Ki Healing

September 2009 - Low-Down on the Far-Out

admin — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

September 2009 - Low-Down on the Far-Out

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What Is Fair?

admin — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

Are you angry at God? Are you upset? Are you sad? Disappointed in your life? Let-down? Frustrated at the supposed order of things? Are you mad because bad things aren’t supposed to happen to good people? Because you deserve better than what you have? If you have ever in your life felt this, please stop and take a moment to read this.

Is it fair that your colleague gets a great raise and you work so hard yet you get peanuts? Is it fair that you’re the sick one and not your neighbor? Is it fair that your marriage is rocky but your sister’s is “perfect”? Is it fair that your best friend has a boyfriend, but you don’t?” It goes on and on, right? …. WHAT IS FAIR?

Forget about fair.

If you want to start asking about what is fair and even argue in your mind about what is and what isn’t fair, you will stay right there in that same spot forever. Questioning what is fair is not skillful. It is in effect a looping record sample. It goes nowhere, just keeps repeating in the same place. Is that where you want to be?

Roman numeral I: Life is not fair. … …. (Frown) … … But, you do get a fair shot at balancing yourself out. Balancing out the scales within your very self, your inner balance. Everyone no matter who they are, what they are doing, where they come from, why they are where they are, has a fair shot at balancing out the scales of our selves and finding inner balance.

For example, to be angry at God because She is not fair will just keep you there. Yet She wants you to get past that part, so that you can get nearer to Her; so that you can merge with Her, enough so that you find Her within yourself.

We all have a choice. Argue about fair, be angry at fair, and stay there or move past that and get to the heart of the matter – your heart of the matter. What is in your heart? Seek to find out what is there. Sit still enough to see, hear, feel, taste, and sniff-out what is there.

When you are on the verge of what is fair and what is in your heart, you are so close to being right there with God. When you discover the jewels and gems that are under the rubble of your heart, you are there, in such close proximity to God that He dwells within you. Freedom waits there. Where Freedom lives there is no such word as fair. It is beyond fair. Freedom is found in discovering our own inner sense of balance.

What I believe

gomez — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

The other day I received a mother download of all that I believed. It came into me like a power surge. It was only uplifting.

I believe I can.

I believe that nature helps us.

I believe in fairies.

I believe laughter is some damn good medicine.

I believe in ghosts.

I believe in God.

I believe in reading books.

I believe in the magic of fairy dust.

I believe in Angels.

I believe in Love.

I believe God is in the Good and the Bad.

I believe prayer works.

I believe in choosing life.

I believe in dragons.

I believe in Change.

I believe in Seasons.

I believe in natural health remedies.

I believe in vibrational energy.

I believe everything is energy.

I believe in kindness.

I believe no one is perfect and REALLY REALLY REALLY absolutely not me ...

I believe life takes lots of practice.

I believe music is healing.http://www.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=6327191990738998926&postID=4652389521870432341#

I believe in

Under the Holistic Healing Umbrella

gomez — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

Holistic Healing Defined and What it All Includes I feel as though Holistic Healing can be like a big mall. There are a variety of stores, selling their own thing but they’re all housed under one common property. There can be clothes, shoes, home furnishings, and on and on. It’s all there for you; you can choose whatever you want. You will find that there are many definitions of Holistic Healing out there. Essentially the holistic approach takes the broadest possible view of illness and disease, identifying multiple causes (both internal and external), and offering multi-dimensional healing, as opposed to specific cures. One of my favorite online writers of holistic healing topics and more is Phylamean lila Desy. I love that in her description of holistic healing she includes the distinction that holistic healing has over complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) or integrative medicine. The distinction is that physical health is not necessarily the main focus [and] it is often the experience of physical discomfort that will (…) prompt a person’s pursuit of holistic healing. Holistic healing takes into account one’s physical, mental, emotional and spiritual health; Doing so, holistic healing addresses all parts of the individual. While holistic healing can be complimentary to conventional medicine, it isn’t so much an alternative to it. The fact is that some illnesses are best managed with conventional medicine. We can have the best of both worlds in the sense that we can use both conventional and holistic options for optimum health. (I think it’s important to mention that we are all unique individuals and the relationship that you have to yourself is a very key element in knowing what works best for you, whether it’s conventional medicine for one thing and CAM for another and holistic healing methods for something else). The Holistic healing paradigm allows for there to be various contributing factors to the actualization of an illness and some of those factors are not all tangible/physical. Because Holistic healing embraces this multi-dimensionality, it can help us answer our deepest questions regarding ourselves, including how to be healthier, how to live fuller, and how to be more whole. Holistic healing helps to create harmony among the body, mind and spirit. Switching up the focus just slightly, let’s turn to some of the methods that fall under the holistic healing umbrella. I mentioned CAM above so let me touch on that now. Complementary medicine is used in addition to conventional western medicine. When this is done, it is then called Integrative medicine. Alternative medicine is used in place of conventional medicine. [MayoClinic]. There is what’s called “whole medical systems”. These whole medical systems are the well known and the well studied traditions such as Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and Ayurveda. We’ve talked about these a little bit in previous postings. [link back to that article] Homeopathy is yet another one that is well known. In homeopathy you take a pellet, tablet, or a dilution (liquid). This treats your condition or illness with (I liked this explanation best) highly diluted concentrations of natural ingredients that mimic the symptoms of the condition being treated. It is really that simple. The medicine is not herbal. It uses a minute dose of plant or mineral substance to address the symptoms. Herbal medicine uses a larger quantity of plant material per does. They are considered by the FDA to be drugs not food, as is the case with herbs. There is also naturopathy. Naturopaths believe in nature’s power to heal. The practice can be best summed up by the 6 basic principles of naturopathic medicine.

Nature has the power to heal
Treat the whole person
Treat the cause not the effect
Do not harm
Encourage prevention
Act as Teacher

Naturopaths have various tools of technique to pull out of their doctor bags. The course of treatment can include any of the following: clinical nutrition (food and supplements), botanical medicine (plants and herbs), physical medicine (treatment of the person physically a la massage, exercise, chiropractic adjustments, hydrotherapy), Traditional Chinese Medicine techniques such as acupuncture, and Psychological medicine (life style counseling). Another category closely related to naturopathy are the biologically based practices which are basically dietary supplements and herbal remedies. Selenium, glucosamine sulfate, and omega3-fatty acids are examples of dietary supplements. Selenium gets incorporated into proteins that are important antioxidant enzymes. These antioxidant properties help prevent cellular damage from free radicals (damaging to the human body). Glucosamine sulfate is taken for joint flexibility and fluidity. Omega-3Fatty Acids are essential for human health though the body can’t make them. They may reduce risk of heart disease play a key role in brain function and may reduce risk of heart disease. Ginseng, Echinacea and ginkgo, for example are herbs. Herbs can be taken as teas, oils, syrups, powders, tablets or capsules. Then there is mind-body medicine. This type of medicine is primarily intended to strengthen communication between your mind and your body. These include but are not limited to modes such as meditation, yoga, tai-chi, prayer, spiritual direction, hypnosis, guided imagery, and breathing and relaxation techniques, as well as various art therapies like journaling or painting. Thought power and emotions are used to influence physical health. Mind body medicine helps us to realize how our intentions, our beliefs, our images influence the chemistry of our bodies, which may have harmful effects on well being/health. Body based practices include methods that use human touch and or include body manipulation. There is a rainbow of color when it comes to the variety in body work. I can only list a few here because to do so would be a whole other subject matter. I will discuss a few of the modes and then give a short description of them. Chiropractic medicine adjusts musculoskeletal areas which are not functioning properly. The examination of the spine to evaluate structure and function is what makes chiropractic different from other health care. Chiropractors use manual therapy that includes the manipulation of the spine. Massage Therapy generally uses gliding long strokes, kneading, friction and percussive techniques like hacking, cupping, or plucking. Amongst many benefits it improved circulation, relieves tension, helps clear lactic acid and other waste which reduces pain. Acupressure is a Japanese form of body work where pressure is primarily applied with the thumbs along meridian lines. Literally, it means finger pressure. Acupressure focuses on using effective points and treats whole meridians. Shiatsu is essentially acupressure. It blends traditional Japanese massage with Traditional Chinese Medicine. There are different styles of Shiatsu. I learned the Zen style Shiatsu, but there are many, such as barefoot Shiatsu (macrobiotic), five elements, and Jin Shin Do to point out a few. [Styles of Shiatsu]. Reflexology is another type of bodywork. This work focuses on the feet. The underlying theory behind reflexology is that there are reflex areas on the feet and hands that correspond to specific organs, glands, and other parts of the body. Yoga may also be considered body work along with Tai-Chi and Qi-gong. Yoga means union and refers to the union between the mind, body and spirit. Yoga, as it is commonly referred to, is the practice of physical postures or poses. Tai chi is a system of gentle physical exercise and stretching. There are a series of postures and slow graceful movements. The body is in constant motion, without pause each posture flows into the next. Qigong is the art and science of using gentle movement, breathing techniques, and meditation to strengthen and circulate the life energy – chi. Energy medicine is another area under the holistic healing umbrella. Practitioners of energy medicine believe in an invisible energy force that flows through the body and in everything living. When this energy flow is blocked or unbalanced in the body it can cause or contribute to illness. Different traditions of energy medicine use different names to describe the energy, names like chi, ki, prana, ka, or life force. This kind of therapy intends unblock and re-balance one’s energy force. Some of the energy medicines that you may have heard of include: Emotional Freedom Technique or EFT, sometimes called Meridian Therapy because like acupressure, it works through the electrical pulses in the body. It reorganizes and normalizes disrupted energy patterns that run through the meridians of the whole body. There’s also Reiki, is a laying-on of hands healing that balances the subtle energies within the body. It addresses the whole self – body, mind, spirit and emotions. A practitioner needs attunements before they can practice. I came across a great description of the attunements that basically says the process of attunements is a ceremony of spirit that creates an energy pattern which attunes the practitioner’s energy field to the energies represented by the symbols used in the attunement. The symbols are a very important part of Reiki for they are used to access the Reiki energy. There are 3 main ones and one for the master level. Healing Touch is a modality developed by an RN, originally for those in the medical field but now open to all. HT provides varying techniques to use on specific conditions. Practitioners have an understanding of the 12 meridians, the chakras and how to open blocked energies. Quantum Touch or QT gets people in touch with their own energy flow. It uses specific breathing techniques to intensify the healing energy. Through breathing and body awareness exercises, the practitioner aims to entrain the client’s energy to a higher level. By discussing and describing what typically falls under the holistic healing umbrella we’re touching upon what healing is. The discussion around what it means to heal will be saved for the next discussion/blog post.

Holistic Healing Defined and What it All Includes

I feel as though Holistic Healing can be like a big mall. There are a variety of stores, selling their own thing but they’re all housed under one common property. There can be clothes, shoes, home furnishings, and on and on. It’s all there for you; you can choose whatever you want.

You will find that there are many definitions of Holistic Healing out there. Essentially the holistic approach takes the broadest possible view of illness and disease, identifying multiple causes (both internal and external), and offering multi-dimensional healing, as opposed to specific cures.

One of my favorite online writers of holistic healing topics and more is Phylamean lila Desy. I love that in her description of holistic healing she includes the distinction that holistic healing has over complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) or integrative medicine. The distinction is that physical health is not necessarily the main focus [and] it is often the experience of physical discomfort that will (…) prompt a person’s pursuit of holistic healing.

Holistic healing takes into account one’s physical, mental, emotional and spiritual health; Doing so, holistic healing addresses all parts of the individual. While holistic healing can be complimentary to conventional medicine, it isn’t so much an alternative to it. The fact is that some illnesses are best managed with conventional medicine. We can have the best of both worlds in the sense that we can use both conventional and holistic options for optimum health. (I think it’s important to mention that we are all unique individuals and the relationship that you have to yourself is a very key element in knowing what works best for you, whether it’s conventional medicine for one thing and CAM for another and holistic healing methods for something else).

The Holistic healing paradigm allows for there to be various contributing factors to the actualization of an illness and some of those factors are not all tangible/physical. Because Holistic healing embraces this multi-dimensionality, it can help us answer our deepest questions regarding ourselves, including how to be healthier, how to live fuller, and how to be more whole. Holistic healing helps to create harmony among the body, mind and spirit.

Switching up the focus just slightly, let’s turn to some of the methods that fall under the holistic healing umbrella. I mentioned CAM above so let me touch on that now. Complementary medicine is used in addition to conventional western medicine. When this is done, it is then called Integrative medicine. Alternative medicine is used in place of conventional medicine. [MayoClinic].

There is what’s called “whole medical systems”. These whole medical systems are the well known and the well studied traditions such as Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and Ayurveda. We’ve talked about these a little bit in previous postings. [link back to that article] Homeopathy is yet another one that is well known. In homeopathy you take a pellet, tablet, or a dilution (liquid). This treats your condition or illness with (I liked this explanation best) highly diluted concentrations of natural ingredients that mimic the symptoms of the condition being treated. It is really that simple. The medicine is not herbal. It uses a minute dose of plant or mineral substance to address the symptoms. Herbal medicine uses a larger quantity of plant material per does. They are considered by the FDA to be drugs not food, as is the case with herbs.

There is also naturopathy. Naturopaths believe in nature’s power to heal. The practice can be best summed up by the 6 basic principles of naturopathic medicine.

1. Nature has the power to heal

2. Treat the whole person

3. Treat the cause not the effect

4. Do not harm

5. Encourage prevention

6. Act as Teacher

Another category closely related to naturopathy are the biologically based practices which are basically dietary supplements and herbal remedies. Selenium, glucosamine sulfate, and omega3-fatty acids are examples of dietary supplements. Selenium gets incorporated into proteins that are important antioxidant enzymes. These antioxidant properties help prevent cellular damage from free radicals (damaging to the human body). Glucosamine sulfate is taken for joint flexibility and fluidity. Omega-3Fatty Acids are essential for human health though the body can’t make them. They may reduce risk of heart disease play a key role in brain function and may reduce risk of heart disease. Ginseng, Echinacea and ginkgo, for example are herbs. Herbs can be taken as teas, oils, syrups, powders, tablets or capsules.

Then there is mind-body medicine. This type of medicine is primarily intended to strengthen communication between your mind and your body. These include but are not limited to modes such as meditation, yoga, tai-chi, prayer, spiritual direction, hypnosis, guided imagery, and breathing and relaxation techniques, as well as various art therapies like journaling or painting. Thought power and emotions are used to influence physical health. Mind body medicine helps us to realize how our intentions, our beliefs, our images influence the chemistry of our bodies, which may have harmful effects on well being/health.

Body based practices include methods that use human touch and or include body manipulation. There is a rainbow of color when it comes to the variety in body work. I can only list a few here because to do so would be a whole other subject matter. I will discuss a few of the modes and then give a short description of them.

Chiropractic medicine adjusts musculoskeletal areas which are not functioning properly. The examination of the spine to evaluate structure and function is what makes chiropractic different from other health care. Chiropractors use manual therapy that includes the manipulation of the spine.

Massage Therapy generally uses gliding long strokes, kneading, friction and percussive techniques like hacking, cupping, or plucking. Amongst many benefits it improved circulation, relieves tension, helps clear lactic acid and other waste which reduces pain.

Acupressure is a Japanese form of body work where pressure is primarily applied with the thumbs along meridian lines. Literally, it means finger pressure. Acupressure focuses on using effective points and treats whole meridians. Shiatsu is essentially acupressure. It blends traditional Japanese massage with Traditional Chinese Medicine. There are different styles of Shiatsu. I learned the Zen style Shiatsu, but there are many, such as barefoot Shiatsu (macrobiotic), five elements, and Jin Shin Do to point out a few. [Styles of Shiatsu].

Reflexology is another type of bodywork. This work focuses on the feet. The underlying theory behind reflexology is that there are reflex areas on the feet and hands that correspond to specific organs, glands, and other parts of the body.

Yoga may also be considered body work along with Tai-Chi and Qi-gong. Yoga means union and refers to the union between the mind, body and spirit. Yoga, as it is commonly referred to, is the practice of physical postures or poses. Tai chi is a system of gentle physical exercise and stretching. There are a series of postures and slow graceful movements. The body is in constant motion, without pause each posture flows into the next. Qigong is the art and science of using gentle movement, breathing techniques, and meditation to strengthen and circulate the life energy – chi.

Energy medicine is another area under the holistic healing umbrella. Practitioners of energy medicine believe in an invisible energy force that flows through the body and in everything living. When this energy flow is blocked or unbalanced in the body it can cause or contribute to illness. Different traditions of energy medicine use different names to describe the energy, names like chi, ki, prana, ka, or life force. This kind of therapy intends unblock and re-balance one’s energy force.

Some of the energy medicines that you may have heard of include: Emotional Freedom Technique or EFT, sometimes called Meridian Therapy because like acupressure, it works through the electrical pulses in the body. It reorganizes and normalizes disrupted energy patterns that run through the meridians of the whole body.

There’s also Reiki, is a laying-on of hands healing that balances the subtle energies within the body. It addresses the whole self – body, mind, spirit and emotions. A practitioner needs attunements before they can practice. I came across a great description of the attunements that basically says the process of attunements is a ceremony of spirit that creates an energy pattern which attunes the practitioner’s energy field to the energies represented by the symbols used in the attunement. The symbols are a very important part of Reiki for they are used to access the Reiki energy. There are 3 main ones and one for the master level.

Healing Touch is a modality developed by an RN, originally for those in the medical field but now open to all. HT provides varying techniques to use on specific conditions. Practitioners have an understanding of the 12 meridians, the chakras and how to open blocked energies.

