On the 12th Day of Christmas, My Soul Self Gave to Me Yoga Classes

When we lived in Coppell 7 years ago, we went to a local yoga studio twice a week. I didn’t really “get into it.” I was still figuring out my best meditation style and had a lot going on with work and building a practice in past life regression. To say I didn’t give yoga a fair shake is putting it mildly.

I’m ready now. I want to learn more about yoga and how I can integrate it into my life, into a practice that is truly a part of my spiritual journey.

My dear friend Arthur Graye told me about how he got into yoga:

“I was led to yoga when I was 18 because I was drawn to the idea of merging the physical body with the energy which inhabits it. Everything is so separate in our common society. I liked the fact that there was a clear path of physical action that could lead to the knowing of ourselves on an energetic level and thereby granting us access to spiritual enlightenment. It changed my life. And then when j discovered the branch of mantra, it changed it again.”

Arthur is a Yoga teacher, Reiki Master and wears many other hats as a spiritual leader in our community. His explanation of the various aspects of yoga is one of the best I’ve seen and I have his permission to share it:

“In my classes, we start off with Mantra Meditation. We recite the Gayatri Mantra or the Mahamitrunjaya Mantra while using a strand of prayer beads , otherwise known as a Japa Mala. By participating in Mantra Meditation, we raise our awareness and create an inner sacred space that allows us to be fully present for our practice on the mat. The Japa Malas are useful tools in keeping count of the number of repetitions for the Mantra. This meditation is an excellent way to clear your head and raise your vibration. It sets the mood for the practice and is a valuable tool in connecting to the Divine.
Pranayama is also a major part of Tantra Yoga. In my classes, you can expect to be presented with the opportunity to learn many different breathing techniques. There are breathing techniques for calming, energizing, balancing, etc. The breath is one of (if not the absolute) most important things we do. Without air, we could not live. Breathing is the first thing we do when we are born and the last thing we do before we pass on to our next plane of existence. Some say that the breath is the bridge from the physical to the spiritual. I believe this wholeheartedly. Breathwork is the quickest way to gain control over your emotions and mental processes.
The third component of my classes is Asana. This is what we, as Americans, recognize as yoga. This is the physical work of Yoga. Postures such as Downward Dog, Warrior, Cobra, Childs Pose and MANY more are used to enhance the strength and flexibility of your physical body. Remember, that the entire goal of yoga is to gain access to the control panel of your mind. The physical work is a very important component of this goal. By keeping our body in a fit condition, it will allow us the range of motion to sit in meditative positions for longer and longer periods of time. The fact that we will become more and more comfortable in our bodies and in our daily lives is a very big added bonus.
Many yoga classes today concentrate on getting you in the class, getting you warmed up, wearing out your physical body and then sending you on your way. This is EXACTLY what I try to avoid in my classes. After the Asana (physical postures) is completed, I always lead my students through a ten to fifteen minute Savasan.”

http://thegreenmanstudios.weebly.com/yoga.html

If you live in the Lewisville, TX area, I invite you to check out Arthur and his weekly yoga classes at Miracles of Joy.

What I like best about Arthur’s approach is, as he says in his own words, “Tantra meets you where you are.” With Tantra’s all-encompassing approach to yoga, the postures, breathing exercises, meditations and/or chanting work with your own life force to alter your energy for your own personal needs. He teaches different classes on grounding, relaxation, detoxification and inspiration.

How can yoga benefit me? Well, I wanted to find out what the medical community might have to say about yoga. I found an interesting article by the American Osteopathic Association:

Benefits of Yoga

“The relaxation techniques incorporated in yoga can lessen chronic pain, such as lower back pain, arthritis, headaches and carpal tunnel syndrome,” explains Dr. Natalie Nevins. “Yoga can also lower blood pressure and reduce insomnia.”

According to Dr. Nevins, other physical benefits include:
-Increased flexibility
-Increased muscle strength and tone
-Improved respiration, energy and vitality
-The maintenance of a balanced metabolism
-Weight reduction
-Cardio and circulatory health
-Improved athletic performance
-Protection from injury

Aside from the array of physical benefits, one of the best benefits of yoga is how it helps a person manage stress, which has been known to have devastating effects on the body and mind. “Stress can reveal itself in many ways, including back or neck pain, sleeping problems, headaches, drug abuse, and an inability to concentrate,” says Dr. Nevins. “Yoga can be very effective in developing coping skills and reaching a more positive outlook on life.”

http://www.osteopathic.org/osteopathic-health/about-your-health/health-conditions-library/general-health/Pages/yoga.aspx

Yep, gonna find a yoga class and get started . . . Happy Holidays and Happy New Year, y’all!

On the 11th Day of Christmas, My Soul Self Gave to Me Access Consciousness Tools

Over the past 20 years, I have adopted many different energy clearing tools. In fact, when I learned EFT back in 1999, I didn’t even know what an “energy clearing tool” was!

My favorite collection of tools this year is from Access Consciousness. I’ve been using The Access Clearing Statement and several other tools from their collection after learning them from a coach I worked with in 2011. Later, I took the Bars Foundation Class with Dr. Sue Hegel in 2012.

My favorite tool is asking “Who does this belong to?” As an empath (someone who feels the feelings and picks up on the thoughts of other people) I can be easily bombarded when I go to Wal-Mart, a mall, a large office building or any group setting with a large number of people.

