTube videos out there on it. HeartMath has 30 years of scientific data behind their method. I personally love HeartMath so much that I became a certified HeartMath facilitator.
I became a HeartMath facilitator because I experienced personal healing using it. I had read and heard about Gregg Braden using HeartMath for his personal healing from bladder cancer and soon after learning about his experience I got a bad pap smear report from my obgyn. She wanted me to come in for a biopsy. I put it off for about 3 months and during that time I practiced HeartMath everyday and visualized my cervix as completely healthy. I finally went in for the biopsy. She said anything that showed up as white was cancer. She put the dye on my cervix and the whole thing turned white on the screen and I heard her gasp. She took 5 biopsies and sent them off to the lab. I kept practicing the HeartMath as my appointment for the results was in 3 weeks. Needless to say I was very nervous and on the verge of tears while waiting for her to come in with the results. My doctor came in the room and sat down and looked at me and asked "have you been praying?" I said "well yes" (I feel like meditation is a form of prayer) and I did pray too. She said "nothing's there, there is nothing there and I double checked the results and the biopsies and nothing's there." She seemed a bit perplexed and maybe I should have told her about HeartMath but I didn't. So you see I am very partial to this meditation!
Meditation is so good for you that many Fortune 500 companies promote it in the workplace! Companies such as Apple, Google, Yahoo, Proctor & Gamble, Nike, and HBO all introduced meditation in the workplace. They have found that it promotes focus, better decision making, better work relationships, less stress, and better creativity to name a few.
There are many types of meditation out there to choose from. Give some of them a try and see what works best for you. It is best to practice your meditation at about the same time of day each time you practice. You can try first thing in the morning, on your lunch break, or before bed. And remember you can start with only 10 minutes. You will feel the difference with regular practice!
I became a HeartMath facilitator because I experienced personal healing using it. I had read and heard about Gregg Braden using HeartMath for his personal healing from bladder cancer and soon after learning about his experience I got a bad pap smear report from my obgyn. She wanted me to come in for a biopsy. I put it off for about 3 months and during that time I practiced HeartMath everyday and visualized my cervix as completely healthy. I finally went in for the biopsy. She said anything that showed up as white was cancer. She put the dye on my cervix and the whole thing turned white on the screen and I heard her gasp. She took 5 biopsies and sent them off to the lab. I kept practicing the HeartMath as my appointment for the results was in 3 weeks. Needless to say I was very nervous and on the verge of tears while waiting for her to come in with the results. My doctor came in the room and sat down and looked at me and asked "have you been praying?" I said "well yes" (I feel like meditation is a form of prayer) and I did pray too. She said "nothing's there, there is nothing there and I double checked the results and the biopsies and nothing's there." She seemed a bit perplexed and maybe I should have told her about HeartMath but I didn't. So you see I am very partial to this meditation!
Meditation is so good for you that many Fortune 500 companies promote it in the workplace! Companies such as Apple, Google, Yahoo, Proctor & Gamble, Nike, and HBO all introduced meditation in the workplace. They have found that it promotes focus, better decision making, better work relationships, less stress, and better creativity to name a few.
There are many types of meditation out there to choose from. Give some of them a try and see what works best for you. It is best to practice your meditation at about the same time of day each time you practice. You can try first thing in the morning, on your lunch break, or before bed. And remember you can start with only 10 minutes. You will feel the difference with regular practice!
Affirmations
Thanks to Kaylee Brayne for sharing their work on Unsplash.
An affirmation is a short, powerful statement. They are statements that inspire, motivate, and attract the things you want to create or attract into your life. They allow you to consciously be in control of your thoughts. An affirmation should be carefully constructed to have the most impact. When you say them or think them, they become the thoughts that shape your reality. It is very important to state them in the present moment and as if it is already true. For instance if you use the word will in your affirmations it implies that it will happen in the future. And who knows when that is? So construct them carefully and with mindful attention to the Now moment. You can also state them in a gratitude way as if it's already happened. When you begin working with affirmations I think it is also beneficial to watch your thoughts and see what is running under the radar, so to speak, in your daily mind and the way you speak to yourself on a daily basis. For example you may catch yourself saying something in your mind that was not your attitude but something you picked up from parents. Like "you have to work hard for money" or "there's not enough for everyone". There is an abundance of everything in the universe and that thinking is a Lack Mentality. You could use an affirmation to change that old thought process into something like "I always have everything I need" or "money comes easily and effortlessly to me" or "thank you for always providing everything I need". These are just a few examples to get you started. Affirmations are powerful and something I teach and have you work with in my Chakra Balancing Sessions and classes.
reiki and energy work
Photo by Scott Eckersley on Unsplash
What is Reiki?
Rei - refers to universal, divine or cosmic energy “Gods Wisdom or the Higher Power”.
Ki - is the life force which flows through every living thing “Life Force Energy”.
In a Reiki treatment the practitioner is seeking to transmit Universal Life Energy to you, the client. The intention is to create deep relaxation to help speed healing, reduce pain and decrease other symptoms you may be experiencing.
Rei - refers to universal, divine or cosmic energy “Gods Wisdom or the Higher Power”.
Ki - is the life force which flows through every living thing “Life Force Energy”.
- Reiki is an art and a science using universal life force energy to aid relaxation, assist in the body’s natural healing processes and develop emotional, mental and spiritual well-being.
- Reiki is a releaser, activator, energizer and transformer of energy.
- Reiki works in harmony and in conjunction with regular medical treatments. If you have a medical or psychological condition it is recommended that you see a licensed health care professional in addition to receiving the Reiki treatments.
In a Reiki treatment the practitioner is seeking to transmit Universal Life Energy to you, the client. The intention is to create deep relaxation to help speed healing, reduce pain and decrease other symptoms you may be experiencing.