Choosing a Reiki Practitioner

There are many practicing Reiki Practitioners to choose from these days.  How do you know which one is suitable for you?

Before I delve into that, allow me to define Reiki. Reiki is a gentle, safe and effective healing technique that originated in Japan in the early 1900’s.  Reiki is pronounced “Ray-Key” and it means Universal Life Force Energy in Japanese. During a session the Reiki Practitioner acts as a channel to transfer the Universal Life Force Energy to the client. This energy helps to remove blockages within the body, creates balance and promotes feelings of well-being.  Reiki does conflict with any medical treatments, medications or other modalities such as massage.  My clients find it extremely relaxing.  It helps them to deal with pain, anxiety, depression and sleep issues.

I will suggest several things to look for when choosing a Reiki Practitioner. Unfortunately, in Ontario, Reiki is not a regulated profession.  What this means is that anyone can say they are a Reiki Practitioner and open a Reiki business regardless of their training or background.  That’s why doing your research before choosing a Practitioner is important.  The Canadian Reiki Association is an organization that “is committed to promoting ethical practices and teaching; encouraging educational standards; and providing the public with referrals to our Registered Practitioners and Registered Teachers.”  However, membership in the association is not mandatory for Reiki Practitioners to practice. In fact, most Reiki Practitioners and Teachers in Hamilton are not members of the Association.

Word of Mouth is one of the best ways to get started.  A good reference is important. Ask around to friends and family members, people at your yoga class or on Facebook. Ask them if the Practitioner offered a safe space and professional session. 

Strongly consider having a Personal Interview with the Reiki Practitioner prior to making an appointment.  The Practitioner should answer their phone professionally and have an available answering machine.  A good Practitioner will not have a problem with you touring their office or treatment room and asking questions.  During the interview use your intuition.  Do you feel comfortable with this person?  Do they seem to be genuinely interested in your best and highest good?  Do they explain their services with confidence? Do they have professional business cards and price list? Do they offer receipts for their service for you to claim on your taxes, insurance or wellness account?  Were they on time for your appointment with their room set up and ready to go? 

Does the environment feel inviting and safe?

Reiki Practitioners can work out of various spaces: wellness centres, yoga studios, fitness centres, medical centres, retreat centres and resorts or out of their homes.  Is the treatment area quiet?  My first Reiki job was at a Martial Arts Studio. The sound of testosterone pumped men pounding the bags was definitely not relaxing or quiet. Lesson learned! Is there a child’s playground outside the window?  Will people be chatting right outside the door or phones ringing?

Is the space clean? Is there clutter everywhere? I once visited a Reiki Master who had personal photos of friends and family in her treatment room including diseased individuals. She had all sorts of knick knacks and personal items not related to Reiki or the sessions.  That was a little creepy to me and I felt that the space was more about her than me, the client.  

Is there an easily accessible restroom?  I don’t feel it’s professional or appropriate to wonder through someone’s house to find the washroom.

Do they have their Reiki Certification posted in their office? This is a professional given.   In order to be a Reiki Practitioner a Level 2, Level 3 or Reiki Master Certificate it is suggested by The Canadian Reiki Association that you have a Level 2 or more.

View their Website and their On-line Presence

Peruse the Practitioner’s website.  Do they have information about their services, prices and information on how to book an appointment?  Read through and get a feel for them and their service. Does it seem that they put energy and passion into their business?  Perform a Google search of their name and also their company.  Are they talking trash on Facebook?  Did they post photos or write blogs that are in poor taste?  Look for testimonials and review sites.  

On Your First Visit the Practitioner Should:

Greet you warmly and invitingly.

Ask you to sign a consent form that states you understand the session and that Reiki Practitioners do not diagnose or treat medical conditions and that you should see a Dr. regarding medical concerns (or something to that effect).

Explain how Reiki works and what they will be doing during the session.  They should ask you if you have any questions.

Ask your permission to touch you in appropriate areas (some Practitioners work off the body some work on and off the body)

Explain any use of crystals, wands, smudging, aromatherapy or anything other than Reiki.

Ensure that you are comfortable before they start the session.

After the session they should ask again if you have any questions and explain what to expect and what measures to take after the session.  It is nice if they offer you water or tea and they should not rush you to get off the massage table.

If at anytime you want to stop the session the Practitioner should understand and ask again if you have questions.  If you choose to leave the Practitioner should be empathetic and let you know that they are available if you want to talk. 

A good Practitioner will follow up with you within a few days of your first session to see how you are feeling. 

Red Flags

The treatment is ALWAYS fully clothed.  If any Practitioner asks you to remove your shirt or pants this is inappropriate.  