I can also become overwhelmed when the people around me are sad, angry, mad or depressed. Access Consciousness advises that 98% of my thoughts and feelings are NOT mine. If this is true, it’s important to have an easy tool to release these from my energy body.

Here are the steps to “Who Does This Belong To?”
1. Notice what you are feeling. Sad? Angry? Depressed? Panic? (a biggie on airplanes!)
2. Ask: Who does this belong to? OR Is this mine?
3. Say: Return to Sender, Consciousness Attached OR Return to Sender, with Love
4. Notice what you are feeling. If you feel lighter, then the feeling WAS NOT yours

If you still feel some of the feeling, it may be yours and you may want to use the Access Clearing Statement to clear that feeling.

Access Clearing Statement

Anytime you would like to change something, whether that something is a belief, a restriction, a feeling or whatever, just destroy and uncreate the old belief, restriction, feeling or whatever.

How do you do this? By using the really wacky Access Clearing Statement, which works to confuse the brain long enough for the energy body to clear the old belief or whatever it is that has you feeling stuck in that moment. The statement is:

“Will you destroy and uncreate everything that is times a godzillion? Yes, please. Right, wrong, good, bad, POD, POC, all 9, shorts, boys and beyonds."

A recent statement that the Access Consciousness folks created that has really helped me is this one:
"What stupidity am I using to create the lack of receiving I am choosing? Everything that is times a godzillion, do I choose to uncreate and destroy it all? Yes, please! Right, wrong, good, bad, POD, POC, all 9, shorts, boys and beyonds."

The second part of the Clearing Statement are shortcut words for a process that the Access Consciousness Founder Gary Douglas channeled from his Guides back in 1990. If you want to learn more about the entire process. Please click the link below for the Access Consciousness website.

In 2000, Dr. Dain Heer, a chiropractor in Santa Barbara joined Gary and the two of them began taking the Access Consciousness principles around the world. Dr. Dain has a YouTube channel with weekly updates and Google Hangouts that help you clear what’s bugging you. One of my all time favorites is his holiday broadcast from last year, which you can still catch:

https://youtu.be/mFAC51cQ_X4

Dr. Dain's messages are always light-hearted, therapeutic and very supportive for your spiritual journey. I love his candor and the way he navigates his life, as well as all of the tools he shares.

If you are in the DFW area, Dr. Sue Hegel is your “go to source” for all classes and sessions in Bars and Access Consciousness. Tell her PJ sent you:

http://www.drsuehegel.com/access-bars

For more information on how this process works, please visit the Access Consciousness website:

http://www.accessconsciousness.com/

In the words of Gary Douglas, “What would it be like to live your life from infinite possibilities and choice?”

What else is possible?

How does it get any better than that?

On the 10th Day of Christmas, My Soul Self Gave to Me a Leather Bound Journal

When I was 15, I received a 5 year diary. You know the kind, with the little key to lock it up, safe and secure. I remember thinking that 5 years into the future was such a LONG way off!!!

I still have that little diary, in a box of mementos in the attic. I saw it a few years ago and recalled how much fun I had tracking my activities, my friends and my thoughts.

When Steve and I began our spiritual journey in 2002, I began recording my thoughts, capturing what came to me during meditations and writing other notes. When we moved in 2007, I found several of those notebooks and was amazed at the wisdom and beauty in those words that I barely recognized as mine.
One piece of prose was a written description of flying, as a hawk or eagle across the night sky. If I hadn’t recognized the handwriting, I wouldn’t have known that the words were mine.

I believe that the words are reflections from my Soul Self, written after meditation, when I was deep in Theta brainwave state and really in tune with the Divine.
Recording messages from my Soul Self is just one benefit of keeping a journal. Another benefit is the emotional release that I receive from writing about what’s happening my day-to-day world.

One of my mentors, Deborah King says that when we sit and fume or stew over people or situations in our lives, it’s like we have one foot on the brake and one foot on the gas. We’re not going anywhere! Yet, when I write, I am able to connect with what’s transpiring or what I am processing from the past and we am able to take my foot off of the brake and move ahead.

Did you know that there is also scientific evidence that journaling is beneficial? Read on:

“University of Texas at Austin psychologist and researcher James Pennebaker contends that regular journaling strengthens immune cells, called T-lymphocytes. Other research indicates that journaling decreases the symptoms of asthma and rheumatoid arthritis. Pennebaker believes that writing about stressful events helps you come to terms with them, thus reducing the impact of these stressors on your physical health.
I know what you’re thinking: “So writing a few sentences a day may keep me healthier longer, but so will eating lima beans! Why should I bother journaling when I’ve already got too much on my plate?” The following facts may convince you.
The act of writing accesses your left brain, which is analytical and rational. While your left brain is occupied, your right brain is free to create, intuit and feel. In sum, writing removes mental blocks and allows you to use all of your brainpower to better understand yourself, others and the world around you. Begin journaling and begin experiencing these benefits:
-Clarify your thoughts and feelings. Do you ever seem all jumbled up inside, unsure of what you want or feel? Taking a few minutes to jot down your thoughts and emotions (no editing!) will quickly get you in touch with your internal world.
-Know yourself better. By writing routinely you will get to know what makes you feel happy and confident. You will also become clear about situations and people who are toxic for you — important information for your emotional well-being.
-Reduce stress. Writing about anger, sadness and other painful emotions helps to release the intensity of these feelings. By doing so you will feel calmer and better able to stay in the present.
-Solve problems more effectively. Typically we problem solve from a left-brained, analytical perspective. But sometimes the answer can only be found by engaging right-brained creativity and intuition. Writing unlocks these other capabilities, and affords the opportunity for unexpected solutions to seemingly unsolvable problems.
-Resolve disagreements with others. Writing about misunderstandings rather than stewing over them will help you to understand another’s point of view. And you just may come up with a sensible resolution to the conflict.