Quantum Touch or QT gets people in touch with their own energy flow. It uses specific breathing techniques to intensify the healing energy. Through breathing and body awareness exercises, the practitioner aims to entrain the client’s energy to a higher level.

By discussing and describing what typically falls under the holistic healing umbrella we’re touching upon what healing is. The discussion around what it means to heal will be saved for the next discussion/blog post.

gomez — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

Thanks for Donating

gomez — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

Dear Friend, thank you for your willingness to create community through your generous giving and your ability to receive. May you feel good and be well. Sincerely, Regina KiHealing1

gomez — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

This is a test

Hay House Affiliation

gomez — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

Please check out this angel video for a quick tid bit on angels etc. Angels Video by Doreen Virtue and Hay House

Different Ways to come to Jesus

gomez — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

I want to talk about how there are many ways to learn and to understand.

Bulletin Board

gomez — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

I'll have Prosperity with a side of Abundance, please!

gomez — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

About prosperity/abundance. I'm supposed to be working on setting up an event. We have to pick a topic. I think my topic will be about managing your finances and basic principles of prosperity. I know, it's quite a huge topic to take on, and me, of all people? Well, I am not bad off, it's just that I used to be in a more stable fiscal relationship. These days I am living off a Trust fund, God's Trust Fund. All I have to do is believe and trust that my God provides, and of course take action on any divinely inspired ideas I receive, like look for work, or teach classes.

gomez — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

Sometimes, if we don't know our purpose we get a rude awakening as to what it is.

The Mystical Properties of Me

gomez — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

I have grown up with a christian upbringing. My family's religion is Roman Catholic. I was baptized Catholic when I was a wee little babe. I am at home in Christ. I'm not well versed in the Bible, or any spiritual text for that matter. I am always in a state of learning. I believe there is a God, however, I don't actually believe that there is only one God, but the Catholic church expects me to believe that there is only one God. The Catholic church has many expectations of me that I don't particularly believe that I need to deliver on in order to be redeemed, be in God's good graces, to be forgiven, to be loved or to reach heaven. My belief is in God, the Father, the Mother and Christ, as well as in my spiritual helpers who have gone before me. My faith is a practice in believing in them. Participating in church service is a part of my belief practice, a spiritual practice. I believe that everyone has their way, so for example, there is much about Buddhism that I like and that I find particularly useful to my spiritual practice. Buddhism is not a religion. It's a philosophy. According to the free dictionary, philosphy is the love and pursuit of wisdom by intellectual means and self-discipline. I like Buddhism, for it helps me to do that ... to pursue wisdom intellectually and through the practice of self-discipline. Buddhism is filled with many good ideas to consider and to contemplate to help one to realize ones true nature. I like that. I don't know much about India's spiritual traditions, at least not yet. So, on that, I have not so many comments. If I should learn of any that move me, I shall share. I am interested in learning about the many spiritual concepts and practices and traditions for the sake of exposure, but more than anything my life's endeavor is to experience the Godness. I am interested in feeling and being what God is. My Catholic upbringing has taught me that that is not too possible, especially for an ordinary person. But, then there are many examples of ordinaries who have experienced the Godness. They are considered saints and some mystics. I am willing to open myself to other philosophies of the spirit, and for all I am concerned, religion is just one philosophy of spirit. I don't believe that one way is better than another. I don't believe that there is only one way. I believe that we are all different people having different life experiences and that the most important thing is that we are spiritually fed. I don't believe that we should be harming others along that way. Hurting others in the name of a given God philosophy/religion/belief I don't think is truthful to who we truly are. I believe that God created us in his image, and when we harm another in his/her/its name, I do not believe those were God's intentions. I know this posting is all over the place. My wish is not to be labeled, and to share what I believe and what I don't believe in order to help with any understanding. I mentioned mystic above. Mirriam-Webster's definition of Mysticism describes it as a theory that postulates the possibility of direct and intuitive knowledge of God can be attained. This is my desire, to experience God; to know God not in so much the way of intellect, but through all of my senses, just the way I experience my life everyday, through my senses. Although it is more than that for me, it's difficult for me to put into words. I was born with a mission. In the most general sense, I came here to help people heal. This is where Jesus comes in for me. Jesus, a revolutionary prophet of love. Jesus is my guide. He, his teachings and his example, guide me to meet the expectations of my mission each step of the way. Jesus is not my only guide, he is just happens to be the most celebrity guide, and for all the right reasons. I can see how this may seem a bit "out there" for some, but this is truly in my heart, it's always been there. It's not always been on the surface like now, but I've taken time with myself to dig it on up and out. The sacred family has helped me with this all the way. And they have sent emissaries my way. Ambassadors from their realms. These are spiritual helpers they have lent to me ... saints, angels, and other spirit helpers, not to mention my familiars here on earth! While I have my own spiritual beliefs, I am open to other people's way. Though, I'll admit that I try to stay clear of dogma. I feel that we are all different and those differences are okay. Generally speaking, I can be affected. I can be shifted. I can be changed. And, yet, what feels right and true is right and true for me. I don't worry so much about the absolutes of things. I feel comfortable in the grey of matter, comfortable in the dynamics. I figure there are many folks like me, but maybe they just don't share openly about it, for fear of being judged or misunderstood or ridiculed. What about you? How do you describe your spiritual aspect?

gomez — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

Reasons to have a home angel blessing.

gomez — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

Want to know how you can .... EarthontheBottombottle

gomez — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

I have written about this topic already in my article, What's Organic but I wanted to share with you another article on the topic published on Yahoo's online magazine Shine. It has similar information to what I've provided -- about food labels and definitions -- and I think it's useful, practical, and the more people know this, the better.

Food label lies: how to sort truth from hype

I live in Vermont. I have cows and goats as neighbors. I buy chickens from the farm a mile down my road. I’m the editor of EatingWell Magazine, for pete’s sake, which champions wholesome, local food and healthy eating. So you would think I’d know what terms like “all natural” mean. Especially when “All Natural” appears on a pint of Ben & Jerry’s ice cream, which is made exactly 10.3 miles away from my house. Well, apparently I don’t. Nor do many people. Because somehow factory-made ingredients like “fake vanilla, alkalized cocoa, corn syrup, and partially hydrogenated soybean oil” have found their way into 48 of Ben & Jerry’s 53 “All Natural” flavors, according to the Center for Science in the Public Interest, a Washington, D.C.-based nutrition and health advocacy group. Recently that nonprofit watchdog group sent a letter to Ben & Jerry’s parent company, Unilever, requesting that it stop using the term. This past week, Unilever agreed to take the term off the label. This same week, Vermont congressman Peter Welch sent a letter to the makers of Log Cabin Syrup, asking them to remove “Natural” from their label, since the syrup contains an artificial caramel coloring. (Log Cabin is removing the coloring.) But what about all the other “natural,” “local” or “organic” claims companies make on their labels—which ones should we believe and which ones are just hype? WHAT, EXACTLY, IS “NATURAL?” Who can use it: Anyone can put the term “natural” (or “all natural”) on most foods, since the Food and Drug Administration has no formal definition of the term and doesn’t regulate it or really police it. So far, according to the agency, it has “not objected to the use of the term if the food does not contain added color, artificial flavors or synthetic substances.” The one exception: meats and poultry, which are regulated by a different organization, the US Department of Agriculture. What it means: According to the USDA, meat and poultry that has “no artificial ingredient or added color and is only minimally processed may be labeled natural.” The term “naturally raised” is a voluntary (read: unregulated) label that means livestock have been raised without antibiotics and growth hormones and have not been fed animal by-products. The benefits: Foods labeled “natural” should not contain synthetic food dyes. Recent studies have linked synthetic food dyes with hyperactivity in children and even with cancer—enough to cause CSPI to call for a ban on synthetic dyes (ones that appear with a number after them, such as Blue 1 and 2 or Yellow 5 and 6) recently. This doesn’t mean all our food will become duller: plenty of natural colorants abound. What it doesn’t mean: Since there is little policing on the term “natural” it’s best to read the label to see what is really in your food. For instance, the Tostito’s claim “All Natural” (shown here) is true—Tostito’s Natural Corn Chips are made with only organic (non-GM) corn, corn oil and salt. However “natural” in no way implies any product is organic, local, or humanely-raised. Author of Article: Lisa Gosselin, editorial director of EatingWell Media Group Proper Breathing Article on Yahoo's Shine. and Food Labels Lies , How To Sort Truth From Hype

Intuitive Counselor VS Psychic

admin — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 06:54:00 +0000

I was searching information on intuitive counseling and stumbled upon this great video. The main reason I want to post this is because I feel mischamcp really lays it down ... at least for me. When I heard her explanation on the difference between Intuitive Counselor and Pyschic it just straight up resonated with me. I am grateful to have found this video. I have found words to express how I feel about these words! This also serves to help me explain what's in my medicine bag -- meaning, what I do.

I don't feel it should matter so much what we call ourselves as much as what that is should really feel right. Know what I mean? Maybe another reason for why what we call ourselves may matter is so that the folks we are serving also resonate with it.

White Light of Protection

admin — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 06:21:00 +0000

As light workers awaken their light bodies we naturally become more radiant or bright lights. Our vibrations shift to higher frequencies.

Originally, I had thought that radiating more light energy would automatically create a protective shield around us. While I still think this is true (according to like attracts like law) I have also come to understand that the brighter the light radiates out the more it may attract -- both high frequencies and low frequencies. Lower frequencies are attracted to Light in much the same way that a moth is to a flame (a light source). Common theory states that moths use light sources as a navigational compass, or a guiding light so to speak, so that they can fly in a straight line. Workers of light (we know who we are) are guiding lights to "nocturnal creatures" sometimes guiding them towards a straight path. At times, these moths circling our bright light can be unwanted ... so, what then?

Well, then ... this is where we draw upon the very light we are radiating for added protection --- the White Light of Protection.

Here is how to use it:

FIRST -- You need to find a time and a place in which you will be undisturbed. If that means taking the phone off the hook, then do that. If you are at work, then go into the bathroom for a couple of minutes and do this very quick and easy meditation. This will only take a 2 or 3 short minutes. Then sit down and make yourself comfortable. Put your feet flat on the floor and let your hands rest on your lap, with the palms facing up. (Or you can sit on the floor in the Lotus position, if you prefer)

SECOND -- Place your thumb and index finger, or your thumb and middle finger, together. This is the east Indian position called "mudra" and has been shown in laboratory testing to actually make a connection in the brain that induces a relaxed feeling and light level of meditative trance.

THIRD -- Take 3 SLOW deep breaths, making each breath out longer than the breath in before it. ... Then ... imagine White Light coming down from above and entering your body through the top of your head. ... See and feel this White Light filling every part of your body and mind. ... Make it real with the power of your mind. ... See any dark places and spaces that might be within you fill with that White Light. .... See it .... feel it .... sense it..... This might take a few minutes the first few times you try it. As you keep doing it more and more it will take less and less time, until it takes just a few seconds to do .... When you see or sense your body AND your mind totally and completely filled with the White Light, then see a little bit of it coming out of your body through your solar plexus, just above your belly button ... and then see it surrounding your body like you are surrounded in a protective eggshell of positive White Light. ... This White Light is God-energy and it will cleanse and protect you.... KNOW that you are totally protected....

Laying On Hands

admin — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 01:07:00 +0000

For many folks the laying on hands is considered hocus pocus. To some extent, I can understand why people would think that. It can be hard to comprehend how it works. It works so simply that it is hard for us to get that it even works at all.

I believe that we are all born with a natural ability to heal ourselves. We also have natural abilities to heal others. Our hands are basically hot spots for our living energy to radiate out from. Let me repeat what I just last wrote -- our living energy. This living energy is the source of this natural ability to heal. We can understand this living source as love primarily and belief in the healing. It is really that simple!

Living energy is everywhere and everything in this universe. It is vast. And we humans are this living energy, too. We are vast -- beyond our current beliefs.

It is my intent to help change minds in order to help expand on current beliefs. I want to help to expose just a tiny bit of the vastness.

I recently read an article about Hands-On Spiritual Healing. I want to share it with you. It's a short read, but supportive of laying of hands healing. Enjoy!

Hands On Healing

Got Confidence?

admin — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 00:05:00 +0000

Confidence, Confidence, Confidence ... There are many people who have never struggled with Confidence. I wish that I could say that I was one of those people. Coming from a childhood experience where my father was verbally abrasive and abusive plus emotionally unavailable really did a number on me. Not everyone would have had the same reaction as I did. I am sure that there are others who have had an abusive parent and they managed to get through everything only partially wounded. I, however, did not have much of a self esteem. I never truly felt important and that just never mattered. With a low self esteem it was hard for me to feel confident -- in my abilities or in my own power.

Since then, I have built a self esteem for myself. I have figured out that I am worthwhile. I have accepted that I am a beautiful person, inside and out. I AM a child of God, so I can do anything! That all being said, it has not been easy getting to know Confidence. I still get to know her. I feel she is my coach, expanding me and always pushing my limits, right there by my side and within me.

When I read these Confidence Tips from Super Coach, Michael Neill, I immediately wanted to use and share them with you.

If you have ever had Confidence puzzlement in your life or if you do right now, make sure to check these out. They are fantastic, and then again, so is Michael Neill. :-)

"What follows are three of my favorite "confidence tricks" - ways of feeling confident in almost any situation, regardless of whether or not your previous life experience seems to warrant it.

Confidence Trick Number One -
Act As If

"Always act as if you have already accomplished what it is you are setting out to achieve."

-Joe Batten

The most immediately applicable confidence trick is to simply act as if you are already confident. There is a wonderful moment in the Danny Kaye classic movie "The Court Jester" where Kaye's character is hypnotized into believing he is a great swordsman. By copying the thrusts, parries, and athleticism of his heroes with total belief and commitment, he too becomes great and defeats the villain.

Perhaps the single most important thing when creating confidence in this way is to stay physically relaxed. Physical tension mixed with "confidence" often appears as bravado or even cockiness, and we've all met people who seem permanently stuck in the first part of the "fake it 'till you make it" equation. The more you focus on relaxation as a key element of your confidence-building experiments, the more effective you will be.

Confidence Trick Number Two -
Update Your Self-Image

Your self-image can be thought of quite literally as the image or images of yourself that you show in the movie theater of your mind. If you tend to reflect back on all the times you've failed, or you portray yourself in your mental movies as a weak, frightened, childlike individual, you will tend to behave like one in your real life. To make matters worse, developmental theorists believe that your self-image is generally "locked into place" when you're still a child - when you really are too small, too ignorant, and too incompetent to face the challenges of the adult world.

A simple way to transform your self-image (and build your confidence in a variety of situations) is to see yourself in your mind as you would ideally like to be. This is not self-deception but self-creation - i.e., you are not trying to fool yourself into thinking you are already that way so much as you are rehearsing your future - practicing being the way you want to be in your mind until you are ready to behave that way in the world.

One specific form of self-image enhancement is the creation of what I call your "Success Highlight Films". If you haven't ever done it before, investing an hour or so to mentally edit together a two minute highlight reel of some of the most successful experiences of your life is a great way to make sure you can access confidence in a matter of minutes.

Confidence Trick Number Three -
Practice Radical Self-Honesty

One of the definitions of confidence which is often overlooked when discussing self-confidence is "to trust someone with a secret". In that sense, we can think of self-confidence as the process of confiding in oneself, and the more fully and completely we do it, the more self-confidence we will posess.

Why does this work so well?

In my estimation, it is because most of the secrets we attempt to keep from ourselves are the very source of our deepest fears. By exposing them to the light of our conscious attention, they lose their power over us, and we are able to explore, dispute, reject, or accept them. Even more importantly, as we honestly confide in ourselves we begin to fully trust ourselves, and that self-trust is at the heart of all lasting self-confidence.

Here are some of the "secret truths" many people try and hide from themselves. If they se em harsh, or you find yourself angry with me for writing them down in plain sight, consider the possibility that this may mean they are particularly important for you to explore further. I've divided them into objective facts and limiting beliefs that are pervasive in Western culture:

Some 'Secret' Facts

* We're all going to die, including you, everybody that you love and everyone who loves you.
* You might, in fact, fail to reach your goals.
* Some people are willing to trick you, lie to you, and even cause you physical harm in order to reach their goals.
* Most people care about themselves more than they will ever care about you.

Some 'Secret' Cultural Beliefs:

* I'm not worthy.
* I'm never going to amount to anything.
* I'm a bad person.
* Sooner or later, I'm going to be found out.

While the idea of telling yourself the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth may seem to contradict the previous two offerings, it is in my estimation the direct (and most courageous) path to life-long confidence.

Today's Experiment:

1. Choose a situation in which you would like to feel more confident. Use one of the techniques in the additional reading (via the link!) to act as if you are confident in the moment.

2. If you haven't already done so, create your own success highlight reel. Block out a few minutes each morning and/or evening to run through your past success and upgrade your self-image.

3. Make your own list of "Secret Truths". Be sure to separate them out into objective facts which must be accepted in order to move forward, and limiting beliefs, which can be transformed in the light of experience and rational exploration.

You may find this easier to do with the help of a friend, mentor, or coach who can see things you might be blind too; on the other hand, you may prefer to at least begin the process in the privacy of your own journal or diary.

Have fun, learn heaps, and choose confidence! "

Wasn't that so cool? Aren't you just so excited to try these out? I usually do Tricks Number One and Number Two. They work and are fun to do, too.