The Practitioner touches you near any private part of your body. Or they do the session in complete darkness.

The Practitioner breaches confidentiality by mentioning client’s names or situations or they say something in bad taste about a client.

The Practitioner requests more money than initially agreed upon.

They refuse to give you a receipt for service. 

The Practitioner causes you to feel like you need the service or you will be doomed.  No service should be forced upon anyone or anyone made to feel they will not get better without having the service. 

They offer sessions after 9 pm at night or work out of 24 hour salons (you know the ones). 

Some Reiki Practitioners have psychic or intuitive abilities. If messages come through they should be given in a supportive and appropriate manner.  It is not appropriate for someone to manipulate you using these gifts. 

Reiki is an extremely beneficial and relaxing treatment.  Reiki is now being practiced in Hospitals, hospices and work places.  When you work with the right Practitioner it can be a life changing experience.  Do your homework and trust your intuition.

Vanessa Pazzi – Certified Reiki Master Teacher

The Harmonious Soul

905-318-1724

www.theharmonioussoul.ca

The Consequences of Infinity…

Each beautiful snowflake that you will see this winter, is actually a unique crystalline structure made up of water molecules. There are infinite different possibilities, in the intricate details of how water manifests, in the shapes of snowflakes. They may look similar, especially when they were created in the same storm, but it is extremely rare, if not impossible, to find two that are actually the same.

Snowflakes can come from different water sources with different possible environmental pollutants, they evaporate into differently shaped clouds, hovering over different locations...
They fall in different shapes and sizes from different altitudes, at differing temperatures. And they can last on Earth for different amounts of time, before melting back into water.

Infinity… A Google search for the definition reveals, that the word has roots in Latin. ‘In’ means ‘not’ and ‘finites’ means ‘finished or finite’. It is limitless and expansive. Some examples of finite resources on our planet, would be water and trees. As there is a certain amount or volume of it/them present, at any given time on Earth. When we explore infinity far enough, we start getting into topics that are impossible to measure and can only be explored as possibilities. Some examples of infinite resources might be; Usui Reiki energy and unconditional love. Please know that in the following article I am not trying to definitively explain any part of infinity, I am just inspired to write about some of the possible consequences of the concept of it.

There are no absolute certainties when it comes to infinity… Distance and size are relative terms. How far is far? I guess it depends on the physical location and whether you are walking, riding, driving or flying - in a plane or in a rocketship! How large is large and how small is small? A car seems a whole lot bigger when you are standing next to it versus when you are looking down on it, from the window of a plane… Also, our sun looks huge when it is shown, in relation to our planet Earth, but yet it looks tiny when it is shown in relation to one of the many bigger stars, such as Arcturus, which NASA’s website reports as being 23 times bigger.
At the end of the first, Men In Black movie (Directed by Barry Sonnenfeld. Columbia, 1997) , the camera focuses in on Will Smith and his new partner “L”, in their car and then pans out, revealing; the traffic, the street, New York, North America, Earth, the Sun and The Milky Way Galaxy, which it then turns out, is just one marble that an alien is playing with… If you don’t know the movie, you can see a similar panning effect, by scrolling out from any point on the application, Google Earth. Even without technology, you can explore this idea, by allowing your imagination to focus in on, the place where you currently are and then expanding your view out, as far as your imagination will go.

It is said that our universe is infinite… So what is beyond our solar system and Milky Way Galaxy? What if our whole universe is only one part of a larger multiverse? Could there be an infinite number of universes? If so, then couldn’t there be other sentient beings out there? They may or may not exist exactly like we do, in the third dimension, but just because we can’t identify other beings or entities with our five senses, does not necessarily mean that they do not exist, here on Earth or out there in space. Perhaps there are other life forms existing in other dimensions that we simply could not experience from our third dimensional point of view. How many other dimensions are there anyways…?

There are many fundamental life questions that can have many different truthful answers depending on who you ask them to... Where does my soul travel to, while I sleep? When I die…? Your answer may or may not be the same as your neighbors’. Where does my soul come from? Where has my soul been? We are all only seeing one perspective of the world, our own sentient view.

Our personal truth is generally based upon the beliefs and experiences that we have learned from and accept to be true. We all need to explore and evaluate what is true for ourselves. In an infinite universe, just because two people’s beliefs may be different, does not mean that one of them has to be wrong. We can choose to honor, the existence of all other sentient beings and their beliefs as well. Our differences are what make each of us unique.

If you are unsure about what is true for you, you can gain access to insight and answers from your subconscious soul through many different ways, including; prayer, meditation, relaxation, analysis of symbols in dreams, psychic readings and also through hypnosis.