http://psychcentral.com/lib/the-health-benefits-of-journaling/

Keeping a journal also allows you to track your growth and see things that bugged you in the past that are just a minor annoyance now. I love to be able to see what things upset me 5 years ago and know that I have transformed myself in that area of my life. Also, when I can see that progress, I have proof that I can grow and heal.
According to Rachelle Williams of the Chopra Center, it’s important to take a moment to breathe before starting to write:

“Create some space between your last activity and journaling by taking a moment to breathe, literally. A great breathing technique that has immediate benefits is Nadi Shodhana, or alternate nostril breathing. If you have a regular meditation practice, try meditating first and then use that stillness to take your writing to a deeper level. Using breath alone or in combination with meditation can help to shift your body into a state of restful awareness, which is ideal during times of reflection.”

http://www.chopra.com/ccl/journaling-exercise-end-of-year-reflections

Visit the link above to find more tips on journaling, including a great exercise to capture your end of the year reflections.

Don’t think you have to have something fancy for your journal. Even a spiral notebook or legal pad will do. As Rachel says in the article,

“The physical act of putting pen to paper and writing your thoughts creates a mind-body connection that helps your brain fully integrate the process.”

I have found that capturing your journal entries on your pc or Mac is just as therapeutic. In fact, the first time I did my journaling on my pc, I was surprised at how easily it flowed. Many of my hypnosis scripts and class manuals also flow from this same Divine well of inspiration. So, typing works just as well as writing for me.

How will you remember and chronicle 2015 and some of the milestones of your year?

On the 9th Day of Christmas, My Soul Self Gave to Me Essential Oils

In the Fall of 2014, my daughter asked me about alternatives to medicine for her 3 year old and new infant.

One of my friends had been talking about doTERRA® essential oils, so I contacted her and signed up to be a Wellness Advocate. It’s really easy and free to join doTERRA® and you can save up to 25% on all your purchases. There are also free oils and other items when you maintain a certain level of monthly purchases.

Please do not think I am leading up to a subtle (or not so subtle) sales pitch. I do not sell essential oils. If you are interested in buying doTERRA® essential oils, you may contact my friend and master teacher Christi Turley Diamond: www.mydoterra.com/ctd

OR you can call or text Christi at: 972-838-7383.

Now that I have that out of the way, would you like to learn more about using Essential Oils? For example, consider Lavender. It is one of the most popular essential oils and also one of the most reasonably priced oils. The aroma of Lavender is heavenly and it can support you in a number of ways. Here are just a few:

1. Linen Closet. Wake up your linens with lovely lavender. You can mix in a bottle with distilled water and spray.
2. Good Sleep. Make a rollerball and put Lavender on the bottom of the feet of babies, children and adults to calm them down and support good sleep.
3. Smell Fresh. For a homemade room freshener, put baking soda and 5-6 drops of lavender essential oil in a small Mason jar. Punch holes in the lid. Place in smelly areas. (laundry room, near garbage can, garage) Shake up from time to time.
4. Pet Smells. Toss a tablespoon or two of your baking soda and lavender mixture on your carpet and vacuum! Especially effective for pet smells!
5. Diffuse. Put a few drops in your cool mist diffuser and allow the mist to permeate a room.
6. Place on pulse points (wrist, neck, behind the ears) to support your physical or emotional healing.
7. Apply topically for burns, eczema, pain, inflammation and other physical concerns.
8. Add to recipes to enhance flavor, such as in icing for cookies or in recipes for shortbread.

doTERRA® has an introductory kit of 3 oils: Lavender, Peppermint and Lemon. Here’s a pdf of 101 Ways to use these three essential oils for your home and family:

http://www.healthfulpursuit.com/wp-content/uploads/101_Uses_for_the_doTERRA_Intro_Kit.pdf

That’s the fastest and most inexpensive way to get some essential oils into your home.

When I started with doTERRA®, my friend told me about the Family Physician Kit. It gives you 10 different essential oils or essential oil blends. Utilizing these 10 is a great way to learn about essential oils:

Frankincense
Lavender
Lemon
Melaleuca
Oregano
Peppermint
dōTERRA Breathe™
dōTERRA DigestZen®
dōTERRA On Guard®
dōTERRA Deep Blue®

You can learn more at: http://www.doterratools.com/documents/Enrollment_Kit_Flyers.pdf

doTERRA® just added 6 new essential oil blends to their product line. These blends come individually or in a kit of all 6 called the Emotional Aromatherapy Kit.

This new line of proprietary essential oil blends represents six categories of emotional well-being and gives you a way to use fragrant essential oils for emotional aromatherapy applications. Each delicate blend contains CPTG® essential oils that can be used aromatically or topically to help balance and brighten your changing moods. Just a few drops of these naturally complex, fragrant blends can elicit profound emotional responses to help you let go of burdens, find comfort and encouragement, or inspire you to dream with passion again.

dōTERRA Forgive™
dōTERRA Cheer™
dōTERRA Console™
dōTERRA Peace™
dōTERRA Passion™
dōTERRA Motivate™

Learn more at: http://www.doterratools.com/documents/Emotional_Aromatherapy_Kit_Product_Information_Page.pdf

Want more ideas for using essential oils? My master teacher in essential oils, Christi Turley Diamond just posted this yesterday.