How Does Energy Healing Work?

admin — Sun, 20 Sep 2009 06:05:00 +0000

I received a really great question from a fellow light worker around energy healing and I thought it would be good to share my reply. She thought that others might have this question, too. If you do have questions around how energy healing works, hopefully the below will shed some light. This is the very basics of it. I tend to like things basically. If you have any other questions about it, feel free to shoot me an email or leave a comment for me on this post.

--About how energy healing works, I have thought much about it, too.

There are many ways to understand the workings of healing energy . For me, this question begins with what the meaning of healing is. For the kind of energy work that I do, healing is the process that it takes for us to be awakened to the Life Force, the Creator within our selves. I feel that being brought to this awareness is what offers us a path to healing. Having said that, the "healer" can be thought of as the transmitter of healing energy, like you said, or a catalyst,facilitator or incubator of it. The real healer is the person doing the actual healing.

--So then, what happens to the physical problem/dis-ease of the being? Where does it go?

Here, the whole of the being fully opens itself (consciously or subconsciously) to RECEIVE. In the ability to get out of the way, so to speak, one is able to fully receive the life force energy that is always there for us to tap into. The being receives and the healing takes place which could look like something that gets better with time or could look like a spontaneous healing. As we are creative beings and have generative abilities, we also have RE generative abilities :-). The dis-eased energy does not go anywhere. Here is the best part.... the energy transforms! It changes into something else-- into EASE. Feeling good and being well takes it's place.

--As for prayer ...

The words we speak and words themselves hold energy/vibration that can actually shift/transform energy. The healer is open to receive and ... you know the magical rest!

Isn't it so amazing?

Blessings

Licking with Love

admin — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 00:54:00 +0000

Most anyone who knows me knows that I have a special love for dogs. I love dog energy. I even offer a service with my friend that we call "Mobile Reiki 4 Dogs". It is reiki delivered to dogs in the comfort of their own home. Dogs are great teachers of mine. I co-care two beautiful dogs with my mother. One is an angel(the one with the bow) and the other is a beloved lil she-devil. Along with my love for dogs, I also love poetry. Inspired by my two best friends, I wrote this poem.

"A Good Lickin'"

A dog's licks are Love,
In one lick,
Infinite,
Non-verbal communication.
Hardly ever is it,
Just one lick.
It's one lick,
Two lick,
Three lick more,
And more and more!
It's how it is,
With them dogs.
We work for them,
We feed them,
Exercise them,
Discipline them,
And love them...
Among other things.
We work for licks.
Though, it doesn't feel like work.
In fact,
Many of us,
Would work for them,
For free!
For Nothin',
No licks at all.
But if licks were paper money?
We'd be rich.
Maybe even a little greedy,
"Lick meee! Lick me moore!"
Paper money aside,
Licks of a dog,
Definitely
Make us rich,
Boy do they ever pay off!
Don't they?

Prayer, A Spiritual Practice

admin — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 20:03:00 +0000

Ki Healing is a sacred space that is dogma free. It is non denominational and is tolerant of various spiritual practices. There are many ideas that I share that come from many different spiritual traditions. Some of them may not be so obviously spiritual, as in the case of poetry or dogs. It is my purpose to help be the bridge to Spirit for all us "budding buddhas." In as much as that, I see God alive in just about everything. All spiritual traditions take us to the same place, albeit in different ways. God is in all of them and in all of us.

Ki Healing is a sacred space that lets you play in your exploration of what God means to you and where God exists within you. Allowing ourselves to explore and play presents us with countless opportunities for spiritual growth and holistic healing of our selves. The spiritual practice of Prayer can be one aspect of bringing us to spiritual growth and to self healing.

Prayer, is one way to be with God, find the God in ourselves, ask for the guidance we need that we may not have at the moment, a form of meditation, a practice in ritual and more. It can mean something different to you than to me. The most important thing is to explore it, use it, practice it, make it your own. This may be hard at first, if you are like me. I was raised up in a very formal religious upbringing where questioning the practices was not encouraged. When I was taught prayer, it was to be done in a typical way for particular reasons and counted more if it was done in a house of worship. I have come a long way from then.

Today, Prayer for me is an extremely powerful spiritual practice that I use in various ways for various reasons. Some of my prayers are very traditional and some are my very own words. The Prayer I am sharing today is one that gives me strength and keeps me on purpose on my doubtful days. This Prayer helps keep doubt at bay.

I want to encourage you to let go for just a moment any feelings, beliefs, experiences that you may have had with Prayer and just listen to these words come off slowly, quietly, and especially of your lips. Feel the goodness, the sweetness, the purity of them. No hidden agendas. Just honest heartfelt words that could come from anyone. Feel free to try on different words for a better fit. Yes, you can change the words to this Prayer to fit you. Nothing will happen to you. It is okay. It is the intention behind the Prayer that gives it its power.

St. Francis Of Assisi Prayer :

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace;; where there is hatred, let me sow love;; where there is injury, pardon;; where there is doubt, faith;; where there is despair, hope;; where there is darkness, light;; and where there is sadness, joy.
: O Divine Master,; grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console;; to be understood, as to understand;; to be loved, as to love;; for it is in giving that we receive,; it is in pardoning that we are pardoned,; and it is in dying that we are born to Eternal Life.

A Moment

admin — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 22:13:00 +0000

One Moment, forever.
That's it.
That is all.
Once the moment passes,
It is gone,
Forever,
Never the same moment.
The anticipation of a moment...
Memories hopefully never forgotten.
One life, many moments.

To capture every moment?
Make every moment
Like slow motion.
To be in what is a moment,
Taste it, smell it, see it, feel it, hear it,

Hold it.

Smile and snap!
Captured?
One Moment,
One time,
One life,
One chance.
That's it.
That is all.

One Moment, forever.

Staying Present Haiku

admin — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 04:46:00 +0000

The tsunami hit
And the dog still wagged his tail
Awake, present, and alive

What Is Fair?

admin — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 07:56:00 +0000

Not too long ago, I was whining to my mentor about a significant situation that didn’t turn out the way I had intended it to turn out. Frowning, head down, I cried to her, “it’s just not fair.” She grabbed me by the shoulders, shook me and compassionately asked “what’s fair?” I share here what I received in asking this question.

Are you angry at God? Are you upset? Are you sad? Disappointed in your life? Let-down? Frustrated at the supposed order of things? Are you mad because bad things aren’t supposed to happen to good people? Because you deserve better than what you have? If you have ever in your life felt this, please stop and take a moment to read this.

Is it fair that your colleague gets a great raise and you work so hard yet you get peanuts? Is it fair that you’re the sick one and not your neighbor? Is it fair that your marriage is rocky but your sister’s is “perfect”? Is it fair that your best friend has a boyfriend, but you don’t?” It goes on and on, right? …. WHAT IS FAIR?

Forget about fair.

If you want to start asking about what is fair and even argue in your mind about what is and what isn’t fair, you will stay right there in that same spot forever. Questioning what is fair is not skillful. It is in effect a looping record sample. It goes nowhere, just keeps repeating in the same place. Is that where you want to be?

Roman numeral I: Life is not fair. … …. (Frown) … … But, you do get a fair shot at balancing yourself out. Balancing out the scales within your very self, your inner balance. Everyone no matter who they are, what they are doing, where they come from, why they are where they are, has a fair shot at balancing out the scales of our selves and finding inner balance.

For example, to be angry at God because She is not fair will just keep you there. Yet She wants you to get past that part, so that you can get nearer to Her; so that you can merge with Her, enough so that you find Her within yourself.

We all have a choice. Argue about fair, be angry at fair, and stay there or move past that and get to the heart of the matter – your heart of the matter. What is in your heart? Seek to find out what is there. Sit still enough to see, hear, feel, taste, and sniff-out what is there.

When you are on the verge of what is fair and what is in your heart, you are so close to being right there with God. When you discover the jewels and gems that are under the rubble of your heart, you are there, in such close proximity to God that He dwells within you. Freedom waits there. Where Freedom lives there is no such word as fair. It is beyond fair. Freedom is found in discovering our own inner sense of balance.

Energy Shifts, Astrology and Healing

admin — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 04:28:00 +0000

Whooo-whee! How about the energy out there these days? Maybe some of you have been feeling the subtle energies shifting and feeling as though everything is so intense, and it is just not letting up. I have been experiencing the energies as being really draining! I'm usually pretty optimistic and in high spirits, but lately it is has been painfully challenging to stay high. I know that many light workers and sensitive people are feeling this way. Even those that are not generally as sensitive but who are becoming aware of subtle energies for the first time in their lives are feeling the intensity.
I think a lot of us may feel like we are alone in having these feelings. We may think that whatever drama is occurring is only happening in our lives, but the vibrations we are sensing are very real.
Being the natural investigator/researcher that I am, it wasn't enough for me to just say, 'oh damn, it's just another set of miserable days for me, just gotta get through it.' Nope, just not enough. When I sense that the energies are shifting it is because I feel it as vividly as getting hit by a bat over the head. The small hairs on my back and arms are always on stand by and they can't seem to fall back into place. That's just not natural to me. So I just know something is up, but I can't explain it. Being that I am reasonable in nature, I seek an explanation. Well, you want one, too, don't you?
I found an article that really helped to clear things up for me. Let me forewarn though, if you are not into the dynamics of astrology it might not be your cup of tea. If you read your horoscope in the range of sometimes to often, then I think you should give the piece a chance. It is a wee lengthy, so prepare to read it with time and minimal interruptions.
For those that want the the nuts and bolts of it: we have a planetary conjunction that rates pretty high on the astrological events scale. The action won't stop until Feb 2010. The two major player planets are Chiron, the Wounded Healer and Neptune, God of the Sea -- do you know how deep the sea is? Of course you don't, but as you may have guessed, it's pretty deep. And we all know where deep goes -- to the depths of our souls and then up to where God lives. (smiley face here). We have Chiron begging us to delve into our painful pasts, dig up the hurt so we can heal it forever, coasting alongside Neptune, eager for spiritual enlightenment. This conjunction can really make a roller coaster ride of a recipe. And the planets have dark sides! Think of a strung out Cinderella. Not a pretty thought, I know. But, there is an upside.Think of a mythical Phoenix bird. Much nicer, right? So the question is, how are you going to approach these changing times? This planetary movement reaching it's exact conjunction? Have you been or are you acting like a drug addicted Cinderella or have you been attempting at flight like the transcendental Phoenix? My soul will be working it out so that I emerge as the latter. We have an opportunity to truly heal during these times. We have an opportunity to let go of all our past wounds forever and emerge as the divine beings that we are; the God like people that we are deep within. I pray for me, my family, my loved ones, the light workers, the emerging souls that we may work to create a beautiful planet earth where peace and love reign over humanity.

And now the feature article, "The Chiron/Neptune Conjunction of 2009 - 2010" - Lynn Hayes. For the full article, click this link. ChironNeptuneConjunction

One of the big astrological events for 2009 is the triple conjunction of Chiron and Neptune with Jupiter that will culminate at the end of May when all three planets are within 1 degree of each other in Aquarius. Although the exact conjunction won't occur until February 17, 2010, Chiron and Neptune are within a degree of a conjunction now, so this planetary event is definitely well underway.

So what will this mean for us? Chiron teaches us to face the old wounds of our past and allow ourselves to be healed, opening us up to greater wisdom and understanding that we can then pass along to others. Neptune inspires us towards a more transcendent experience of our lives that encourages us to recognize the impermanence of life's mysteries. However, each of those planets have a darker face as well that can arise. If we resist the Chiron experience we can become stuck in our own wounds, unable to see that they are of our own making and unable to let go. If we resist the Neptune experience we can feel confused or become deluded by our fantasies and illusions.

Both Chiron and Neptune pose difficulty for the expression of the ego. Chiron requires that we process the wounds of the psyche before the ego can manifest in a truly healthy form, and Neptune calls for the transcendence of the ego into the divine unconscious: "from a drop of water to the endless sea." In Aquarius that transcendence of the ego is even more important as Aquarius is a transpersonal sign; the sign that loves mankind but isn't so crazy about people as individuals. The new "transhumanism" is a signature of Aquarius, in which technology and innovation are used to perfect the human being.

Irish Angel Poem

admin — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 02:05:00 +0000

A friend of mine shared this poem with me and I liked it so much I wanted to share the poem here on my blog. I like the sound aid and the visual aid that go with the poem.

This is an updated posting because the original link I had tracked back to YouTube abd then it was removed from there. But, I ended up finding the poem again and then some! Frank Owen is absolutely amazing. I don't think I've been moved so much by poetry in the last 10 years! Although, I have been living under a rock (at least under the poetry rock).
The link below will take you to his blog, nekyia, where he graciously blesses his words upon us.

This - Frank Owen

Angels 101

admin — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 06:55:00 +0000

About Angels! – Concise and Practical Knowledge, Part 1

You’ve heard of Angels but do you know who they are? First and foremost, they are messengers of and for God [feel free to replace ‘God’ with other terminology you are more comfortable with, i.e. Source, Universe, Higher Power etc.]. Angels are God’s volunteers and often work very closely with us humans. However, angels are not human. They can be described as spiritual presences…little bit like holy ghosts or beings of light. These are loose descriptions because ultimately the experiencing an angel is an individual and unique event. Angels can and do incarnate into human form from time to time. Yet, at other times they employ fellow humans to act as angels on their behalf. Folks that work with angels (whether consciously or not) are often referred to as Earth Angels. Generally, Earth Angels are on earth to serve – serve the earth, serve humanity, serve God’s will. Think for a second about whom you know in your life who has been your lifesaver, comforter and bringer of peaceful feelings. Who is always ready and willing to help the cause whatever it be? These fellow friends of yours may very well be Earth Angels.

Can you recall a time when someone you didn’t even know came to help you in whatever kind of way, big or small, right at the very nick of time? Did you ever think that he or she was possibly an Angel incarnated? If so, you just may have been right on.

Angels are non-denominational. They are universal. They don’t just belong to certain religions or belong to biblical or Christian beliefs. While Angels do have roots stemming from Christianity to Hinduism, one of the most important points I must make is that Angels exist for every human being and always have -- agnostics, atheists, and believers alike. As God’s volunteers they serve to bridge the realm of humanity with that of the Divine. How we experience this connection or bridge may be different , for you, for me, or for your neighbor but be assured that angels have something to do with all that is divine.

How can we reach the Angels? I love answering this question about angels because they are just so easy to reach. Literally, all we need to do is ask them. What do you need? Just ask them. Call on them. They are always right by your side ready to assist you. In fact, your Guardian Angels never leave your side. Consider them your personal escorts, with you everywhere you are. A little puzzled you might wonder, “Hmmm, how do I know they’ve heard me.” Well, like anything else you try for the first time, you must be open to try, trust it’ll work out, and then let it be. Be expectant; be ready to see how they work for you. Angels are not complicated creatures. They answer our calls in very simple ways. For example, if you ask them for help to find something, you’ll find it. If you don’t find it, it’s not because they didn’t hear you, it’s simply because they’re working on strings to give you a bigger blessing. When you receive that bigger blessing acknowledge it and you will know the angels worked for you.

What specifically can Angels do for us? Ohhhh, let me count the ways. Another reason that I love Angels is because they are practical healers! The things they can do for us address the goings on in our everyday ordinary (or extraordinary!) lives. These are just some of the things that angels can do for us: Help us to find our life’s purpose, be better at stress management, feel financial peace, cutting addictions, increase energy, help with sleep issues, with job responsibilities, healing your pets and the list goes on! You may be asking yourselves, “…but how do I come to the angels with these matters? They’re probably too busy for me anyway.” Remember what I mentioned above. All you need do is ask them for help. They are just waiting for you to call on them because that is their job, to help you. You can make up a simple prayer around your matter, write it down and read it as many times a day as you’d like or you can just start talking to them, ad-lib.

Go ahead. Start getting to know your Angels this season!

**I plan to continually post Angel prayers that I read, use, and write within this blog; feel free to change the words around to suit you. **

A Peace of Moment

admin — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 07:34:00 +0000

Inside, sheltered from,
The cold and the rain.
Looking out at,
The rain fall,
Slanted

Wondering how,
Would it look
If it were,
Snow.

Imagining,
Snow's feeling,
Soft.
Season of Winter.

Christmas,
Pulled into the present,
With the arrival of
My hot cup of tea.

Reiki Simplified For The Curious

admin — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 05:36:00 +0000

I love Reiki because basically, it is a very simple, experiential, enjoyable healing technique and in the same breath it is so very profound. Reiki is the name given to this system of natural healing for the body and mind, developed by Dr. Mikao Usui who lived in Japan during the the 19th century. The ‘Rei’ means ‘universal’ and the ‘ki’ means ‘life force energy’. Reiki is also referred to as a path to personal growth.

While many people cannot yet physically see ‘Ki’, physics explains that energy exists in everything and that it’s everywhere. It is in the air we breathe, in the food we eat, in the light from the sun and the moon. Inanimate objects have energy too, just lower frequencies of energy, though.

This Life Force Energy is the creative force behind all of life. It is that which nourishes and sustains natural life cycles such as cycles of birth, life and death of all living things. When we are connected with this energy through Reiki or through Prayer or Meditation we will feel less separate from other living beings and things. Rather than separate or isolated, we feel more whole within ourselves and within all of creation. We feel a greater sense of unity to all that surrounds us. We also start to feel supported, safe, and confident to be all that we are.
This Life Force is within us. It is a subtle energy that exists within our bodies and minds. It also exists in plants, flowers, trees, rocks, minerals, and crystals – in nature.