We are like snowflakes; similar and yet beautifully different. All of the 7 billion+ people on this planet (including identical twins) have their own unique set of fingerprints , their own bodies and souls, personalities, passions and egos, karma and merit, lessons learned from current life experiences and possibly past lifetimes, beliefs, and truths, forming their own unique realities.

Situations in life can always get infinitely better or infinitely worse, depending on what you are focusing on. Whatever feeling you are feeling, in any given moment will be attracting more of that feeling and amplifying that state. This is why when you are feeling like you are at the bottom of your barrel, you may find that there actually is no bottom and that your situation could still get worse. I was experiencing that realization, when I learned from a professional coach, that a wonderful way to stop a spiral of negative feelings and feelings of rejection for your life situation, is to focus in on what you feel thankful for, in any given moment. Even in your darkest moment, there will still be something that you can find to feel thankful for. Even if it is your breath. If you can focus on the feeling of gratitude for that thing, then you will naturally be attracting more of the things and situations that you would feel greatful for.

Every human being is a creator, creating their own unique expression of life, through simply living and just being themselves. It is possible that every human being could have a creator as well. It is also possible that different human beings could have different creators and it is even possible that a person’s creator may have a creator… We can only know what we feel to be true for us, regarding this. Which creation story resonates best with you? How far back in time does humanity actually reach, on this Earth anyways? How many ancient civilizations were present on our planet before our current set of known history began?

We are the consequences of our species’ past and everything that existed before us. If our ancestors did not decide to do exactly what they did, precisely when they did it, then we may not find ourselves even here, or in the same situations that we find ourselves in. Human history and human creation is not yet finished either. There is endless potential for us to create change, to heal and to evolve in our personal lives, as well as in our combined future reality.

Imagination is a tool that we can use to solve problems and to enhance our lives. Try not to limit your imagination or your potential when it comes to what you are the most passionate about and what your soul wants to focus on. The creative possibilities in our imaginations are infinite. Together, we can create a more sustainable way of life, for our future generations. In order to affect changes, we will have to take physical actions as well, but getting inspired with our imagination is one place where we can start the creation process of infinite possibility, to begin manifesting in our own lives. What will you focus your imagination on creating in your life, in the New Year?

Care Hudson
Relaxation Therapist
www.inturelaxation.com

Child Care in the Millennium: A Sustainable Approach

Funny, I am here writing our premier article (welcome Gusto Community!) on sustainable child care. And while I thought I would be able to pen my thoughts in record speed, I found myself being constantly distracted by my lovely (albeit very vocal) eight year old daughter.

 Don’t get me wrong, she is my life line, my pumpkin patch, my…Well you get my drift! And for those with a single child family, you can appreciate that to an “only child” we are parent, playmate, dolly (or action hero) – you name it! As parents, we wear many hats for our children – all the while, barely keeping afloat and sleep deprived to boot!

Anyhow coming back to my intended point…

So what does sustainability have to do with child care? Does the term “sustainable” not relate to the environment; a tree, or something like that? These are just some of the thoughts that may be going through your minds. Or maybe you simply get the connection and will understand my words with little contemplation.  

So, without further a du, let’s consider the Merriam Webster dictionary definition of the term “sustainable” – “able to last or continue for a long time.” Perhaps you are wondering whether it is even necessary for child care to be sustainable.

 For me the simple answer is an unequivocal yes! Why? Because, as parents we often find ourselves stressed out running from work to day care drop-offs and pick-ups, to activities and play dates, and then back home to carry on with a plethora of more tasks before being worthy enough to put our head to pillow, fall deeply into a dreamy sleep  and then wake to repeat the same routine. The truth is simply this - while we love our families – let’s keep it real! 

Such routines are sure to lead us down a path of anxiety, sleepless nights (if we have newborns or toddlers), less quality family time and ultimately burn out (at least if we don’t figure out what works for us as individuals).

So, what would be a sustainable approach? And, what does sustainable child care feel like?

Umm…Sustainable child care truly reflects our family’s values and needs (whatever they may be – or not!) and it will leave us with a sigh of relief coupled with a feeling of tranquility. In many ways, sustainable child care is akin to true love. We can never know what form it will come in and how we will feel when presented with it, but we will be damned if we can live without it once we have been gifted with it.  

Christine Bodden & Candace Batchelor

info@picneewatch.com  

www.picneewatch.com

Energy Shift: Core Transformation Quiz

Everything Happens Repetitively for a Reason

You came in to this lifetime with a life lesson (or two) and contracts that will ensure that you have abundant opportunities to learn your life lesson.  Once the life lesson has been activated you will experience certain aspects of our contracts, repetitively.  For example, you may attract the same type of relationships with spouses, friends, employers, colleagues or business partners.  You may face the same challenges with fears, illness or addictions over and over.