10 Ways in which I've used my essential oils during the holiday season by Christi Turley Diamond:

1. Put dōTERRA On Guard® in the water for my live tree to stay alive and healthy and boy has it worked wonders!!
2. Used lemon and basil essential oil in a cream cheese dip at a Christmas party
3. Used peppermint oil for flavoring in peppermint cookies. YUM!
4. Used wild orange to easily get sap off my hands from moving our live Christmas tree
5. Used Douglas Fir oil to put on fabric ornaments and make it smell even more like Christmas!
6. Gave oils to my baking friends as gifts
7. Gave oils to a new mommy for sleep and relaxation
8. Gave an emotions kit to a loved one going through some very difficult times in her life right now.
9. Used dōTERRA On Guard® to keep me healthy when I go shopping or to any public place where i could catch something by putting it on my feet and hands. I don't want to be sick during the holiday!!
10. Diffused oils to keep the anxiousness low and the JOY high! Smells good and works emotionally!

Since lots of people also use Young Living Essential Oils, I want to recommend another friend who can sponsor you. To learn more about Young Living Oils, you may contact my friend Kim St. Andre: http://kimstandre.com/young-living-essential-oils/

Please tell Christi or Kim that PJ referred you!

How will you use essential oils during the holidays and during 2016?

On the 8th Day of Christmas, My Soul Self Gave to Me Prayer Beads

Growing up in a Southern Baptist Home, the nearest I ever came to any type of “prayer beads” was when I saw a rosary in the home of a friend of mine.

I never really understood the use of a rosary until I took instruction to become a member of the Catholic faith in 1978. (Interesting side note: the sweet Jesuit priest who taught our class didn’t think I was serious enough and made me repeat the class! I think he was really surprised to see me when I showed up for the second series of classes that were held weekly for six weeks at St. Rita’s Catholic Church in Dallas.)

My in-laws bought me a rosary and took me to dinner to celebrate my first communion. The rosary came in a pretty box and it sat in my bureau for several years. I’m not really sure where it is now.

Flash forward to 2003 and Steve and I are studying mediumship and meditation and he suggests that prayer beads would really help with our meditation practice.

I bought a child’s rosary and kept it in my purse. I liked the dainty size and compact nature of the child-size prayer aid. I could pull it out for my early morning meditation or anytime during the day when I wanted to center and go within.

A few years later, I bought a beautiful mala of picture jasper, which was hand strung and tied by my friend Arthur Graye of Green Man Studios. Arthur makes beautiful prayer malas and each one is unique and hand-crafted.

(http://www.shopthegreenmanstudios.com/collections/prayer-beads )

As I hold the strand and count the 108 beads, I am able to go inside and “into the gap,” as Wayne Dyer puts it. My husband Steve says that counting gives the Left Brain something to do, while the Right Brain connects with Spirit for healing, communicating or just “Be-ing.” I agree.

Why Picture Jasper? Well, if you remember, I select crystals intuitively and then look up the meaning later. In this case:

“Picture jasper helps create harmony, proportion, creative visualization, positive things in business pursuits. It brings and shows hidden messages from the past as well as hidden thoughts, fears, and hopes. These qualities make it useful in crystal healing as an emotional/psychological healing stone.”

There are also prayer bracelets, made of gemstones and crystals. Wear the bracelet and then take it off to count the beads for your own meditation. You can get a meditation bracelet or mala of prayer beads in almost any gemstone, wooden beads and some seeds.

Whether you select a hand-crafted prayer mala, a rosary or make your own prayer beads, learn to meditate with a gemstone creation and make your meditation or prayer time a special part of your day.

On the 7th Day of Christmas, My Soul Self Gave to Me Clear Quartz Crystals

Back in 2001, Steve and I owned a sterling silver jewelry store and brought in natural gemstone jewelry and gemstone beads to make into bracelets and necklaces for our customers.

The first gemstone that caught my eye at a show at Dallas Market Hall was Dalmatian Jasper. The stone was just so beautiful to me and the artist had combined it with black onyx for some really nice bracelets. That was 2001. The items we bought didn’t really sell that well. We’ve always been ahead of our time!

Then, we left that business and began our training in mediumship. When we learned that crystals could be used to raise your vibration and amplify your connection to Spirit, we were hooked. We went to Tucson and Arkansas and began buying crystals for our own use.

While Steve studied crystals and learned all he could about them, I used the intuitive approach, as I have done with essential oils. If it caught my eye or “picked me” at a show or shop, I bought it. Then, I would do the research and find out why a particular crystal was appealing to me.

As I wrote on Day 2, Rose Quartz was one of the first crystals that appealed to me. When I did my research, I learned why. Rose Quartz is THE stone for love, self-love, healing the heart and clearing and balancing the heart chakra.