For me, taking walks in nature has a very healing effect. Part of me doesn’t know how it actually happens, but I don’t need to know because I experience a shift in my subtle inner energies. If I feel pre-occupied or anxious there is hardly anything else more effective to calm me than a walk among “my” trees. After I emerge out of their natural care, I am new again. Magically, anxiety is far removed from me. This healing effect happens each time. It always works. Amazingly, the natural energy from the trees, rocks, sun etc. has a corresponding effect on my body, my mind, and my spirit.

This Life Force Energy runs through our bodies through subtle energy pathways called meridians. When these pathways are blocked or out of balance because of stress, let’s say, illness can result. Like other alternative/complimentary therapies, Reiki helps the body, mind, and spirit to rebalance itself and to unblock the energy pathways .This promotes health and well being in us.

Reiki does not have any dogma or belief systems attached to it. It is practiced in almost every country in the world. Thankfully, its healing intelligence transcends religious, cultural, and political boundaries. It can fit practically into any lifestyle physically, mentally, and spiritually. It is truly universal.

Spiritual Direction (roots of)

admin — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 05:40:00 +0000

A little curious about the history of Spiritual Direction?

So was I, so here are some history highlights about Spiritual Direction. “S.D.” is practically as old as we are. In early oriental Christianity spiritual direction began primarily with the formation of monks in the desert communities of Egypt, Syria, and Palestine. The spiritual director was called “abba” or father. Among the Israelites of the Old Testament, Moses gave spiritual direction to the people of the desert and even appoints elders to assist him with the spiritual direction. In the New Testament, Jesus spent most of his public ministry giving spiritual direction to his disciples. Desert Fathers of the 4th and 5th centuries continued the tradition of spiritual direction for neophytes who flocked the desert seeking wisdom from these anchorites.

By the way, in case you were wondering(as I was), Anchorites are those who withdraw from secular society, like hermits, to be able to lead intensely prayer oriented lives, like monks. Anchoritic life is one of the earliest forms of Christian monastic living.

In the 16th century, the Carmelites and Jesuits practiced spiritual direction not only among their own religious community but also among lay people, both to men and women. In France, spiritual direction was practiced especially among lay people and became very popular there by the end of the 19th century. Social Scientists have discovered similar traditions of spiritual guidance in other cultures other than Judaism and Christianity, for example, the Eastern Gurus within the Hindus and Buddhists or the shamans among the Eskimos, and Medicine Men of American Indians.

The 17th century has been referred to as the Golden Age of spiritual direction. I have a strong feeling that we are entering another one of spiritual direction’s golden ages. We're at a point in our evolution where we are seeking out and allowing ourselves to have our direct experiences of God. We are moving to a place where we find God living within us, daily and at each moment. Our faith is being renewed because we are discovering that it is actually living and breathing and evolving
(kinda like us, eh?) ... evolving deeper into "Godness". We are moving away from prohibitive and authoritative religions and churches whether it be a conscious decision or whether one not so deliberate. It's obvious that many of us are just losing interest in religion and the strict doctrines of faith.

Of course, I haven't any issues with church goers or people who have religion ... as long as they don't have any issues with me -- a casual church/sangha goer, contemplative prayer/meditation practitioner, and a sort of modern mystic.

Keep Your Vibes Up; Feel Good Be Well

admin — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 06:26:00 +0000

Vibes Up is based on the belief and fact that nature has innate healing energies. These healing energies can be used to help us attract particular energy frequencies that we specifically need and want, such as Love, Passion, Peace and much more. Vibes Up uses crystals, gemstones (mineral life), and essential plant oils to help us raise a particular energetic frequency. They have a patent pending on their Liquid Crystal coating that works to amplify the specific energy even more.

Crystal Quartz (a major ingredient in the liquid crystal) is able to oscillate very precise transmissions of information, i.e. crystal quartz clocks, liquid crystal displays or LCD TVs (a.k.a. crystal technology). It also can amplify/expand energy --- expanding and amplifying precise bits of information that carry particular frequencies, such loudspeakers or cellular phones (crystal technology).

Basically, Vibes Up products work very much like tiny loudspeakers or tiny LCD TV's that transmit or vibrate out to the universe the specific energetic frequency you need and want. The transmission goes out and receives a “like” frequency, and brings it back to you. This is how Vibes Up:
A) keeps your vibes up and B) keeps you connecting to the specific energy you seek in your life.

I love these products because they have brought me and my family many good feelings as well as many positive changes in our lives. Whenever I am feeling down and out I make sure that I have at least one of the products on me or touching me. Literally, it’s a matter of minutes before I experience a shift in my energy.

One of the first bracelets I bought was a Love bracelet. I felt like my heart was closed off and had intuited that I needed to work on opening it more. At the time, I wasn’t totally sure how I could or what I would do to open it. Like kismet, I met Kaitlyn Keyt, the founder of Vibes Up. I was literally drawn to her natural creations. When I entered her space (filled up with crystals and gemstones) I felt a fantastic energetic buzz. I felt really good there. I knew that I had stumbled upon something really special that completely resonates with me.

Since that fateful day, just one year ago, I have worn my Love bracelet and my heart has drastically opened. It has opened much more than I ever expected in ways that I couldn’t have thought of myself. And just like, "Suddenly Seymour", I even met a special someone that is now my special honey. Because the products resonate with me and truly do work,I sell them, too!

My Healing Art

admin — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 07:19:00 +0000

My Healing Art, Ki Healing

Although many of you know that I am a certified massage therapist, many of you might not be very clear on what my work is about. This is probably because it has been evolving quite a bit especially over the past two years! It’s true that I am a massage therapist. I consider massage to be the foundation of my work and it’s important to note that it’s spiritually based. That means that I cater to the well being and nurturing of your spirit self. Call me a spiritual counselor if it makes it easier to understand. For me to be able to counsel, nurture, and cater to your spirit, I offer different ways to do this. One way is through massage therapy, another is through Reiki. Reiki is Japanese for Universal Life Force. This body treatment is subtle, nurturing, illuminating, balancing and of course, healing. CLICK FOR MORE ABOUT REIKI

Another aspect of my work is through Spiritual Direction, a companioning of your spirit’s journey. It’s so important to have someone help us navigate our unique faith journey as we grow deeper into ourselves and draw nearer to God (feel free to replace ‘God’ with other terminology you are more comfortable with, i.e. Source, Universe, Higher Power). With this offering, I help you to notice and respond to the movements of God as experienced in the events of your life and in your prayer. As a spiritual director or I am a listening and supportive companion who creates a sacred space for you to look honestly at your relationship with the Sacred (God) as it is lived out in every day life.

CLICK FOR MORE ABOUT SPIRITUAL DIRECTION

For those who seek guidance from their guardian angels and/or their spirit guides, I provide two similar services: Angel Card Readings and Channeled Readings/Guidance. With this offering, I help you in different areas of your life to gain clarity and focus, with discernment and confirmation, to see “big picture” perspective, and finally to move out of feeling “stuck”. Specifically with this offering, I work with your Angels and Spirit Guides.

Most of these services are ways to help you manage your energy, but I also provide Energy Management consultations to address what may be happening in your life at particular times. I provide you with supportive listening and coaching to help you get grounded and balanced anew. I also offer special mineral (gemstones and crystal) therapy products to assist you with the management of your energy. I am affiliated with VibesUp. CLICK FOR MORE ABOUT VIBESUP

Stay tuned for more evolutions ... there definitely will be.

Ki Healing

St. Jude's Prayer

admin — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 07:22:00 +0000

Hello, Hello friends,

Tonight I share with you a very significant prayer for me. I have passed it along to many others, whether they believed or not, and their prayers were answered. Saint Jude is one of my Saint Buds. No, really, I have buddies that are Saints, no lie.

What I mean by that is that I consider some of the Saints that I pray with and to as Spirit Helpers of mine. Together, we co-create. I have to share with you the Prayer to St. Jude Thaddeus because it has helped me so much in my life and is very powerful. If you are in desperate need, Saint Jude is the guy to call on. In particular, I have called upon him in situations that relate to employment and money.

If you want to use this prayer, my suggestion is to pray it 9 days in a row and then let your concern go. Let go and let Jude. I have read before that praying out loud is more effective. I think it's a personal choice, although I will say that I have found that I can more easily become entranced and experience a deeper meditative state when I pray aloud in a low repetitive voice.

St. Jude, glorious apostle, faithful servant and friend of Jesus, the name of the traitor has caused you to be forgotten by many. But the church honors and invokes you universally as the patron of difficult and desperate cases. Pray for me who am so miserable. Make use, I implore thee, of that particular privilege accorded to you to bring visible and speedy help where help was almost despaired of.

Come to my assistance in this great need that I may receive the consolation and help of Heaven in all my necessities, tribulations, and sufferings, particularly - (here make your request) - and that I may bless God with you and all the elect through out all eternity.

I promise you, O blessed Jude, to be ever mindful of this great favor, and I will never cease to honor you as my special and powerful patron and do all in my power to encourage devotion to you.

Saint Jude, pray for us and for all who honor and invoke thy aid.

By the way, Thaddeus is Greek name meaning "great hearted one", and as far as I know, this is accurate.

Please let me know what your special experiences are with St. Jude. I'd like to hear!

Within My Power

admin — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 08:27:00 +0000

"It is within my power either to serve God or not to serve him. Serving him, I add to my own good and the good of the whole world. Not serving him, I forfeit my own good and deprive the world of that good, which was in my power to create." - Leo Tolstoy

To Live Creatively

gomez — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 08:31:00 +0000

"To live a creative life, we must lose our fear of being wrong." - Joseph Chilton Pearce

Following Your Bliss

gomez — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 08:40:00 +0000

"If you follow your bliss, you put yourself on a kind of track, which has been there all the while waiting for you, and the life that you ought to be living is the one you are living." - Joseph Campbell

Foolish ... But

gomez — Sat, 30 Jan 2010 08:13:00 +0000

"You will do foolish things, but do them with enthusiasm."

Colette, French Novelist 1873 – 1954

Holistic Healing Traditions, Ancient and Global

gomez — Sat, 30 Jan 2010 08:27:00 +0000

Holistic Healing and all that it includes is a wide and vast space. It’s nearly impossible to study all of it in- depth. Usually, a practitioner will pick one area of focus, or perhaps assemble complimentary areas to bring together in their studies and practice. Today I want to provide for you a loose overview of some very old Holistic Healing traditions from around the world. My hope is that it starts to give you an idea of what the heck holistic healing is.

Beginning with Western Europe, Hippocrates was a key player in the holistic healing traditions, going back to about 460-375 BC. He’s been dubbed the father of medicine. He was a physician in ancient Greece that believed the body had an innate ability to heal itself. He believed that the body could do this by keeping the four humors in balance. The humors, according to Hippocrates, are: blood, black bile, yellow bile and phlegm. When at least one of these humors was out of balance, the entire body would fall ill. Treatment was of the individual not the disease, and the treatment was of the whole body, not of any one part of it.

The role of physician was to assist nature in its own natural healing process, rather than get in its way by directing this process. Hippocrates believed that diet was the physician’s main tool to assist nature in the restoration of balance in the body. More directive means of assisting were used, but seldom. Should diet fail, drugs and surgery were last resorts. He also believed in the practice of “rubbing” or what is now called massage. He has been quoted as saying, “that the physician must be experienced in many things but assuredly

rubbing.”[i]

Theophrastus, a student of Aristotle back in 380-287 BC, was the father of botany. He was the first known author in Europe to classify plant life with added commentary about their medicinal properties. However, he wasn’t the one who made herbalism classic medicine. That was left to an ancient Greek soldier named Dioscorides (40-90 AD) who traveled far and beyond with Nero’s army. All during his travels he wrote extensively on the herbs and plants.

Now, it’s important to note that much of Hippocrates’ work was influenced by and came from Ancient Egyptian healing practices. Ancient Egypt had an excellent reputation in its time. In fact, rulers of other empires would ask Egyptian pharaohs to send them their best physician to treat their loved ones. What Ancient Egyptians did was to blend magic and religion into their everyday life. There really wasn’t a clear distinction between the calling of a priest and physician. The supernatural was thought to be responsible for many ailments. Treatments involved a supernatural element, such as an appeal to a deity. They also used herbal remedies and practiced massage. They advised patients to look after their diet and to mind their hygiene. Surgery was a rare part of treatment. Healer Physicians were highly specialized in that each one treated a particular aspect of the body, i.e. eyes, teeth, stomach. Ingrained in their practices was the belief that magic is effective together with medicine [and] Medicine is effective together with magic (From the Ebers Papyrus).

In Asia, Traditional Chinese Medicine has been around for thousands of years. It includes a range of practices that are considered mainstream medical care in East Asia. Some of these practices include herbal medicine, acupuncture, diet therapy, and as far as the body work it incorporates Tui na and Shiatsu massage. Physical exercises that are associated with TCM are Qigong and TaiChi. The philosophy of classical Chinese medicine derives from the same place that Taoist and Buddhist thoughts come from which are spiritual philosophies. TCM also reflects classical Chinese belief that the lives of human beings (physical, mental and emotional) are closely connected with nature and that this relationship is healthy when it is harmonious. Should this relationship get off balance it is no longer in harmony. This could lead to ailments or illness. TCM works to restore balance of the body’s five elements - water, wood, fire, earth and metal. Balance is necessary in order for the individual to retain good health.

Possibly even older than TCM is India’s Traditional Medicine – Ayurveda. Ayurveda may have even influenced traditional Chinese medicine. It literally means the science of life and is considered to be the oldest holistic health system today. It includes writings of ancient wisdom on themes such as: health (diseases, injuries, fertility, mental - health), astrology and spiritual living. It also includes discussions on herbs that cure, diet, and like in Chinese medicine, includes 5 natural elements – earth, water, fire, air and ether. Ayurveda is not limited to knowledge of the body or physical symptoms; it provides thorough wisdom regarding spiritual, mental and emotional aspects. The system bases itself on balancing the body, mind and soul. It offers a holistic blend of science and philosophy that encourages the balancing the physical, mental, emotional and spiritual components of the individual that are key to health.

Native American medicine is based upon a spiritual view of life. For example, most tribes have healing traditions that root from the specific tribe’s beliefs about how the individual fits into the whole web of life. The individual, tribe, humanity, nature and universe are all considered to be interconnected. Health exists when there is harmony within the web. Healing focuses on the person as a whole rather than the symptoms. Health exists when there is a balance of life energy in the body, balance of ethical and just behavior, and balanced relationships with family, community and nature. Healers receive their teachings often through initiation, visions, stories, and dreams, which are passed down from generation to generation. Their practices are rarely written down. Their traditions have been passed down through thousands of years by word of mouth. Healing sessions are never the same, because no one person is the same. Such tools as: herbs, smudging, chanting, prayer, counseling, massage, sweat lodging, imagery, or vision questing (shamanic journeying) may be employed but more important than the tools is the healer’s intuition, sensitivity, and spiritual power.

This is just a brief overview for you to begin to get an idea of what holistic health is and what it includes. You should be able to see that all of these very old traditions address much more than symptoms of disease or illness. They all address a spiritual aspect of a person and of nature itself. They consider the individual as a whole person, not only a person who is ill. This is holistic healing and it may also be referred to as holistic health. Don’t forget though that this is just touching one general aspect of it; the world of holistic healing is wide and vast.

[i] The History of Massage, Robert Noah Calvert

The Tarot: Major Arcana

gomez — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 19:14:00 +0000

The Tarot: Major Arcana and the Story of Our Lives

My first thought on including anything Tarot on my blog was: it dosn't fit. Then I thought I do have a little bit of Astrology on my blog and that doesn't really fit either. My decision to include the Astrology was easy because I think for Sensitive people understanding why we may be feeling out of sorts or just unusual in our bodies - physical, mental and emotional - can be a real relief. It is helpful to have an explanation for what we may not comprehend but are definitely feeling. For me (and I suspect for others) Astrology helps to explain. As we are a part of the planet and the larger universe, when there are changes and movements in the air up there, no doubt we are affected. Seems reasonable. So maybe its reasonable to make a little room for Tarot on my blog, too. I hope it will be helpful to those who want to explore the Tarot as a way of getting in touch with the Higher Self or their Potential or The Hero in themselves.

******

Just yesterday I saw a mother and her little boy together at the bookstore. He showed her the book he wanted to get.I didn't see what book it was until after they had abruptly left the book section. For as soon as he had shown his mother what he was interested in having, she replied, "You want that? Why do you want that? Those cards are not good, why do you want that?." She was clearly uncomfortable and she quickly lead him out of the book section they were in. He followed her, he had no choice in the matter. Looking disillusioned he answered innocently, "Because I want them."

I thought to myself, 'what is the controversy?'and when I saw what he was showing her I realized the controversy. He had wanted a traditional set of Rider Waite Tarot cards. I felt sad for him. He was denied. In fact, he couldn't even have a conversation around it with her. His mother wasn't having it. She was ignorant of the positive qualities of these cards and reacted fearfully.

The thing that made me feel sad about this was that because, as a Sensitive myself, I know that it's not your everyday 9 or 10 year old boy that is interested in the Tarot. He must have a genuine reason, a sincere interest coming from somewhere within himself that is asking his mother to nourish this part of him. After all,it wasn't the vampire deck he was interested in or the Shaman's deck; it was the traditional Renaissance Rider Waite deck. Often, this deck is the first one with which most Tarot explorers begin their own journey of spiritual growth. It is safe and has friendly imagery to begin to unlock the imagination and the world of symbols. Maybe I felt sad for him because it reminded me of myself at that age, feeling the proximity of the Beyond but being unable to have the tools,resources or support to understand what I felt.