All that you have contracted and all that you experience from birth create your core vibration which becomes your inner guidance system.  Your core vibration determines how you perceive and react to situations.  It can guide your decisions and choices.  Without knowing what your core vibration is you may feel like you are swimming against the current.  You are doing all that you can to create the life that you want but the reward seems like it is always at arms length or worse, it all falls to pieces.  This can happen because what you want to create does not match your core vibration.

Life Lesson Activation

An impressionable life event will 'happen' to activate your life lesson.  It is at this point that you begin to execute other aspects of your contracts to learn your life lesson, heal energy stamps and master your energy matrix.  When your life lesson is activated you are being rewarded with the opportunity to change your core vibration.  However, you are usually unaware of this opportunity for growth and personal ImPowerment¹.  Generally, we all stay on our core vibrational path blind and unaware until we get sick or tired of the 'life lesson stick' bonking us on the head; repetitively.  If you wake up and choose to work with your vibration or make changes to it you will be able to create the life you want successfully and with some ease.

Steps to Shifting your Energy

There are spiritual and physical steps to shifting your energy and transforming your core vibration. 

Step One is to choose to make this change.  Choose to shift your energy.  Choose to step up and live ImPowered. 

Step Two is to become aware of your life lesson.  Find the answer to the question: “Why am I doing or experiencing the same thing over and over again?”  or “Why am I here?”

If you have completed Step One I have included Step Two for you to do on your own.  Below are some questions to help you define the life lesson you have 'signed' up for in this lifetime.   Which one of the following groups of questions best describes you and your life experience.  The corresponding life lessons are listed after the list of questions A-L.

A) Do you repetitively face challenges in life that seem to be related to love relationships?  Do you consider your self to be 'unlucky' in love?  In a love relationship, are you the one that tries the hardest to make it work even when it is obvious that the relationship should end?

B) Do you compare your self to others or judge your self based on what you assume others think of you?  Do you repetitively fib about how you feel or about what's going on in your life? Do others think that you have the 'perfect' job, relationship, family or life when in fact there are areas that you feel deeply unsatisfied with?

C) Are you a creative person that repetitively experiences lack of financial abundance?  Do you repetitively start projects but do not finish them because you don't feel they are 'perfect' yet?  Are you given abundant opportunities to suggest ideas to others and if they take action on your idea are they generally successful?

D) Do you repetitively look for that 'one thing' that will make your life perfect?  Are you an overachiever that rarely takes time to enjoy life?  Do you believe that everything is either 'black or white', and that there are no gray areas?  Are you addicted to food, sugar, caffeine, drugs, alcohol, exercise, drama, knowledge, etc.?

E) Have you experienced an abundance of drama in your life?  Do you feel that others control your life?   Do you have difficulty accepting gifts, compliments, money or even love?  Are you accustomed to having major events affect your life circumstances and make you feel like a victim?

F) Do you see your inner beauty?  Are you able to see the beauty in others?  Do you find the commonalities between you and others instead of the differences?  Do you feel bored with other people dealing with normal life lessons and situations?  Do you seek knowledge from the highest perspective?

G) Do you repetitively experience change in your life?  Do you 'think' instead of 'feel'?  Do you believe that you must alter your self or others in order to adapt to change?  Do you prefer to live by rules or systems that give you a sense of stability and order?

H) Do you repetitively experience ailments?  Are you an 'all or nothing' type of person?  Do you attract people into your life that are untrustworthy?  Did you experience abandonment or abuse growing up?  Are you uncomfortable with taking risks and prefer when others make the decisions? 

I) Are you empathic and pick up others feelings, emotions, thoughts etc. and therefore have difficulty being in crowded places?  Have you repetitively attracted master manipulators into your life? Do you have difficulty saying 'NO'?  Did you have a controlling parent or parental figure?  Do others tell you that you have put a 'wall' up and therefore are insensitive or unemotional?

J) Do others repetitively tell you that you are uncaring, selfish or self centered?  Are you a competitive person?  Do you have difficulty relating or connecting with others?  Do you feel alone or in your own little world?

K) Do you usually tell people what you think rather than what you feel?  Do you prefer to avoid emotional events or pretend that you are not involved?  How often do you tell people that you love them?  Do you experience repetitive confrontations that are initiated by others, not your self?

L) Are you great at telling people what they want to hear even if it is not what you believe?  Do you find it easy to rationalize your actions?  Have you repetitively experienced the feeling of being deceived by 'leader' type people?  Do you try to think out what you feel? 