I was also really drawn to clear quartz, which I have used to amplify my connection to Spirit, as well as opening my heart and mind to Divine Guidance. Clear quartz is also known as a type of “master healer,” and will amplify the effects of any other crystal you are using for any type of healing. Clear quartz crystals are inexpensive and readily available, whether you buy them in a rock shop, a metaphysical shop, on Etsy or eBay or go to Arkansas and dig for your own crystals. In the words of many crystal healing teachers, clear quartz is a master healer and is “the supreme gift of Mother Earth.” (Hank Mason, http://www.crystalvaults.com/ )

In the words of master teacher Diane Stein, in her book “The Woman’s Book of Healing”:

“Any healing survey of gemstones begins and ends with clear quartz crystal, the most versatile all-aura, all-chakra healing gemstone. Clear quartz amplifies, holds and transmits energy and is directed/programmed by the woman healer for whatever visualization or color work, whatever psychic healing or “tinkering” she desires. The most totally positive, totally pure healing energy, clear quartz relieves and reduces bleeding, purifies, protects, sedates or energizes and opens for a woman’s well-being and good health. It works on the level of the seen and the unseen bodies, on all the aura levels, and for all the chakras. It affects, develops and balances the physical, emotional, mental and spiritual bodies, unifies and integrates them for power-within and goddess-within on the Earth Plane.” (pg. 268-269)

Here are just a few benefits of clear quartz crystals:

• A must have crystal for all spiritual workers.
• An all-purpose healer that is a powerful amplifier.
• Balances emotions stimulates the thinking process.
• Stimulates the pineal and pituitary glands.
• Used to repel and destroy negative energies and vibrations.
• Great for meditation as it enhances communication with the higher self, spirit guides, and angels.
• Absorbs, stores, balances, and amplifies energy.
• Balances all chakras, and enhances your ability to heal.
• Beneficial for manifesting, healing, meditation, protection and channeling.
• Quartz crystals are cosmic tuning forks, harmonizing the soul, mind, heart and body.

(http://thebestofcreation.com/clear-quartz/

More about crystals from Diane Stein:

“The little crystals and colored gemstones in our pockets and jewelry do more for us than we know, and their energy is increasing in usefulness as time goes on….We are becoming much more than people can ever remember being before; we are becoming the Be-ings of Light, energy, and information, what was our original heritage. Human twelve-strand DNA contains the genetic keys of all life in the universe…[which is a] Living Library. That library is being repaired, healed, and reactivated, and returned to us primarily by way of gemstones and crystals.”

How might you use clear quartz crystals on your spiritual journey?

On the 6th Day of Christmas, My Soul Self Gave to Me a Massage Session

When was the last time you had a massage, Reiki session or other type of body work, such as CranialSacral or Rolfing?

Did you know that a massage or bodywork session can benefit you in many, many ways?

Here are just a few:
-Alleviate low-back pain and improve range of motion.
-Ease dependence on medication.
-Enhance immunity by stimulating lymph flow
-Exercise and stretch weak, tight, or atrophied muscles.
-Improve the condition of the skin, which is the body's largest organ
-Increase joint flexibility.
-Lessen depression and anxiety.
-Pump oxygen and nutrients into tissues and vital organs, improving circulation.
-Release endorphins—amino acids that work as the body's natural painkiller.
-Relieve migraine pain.
-Enhance sleep quality.
-Greater energy.
-Improve concentration.

Some people say that most disease is stress related. Nothing ages the body faster than high stress. Although we can’t eliminate all anxiety and stress, massage and bodywork can help you release stress and old emotional pain. Some people often report a new sense of perspective and clarity after receiving a massage. The emotional balance that bodywork provides can be as valuable as the physical benefits.

I enjoy massage with Reiki and sometimes enjoy “just” Reiki, which is traditionally done with the person fully clothed, while lying on a massage table. In fact, Reiki doesn’t even require “touching” the skin or body. The Reiki practitioner simply channels healing energy through the chakras in their hands for your body to utilize for self-healing.

Another modality that I enjoy is CranialSacral, which is a technique that works with the Central Nervous System (brain and spinal cord) helping to clear restrictions within your body to start the healing process. It is a gentle type of bodywork that feels like massage, but is so much more.

I LOVE this modality. Stephanie McLaughlin is my favorite practitioner and she is in Allen, TX. As a registered massage therapist, she does the more traditional massage sessions, such as Swedish, Trigger Point, Shiatsu and Deep Tissue. She is also an UpLedger CranialSacral specialist and she uses her intuitive skills to masterfully guide you and your body back to a place of wellness.

I once went to Stephanie after a good friend had told me that she no longer wanted to be my friend. I had moped around for days! Finally, I booked a session with Stephanie and she worked with me and my body through the grief and sadness, including old grief and ancient sadness from childhood. (Stephanie always understands the links between present upset and past pain.)

I told her in an email later that “I have my JOY back!” And I do! I was able to lean into the pain, process it and release it in the safe container of her healing room.

If you live in the DFW area, contact Stephanie through her website: http://www.stephaniemcl.com/

Whether you choose CranialSacral or a massage at the day spa near you, enjoy a journey to wellness with bodywork.

On the 5th Day of Christmas, My Soul Self Gave to Me the Gift of Forgiving Others

FORGIVENESS. Does any other word conjure up such feelings, memories or utter disdain?

Many people confuse forgiveness with condoning the behavior of the person or persons you may want to forgive. However, in the strictest sense of the word, forgiveness means:
Noun
1. the act of forgiving or the state of being forgiven
2. willingness to forgive

So, what does the word “forgive” really mean:

Verb (used with object), forgave, forgiven, forgiving.
1.to grant pardon for or remission of (an offense, debt, etc.); absolve.
2.to give up all claim on account of; remit (a debt, obligation, etc.).
3.to grant pardon to (a person).
4.to cease to feel resentment against:
to forgive one's enemies.
5.to cancel an indebtedness or liability of:
to forgive the interest owed on a loan.

verb (used without object), forgave, forgiven, forgiving.
to pardon an offense or an offender.