Learning about the Tarot helped me to connect with a part of me that I had some difficulty getting in touch with. I've always prayed and journeled and while those are central spiritual practices of mine, the Tarot inspired me through its symbols, archetypes, and imagination. Recently, I was inspired to write about the Tarot, specifically the Major Arcana, so that I could roughly describe the story it contains of personal growth. The use of symbols and archetypes are so creative and offer help in creating one's very masterpiece. Yep, still working on mine ... but I've gotta lifetime!

The Tarot is a great tool to help you understand your life purpose and to show at what juncture you find yourself. I'll be focusing on the the Major Arcana. Traditionally, it is a set of 22 cards, 0-22. The 22 cards are symbols that weigh heavier than the Minor Arcana cards in that their symbols speak to the more Sacred in our lives; they represent the archetypes of our higher purpose. Whereas,the Minor Arcana tends to deal with the mundane; matters of immediate significance in our daily lives.

The next post will be the first Major Arcana card - 0 The Fool or El Loco.

Tarot Major Arcana: 0 The Fool to 3 The Empress

gomez — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 01:11:00 +0000

0 The Fool or El Loco (mine are in Spanish).

The fool is crazy. A clown is a fool. A not serious person is a fool. Someone who is in La-La land is a fool. They are delusional. Someone who is delusional is not with the program - not in reality - the reality that most people know. El Loco on my deck is shown walking off a roof about to fall off yet he looks content. He is actually not a fool; he is a dreamer, a seeker, maybe even a prophet,a student, a hero about to embark (or fall off a roof) on his own personal journey to God knows where...literally to God knows where.

If you are acting a fool, it may look and feel like: I am thinking of getting a divorce because I haven't been happy in this marriage for 15 of the 17 years we've been married. I just lost my job now what do I do? I am about to get married, I have no idea what this is going to be like, but I am doing it anyway. I am starting a new creative project and I don't even have all the tools I need to complete it. I have just moved away from home and I'm scared.

As a fool, I set sail, I embark, I prepare as best I can for lift off. I fall off a cliff to God knows where, to a path of uncertainty. There may be a vague idea as to where I am going or where I am being taken but it is overall a very uncertain Way. Still, I must go for I am being led and there is something greater than myself propelling me.

1 The Magician or El Mago.

Having embarked on my path, my journey has really just begun. I start thinking that I would feel better if I knew where I was going. I ask myself, do I really know where I'm going? I need a map ... maybe a compass, too ... a flashlight wouldn't be a bad idea ... and is my head screwed on tight? Am I, me, my self, my soul ready for all this? The Magician tells me that I am. The Magician speaks to me saying that I have everything I need and all that it takes to be on this journey. It may take a little bit of resourcefulness, craftiness and all my wits, but that is all within me. I may have to pull tricks out of a bag, but I can do that; I do tricks if I have to! "Don't worry," the Magician says, "you have the ability to create Magic. Get to it already."

Everyone has magic within them. We must know our Magic and use it to help ourselves along our Way. Sometimes, someone may use their Magic on us. Did we know it was their Magic? Will we be deceived? Do we want the Magic they are showing us? Do we like their performance? Will we fall for his illusion? Knowing our own Magic and using our own Magic will help us make the best decision for ourselves. Hopefully, we will be all the richer for our encounter with the Magician.

3 The Empress or La Emperatriz.

As I continue on my Way I learn that I know where to go because of my Intuition. The Empress helps me to connect with my instinctive knowledge. She uses hers in order to have what she desires and it seems that in following her instincts she creates a state of natural harmony within herself and her peripheral.

I know what my next step will be because I am starting to become aware of the harmony that exists all around me, especially in nature. I realize that I am a part of this harmony. I notice that when I allow myself to be led by the inspiration that finds me, my gut kicks in and gives me my next clue. Like with the Empress, all is at my fingertips and all I need to do is relax and enjoy what surrounds me. All beauty is for me. What a wonderful and powerful feminine feeling I have from the Empress. She connects me to my inner strength.

Thich Nhat Hhan - Sometimes

gomez — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 03:45:00 +0000

Sometimes

Sometimes your joy is the source of your smile,
but sometimes your smile can be the source of your joy.

Commentary:
I like this because it reminds me how practicing one small thing can turn out to be something unimaginable with time.

Prayer, A Quiet Place

gomez — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 03:59:00 +0000

Make In My Heart A Quiet Place, John Oxenham

Mid all the traffic of the ways-
Turmoils without, within-
Make in my heart a quiet place,
And come and dwell therein:

A little shrine of quietness,
All sacred to Thyself,
Where Thou shalt all my soul possess,
And I may find myself;

A little shelter from life's stress,
Where I may lay me prone,
And bare my soul in loneliness,
And know as I am known;

A little place of mystic grace,
Of self and sin swept bare,
Where I may look upon Thy face,
And talk with Thee in prayer.

Amen

Prayer of Abandonment

gomez — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 04:15:00 +0000

Prayer of Abandonment

Father,
I abandon myself into your hands;
do with me what you will.
Whatever you may do, I thank you.
I am ready for all, I accept all.
Let only your will be done in me,
and in all your creatures.
I wish no more than this, O Lord.
Into your hands I commend my soul;
I offer it to you with all the love of my heart,
for I love you Lord,
and so need to give myself.
to surrender myself into your hands
without reserve
and with boundless confidence.
For you are my Father.
Amen .

- Charles de Foucauld

The Serenity Prayer

gomez — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 04:19:00 +0000

The Serenity Prayer

God grant me the serenity
to accept the things I cannot change;
courage to change the things I can;
and the wisdom to know the difference.
Living one day at a time;
enjoying one moment at a time;
accepting hardship as the pathway to peace.
Taking, as He did, this sinful world as it is,
not as I would have it.
Trusting that He will make all things right,
if I surrender to His will.
That I may be reasonably happy in this life,
and supremely happy with Him
forever in the next.

- Reinhold Niebuhr

Meditation: Hesychios

gomez — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 04:23:00 +0000

Meditations of a Desert Father (Christian Mystics)

If you really wish to achieve spiritual stillness
and to guard your heart successfully,
then let the prayer
"Lord Jesus, have mercy upon me"
become one with your breathing,
and in a few days you will see
how it can all be achieved.

~ Hesychios (6thC)

Hesychios is believed to have been a leader of a Sinai monastery in the 6th-7th century.

Seat Belts for Dogs

gomez — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 05:42:00 +0000

Guapita and Talulah just got car seat belts. Guapita doesn't move around very much in the car. She generally stays put. She is never anything but an angel,so well behaved that one. But T-dog (Talulah) on the other hand, she tends to move around until she finds a good spot, and all too often that spot is behind the neck of the driver or passenger. I particularly feel uneasy when she acts like a neck warmer / pillow around my mother when she is the driver. I see visions, bad ones, when I see this happen. I am happy about the car seat belts, but training them to use them is going to be another thing! Well, actually, it's mostly Talulah I'm worried about. She is like Houdini, gets out of anything! I need to be very stern with her and stand my ground. She doesn't like it. She doesn't relax into it. Before you know it she is out of breath trying to get out of it. Lord grant me patience ... my mom, too. The main reason for my post is to encourage the idea of seat belts for our best friends. I came across some good reasons to use them. Consider the following: 1. Distraction Pets can be a distraction. Distractions cause accidents. Remember Stephen King? He was hit by a car as the driver was trying to keep his rottweiler under control. 2. Impact Pets without seatbelts are just like people without seatbelts: If you slam on the brakes or hit another car, you and everything else that's not restrained goes flying toward the windshield. A large dog hurtling at you or another passenger from the backseat can be deadly for you and the dog. 3. Emergencies A dog that has been in an accident is likely to be in shock, confused, and injured. The dog could attack rescue personnel who are trying to help you. You can minimize this danger by properly restraining your dog. 4. Control Even well-trained dogs have been known to jump after a chipmunk, cat, or another dog. If your dog is in a seat belt, he can't jump out the window or run into the street when you open your door. 5. Comfort Isn't it simply more pleasant to ride in a car when everyone, human and canine, stays in their seat? I know, obvious sounding, right? Yet, it's been 7 years since we've had our girl Guapita and we're just belting her in now. You know what they say, better late....

About

gomez — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 20:07:25 +0000

"At the center of your being you have the answer; you know who you are and you know what you want" - Lao Tzu e.Regina (the ‘e’ stands for her first name, Ester) is passionate about helping you in your healing and awakening process. Her purpose is to hold sacred space, to educate you about your own healing abilities and to aid your connection with the Source (a.k.a. God) of all things for optimum well being and to feel love, peace, joy and happiness. She is honored to share with you her most authentic expression --- her holistic healing services that tend to your body, mind, and especially your spirit. She also loves to share with you through writing and teaching. Her personal mission is to help evolve the human race, one person at a time, by being a bridge to Spirit here on earth. Regina’s calling began as a young girl. She lost sleep trying to comprehend how the universe worked and had an inner knowing that there was something greater than her always working. Although she was a young girl, she spent time to herself deep in contemplation in the dark comforting space of closets. Yep! Closets … it was in small dark spaces that she felt truly comforted and at peace with all of her questioning. It was as though there she could commune directly with Spirit (a.k.a. God). She experienced paranormal activity in her early childhood and started to become clairaudient about the age of seven (but she didn’t know that’s what it was then, of course!) **Clairaudience is also known as clear or psychic hearing. It basically means that one may obtain information through hearing sounds and voices that come from within oneself yet feel as though they’re coming from the outside of oneself. Clairaudients may act as channels for other frequencies and dimensions. Regina has received messages from Spirit Guides, Angels, Higher Master Guides and Ascended Masters, like Jesus. At around age eight, she began to feel a strong connection with the spirit of Jesus – one of love, compassion and service. Developing a relationship with this Ascended Master she intended to walk with him. Moved by his teaching style she was deeply inspired by his healing works. ‘One day,’ she thought, ‘my hands and I will heal, too.’ She has earned a degree in Social Science. Three years after graduating, she took a leap, followed her heart and became a certified massage therapist. Two years later she became certified in Level II Reiki. Since then, it has been continuous learning about healing, the body, and Ki (pronounced Key, the universal life force). Although Regina has mostly been reluctant about her calling, she has finally come to answer the call of Spirit. As the saying goes, “make God laugh, tell him your plans.” Ki Healing is all about answering your calling, whatever it may be. Currently, she is pursuing Ordination in becoming an Angel Minister, working to integrate it with her healing work. She is prepping to return to her Aikido training as soon as possible and loves to spend time with her family dogs, Guapita (a small ‘huahua-pit ) and Talulah (a mini dachshund) and her very own latest addition, Monchichi (a rat-chi).

Home

gomez — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 20:11:19 +0000

"No Snowflake ever falls in the wrong place" - Zen saying Welcome and thank you for visiting Ki Healing. ‘Ki’ is pronounced ‘kee’ or ‘key’. I chose the word ‘Ki’ for mainly two reasons: one is that it is part of the word ‘Aikido’ (the martial art I practice) and the other reason is that it is a Japanese word written with a Chinese character so its definition is unclear; it’s hard to define, not necessarily easy to describe. ‘Ki’ holds a deep meaning as well as a light one. For me and how I define it here, ‘Ki’ means vital life force energy. I call my work Ki Healing because I help with renewing, restoring, balancing, assisting, guiding the movement of your vital life force. Through working with your Ki, together we create movement in you that will lead to a renewal of energy which eventually opens a pathway to feeling good. When feeling good is maintained, it gradually leads to a greater sense of well being. It’s very important to learn ways to manage our vital life force, this way we can experience balance in our lives. If our life force goes unchecked we’ll inevitably lose our sense of well being. It may become harder for us to distinguish when we feel good or what feels good to us. It’s possible that a numb feeling may set in and we might even relate to hamsters on a wheel. At this junction, feeling good is far from us. We may think, ‘how get to a sense of wholeness, again?’ In contrast, when we feed our ‘Ki’ or nourish our vital life force, we create pathways in our bodies and minds to feeling good. Feeling good creates various and some measurable impacts on our overall well being. My motto is simple and effective. It is to: Feel Good, Be Well. It is a practice that I try each day and sometimes only each moment. Ki Healing is a bridge to Spirit by aiding you to nourish your life force and to foster a sense of overall well being.

Ki Healing Blog

gomez — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 20:16:00 +0000

Services

gomez — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 20:22:40 +0000

"Although the world is full of suffering, it is also full of the overcoming of it." - Helen Keller Are you willing to take an active role in your life and in your healing process, even if you may not know where or how to begin?

My approach is one of empowerment. I believe that each one of us is a healer. I work side by side with you and your spiritual resources to aid you in your healing process. I specialize in being your bridge to Spirit -- that is, to your own spirit, to the Spirit of all things, and your spirit helpers. In communion with the Holy Spirit, I hold the sacred space you need for healing to occur naturally and at your own pace. I do this in a variety of ways. Please see below for services that feature mind, body and energy medicine.

Services

Therapeutic Massage

A basic integration of techniques designed to address stress and muscular tension through loving hands that hold space sacred for you and that carry you through to whatever you may need next Energetic Body Work A combination of energy medicine techniques including Reiki meant to address stress, emotional and spiritual imbalances Counseling/Consulting

Spiritual Direction, also known as Spiritual Companioning, intended to help explore and deepen relationship with God through compassionate listening

Channeled Guidance intended to provide clarity, guidance, understanding in life via spiritual guides

Angel readings intended to provide direction, guidance and healing in life specifically with Angels

Guided Imagery Harnessing the power of visualization to heal emotions, connect to spiritual resources and to nurture a desired reality For Your Animal Companions Healing comfort for your dog with Reiki. Long distance healing available For Your Home Home Angel Blessings offered to anchor all of the qualities you desire home to be and welcome your very own Angel into the place where you dwell

Available for classes and speaking engagements

Products Energetic Vibration Boosts Natural healing with crystals, gemstones, frequency oils in bracelets, necklaces, pendants and more to help attract desired energy Prices Services average $75.00 and vary depending on length of time and service. Prices for products depend on individual pieces/items. Prices for animal care average $40.00 A sliding scale is available for those who are in financial hardship or on a fixed income.

Contact

gomez — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 20:23:22 +0000

"Healing does not mean going back to the way things were before, but rather allowing what is now to move us closer to God." - Ram Dass I look forward to hearing from you and answering any questions that you may have about the services. For services delivered remotely, payment must be made in advance. Once payment is made, I will work with you to confirm your session. PayPal is accepted. For services delivered in person, cash or a personal check is accepted on the day the service is rendered. For cancellations, please call 24 hours in advance to cancel or to change your appointment. I ask that you honor your assigned time and date. Should you not contact me regarding changes to your appointment, no refunds will be issued. Add Me as a friend on Facebook! Online Contact Form [contact-form 1 "Contact form 1"]

green-leaf

gomez — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 04:03:26 +0000

Home

gomez — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 04:03:56 +0000

Hawaiian Lava Rock

About

gomez — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 05:56:47 +0000

Hawaii Passion Flower

water labrynth

gomez — Mon, 22 Mar 2010 22:10:11 +0000

Ethereal Hawaii

gomez — Mon, 22 Mar 2010 23:12:32 +0000

green leaf

gomez — Tue, 23 Mar 2010 08:20:58 +0000

Angel Praises

gomez — Tue, 23 Mar 2010 10:07:46 +0000

I love angels because they are messengers of God. Their ultimate message is to help reunite us with Divinity, often times through connecting us with our own innate Divinity that we have within us. Angels bring to us the messages from God in very concrete ways. They help to make what seems to be so ethereal conveniently or inconveniently palpable. I love that about them. Angels are very near to us. They are created to be by our side and walk with us. They are ready to be our best friends in spirit form. They hear us, watch over us, guide us, protect us, pray with and for us. For me what makes angels so special is that they fully intended to walk with us on this earth. They are in fact closely tied to our planet earth but more so to us human beings. They know the beauty of our creation, since they dwell in the realms of the Divine. There is a special quote that I think of often when I feel joyful or am excited. The Seraphim, in the book of Isaiah, standing above "His" throne cried out continually amongst each other: "Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory." (Isaiah 6:3) I can just imagine that they must've been pretty overjoyed to be as near to "Him" as they possibly could. They couldn't be too close, for they would burn up, so they had 6 wings to help them remain close but not be swallowed by the glorious flames. Two wings covered their faces, two protected their feet, and two were to fly with. That just seems absolutely thrilling. So, when I am thrilled, I say to myself, 'Holy!Holy!Holy! is the lord of hosts! the whole earth is full of glory!' LOL (laughing out loud) I also like that there is an Angel for many sentiments and purposes. There is an angel of love, an angel of truth, angel of thought, angel of peace, angel of joy, and so on. I can't believe that I ever wandered around without them. Although I used to wander about without them they were always with me.

green leaf

gomez — Wed, 24 Mar 2010 07:56:32 +0000

The Holistic Healing Umbrella

gomez — Mon, 29 Mar 2010 20:32:58 +0000

This is an article that intends to help define for you what Holistic Healing is on a very elementary level and what Holistic Healing includes. I feel as though Holistic Healing can be like a big mall. There are a variety of stores, selling their own thing but they’re all housed under one common property. There can be clothes, shoes, home furnishings, and on and on. It’s all there for you; you can choose whatever you want. You will find that there are many definitions of Holistic Healing out there. Essentially the holistic approach takes the broadest possible view of illness and disease, identifying multiple causes (both internal and external), and offering multi-dimensional healing, as opposed to specific cures. One of my favorite online writers of holistic healing topics and more is Phylamean lila Desy. I love that in her description of holistic healing she includes the distinction that holistic healing has over complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) or integrative medicine. The distinction is that physical health is not necessarily the main focus [and] it is often the experience of physical discomfort that will (…) prompt a person’s pursuit of holistic healing. Holistic healing takes into account one’s physical, mental, emotional and spiritual health; Doing so, holistic healing addresses all parts of the individual. While holistic healing can be complimentary to conventional medicine, it isn’t so much an alternative to it. The fact is that some illnesses are best managed with conventional medicine. We can have the best of both worlds in the sense that we can use both conventional and holistic options for optimum health. (I think it’s important to mention that we are all unique individuals and the relationship that you have to yourself is a very key element in knowing what works best for you, whether it’s conventional medicine for one thing and CAM for another and holistic healing methods for something else). The Holistic healing paradigm allows for there to be various contributing factors to the actualization of an illness and some of those factors are not all tangible/physical. Because Holistic healing embraces this multi-dimensionality, it can help us answer our deepest questions regarding ourselves, including how to be healthier, how to live fuller, and how to be more whole. Holistic healing helps to create harmony among the body, mind and spirit. Switching up the focus just slightly, let’s turn to some of the methods that fall under the holistic healing umbrella. I mentioned CAM above so let me touch on that now. Complementary medicine is used in addition to conventional western medicine. When this is done, it is then called Integrative medicine. Alternative medicine is used in place of conventional medicine. [MayoClinic]. There is what’s called “whole medical systems”. These whole medical systems are the well known and the well studied traditions such as Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and Ayurveda. We’ve talked about these a little bit in previous postings. Homeopathy is yet another one that is well known. In homeopathy you take a pellet, tablet, or a dilution (liquid). This treats your condition or illness with (I liked this explanation best) highly diluted concentrations of natural ingredients that mimic the symptoms of the condition being treated. It is really that simple. The medicine is not herbal. It uses a minute dose of plant or mineral substance to address the symptoms. Herbal medicine uses a larger quantity of plant material per does. They are considered by the FDA to be drugs not food, as is the case with herbs. There is also naturopathy. Naturopaths believe in nature’s power to heal. The practice can be best summed up by the 6 basic principles of naturopathic medicine.