A)  LOVE:  love of self

B)  TRUTH: Responsibility to self

C)  CREATION: Expressing Self Power

D)  BE-ING:Wholeness

E)  ACCEPTANCE: Self Esteem and the Art of Graceful Acceptance

F)  GRACE: Walking in Harmony with all things

G) ADAPTATION: Change

H) TRUST: Trusting self

I)  DEFINITION: Expressing individuality through healthy boundaries

J)  CHARITY: harmony with others

K) COMMUNICATION: communicating from the heart

L) INTEGRITY: harmony with self

Step Three:  Understanding the details of your contracts and how to learn your life lesson.

Step Four:  Find the gift and enjoy the shift.

Step Five:  Rewrite your contracts.

Step Six:  Move forward in your time line, with your new contracts, creating this lifetime consciously from the heart, with passion and purpose.

Step Three, Four and Five can be done during a set of Energy Shift sessions.  Step Six is your opportunity to take action using your new vibration and consciously create whatever you choose.

Kathy Corbett-King RMT, LM

“I am an Energy Coach.  I am that, I am; and so are You.  I use empowerment techiniques to ImPower you.” 

BodynSol ~ 382 West 5^th 

905-975-2836

bodynsol8@yahoo.ca . www.bodynsol.com

¹ImPower: the act of impowering your Self.  An inward flow of energy to and for your Self with the intent of being your highest potential.  The “Im” in impower represents the “I am” in who you are and will be. 

Fresh Changes With Hope

Spring has sprung and what wonderful energy comes once winter begins to loosen its cold grasp! 

All through January our thoughts have flown on gossamer wings of imagination, growing, changing, and evolving into our life’s possibilities. With the passing of Imbolc or Candlemas, the mid-point between the Winter Solstice and the Spring Equinox, we have begun to feel the renewed energy of the Earth waking and beginning to build beneath our feet.  In response our own spirit and energy begin to rise and we joyfully embrace this burgeoning renewal.

As the time for the Equinox gets closer, we can no longer ignore the building heat and warmth.  Spring is fast approaching and with it comes an obvious sense of renewal and rebirth.  In this surging energy, we may have found one or two of our imaginings having a little more staying power.  If we spend a little time thinking of these few ideas we can feel our excitement and drive being fueled just as life is returning to our world. Our spirit has recognized these ideas as the most promising source of growth and change for this coming year.  We have allowed our dreams to form the rough shapes and outlines of our goals and now the energy of spring says that it is time to do more.  It is time to examine our dreams and plan while we look for the most fertile methods that will aid in growing our dreams.

This is the time to plan our course, to look at our options, and to plan how best to work toward our dreams and goals. This is the season of mapping our possibilities, and contingencies. This isn’t about big changes or big movement, not yet.  This is a time to plan how best to encourage our desires within the fertile ground of our spirit.  We look for the simple steps that will spur our dreams and desires forward.

As with all seeds, not all will germinate.  Those that do can and will become the stuff that inspires us throughout our life.  We may have seen our end goal but we must remember that the end is not our beginning.  Each new spring gives us the opportunity to plant anew, to move forward in our life path and to celebrate as our spirit embraces the opportunities that abound.

Monthly Meditation

Take three deep breaths, feel your body relax with each gently exhaled breath.  Imagine a column of white light surrounding and protecting you as you journey inward toward your heart. Once within your heart imagine a door opening…

Beyond the door are fallow fields, and barren trees.  Yet this landscape is not a lifeless as it would seem. The sun and gentle breezes carry a hint of warmth, the warmth that is growing and stirring life into being.  The small birds that have stayed through the Winter chorus a song that buoys the spirit and a new song joins with them as the first robins of the year return to sing their herald to Spring.  

Even a closer look at the trees shows the first signs of returning life as the first tiny buds appear.  The fallow fields are not barren either as the first Spring flowers of crocus, iris, tulips and more have broken through the hard grasp of winter.  In the distance is an inviting, warm cottage and you walk toward it.  

Inside a fire chases the last of winter’s chill from your body.  A woman is tending to seeds and pots spread out along the table.  Her warm smile melts any remain chill in your spirit. She is the one who tends your inner garden and all of these seeds, strewn across the table, were born from your flights of fancy.  

She hands you the seeds of thought that have stayed with you the longest in those imaginings.  They have been warmed by Her gentle touch and are ready for planting.  Her gentle touch warms the earth and as you begin to plant your dream seeds Her voice gently reminds you of the possibility that each of these seeds hold.  

Within the warm, moist ground, the seed is protected and begins the process of growth that will bring it into being as the year itself moves forward.  With the sowing done she takes your hand and reminds you that this is only the beginning, and that you have everything you need to make this a reality. 