I find it interesting that the dictionary meaning includes the idea of “willingness” to forgive. Isn’t that what true forgiveness is all about? Being willing to forgive or pardon or stop feeling resentment toward another person is at the core of forgiveness. This doesn’t mean that I condone the act, yet, I am allowing myself to pardon the person for the act or omission.

So many people fail to forgive because they don’t want to “let the other person off the hook.” However, true forgiveness is for the person doing the forgiving. True forgiveness clears the debt from your own heart and can also be very freeing.

When we fail to forgive, it’s as if we hold a grudge against the other person. That only clouds my heart and limits my own personal freedom. You don’t even have to tell the other person that you forgive him or her. However, until you forgive, it’s hard to let go and move on. So, unless you forgive the other person, you may allow the other person to stay under your skin, to continue to hurt you, again and again. This can also hinder your own personal healing.

Caroline Myss says that when we forgive others, it releases energy that allows you to move forward. It really is as simple as:
1. Think of the person who hurt you
2. Picture the person in your mind
3. Express how you felt when the person did what they did
4. Let out any emotions around this situation
5. Forgive the person in your heart
6. Let it go

Caroline goes on to say that forgiveness is the most selfish thing you will ever do! It’s a great way to say “I love me” because forgiveness leaves you feeling so much better.

"When we harbor negative emotions toward others or toward ourselves, or when we intentionally create pain for others, we poison our own physical and spiritual systems. By far the strongest poison to the human spirit is the inability to forgive oneself or another person. It disables a person's emotional resources. The challenge is to refine our capacity to love others as well as ourselves and to develop the power of forgiveness."-- Caroline Myss

I particularly like Caroline’s simple forgiveness model which is shared above. In private sessions with clients, I use hypnosis to help you envision each person, one by one and go through the forgiveness steps. In the end, we also cut the cords that bind you to the person. It is very healing and therapeutic.

Colin Tipping has a worksheet in his Radical Forgiveness program that works really well for forgiving others. He takes you through the steps to see how this situation may have been set up by your Higher Self or Soul to foster healing, growth and transformation.

You may access the FREE worksheet here:

http://www.radicalforgiveness.com/free-tools/

Who do you want to forgive this holiday season? When would you like to begin?

On the 4th Day of Christmas, My Soul Self Gave to Me a Smudge Fan and Sage

Incense, resins and botanicals are still used today in various Native American, shaman and indigenous ceremonies and rituals. The fragrant smoke purifies a room or space of negative vibrations. Incense is used for meditation or for simply scenting a room. The ancient Chinese believed that different scents induced different reactions such as tranquility and peaceful solitude.

Smudges are used to cleanse, purify, protect and remove negative energy. Smudges have been used by Native American and other indigenous people for thousands of years. The smudges most often used by Native Americans are sage, sweet grass and cedar. In central and South America, copal resin is also used. In the East, Frankincense and Myrrh resins have been used by Christians and Jews for purification and protection.

Sage, Cedar and Sweetgrass can be purchased and burned in small bundles. These can also be cut up and mixed together and burned. Sometimes these mixtures will contain Lavender flowers, as Lavender is used in love and healing rituals and promotes sleep and peace.

It is traditional to burn the smudge in something made of the earth such as an abalone, clam or oyster shell, a clay pot or flat or concave rock. These can be purchased at most metaphysical stores and some rock shops. Use a bundle of sage or pour a small amount of the mixture into the shell and light it on fire. Let the mixture catch fire and then gently blow out the flame and let the smudge herbs smolder. This will create a small stream of smoke. Now, you will use your feather or fan to guide the smoke around yourself or the room.

To Sage Your Home or Office:

After lighting the bundle of sage and other herbs and blowing it out, walk from room to room in your home or office, spreading the smoky mixture with your prayer feather or fan. Hold the shell in one hand by the edge. Be careful, for the bottom of the shell will be hot.

Use the feather to guide the smoke in a clockwise fashion into every corner of the room. Use the feather to guide the smoke and sweep the negative energy out. Say a prayer or set an intention for the smudge. For example if you are removing negative energy, set an intention to do so. Say and think it, while you are smudging the room. You may also ask for protection and purification while smudging.

Remember, you can also ask your Angels and Guides to help you clear the negative energy from your home or any space.

When you are done smudging the room, your home or other space, simply snuff out the end of the sage bundle or place a bigger bowl over your mixture in the shell and it will extinguish itself.

How might you use sage and other wonderful grasses and herbs to cleanse yourself, your home and office space?

On the 3rd Day of Christmas, My Soul Self Gave to Me the Gift of Meditation

There is nothing that has changed my life more than meditation.

When I take time each day to unplug from the world and plug into the Divine, my day flows with a grace and beauty that is both wonderful and affirming.

When I first began meditating, I would fall asleep. I’ve since learned that this is very common. Our teachers recommended that we honor the falling asleep. One teacher suggested that one reason that we fall asleep is because is because the ego is not interested in nothingness. LOL. Over time, this stopped happening for me.
One way to avoid falling asleep is to meditate when your body is not naturally sleepy. For this reason, early morning is a great time to meditate. My favorite way to meditate is to roll out of bed, go to the bathroom and then immediately take a seat in the big, comfy chair we have in our bedroom. I try to do it BEFORE checking email or Facebook, so that my mind is still clear.