Nature has the power to heal
Treat the whole person
Treat the cause not the effect
Do not harm
Encourage prevention
Act as Teacher

Your Guide To Healing Holistically

gomez — Mon, 29 Mar 2010 20:59:42 +0000

Community Announcement If you live in San Francisco or in the San Francisco Peninsula - Come learn about holistic healing, the body mind spirit paradigm, significance of diet and exercise, weight loss, stress, diseases, meditation and developing new habits with me, Regina Gomez, Healing Artist Class Title: Feel Good, Be Well: Your Guide To Healing Holistically Location: Doelger Senior Center, Room 5, Daly City, Ca Times/Dates: 3/13/2010 - 5/29/2010 Every Saturday from 11 am to 12 pm. Come every Saturday or Drop In. Cost: $3 for members and $5 for non members

Pictures

gomez — Wed, 31 Mar 2010 06:57:49 +0000

I love being outside with nature around me

[caption id="attachment_250" align="alignleft" width="225" caption="Botanical Gardens"][/caption] [caption id="attachment_493" align="alignright" width="300" caption="Tallulah and Me"][/caption]

Me at Beach

gomez — Wed, 31 Mar 2010 07:10:43 +0000

GG Botanical Gardens

gomez — Wed, 31 Mar 2010 07:32:23 +0000

Mercury Retrograde, Astrology

gomez — Fri, 09 Apr 2010 02:49:57 +0000

Okay beautiful spirits, it's that time again. Mercury is going Retrograde! I typically don't include too much astrology here except for themes that I deem very impacting and that I personally have experienced on some level. Please be aware that Mercury, the planet of communication, goes retrograde on April 18 and keeps up those shenanigans 'til May 11. Retrograde means that Mercury travels backwards through the zodiac of the planet. Since Mercury rules everything communications, it is said that everything communications goes bananas! Things happen like: computers acting up, cars breaking down, mobile phones not recording voice mails, projects demanding more of you and your resources than you originally planned for, yadda, yadda. Here's the nutshell: weak links will reveal themselves. A pretty important piece of advice that you'll read or hear plenty is that you should refrain from making any important decisions or start any new projects. Don't sign any new contracts, i.e. buying a house, car or start work related projects. Sounds like a big bad, no? It's not at all bad. It is a chance for us to slow down, assess and re-asses and try to fix what's not working. It gives us some time to catch up on projects that we've put out on the margins. You can trust that these annoyances and inconveniences will benefit you in the long-run. That's usually the way the marvelous Universe works. Gotta love it. Here's something I've heard -- the Mercury Retrograde has the energy of the Trickster (Coyote) and brings to light a lesson or a message for us in his typical round about teasing way. If any of you have experienced Coyote Medicine you know how silly it can me you feel. But no matter what, there is a lesson for us to learn and a message we need to hear. What do you say we try to ride this Retrograde out smoothly and go with the flow?

Prayer For Freedom of Suffering, Buddhist Prayer

gomez — Fri, 09 Apr 2010 03:31:13 +0000

May all beings everywhere plagued with sufferings of body and mind quickly be freed from their illnesses. May those frightened cease to be afraid, and may those bound be free. May the powerless find power, and may people think of befriending one another. May those who find themselves in trackless, fearful wilderness-- the children, the aged, the unprotected-- be guarded by beneficent celestials, and may they swiftly attain Buddhahood. -Buddha

Natural Stress Remedies

gomez — Fri, 09 Apr 2010 04:08:23 +0000

Natural Stress Remedies That Work Now

I share with you four principle strategies to dealing with a stressful situation. Helpguide.org calls it the Four A’s.

Dealing with Stressful Situations: The Four A’s

Change the situation:	Change your reaction:
Avoid the stressor	Adapt to the stressor
Alter the stressor	Accept the stressor

Avoiding the stressor means learning how to say “no”, avoiding situations and people who stress you out, make changes to your environment if you need to, i.e., if crowds at the grocery store stress you out try to go at different times or shop online or if the evening news agitates you, consider not watching it anymore, avoid potentially emotionally charged topics, i.e. politics, religion. Altering the stressor means trying to deal differently with the stressor. For example, if you are quick to anger because you feel too emotional try taking a walk around the block before you explode, if you normally don’t speak up for yourself then practice being more assertive where you are generally not. Deal with the situation in new creative ways. Adapting to the stressor means changing how you feel, think, and act towards the stressor. Ultimately, change from the inside out. Focus on what’s positive, adjust your standards and be okay with just good enough, gain perspective of the matter – is this really worth getting upset? Accepting the stressor means accept what you cannot change. Learn to forgive and make peace. Accept that there are things beyond your control. Share your feelings even though you know there is nothing that can be done. As you practice the 4A’s you will want to incorporate other practices as well. You will want to consider herbal therapy to help heal from your stress (see a list of herbs below); you will definitely want to incorporate physical exercise (yoga, tai chi, qi-gong, aerobics, swimming or routine walks); consider mind-body medicines such as massage therapy, journal writing, mindfulness meditation, deep breathing techniques, guided imagery. Aromatherapy is very healing. See a list for stress related problems below. Try talking with an holistic therapist or spiritual director in order to express your feelings. Include a life-giving diet (i.e. cutting out junk foods, sugars, caffeine, eating more greens and proteins.) Essential Oils For Stress Related Problems Anger, Anxiety: Basil, bergamot, chamomile, clary sage, cypress, frankincense, geranium, hyssop, jasmine, juniper, lavender, marjoram, melissa, neroli, ylang-ylang Depression: Basil, clary sage, grapefruit, jasmine, lavender, melissa, neroli, rose, sandalwood, vetiver, ylang-ylang Insomnia: Basil, chamomile, lavender, mandarin, marjoram, melissa, neroli, petitgrain, rose, sandalwood, thyme, ylang-ylang Nervous Exhaustion: Basil, cinnamon, citronella, coriander, ginger, grapefruit, hyssop, jasmine, lavender, lemon grass, peppermint, nutmeg, rosemary, ylang-ylang Nervous Tension: Basil, bergamot, cedarwood, chamomile, cinnamon, frankincense, geranium, jasmine, lavender, marjoram, melissa, neroli, palmarosa, rosemary, vetiver, ylang-ylang Some herbal medicines that you may want to discuss with a naturopath or whole foods representative to help you with stress are: Valerian, has a relaxing effect on the nervous system, it promotes relaxation in persons leading a hectic lifestyle and helps support restful sleep. Hops, has been used traditionally for nervous disorders and irritability. It has been known to be beneficial in the treatment of insomnia and sleep disorders because of its calming effect. Passion Flower acts like a sedative. Recent studies have pointed to the flavonoids in passion flower as the primary constituents responsible for its relaxing and anti anxiety effects. Scullcap is considered the best general nerve tonic of all the nervine herbs. Catnip nourishes the stomach and nerves. It calms the nervous system and is used also for digestion. Kava Kava is used for anxiety, stress relief, insomnia, and to relax the body. Chamomile is helpful as a digestive aid, tranquilizer and immunostimulant. It helps with mild sleep disorders, nervous stomach, and depresses the Central Nervous System. Rhodiola reduces stress on the heart and normalizes irregular heart beat. Research has confirmed its anti-fatigue, anti-stress and cardiotonic effects. Relora offers the relaxing qualities of the benzodiazepine class of drugs without negative side effects. Relora is an exciting new natural anti-anxiety, anti-stress relief formula that helps control stress-related eating and drinking that is non-sedating with potential anti-depressant properties. Combinations of popular herbs like Valerian, Hops and Black Cohosh traditionally used to relax the body's systems and provide general health maintenance. GABA can be taken to calm the body in much the same way as diazepam (Valium), chlordiazepoxide (Librium), and other tranquilizers, but without fear, of addiction. GABA has been used in the treatment of epilepsy, hypertension, anxiety, and attention disorders. L-Tyrosine is an essential amino acid and a precursor of the neurotransmitters dopamine, norepinephrine, epinephrine (adrenaline) and the thyroid hormones. Used to treat insomnia, depression and anxiety, as an appetite suppressor, elevates mood, a natural GH releaser. Should not to be used while taking prescription antidepressants or MAO inhibitors.

Stress Symptoms, Stress Signs

gomez — Fri, 09 Apr 2010 04:12:44 +0000

What does it mean to be stressed? Stress refers to the response we have when faced with a situation(s) that we may consider a challenge or a change or an adjustment of our normal balance. Stress is the body’s way of sounding an alarm for us. The situation may come from the outside world in the form of an overload of pressure or perhaps an internal conflict emerging from a strained personal relationship or from our mind in the form of imagined fears. Whatever the situation may be (and it could really be whatever) it is the thing that triggers the body’s natural stress response cycle to kick in. Have you ever heard of Flight or Fight? If you have, this is what the stress response cycle is often referred as. There are three chemical ringleaders of the Flight or Fight response. They are: adrenaline, noradrenaline and glucocortoids. These hormones makes their way through our bloodstream. Muscles, the smaller ones that we aren’t that aware of (i.e. on our faces or around the arteries) begin to tighten. Larger muscle groups also start to tense up; those we can feel more easily. Our blood pressure rises, heart rate increases and our breath rate goes up. Yes it does, even if we don't even notice it happening. We burn way more energy than any ordinary day at the gym. These responses can feel good, like an adrenalin rush, if it doesn’t last long. This is the body’s up or arousal stage of the stress cycle. When this response feels good we might feel excited, energized, experience mental clarity and carry an enjoyable buzz in your body. Sometimes people feel this way after a meditation or after physical exercise (the runner’s high) or even after a cup of coffee. But… if this feeling stays too long with, us it does have a dark side and be warned, it will not feel good anymore. During the stress response our body stands divided like a nation in a civil war. Our body, a nation in an economic regression, acts conservatively with the use of its resources, and shuts off various internal processes where it’s okay to do so until it is okay to return to homeostasis (state of equilibrium). The immune system is restricted and energy storage and reproduction processes are locked down. Imagine that your body is a building that is experiencing a security breach and several parts of the building’s operations have to be controlled and adjusted to maintain security as best possible. For example, the thymus gland, essential for the creation of T-cells (white blood cells responsible for cell immunity), may atrophy under stress. The lymphatic system and the spleen (our sewage disposal unit) shrink under the pressure. This kind of response is natural, healthy, good and well if the crisis passes quickly. However, it is not natural, healthy, good and well if you are staying in this arousal cycle and your body remains in a systems lock down environment. If your body stays in a systems lock down mode, this becomes a chronic stress response. When is it okay to turn on the digestive system again? How long can the heart keep up with its elevated rate? If your body sustains these resource cuts for too long of a time, heed these words, they will become destructive. Chronic stress leads to chronic high blood pressure which can lead to heart disease, kidney and respiratory failure. Burning energy too fast (think of someone seriously wired) may lead to cell damage and exhaustion that may lead to tense muscles that cause recurring physical pain and injury. Reduced blood supply to the digestive system and too much acid in the stomach produce an array of gastrointestinal problems. The immune system, our protector, our chief of security is particularly hit hard by the pressure of chronic stress. White blood cells drop (working to fight infection), making us more vulnerable to colds, viruses and leaving us open for attack of possibly more serious diseases. As we already know, a compromised immune system affects everything. What causes Stress? Stress is caused by “stressors”. Stressors are situations that trigger the stress response cycle. There are positive and negative situations, such as a rocky relationship or an event like getting married. Common causes of stress are: External - major life changes, work, relationship difficulties, financial problems, being too busy, children and family Internal causes - pessimism, negative self-talk, perfectionism, lack of assertiveness, unrealistic expectations, inability to accept uncertainty. It’s important to be able to recognize when we are stressed so that we can help ourselves deal with stress and heal from stress. Stress Warning Signs and Symptoms *The more signs and symptoms you notice in yourself, the closer you may be to stress overload.

Cognitive Symptoms	Emotional Symptoms
Memory problems Inability to concentrate Poor judgment Seeing only the negative Anxious or racing thoughts Constant worrying	Moodiness Irritability or short temper Agitation, inability to relax Feeling overwhelmed Sense of loneliness and isolation Depression or general unhappiness
Cognitive Symptoms	Emotional Symptoms
Memory problems Inability to concentrate Poor judgment Seeing only the negative Anxious or racing thoughts Constant worrying	Moodiness Irritability or short temper Agitation, inability to relax Feeling overwhelmed Sense of loneliness and isolation Depression or general unhappiness

Top Ten Stressful Life Events

Spouse’s death
Divorce
Marriage separation
Jail term
Death of a close relative
Injury or illness
Marriage
Fired from job
Marriage reconciliation
Retirement

What can do you to begin to heal from stress? Keep in mind that no singular method works for everyone or works for every situation. For stress management you will definitely need to create a tool box and will definitely want to focus your attention on what brings you peaceful and calm feelings. For more ideas, see my Natural Stress Remedies posting.

Thomas Merton Prayer

gomez — Fri, 09 Apr 2010 04:14:37 +0000

My Lord, I have no idea where I am going. I do not see the road ahead of me. I cannot know for certain where it will end. Nor do I really know myself, and the fact that I think that I am following your will does not mean that I am actually doing so. But I believe that the desire to please you does in fact please you. And I hope I have that desire in all that I am doing. I hope that I will never do anything apart from that desire. And I know that if I do this you will lead me by the right road though I may know nothing about it. Therefore will I trust you always though I may seem to be lost and in the shadow of death. I will not fear, for you are ever with me, and you will never leave me to face my perils alone.