 She says that she will tend to these seeds as you begin the outward process to allow them to become part of your outward life. You leave the cottage with a renewed vigor and bounce to your step.

Return to the waking world knowing that you have taken the first, vital steps to becoming and having your dreams come true. 

Blessings of Light and Love

Cheryl Camillo - Spiritual Counselor & Healer

motherc@spiritwalkdundas.com
spiritwalkdundas@yahoo.ca

Maintaining our connection throughout the seasons

I am sitting here in early Sagittarius and wondering how I write about a time that hasn’t even occurred yet, about shifting into Capricorn and what it is to be in this time. Do I recite factual information gathered from articles and books or do I simply delve into my imagination about what I picture it might be a few weeks from now? Most of what I write about is from my direct experience with a mix of information posted on sites I follow. So, how do I write about a future that does not even exist?

Funny, but we seem to do that in our heads all the time. We “create” a future based on fantasies we have stirring around  in our heads. Fantasies about possible future outcomes. We make conclusions of what may occur if we do A,B and C and then we plan, categorize, systemize and beat the hell out of an idea until we decide it is the best path to follow.  We create images of what our life may look like in the future. We feel worry and fear based on these illusions, or alternatively we hold on to hope and expectation.

We choose paths based on stories we have constructed in our minds, often creating discordance in our lives as we frequently create these life stories from a place of complete unconsciousness. We develop beliefs about situations based on what we physically see happening in our external world, or from memories of how we experienced similar situations in the past.  We don’t even realize that most of the time our ego is the one in charge and our soul is so far in the corner we don’t even know it is speaking.

So, how can we create these stories differently? It is certainly the time. The beginning of a new year. The birth of a new cycle. The sun is slowly making its return. It is as if  we are all embryos in the womb waiting to be born…and... we are the pregnant woman waiting to give birth. We want so much for this year, this cycle to be different, to be more than or less than what we have previously experienced.

I could talk about resolutions, how to manifest what we want or what things we can do to stick to our goals. Yet, I feel a stirring, a different story emerging. A story that is about manifesting yet it is not. One that is about creating yet surrendering. About paradoxes. The power of “being with” the center of all things. Of choosing to be with the possibility of everything and doing nothing. 

I have been “fortunate” in gaining a very clear understanding of standing in the centre, getting out of the way and allowing Life to steer a course; rather than living a life that is directed by ego. It took me a long time to even recognize how often i (ego) was always trying to be in control and design a life that I truly believed would manifest my dreams and provide me with a life that was “totally awesome”. I would see something I desired and begin chasing it. Like a predator after a prey. A predator that did not tire, would not rest and would ruthlessly hunt until it got exactly what it was hunting for. Unfortunately, this predator tended to have a deep rooted pattern, a program within her brain telling her the most ‘nourishing’ prey were the ones that were dangerous and very toxic. “Fortunately”, we can only feed on toxic prey for so long before it starts to destroy us.….and all those within our tribe. We all have wake-up calls in one way or another. Sometimes we listen and other times not. I chose to listen…..eventually. It was that or slowly die.

After my last ingestion of toxins I made a commitment. I committed that from that moment forward I would listen very carefully to Life’s feedback and wisdom before I made any further choices. I would surrender my life to Her and trust that She knew much more than my little human mind. New life is now starting to emerge in ways that I never would have imagined.

So, how do we step aside? How do we create a future that is aligned with Life? How do we become co-creators focused on the good of all, instead of humans driven by self-centred needs and wants?

Very, very.... very carefully. With one foot in front of the other. We remain flexible. Unattached. Open. We create community. In a sense we let go of ‘hope’, as hope is based on expectations and clinging to an idea. Clinging to control, being attached to outcome.

 A friend of mine recently compared life a little bit to the game of snakes and ladders. We all love when we get big numbers and can move forward long distances or when we land on that square that takes us up the ladder. Its not very often we get excited by having to slide down the back of the snake and return to the beginning (or close to it anyway). Thing is thats life. Its full of ebbs and flows. Sometimes we need to return to old ground to finish….even if we have no idea why. There is no need to always be clear about what path to follow or how to get there.

It will unfold.

Recently I have received some amazing insights about the power of sitting with something before I make a move. Something I read really resounded within me - that once I choose one thing over another, the other gets cancelled out. It disappears into the ethers. In a sense it dies. That reality no longer exists. I wondered what would happen if I stayed with an idea and opened my mind to an alternate one and did not choose immediately which step to take? Not to move but instead, to sit and listen for the moment to move me. I would clearly ask for signs and symbols of what would be the next step to take. I would consciously let go of any preconceived notions about which path to follow. I must admit I have been very surprised with some of the choices I ultimately made. Sometimes I ended up doing exactly the opposite of what I “thought” was the best action to take. I am consistently guided every single time.