If I am heading to the office, I meditate after I have arrived. I have found that a practice of 30 minutes is optimum for me. I started with 10 minutes, went to 15 and then to 20 and 30. I now do about 30 minutes each day. I meditate with a mantra, given to me by a teacher several years ago. Sometimes, I use binaural beats to help me get into the Theta brainwave state faster and stay there. My favorite are audios from Kelly Howell at Brainsync.

There are several other companies that offer binaural beats, as well. How does it work? Here’s an explanation from Kelly Howell’s website, www.brainsync.com:
Brainwave Therapy sends pure, precisely tuned sound waves of different frequencies to your brain via stereo headphones. In his EEG research, Oster discovered that when different vibrations, or sound frequencies, are delivered to the brain separately through each ear (as with stereo headphones), the two hemispheres of the brain function together to "hear" not the external sound signals, but a third phantom signal. This signal is called a binaural beat, and it pulses at the exact mathematical difference between the two actual tones. For example, a signal of 100 Hz delivered to the left ear, and a signal of 107 Hz delivered to the right creates a binaural beat of 7 Hz that in this case falls into the Alpha range.

Research shows that parts of the brain and eventually large areas of the brain begin to resonate sympathetically with this "phantom" binaural beat. This is known as the Frequency Following Response. Subsequent research determined that a binaural beat frequencies drive brain activity into specific brain states. Thus, effortlessly and naturally, your brain activity slides into rhythm with this binaural beat, becoming organized and coherent. Within minutes, the sound frequencies start to balance the left and right hemispheres of your brain – creating a remarkable state called hemispheric synchronization and driving the electrical activity of your brain into powerful states, normally unattainable. Flashes of creative insight, euphoria and a deep sense of calm is often accompanied by this extraordinary brain state.

Brainsync has a collection of 4 audio tracks that will take you from beginner, Alpha frequencies all the way to Delta, in just 4 weeks. It is called Sacred Ground and is available on their website www.brainsync.com and Amazon, as a CD or audio download. This is a fantastic program that I have used for about two years. Here is a description:

This is the perfect all-in-one program for all levels: from the beginner, who wants to be led gradually into deeper levels of meditation, to the more experienced listener, who wishes to have a variety of music and brain wave states available in a single program.

Week One - Relaxation and Grounding - Alpha Window Frequencies
Week Two - Relaxation and Release - Alpha & Theta Window Frequencies
Week Three - Opening Higher Consciousness - Theta Window Frequencies
Week Four - Deep Resonance - Theta & Delta Window Frequencies

There are other types of meditation, as well, including the use of a mantra, which I mentioned earlier. Primordial Sound Meditation (PSM) is a silent practice that uses a mantra. The mantra you receive is based on information provided to your teacher or guru and is not to be uttered allowed or shared with anyone else. My mantra is personal and specific to me.

Another type is Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) and these classes are often taught by physicians, nurses, social workers, and psychologists. This technique uses breath awareness and body scan. For breath awareness, you focus your attention on the inhale and exhale. Body scan is a process of focused attention on your body, starting at the toes and working up to the top of the head. You can also start at the top of the head and go down the body. As you focus on the body part, you relax that part and the practice takes you deeper within. This may be done seated, lying down, or walking.

Zen meditation or “Zazen” means “seated meditation.” It comes from Buddhism, and is done through observing both the breath and the mind. This is usually taught by a teacher and sometimes chanting is involved.

Transcendental Meditation (TM) was founded by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, who trained many famous followers like the Beatles. It uses a mantra or series of Sanskrit words to help the practitioner focus during meditation. You will want to train with a TM Yogi to learn this technique.

Kriya Yoga is another form of meditation, brought to the West by the Indian mystic Paramahansa Yogananda. Kriya is an advanced Raja Yoga technique of pranayama (life-energy control). Kriya reinforces and revitalizes subtle currents of life energy (prana) in the spine and brain. The ancient seers of India (rishis) perceived the brain and spine as the tree of life. Out of the chakras flow the energies that enliven all the nerves and every organ and tissue of the body. The yogis discovered that by moving the life current continuously up and down the spine by the special technique of Kriya Yoga, it is possible to greatly accelerate one's spiritual evolution and awareness. If you are interested in this form of meditation, you will want to train with a Kriya Yogi.

"By the definite science of meditation known for millenniums to the yogis and sages of India, and to Jesus, any seeker of God can enlarge the caliber of his consciousness to omniscience to receive within himself the Universal Intelligence of God." — Paramahansa Yogananda

If you want to use guided meditations, this is totally acceptable. Kelly Howell has a number of guided meditations available and so do a lot of authors, such as authors and spiritual teachers from Hay House or Sounds True. Just go to these websites and search for meditation audios. Deepak Chopra and his Chopra Center host a meditation challenge several times a year. There are lots of meditation tips and sources. Let your angels and guides lead you to the style that is best for you.
Don't worry so much about the experience you are having or not having during meditation. As the saying goes, “Just do it!” If your mind wanders or if you drift away, gently bring your attention back to your mantra, your breath or back to what Wayne Dyer calls the “gap.” The gap is nothingness.

Don't struggle or beat yourself up if you don’t feel you are “doing it right.” Meditation is all about letting go and allowing everything to be. Remember the Beatles song, “Let it be”? Don't try to control your meditation experience. An advanced meditator will allow her mind to do whatever it wants. If thoughts come in, imagine them as leaves in a small stream and see them float off. Or, you can imagine thoughts as clouds floating by in the sky. Soon, you will see that as you allow these thoughts to float by, you begin to allow things in your life to “float by,” as well. Very cool how this works.