Thomas Merton Thoughts In Solitude Abbey of Gethsemani

Surfer and Whale

gomez — Fri, 09 Apr 2010 04:31:13 +0000

California Surfer and Mink Whale Paddle For A Cause

I was so moved by a young southern California surfer who made it her mission to challenge her physical and mental limitations in the name of hope. Thirty-four year old surfer, Jodie Nelson set out to paddle nearly 40 miles from the Santa Catalina shoreline to Dana Point. Her reason? To inspire her best friend to keep fighting in her struggle to beat breast cancer. As if that part of her story weren’t impressive enough, Jodie Nelson was blessed to have had a very special surfing companion. This special companion was no one else but a 30 foot minke whale -- a rare sighting for southern California waters -- that she affectionately named Larry. At 4 a.m. on the day of her mission, Nelson prayed that “God would reveal his beauty and creation and nature, and allow me to endure this long trek”. She said that for her, having been accompanied by the Minke whale “…was a total God thing.” Larry the whale not only swam alongside her, he apparently blew bubbles under her board! One American Cetacean Society whale researcher mentioned that “This type of quality encounter is highly unusual.” [source ref. below]. While minke whale sighting are rare, sharks are not so rare. Clearly Nelson put herself on the line and really pushed her limitations. So, I believe that she needed Larry and that he rode with her to protect her and to lend her the courage, determination and publicity that she needed to reach her goal – reaching $100,000 in their fundraising (according to OUTDOOR on GrindTV in association with Yahoo Sports). While Nelson did not meet her $100,000 fundraising goal when she wanted to (in advance of her paddling) God was working in his (or her, however you like J) time. By April 2, five days after her event, Nelson had raised over $100,000 thanks to Larry the minke whale – God’s beauty, creation and nature revealed. You may have already read about this story, but this is the kind of story that doesn’t grow old. It shows us many things about ourselves. It shows us that we can envision a goal bigger than ourselves; that we can push beyond our physical and mental limitations; that we can find courage and determination that we don’t know we have; that we can move and inspire one another; and most importantly, that we can expect everyday miracles to happen! You can donate here: http://firstgiving.com/paddlewithpurpose

High Priestess

gomez — Fri, 23 Apr 2010 02:11:27 +0000

Tarot Major Arcana - 2 High Priestess

gomez — Fri, 23 Apr 2010 03:07:57 +0000

I skipped #2 The High Priestess in the last posting I did for the Major Arcana. I went from 0 The Fool to 1 The Magician to 3 The Empress and skipped right past the High Priestess. I think this was a subconscious act on my part, which is kind of ironic considering it is the High Priestess that rules the realm of the unconscious/subconscious and all that we are not aware of. I feel like I don't know her all that well. That's part of her message though. She seems like she is hidden to us, although in reality, she isn't. She is ready to reveal to us what we need to know even though we have no idea what we need to know. She is a secret keeper. High Priestess will tell you life's secrets that you may feel like you shouldn't be knowing or don't even want to know, but the timing is such that you are to begin to develop your awareness. Did I mention she represents the Moon? Like the Moon she has many hidden aspects to her, but still, she throws us a bone or gives us a clue when our path is darkened. She shines a light for us. But this light isn't actually her own, it is actually just a reflection of the Sun's light. Still, she manages to work her magic for us in what we need. That's how she works, gives you what you need in a way that you may find surprising. She shows us the female side of a situation and speaks to our Intuition on the matter. When you see the High Priestess think of the Goddess you have within you. All females have Goddess inside of them. We may not be aware of it, but because we are females, by nature it is innately there. The High Priestess is a magician and one of her special powers is her Intuition. You have this inside of you. This Intuition is your inner knowing that will always guide you even when the path is dark. In your intuition there is secret wisdom that you may have never known even existed inside of you, but sometimes the situation will unveil this wisdom for you. The 2 -High Priestess follows the 1 -Magician and is the feminine counterpart to the Magician. Just like the magician she works with magic. She has her own magical style and abilities. Unlike the magician though, the resources she harnesses are from within rather than from without. Keep in mind that while the energy of the Magician is outward, the energy of the High Priestess is inward. Sometimes we need to DO and sometimes we need to just be STILL. Sometimes we need to ACT and sometimes we need to just LISTEN. Being still and listening are hints the High Priestess gives to us.

Whale

gomez — Fri, 23 Apr 2010 03:55:45 +0000

Mercury

gomez — Fri, 23 Apr 2010 04:01:29 +0000

Mercury

gomez — Fri, 23 Apr 2010 04:02:05 +0000

DSCN0535

gomez — Fri, 23 Apr 2010 04:19:08 +0000

The Dashing Dachshund

gomez — Fri, 23 Apr 2010 04:36:10 +0000

I was just telling a friend the other day how our little mini dachshund is just a terror, how she barks at big dogs, how she enters the park and starts barking as if to announce to everyone that the Queen (her) has arrived, how she hypnotizes with her eyes, how she glides through the air to land like a scarf around your neck, how she sticks her whole nose into her sister's mouth, how she is just so rowdy and I could go on. Yes, I love her so much, but she can really take the wind out of me, and I'm pretty energetic. She tries me, and really can press my boundaries. She's really quite a fascinating and complex four-legger, such a contrast to our first 4-legger - a peaceful and gentle corgie/chihuahua/pitbull mix. Talulah has loads of energy. She's always vigilant for some action. The girl loves her some adventure, quite the risk taker. Headstrong? Forget it! Mom forwarded me this article about the "dashing Dachshund". It speaks to their character a bit and I think doesn't paint too pretty of a picture of them. While the points that the article points out are mostly true, the article didn't mention how extremely affectionate they can be. Ms. Talulah can be so incredibly loving and fiercely determined. She shows me the meaning of determination. That's her right below. Check it out here: The Dachshund is a curious, clever and lively breed of hunting-dog. These playful pups are known for their propensity to chase small objects (toys, tennis balls, small animals) with great determination. They also have a strong instinct to dig. The temperament and body language of Dachshunds often gives the impression that they are oblivious to their relatively small stature. For this reason, these little "hot dogs" require a good deal of training and structure at home. Without it, they are at risk of developing "little-dog syndrome," which may include behaviors such as guarding furniture, food, toys and other objects, biting and obsessive barking. Their innately stubborn personalities can make them a challenge to train. Author E. B. White, who owned several Dachshunds, wrote: "Some day, if I ever get a chance, I shall write a book, or warning, on the character and temperament of the dachshund and why he can't be trained and shouldn't be. I would rather train a striped zebra to balance an Indian club than induce a dachshund to heed my slightest command." Although Dachshunds are amusing and affectionate dogs that are greatly devoted to their people, they are not recommended as pets for families with babies and toddlers. Well-trained Dachshunds and well-behaved children usually get along fine. But it is possible that without proper training and socialization, these dogs can be aggressive and snap at or bite an unfamiliar child. They are generally good around other pets, but, again, without proper human leadership and socialization, can become jealous, irritable, obstinate and quick to bite. Daily walks are necessary to keep these dogs calm and content. In a 2008 University of Pennsylvania study of 6,000 dog owners, Dachshunds were rated the most aggressive, with 20 percent having bitten strangers. The study noted that attacks by small dogs are unlikely to cause serious injuries and are therefore probably under-reported.

meditation-leaf

gomez — Tue, 27 Apr 2010 00:17:41 +0000

realplay

gomez — Tue, 27 Apr 2010 00:54:13 +0000

Why and how to Meditate - Sonia Choquette

gomez — Tue, 27 Apr 2010 00:58:00 +0000

Approaching Zazen (seated meditation)

gomez — Tue, 27 Apr 2010 01:03:52 +0000

Meditation For Beginners

gomez — Tue, 27 Apr 2010 01:05:29 +0000

You should know that Meditation is for everyone. You may even discover that you’ve already been meditating without realizing it. First, let’s discuss what meditation is. There can be many points of view on what it is. I’m not trying to make my definition the ONLY definition, neither am I trying to make up a new definition. Meditation is a practice. Meditation is a holistic practice. Meditation is a strategy to combat stress. Meditation is a spiritual and/or religious practice. Meditation is a conscious relaxation process. [i] This conscious practice of activating the relaxation response in ourselves is what I am talking about. I realize that many people are interested in beginning to meditate, but they may not know how to begin for various reasons and then they just don’t begin or begin but drop it after some attempts. I really want you to know that Meditation is for everyone and you CAN develop this practice for your own well being. Why in the world do you want to begin to meditate? Maybe you are already doing it. Did you know that you can meditate in lots of ways! Let’s see. The basic variations/techniques of meditation are primarily broken down into two main categories: Focused and non-focused. What this means is that for focused or concentrative meditations you practice putting one thing in the foreground and letting all other things pass by in the background. In this one, you focus on the chosen object and “just watch” the background stuff pass by. The non focused means there is no focal point or object of focus. Keep in mind that sometimes these two distinct styles converge into one meditation. Alright, are you ready for the basic meditation variations? I can tell that you are. Here we go. Basic Meditation: This is about getting in a comfortable position and just trying to quiet your mind and do nothing. Warning! Not so easy to do if you tend to have ants in your pants and keep lots of what’s been said in your head. However, if you want to try this way to start, it may help to think of yourself as an observer of your thoughts, just watching what’s going on but letting it just pass by and not get involved with it. Focused Meditation: This is about focusing on an object such as breath, for example. Other examples are a rose, a sound or music (all sensory objects) that you may have thoughts on, but you don’t engage with your thoughts. If you feel yourself doing that, you go back to the object of focus. The object can really help to keep you in the present, the present moment. Activity Oriented Meditation: This is my personal favorite technique, only because I love engaging my body. This style of meditation is one where you get into a feeling of flow in the activity you are engaged in. Some active forms of meditation may be walking, washing clothes, chopping wood, carrying water, water vegetables, or drive the car. Whatever we are DOING, as long as we do it with the energies of mindfulness and concentration and insight in our mind and body, then we are practicing meditation. Mindfulness Techniques: I think this style ties with the activity oriented meditation in terms of personal faves. The mindfulness technique simply involves staying in the present moment. Your object of focus can be the sensation you feel in your body. This works to help stay present. Equally effective is to focus on your emotions and sense where you feel them in your body. Remember, though, don’t caught up in the thinking process, just experience and sense all of this. Spiritual Meditation: This refers to meditation as a spiritual practice that may or may not be associated with religion. Meditation can be a form of prayer. For example, in Christianity, meditation has been described as the place to come to listen to God rather than to petition to God. But, you can meditate on a single question or meditate to clear your mind and accept whatever may come your way on any given day. This style of meditation has a nourishing and healing effect on your body and mind. I want to touch a little bit more on focusing and our senses in meditation. As you sit still, do nothing and just watch your inner dialogues without reacting, you’ll find that your mind doesn’t want to just do nothing. It’s virtually impossible to just do nothing. Our mind will find something to think on (and thinking is being busy) and before you know it turns into something to do. So, when we want to a break and do nothing we need to feed our minds an object of focus. The object is like an anchor for us, slowing the mind down and holding us still for a moment. If you experience a stressful or troublesome thought, you pull free from it as you return to the anchor. Author of How Meditation Heals, Eric Harrison says “Focus, detachment, a passive awareness – these are the core skills in meditation.” Most meditation objects are sensual, like the breath, the body, sounds, music, a repeated word or phrase (mantra, affirmation, chant etc.). Using our senses shifts us from the dark side of thinking to the lightness being and the simplicity of just feeling and just seeing. The physiology of meditation, what is happening in our bodies?

A major drop in metabolic activity
A reduction in lactate levels and muscle tension
Slower breathing,
Drop in blood pressure (for those whose pressure is high)
A shift in faster beta brain waves to slower alpha, delta, and theta brain waves, experiences of peace and relaxation.

This is the body’s relaxation response, and meditation helps to bring it on consciously. It is possible to put the mental noise aside and create a sacred space to simply listen, feel, and just be, in peace. Quick Meditation Tips

To relax, shift from thinking to sensing and come into the present moment.

Core instructions for almost every meditation anywhere in the world are:

Focus on an object
When the mind wanders reel it back and
Let all other sensations and thoughts pass by.

Don't try to force something to happen
Don't over analyze the meditation
Don't Try too hard to make your mind go blank and chase thoughts away
Don't place emphasis on doing it right

Here are two videos that describe two different approaches to a meditation practice. See : Meditation How To Video 1 and Meditation How To Video 2

[i] How Meditation Heals, Eric Harrison

Meditation - How To Video 1

gomez — Tue, 27 Apr 2010 01:33:37 +0000

Refer to: Meditation For Beginners http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EA2sc8WWuoI&feature=channel

Meditation - How To Video 2

gomez — Tue, 27 Apr 2010 01:36:46 +0000

Refer to: Meditation For Beginners http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=csyCrcpDs58

Animal Reincarnation

gomez — Wed, 12 May 2010 04:18:12 +0000

Do Cats Reincarnate into Dogs?

I read a great article on About.com Holistic Healing. It talks about the question of reincarnation of our animal companions. "Do Cats Reincarnate into Dogs?" Below is my comment on whether a cat can reincarnate into a dog. This was a great question for Madeleine. I couldn’t agree more with her when she wrote that Autumn, the cat, can definitely come back as a dog, if it suits him, his spiritual lessons and purpose. I think that we don’t always know right when our beloved animal companion passes on, but so long as we are open to the idea that Autumn’s returning and open to the form that he may take up on his return, we would surely find Autumn’s spirit / essence again. Since Carrie is thinking of a dog for her family, don’t think for a second that Autumn is not aware of this. Oh he is certainly aware of it … and may be waiting for Spirit to help him coordinate things. I channel spirit guides for humans and also communicate with animal energy, particularly with dog energy. For Carrie, May you and your family find the animal companion that you so need in your life in divine timing. Blessings.

Intuitive Senses, Clair...

gomez — Wed, 12 May 2010 04:46:45 +0000

Meanings of the "Clairs"

Yet another great read from the site About.com Holistic Healing! In case you were wondering how the heck Angel readers, like myself, receive their messages from angels, here is a good guideline. Easy to understand, too. Eileen Smith, angel intuitive and contributor to About.com Holistic Healing, defines the "Clairs" (senses) that are commonly used for intuiting messages from the angels as follows:

Clairaudience "clear hearing" - You will hear them either audibly or inside your head almost like it's your own voice. For you, you may hear an actual name or a suggestion of a name.

Clairvoyance "clear seeing) - You may see things actually manifest physically. Most, however, just see images in their head almost like a movie playing in their mind. So you may see a symbol or image of their name.

Claircognizant "clear knowing" - You just have a knowing about things. For many strong in this gift it feels like knowledge pours into the top of their heads. For you, you may have a "knowing" of their name.

Clairsentient "clear feeling" - These are the feelers, the empaths. People who have this feel their angels guidance in their bodies and in their heart. So you may feel the vibration of their name or what their name means.

The dominant way that I intuit angel messages is through clear hearing or clairaudience. The secondary way I receive messages is through clear feeling or clairsentience. Which one of these might you use?

j0446420

gomez — Wed, 12 May 2010 05:14:12 +0000

The Eye

gomez — Wed, 12 May 2010 05:18:13 +0000

Picture of an eye

autumn fun

gomez — Wed, 12 May 2010 05:22:22 +0000

a woman in and around summer bubbles

j0441049

gomez — Wed, 12 May 2010 05:34:42 +0000

Mexican Hairless

j0438885

gomez — Wed, 12 May 2010 05:44:01 +0000

USDA Organic

gomez — Tue, 08 Jun 2010 04:43:59 +0000

What's Organic?

gomez — Tue, 08 Jun 2010 22:17:55 +0000

In 2000 the USDA (US Dept. of Agriculture) established guidelines for organic certification. Under the USDA rules, growers of fruit, vegetables, meat and milk are forbidden from using synthetic pesticides or fertilizer in food production. Also forbidden is the use of genetic engineering, irradiation (process of exposure to radiation) or sewage sludge (fertilizer made from cleansed product of sewage treatment). To be certified organic, livestock must be fed nothing except for certified organic feed and can’t be given any growth hormone. Livestock must also be allowed to be outside in pasture at least a portion of the day. Organic farmers can use organic pesticides. Most of these pesticides break down in one day, however. Supposedly, organic pesticides may be used by a farmer as a last resort when other methods have not worked. One organic farmer commented that with respect to farmer’s markets the growers often say they are spraying all natural pesticides on their crops but that when you get down to it they are using chemicals that are not allowed on organic farms. This farmer mentioned that one of the farmer’s market growers was using synthetic pesticides on all the crops. So, while there is a lot of recommendation to go to a farmer’s market to get local and organic farmed veggies and fruits, it 's going to be relatively important to get to know the farmer you buy from. Let's talk about labels. If you see a label that says 100% Organic, it should mean that fruits, vegetables, meats, milk and cheese were grown 100% without synthetic fertilizers or pesticides and that 100% of its ingredients are organic. In the case of meat or milk it means that all the USDA stipulations concerning hormones, feed, and time spent outdoors were met. If the label says Organic then the meat or produce or multi ingredient food has at least 95% organic ingredients. If you see Made With Organic Ingredients it assures consumers that no less than 70 percent of the produce, milk, or meat was produced using organic ingredients. If you see Contains Organic Ingredients label then it means that less than 70% of ingredients are organic. Take note that it could be that the product has just one organic ingredient and can use this label. The ‘free range’ label: This is used interchangeably with ‘cage free’. The USDA regulates the use of either term when it comes to poultry, but not to eggs, and there’s no clear definition of how much outdoor access animals should receive. The "natural” label. Natural has no real meaning in any food other than meat and poultry, which can't have any artificial coloring, chemical preservatives, or ingredients. Although meat and poultry are supposed to have only minimal processing, there's no certification process that meat or poultry producers must comply with in order to place this term on their labels. The USDA does not claim that these products are safer or more nutritious. There has been no conclusive evidence that organically grown food is more nutritious than conventionally grown food. The decision to buy all Organic or to buy only certain foods grown and labeled Organic lies with ourselves. There are many personal reasons for why people buy organic. Essentially, the difference between organically labeled foods and non-organically labeled foods is how the food is produced, processed and handled. Note that Organic food may spoil sooner because they are not supposed to be treated with preservatives or waxes. There are various reasons for why people buy organic, but one of the reasons is to reduce exposure to pesticide residue. Another reason is for the environment. Organic farming practices reduce pollution and conserve water and soil. If you don’t know if you should buy organic or not consider getting the Dirty Dozen organic and/or getting the Clean 15 (lowest pesticides). http://www.foodnews.org/EWG-shoppers-guide-download-final.pdf If you already do buy Organic, what are some of your reasons? Do you buy everything, most, or just some organic foods/products?

grapes on grapevine

gomez — Tue, 08 Jun 2010 22:31:37 +0000

grapes on grapevine in vineyard. Shallow DOF.