I have discovered first hand that out of the stillness, synchronicities happen, symbols repeat themselves or people say things that arouse my interest. Often something new arises that I would never have thought of on my own. Yes, I certainly had to address any resistance that arose. Resistance that is completely natural as the ego simply wants us to feel safe and secure, and this path is definitely not one of security. It is one of living on the edge. The unknown. Being the Fool as in the Tarot. Stepping forward off a cliff with complete and utter trust.

As Antonio Machado writes:

“Travellers,there is no path.Paths are made by walking.”

Walking this path takes time, practice and an immense amount of patience. We are so conditioned to make those resolutions, set those goals and go after them. From experience I can say that I truly believe this is not a sustainable way to live. Living in the moment, though, allowing one step to lead us to the next is not the norm in our society. Quite the opposite actually. Makes me think of a teacher I studied with years ago. She always said that the way of the patriarchy was to understand first and act later and the way of the Feminine was to go within, listen for insight, take the action and then understand. I get that now.

It is not an easy path and sometimes I think to myself it would be so much simpler if I just made those resolutions like everyone else. Then I remember. I remember the difference between living a life from ego and living the life I am living now.

I choose this one hands down.I encourage you to consider the idea as well.

Blessed be.

Ana Ravenstar

Intuitive Coaching, Herbal Living, Tarot Wisdom, Rituals and ceremonies
ana@theheartofthewitch.com
www.thehearthofthewitch.com

YOU CAN HAVE RESULTS OR EXCUSES NOT BOTH

Why aren't you at your goal weight today? It's not like you started your fitness journey yesterday. This has been a goal that you've been working towards for years.

So why haven't you achieved it yet?

Now listen really closely to all the reasons that are popping into your mind right now. Grab a pen and paper and jot them down. These reasons you're giving for failing to reach your goal are really very clever excuses. So clever, that you convinced yourself that they were legit. That's right. You're not at your ideal weight at this moment because you've given in to excuses. I can understand your frustration because those excuses that you cling to tend to be very convincing. 

Now it's time to push your frustration aside and to really focus in on your goal. If you lose focus on your goal for even a second, excuses will take over – leaving you without progress and without the sweet satisfaction of accomplishment.

The first thing you need to do is make a plan. There's huge benefit to having a step-by-step plan when working toward a goal. Write out exactly how many times you'll exercise per week, for how long, and make a list of acceptable foods. This plan will be your follow-along-guide to arrive at your goal, so put a lot of thought into it.

Your next insurance against excuses is to enlist as much accountability as possible. Try to find people who will actively check up on you (like a trainer) rather than people who aren't likely to follow up on your progress. Share your detailed plan with these accountability partners and explain the importance that your goal has for you.

All good things must come to an end, and so does the journey to your ideal body. How long should the process take? Well, that's up to your unique situation. How much fat you have to lose, and how hard you are willing to work to get there. Find a reasonable timeframe in which to accomplish your goal, and then focus all your energy on meeting this deadline.

Call or email me today—I'd love to sit down with you to go over your best plan to get you into amazing shape.

Justin D’Olimpio

Just Train Boot Camp

www.justtrain.ca

Hoop Movement & Dance: More Than Just a Fitness Fad

Five years ago, I was just entering college to study Massage Therapy.  I’d been out of high school for a few years, living on my own, working in retail and was quite frankly, pretty unhappy about the whole thing.  My return to college and my eventual career saved me from death by boredom.

And hula hooping saved me from death by stress.

Working and going to college at the same time was, to say the least, difficult.  I can attest to many a night pouring over anatomy flash cards, physiology flow charts and high-lighted notes blurred by the onslaught of tears because I needed to pass this test. 

I had given up going to belly dance classes in order to go to school, and that worked for about six months until I realized, I need dance.  Going to Dundas by HSR wasn’t gonna work for me, however, so I found a new studio.  But it wasn’t belly dance I wound up taking.

I found hoop dance instead.

I remember the first time I watched the class thinking “what the heck is hoop dance?” and then thinking “oh my god I’m a hoop dancer,  I want one where do I get one it’s so sparkly want want wantwantwant!”  I probably got emotional during my first class, and definitely cried when I watched my first hoop dancing video on repeat, for about 2 weeks.  Even now, just hearing the song makes my tear ducts squeeze a little.  I bought my first hoop at my second class.

During the week before exams, I would spread my notes on the floor, with all their multi-coloured stickies, high lighters, and very important diagrams, and would dance them to shreds.  I would spin until I learned how to not get dizzy.  This spiral taught me a lot, but mostly it taught me to just let it happen.  Everything follows everything else and no amount of cramming two days before the big test would give me any additional edge.