Please continue meditating, even if you do not see immediate results. Sometimes, it takes months to get into your natural rhythm and sometimes it take years to really relax into realizing the power and benefits of meditation. Meditation teacher Pema Chodron says that the students who come to her and want to quit are on the verge of letting go!

Over time you will develop a love for the peace that you feel, as you go into the emptiness, the “gap”, or whatever you want to call it. So celebrate the moment when you want to meditate and leave the world behind for a few minutes a day.

On the 2nd Day of Christmas, My Soul Self Gave to Me Rose Quartz Crystals

On the 2nd Day of Christmas, My Soul Self Gave to Me Rose Quartz Crystals for healing my heart and opening to more love in my life.

Rose Quartz is one of the first crystals I found when Steve and I began collecting crystals in 2001. I loved the pale pink color and the variety of options: beads, pendants, rough stones, jewelry, carved angels and skulls. You name it: Rose Quartz is available in many, many forms and is very inexpensive. What I love most about Rose Quartz is how it heals the heart chakra. It also fosters love on many levels, including Self-Love!

“The fair and lovely Rose Quartz, with its gentle pink essence, is a stone of the heart, a Crystal of Unconditional Love. It carries a soft feminine energy of compassion and peace, tenderness and healing, nourishment and comfort. It speaks directly to the Heart Chakra, dissolving emotional wounds, fears and resentments, and circulates a Divine loving energy throughout the entire aura. Reawakening the heart to its own innate love, it provides a deep sense of personal fulfillment and contentment, allowing one the capacity to truly give and receive love from others.[Raphaell, 82-85][Simmons, 331][Hall, 236]
Called the Heart Stone, Rose Quartz may have been used as a love token as early as 600 B.C. and is still an important talisman of relationships. It is quite effective in attracting new love, romance and intimacy, or in developing a closer bond with family or friends. It supports connection within groups and community, and carries a high spiritual attunement to the Earth, Universe, and the Divine. [Eason, 50][Simmons, 331][Hall, 236]

Source: http://www.crystalvaults.com/crystal-encyclopedia/rose-quartz
(Books used for the description are shown in parentheses by author’s name.)

I use Rose Quartz in a number of ways in my life:

1. Carry a small piece of Rose Quartz in my pocket. I make sure that it is a smooth stone.

2. Wear a pendant of Rose Quartz.

3. Wear a bracelet that has Rose Quartz beads.

4. Drop chunks of rough Rose Quartz in my bath. Wonderful as a skin softener and it also heals the physical body. One source said it’s good for wrinkles!

5. Use Rose Quartz to heal my heart by lying down and placing a piece over my heart chakra.

6. Use Rose Quartz in a crystal grid for healing on mental, spiritual, physical and emotional levels. Rose Quartz is a great stone to add to any grid.

How might you use the healing properties of Rose Quartz in your life?

To learn more about Rose Quartz, I recommend books by Adrienne Goff, Judy Hall, Philip Permutt or Katrina Raphaell.

On the 1st Day of Christmas, my Soul Self gave to me

Over the next 12 days, I’m going to share wonderful gifts of healing that you can give yourself. The very first one is my all-time favorite gift:

THE GIFT OF SELF-FORGIVENESS

What a gift! When I am truly ready to forgive myself for past wrongs, omissions and any other things for which I have judged myself, a cascade of healing can begin. How do I begin the process? My favorite vehicle for Self-0Forgiveness is Colin Tipping’s Radical Self Forgiveness:

https://www.radicalforgiveness.com/

Go to Colin’s website and download FREE TOOLS for Radical Self-Forgiveness. His worksheet and tutorial will take you through the steps. He also has a book on Amazon and an audio on www.soundstrue.com. In Colin’s own words:

“If you have a tendency to be hard on yourself and make yourself wrong a lot of the time, then this is the strategy for you. Radical Self-Empowerment is a combination of Radical Self-Forgiveness and Radical Self-Acceptance.

Even though the core technology is the same as Radical Forgiveness, we treat Radical Empowerment as a strategy in its own right, given the difficulty people experience when trying to forgive themselves or find love for themselves. It also has its own set of tools which I recommend you use if you find it difficult to accept yourself just the way you are.”

Are you ready? You may begin in small ways to forgive yourself. You can add crystals to support you while you are forgiving yourself. A few that work really well for forgiveness are:

Rose Quartz
Rhodonite
Rhodochrosite
Chrysoprase
Apache Tear

You might wear a rose quartz pendant or get a piece of Chrysoprase to carry in your pocket. I enjoy getting beads of the various crystals and making bracelets that are easy to wear.

You can also add essential oils to support yourself. I feel that the crystals and oils work together to hold me in a loving embrace, while I do the forgiveness work. doTERRA® has a new blend called Forgive! Or, you can use Bergamot or Thyme essential oils. Get a good quality essential oil like doTERRA® or Young Living® or Aura Cacia®, which is available at Whole Foods.

So, the next time you do something that you feel is a “mistake” or something you’d rather you hadn’t done, stop and:

1. Breathe
2. Go inside and connect with your HEART
3. Say: “I Love you and I forgive you.”
4. Take another deep breath and look around you. Find something for which you can show appreciation. Anchor this in your heart.
5. Inhale or apply your favorite essential oil to feel supported as you heal and release.
6. Carry a crystal or wear jewelry made with your crystal(s) for additional support.

You did it. What a great gift you gave yourself today!

PJ Spur pjspur@gmail.com www.soulrevelations.com