Antioxidants

gomez — Tue, 08 Jun 2010 22:41:47 +0000

Before discussing their role in maintaining good health, let's first clarify what antioxidants are. "Antioxidant" is the collective name for the vitamins, minerals, carotenoids, and polyphenols that protect the body from harmful free radicals. Free radicals are produced when our body cells use oxygen. They are by-products that can cause us damage ala cancer, heart disease, diabetes. Antioxidants act as free radical scavengers in that they prevent and repair free radical damage. The term anti-oxidant refers to the mechanism by which they help prevent disease. See, antioxidants block the process of oxidation (a damaging but normal process) by neutralizing free radicals. There are many products that advertise their antioxidant content (antioxidant supplements, too) and while consuming those products probably won’t hurt, the most effective way to get more antioxidants is through your food. As usual, fruits and vegetables are key, five servings of it. Why can't it ever be chocolate cupcakes? The most commonly known antioxidants are foods with lots of Vitamin E, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Selenium, and Phytochemicals. You can also take antioxidant supplements but it’s best to get it through your diet. Vitamin E foods: Nuts and seeds (walnuts, peanuts, almonds, seeds, olives, avocado, leafy greens) Vitamin A Foods: carrots, squash, broccoli, tomatoes, kale, collards, peaches, apricots, cantaloupe (bright colored fruits) Vitamin C Foods: oranges, lime, grapefruit, tomatoes, peppers, strawberries Selenium Foods: seafood, beef, pork, chicken, eggs, brown rice, whole wheat bread, brazil nuts Phytochemicals: some currently under study for their ability to reduce disease See list below

PHYTOCHEMICAL	FOOD SOURCE
Allyl sulfides	Onions, garlic, leeks, chives
Carotenoids (e.g., lycopene, lutein, zeaxanthin)	Tomatoes, carrots, watermelon, kale, spinach
Curcumin	Turmeric
Flavonoids (e.g., anthocyanins, resveratrol, quercitin, catechins)	Grapes, blueberries, strawberries, cherries, apples, grapefruit, cranberries, raspberries, blackberries
Glutathione	Green leafy vegetables
Indoles	Broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, bok choy
Isoflavones (e.g., genistein, daidzeins)	Legumes (peas, soybeans)
Isothiocyanates (e.g., sulforaphane)	Broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, bok choy
Lignans	Seeds (flax seeds, sunflower seeds)
Monoterpenes	Citrus fruit peels, cherries, nuts
Phytic acid	Whole grains, legumes
Phenols, polyphenols, phenolic compounds (e.g., ellagic acid, ferulic acid, tannins)	Grapes, blueberries, strawberries, cherries, grapefruit, cranberries, raspberries, blackberries, tea
Saponins	Beans, legumes

Carbohydrates

gomez — Tue, 08 Jun 2010 22:45:07 +0000

Various examples of Carbohydrates

Don't Hate the Carbohydrate

gomez — Tue, 08 Jun 2010 23:01:34 +0000

My mother has always struggled with weight. Food and her have a complex relationship. There is always something for her to learn about food and how it affects her. Learning about carbohydrates has been a little trying for her. I think because she has heard that there are some good ones and some bad ones. I wrote this post with her in mind.

The Carbohydrate has really taken a beating over the last five, seven years. First they’re good, then they’re bad then some are good, some are bad. So, which is it and why does it matter to you?

Carbohydrates are made up of three ingredients : starches, sugars, and cellulose (roughage/fiber).When it comes to trendy weight loss diets, Carbs tend to be a bad word. Yet in other diets, Carbs are considered a healthy nutrient. Carbs are complex! … And simple, too. Carbs are BOTH good and bad. So, how is that? It’s like this: Carbohydrates break down nice and slow or super fast. We want the Carbs we eat to be the ones that break down nice and slow because when we eat more of the ones that break down super fast, it will hike our blood sugar levels and our blood sugar levels for the day will look like a graph of seismic activity! See, all Carbs (good and bad) break down in our body and turn into glucose (a simple sugar) which then stimulates the creation of a hormone called insulin. The more glucose the body makes (esp. when we eat bad Carbs) the more it needs to make insulin. Insulin productions can get out of control and this can lead to diabetes type 2. This is why we want to know what Carbs are and why it’s important we know what kind of Carb we are choosing to eat. In general, good Carbs are foods full of fiber – whole grains, veggies, fruits, and beans. Plant foods deliver a lot of fiber. Ask yourself what the fiber content is of the Carb you are considering. The more fiber, the better the Carb is for you. In general, bad Carbs are foods that are highly refined and processed, where fiber is stripped away – white bread, white rice, and SUGARS! Refined white grains and starches and added sugars are considered bad Carbs. Fiber is Awesome! The great thing about fiber (fibrous carbs) is that it slows down the absorption of nutrients and we want this slow down because then blood sugar levels (insulin production) remains stable rather than spiking all over the place. This may reduce your risk of diabetes (type 2). Also, certain types of fiber like that found in oats and beans can help lower blood cholesterol. It also helps us to feel full longer. Fiber does all of this for us despite us not being able to digest it!

Umbrella

gomez — Wed, 09 Jun 2010 00:59:23 +0000

Umbrella with flowers

Spiritual Dog

gomez — Thu, 17 Jun 2010 05:35:49 +0000

Stone Dog

Animal Companion Spirits

gomez — Thu, 17 Jun 2010 05:40:46 +0000

Blackbird is playing right now - one of my absolute favorite songs in the whole world. As it plays, I have just finished reading this very personal and special story shared by a woman whose recently lost her animal companion. This moment for me has become sacred and magical. I have learned that it doesn't take much to have these God moments. Here's the story that brought some magic into my life. I let it reach my soul as I read it. I hope you let it reach yours. My dog, Rocky, died June 4th, he would've turned 15 on Christmas Eve. We had Rocky since he was a puppy. His mother who was 16 died March 3rd. I brought my remaining dog :( to the park 2 days ago and there were dragonflies everywhere. I've been going to that park for 16 years and never saw dragonflies. Anyway, I asked my dog Rocky to send me a sign, I said send me a butterfly to show you're okay. I was waiting for one to fly on my head but it didn't. Anyway, yesterday I met my friend and her dog at the same park. My friend is a cancer survivor and in tune with her spirituality, etc. We were sitting in the park and all of a sudden we were swarmed by dragonflies. I was swatting at them, one was HUGE and practically in my hair. My friend said "don't swat them, they're very spiritual." It was weird. Then we saw a hawk overhead, then another and then there were four of them. (4 of my dogs have passed now, they all spent time at that park). The whole thing was strange, I came home and was AMAZED at all the Web sites referring to dragonfly magic, messengers, angels, birds, hawks, etc. Please, can you tell me what you think of this? To see Madeleine's reply to this click here. Madeleine Walker is an animal communicator. To read what I think, keep a readin'. Yes, of course Rocky is okay. He is much more than okay. He is in heaven. While he is in heaven he keeps around you, too. He wanted to make so certain that you knew it was him he had to make you wonder, he had to make you think, he had to make you believe ... so, instead of butterflies, he gave you a very clear sign of spirit and the magical world that lies behind the veil, Rocky gave you DragonFlies. Then you experienced other animal companion spirits in the form of Hawks. Hawk, one of my favorite messengers, so loyal to the Spirit world. What I can say is that you must have shared a very special union with your animal companion, Rocky. He loved you very much. Animal companions, and especially dogs, for me, are like angelic beings. They are like angel beings with fur and four legs. (Hmmm, what can I call that? dogiangel?) It may sound corny, but I am a believer in that D-O-G spelled backwards is G-O-D. I don't think that is a coincidence --not when dogs love us unconditionally, bring us so much joy, and offer us so much to learn. The love one may share with their dog is transcendent! What do you think?

Thomas Merton

gomez — Tue, 22 Jun 2010 05:42:48 +0000

(RNS1-NOV26) Trappist monk Thomas Merton is considered one of the most influential spiritual writers of the 20th century. Merton died in 1968 while attending a monastic conference in Bangkok, Thailand. For use with RNS-MERTON-40, transmitted Nov. 26, 2008. Religion News Service photo used with permission of the Merton Legacy Trust and the Merton Center at Bellarmine University.

Stress

gomez — Tue, 22 Jun 2010 06:01:10 +0000

image of woman stressed out

Spilled Coffee

gomez — Tue, 22 Jun 2010 06:08:52 +0000

Spilled cup of joe on day planner

danger thin ice

gomez — Tue, 22 Jun 2010 06:16:41 +0000

danger thin ice - warning sign by a lake

herbal remedy

gomez — Tue, 22 Jun 2010 06:29:15 +0000

http://www.herbalmusings.com/natural_remedies.htm

Spiritual Direction for Former Catholics

gomez — Fri, 25 Jun 2010 03:56:29 +0000

Recently, the National Catholic Reporter, published a very interesting article called, "An Ancient and Contemporary pathway to God" It talks about how there has been a growing number of U.S. Catholics who do not attend Mass on a weekly basis and how there is a fast growing segment of U.S. believers that are "spiritual" but whom practice no formal religion. The article asks how can the church serve Catholics and reach former Catholics who say they still want to spiritual people? The proposed answer? Spiritual Direction. Here I share some excerpts from the article itself. “Spiritual direction is not for the pious few, but for everyone who is seeking a relationship with God,” said Liz Budd Ellman, executive director of the Bellevue, Wash.-based Spiritual Directors International. This 20-year-old organization is a global learning community of many faiths and many nations committed to advancing spiritual direction around the world. “Spiritual direction is an ancient practice in the church and was recovered and renewed by Vatican Council II,” said cofounder Mercy Sr. Janet Ruffing, an author and a professor in the practice of spirituality and ministerial leadership at Yale Divinity School, New Haven, Conn. “Spiritual direction has proved vital to the everyday person, as inner development through prayer leads to outer development in the way one engages his or her family members, neighbors and the world,” Ellman said.

Mother and Child

gomez — Fri, 25 Jun 2010 03:57:52 +0000

Angel carrying another angel

hanged man

gomez — Fri, 25 Jun 2010 05:07:50 +0000

tarot card hanged man

12 The Hanged Man

gomez — Fri, 25 Jun 2010 05:09:07 +0000

12 the Hanged Man or El Colgado. No, this image is not upside down. It's the Hanged Man. He is supposed to be upside down. I am not going to lie, I don't usually like this card when I get it. It is a card that tells us there is uncertainty, that there is something we can't seem to wrap our pretty little heads around just yet. We aren't sure of something. Maybe we are even feeling CONFU-SED. It says, discernment is needed. It ponders. It contemplates. We're just hung up about something. We are locked in between an aspect of the mundane and an aspect of the sacred. We are hanging in between worlds. What is the in -between? What reside there? Why are you there?What is happening to make you feel as though you don't know? What is your hang up? Is it time for you to take action? Another way to look at this card is that it is recommending that you to keep one eyed shut; to keep your connection with the sacred even while you are here on earth working the mundane. It tells us that yes, we can be in two places at one time. You can master this. Physically we are here, grounded on the earth, participating fully in this life but our hearts are open and living from a Sacred place, being guided and directed by what's up there, the universe, the heavens, the great vastness. This card can be very deep and for that you'll want to explore more sites, but to sort of get the gist of the cards meaning in layman's terms, I present to you my humble attempt to provide some clarity around it. Situations under which you would pull this card are: To break up with a lover or not? To consider a new line of work? To move to a new place? Are you on your life path? Considering changes? Been trying to change/ try something new? Waiting for a new energy to come into your life? Expecting to receive but nothing so far? This is not the ONLY way to read this card ... how do you interpret it?

St.Theresa

gomez — Wed, 30 Jun 2010 04:21:51 +0000

picture of St. Theresa

St.Theresa

gomez — Wed, 30 Jun 2010 04:27:19 +0000

IMG_8488_2sm

gomez — Fri, 02 Jul 2010 03:54:01 +0000

Picture of Me

ME

gomez — Fri, 02 Jul 2010 03:59:34 +0000

picture of Regina

Me

gomez — Fri, 02 Jul 2010 04:02:19 +0000

picture of regina

Tallulah and Me

gomez — Fri, 02 Jul 2010 04:07:43 +0000

Pic. of dog and woman

CB102545

gomez — Sat, 10 Jul 2010 07:15:20 +0000

Hands in prayer

meditation

gomez — Sat, 10 Jul 2010 07:18:35 +0000

hands in prayer position

Meditation Class Daly City Doelger Center

gomez — Sat, 10 Jul 2010 07:23:49 +0000

DOELGER SENIOR CENTER, DALY CITY, CA

MEDITATION CLASS - FOR WOMEN IN TRANSITION

SATURDAYS @ 11 AM IN ROOM 2 WELCOME TO MEDITATION FOR WOMEN IN TRANSITION

COME TOGETHER IN A WEEKLY MEDITATION GROUP

COME REGULAR OR DROP IN

INTENDED ESPECIALLY FOR WOMEN

LEARN VARIOUS METHODS OF MEDITATION

MEDITATION IS GOOD FOR HEALTH, WELL BEING, HEALING AND RELAXATION

This class focuses on woman meditating together in a group setting. We will experience different ways to meditate. There will be time for sharing, exploring, and questions.

This is a good class for interested people who are beginning to meditate OR who need support to help heal from life transition/changes OR who would just like to be a part of a supportive group where women meet.

Got Hope?

gomez — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 00:17:37 +0000

I wrote this prose poetry when Hope was slipping through the openings of my hand and leaking through the holes in my heart. Thankfully, by the end of what I wrote, I was able to re-establish my connection with Hope. Is life really good? I wonder. To say that life is good, Is to mean that many moments are good. For if many more moments were not experienced as good, then the whole of life would not be considered good. Is life really good? There are many moments I experience as not so good. There are many moments I experience as good. Life gives me all moments. Life is really good And Life is really not good. The 'And' is all that is 'tween. The answer to my question is given to me moment by moment In my heart, I say unto myself: Life is good! I want to believe the nature of Life is good. This gives me Hope.

Sunflower

gomez — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 02:37:36 +0000

Sunflower

Hope

gomez — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 16:58:41 +0000

Road Sign Reads Hope

The David

gomez — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 17:34:06 +0000

MichelAngelos David

Pink Flower

gomez — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 17:47:58 +0000

Pink Flower

Faith Diversity

gomez — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 17:49:35 +0000

faith diversity flower

Faith Diversity

gomez — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 17:50:50 +0000

faith diversity flower

Lotus

gomez — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 17:53:54 +0000

lotus flower

92% Believe in God

gomez — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 17:55:37 +0000

I heard on a morning radio show the other day that 92% of us Americans believe in God. '...is that so,' I said to myself, 'well, that is an interesting statistic.' I was so interested in this statistic that I searched for the source of the data. I found that USA Today wrote about this statistic (Gallup Poll of 1000 adults May 1-2, 2010) as well as that 83% of us believe that God answers prayers! I wonder, who is this God that 92% of us believe in? Well, wait. Rather than say, 'this God', perhaps I should rephrase my question and ask what faces of God do 92% of us believe in? Then I wonder, why the disappearance of 10% of people believing that God actually answers prayers. Maybe these 10% don't know because they don't pray? Maybe they just don't know. Maybe that face of God doesn't focus on answering prayers? Truthfully, I was surprised that the number of believers was so high. I figured that most of us don't believe in God. My reasoning? Not a very good one -- it doesn't seem as though we believe in God because I don't think we act like we believe in God. See, in my own private little world point of view, I figure that those of us who believe there is a God are active believers and seekers of God. We believe he, she or it hears our pleas and answers us in some kind of way. We actively seek union with he, she or it. We Believe that the belief in God surely must open our hearts to love, does it not? Believing in God offers us hope of a new day, maybe even a new earth, right? [screeching halt sound going off NOW] Wait, wait, wait a minute here, if my private little world point of view were true, then wouldn't there already be peace on earth? [shaking my head, snapping myself out of this reality]. Here is the thing, that 92% of people who believe in God, representing the general American population, are most likely believing in their own personal version of God. That God may or may not answer prayers; in fact, for all that each one of us knows, that God may have special prayer requirements and may even have a specific gender assignment. Heck! Maybe that God doesn't even reside in a place commonly called Heaven. So, here's where I say to myself, 'Oy Vey!' Not because we all believe in diverse faces of God but 'Oy Vey' because the fact that we do believe in diverse faces of God may confuse us and turn us to intolerance for others who do not believe in our face of God, despite the fact that they may actually be believers of God. I worry (and take it to God) about us humans, brothers and sisters, separating from one another because of what we believe about God and because it may be different and therefore it becomes an 'Other'. I get that 'peace, love and harmony' doesn't work for everyone, however, I do believe that on some level of our existence, we all have something in common -- for example, that we are all created of God. Yet another example? That 92% of us are believers in God. In some kind of way, God works for us. I wish that we could explore together how God works for us and share with one another what face of God we know. For, it's God after all. If I may be able to be with someone, accompany someone, sit with someone, guide someone along their sacred personal spiritual path to their face of God despite or regardless or even with or no matter what my personal belief in my God is, then it is there that I would be serving my God's will for me. Reference: http://www.usatoday.com/news/religion/2010-05-05-prayer05_ST_N.htm?POE=click-refer

angel labrynth

gomez — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 17:57:36 +0000

angel labrynth

These Days

gomez — Tue, 10 Aug 2010 23:44:54 +0000

These Days

I've grown older,

I have not given up.

I still hope and dream,

believe in magic,

and in alchemy,

Transformation and transmutation

are still big words with me

These days, though

I seem to search less

and want to be more,

I want to do less,

and feel more,

The presence of simply being.

Crstal Ball Girl

gomez — Mon, 16 Aug 2010 04:27:31 +0000

girl with crystal ball

Wolf

gomez — Mon, 16 Aug 2010 04:41:19 +0000

wolf

Oracle Cards

gomez — Mon, 16 Aug 2010 04:45:24 +0000

oracle cards

Woman Smudging

gomez — Mon, 16 Aug 2010 04:48:02 +0000

native american woman smudging