But blowing off some steam would ensure I walked into that test room cool as a cucumber.  So spinning and dancing and music became my pre-test rituals.  It kept me sane, level, ready.

Hoop dance became my prayer, my centre, my source.  Through hoop dance, I found balance and confidence.  It was my way and it could not be wrong.

And now, 6 years later, everything is following everything else.  My career is happening – I’m an RMT.  And the spiral is teaching me more about myself.  I am an artist.  I can say, I never saw that coming.  But I am.  As I spin further and further into the spiral, I find myself building Circus Trees and performing with The Hamilton Aerial Group.  I am challenged daily, personally and physically, by this journey and every step I get stronger.

Hoop dance has been a transformative experience.  Through hoop dance I have freed myself from the bonds of my history, freed myself from the wrong impressions I had of who and what I am.  I have released the ideas of what I am not, and have begun to explore what I am.

I am an artist.  A woman.  A dancer.  I am a sensitive soul with the will to fight and the strength to love.

I have had the notion of teaching Hoop Dance for several years, and have cultivated what I need to fill that role.  And I’m (getting) ready to take you on the journey down the spiral.  In 2014 I will be launching Wild Women’s Circular Movement at Hamilton’s newest (as yet un-named at the time of this article writing) yoga and movement studio on Main St E at walnut.  Keep up to date with developments on my website and facebook page.  And look for me around town.  I’m the one with the hoops.

Jen Fleming

Jen “Hoop Weaver” Fleming is an RMT in the Hamilton area and performer with The Hamilton Aerial Group.  She has attended festivals as a hoop maker and recently begun exploring performance arts.  She is a cat lover, nature enthusiast and daily hoop spinner.  Visit her online at www.hoopweaver.weebly.com or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/HoopWeaver .

TRANSFORMATION: PART 2 - The “Transformative” path…..for a New Year

In part one, you learned how to tap into your potential, search out your skills, learn your likes and dislikes and understand the need for personal change.

Now you are sufficiently prepared to take the next step towards your life goals and your ultimate dreams.

Transformation (or change of any kind) is not easy.  Releasing old habits and thoughts can often be challenging and frustrating, but patience is the key to recovery.  Recognizing why you need or want to make a change is vital.   You can only make changes for yourself. It is important to understand that you cannot make changes for another, unless you are a parent of a small child or the caregiver of someone who is unable to make life choices.

Transformation is about empowering yourself, giving yourself permission to release and let go of that which is no longer serving a purpose in your current life.  This could be a relationship, a home, a job, or simply a thought system.

Letting go of a relationship often seems to be the most challenging aspect of transformation.  We tend to become “stuck” in a situation when another is concerned, and we may have a difficult time cutting ties to family, friends or colleagues to benefit our lives.  We are so focused on not hurting an individual (or causing more tension, more friction and/or more upheaval in an emotional situation) that we lose ourselves to save another. 

You are the only person who can choose to cut these ties.  You are the only one who chooses how you spend the rest of your life.  Listen to your “gut” feeling and ask yourself simple questions:  Does this relationship make your life easier or more difficult?  Do you spend more time crying than laughing?  Do you constantly have a spring in your step, or are you constantly tired?

Your “gut” response will provide the answers for you, listen carefully!  Your first response is the true response. 

So, how do you make the change?  When you have decided to “release” the old, and “initiate” the new, everything falls into place.  You will meet new people who can guide and support you, you will find solutions and options you had never thought of.  Talking about your feelings, your fears and your future to a professional or third party listener can also help you to understand your needs and help you see clearly into the next phase of your life.   Support groups are great for meeting others who have either gone through or are going through similar circumstances as you are.  You may also choose to promote encouragement and motivation in others, using your experiences and coping skills to facilitate growth.   You may choose to read or write about your struggles and your journey forward. 

Changing thoughts 

Believe it or not,, changing your thoughts is the most challenging undertaking of all.  Letting go of inherited thoughts (labels or ideals given to you as a child), cemented indoctrination (religious, educational, parental), peer expectation (conforming/acceptance) and issues of confidence & self worth are all very difficult to accomplish.

Change one word (or belief) at a time is the way forward.  You can do this through meditation, visualization, peer support groups and/or counselling session. Initiate and design your own “mantra”, a word, sound or vibration which functions as a repetitive sounding focus point, an anchor, allowing your mind to utilize and accept what is being said or heard. 

TIPS

• Try chanting as an exercise.
• Write a dream list or create a dream board.  This gives you a visual focus point, something to plan for, something you can actually see, rather than mentally envision.
• Surround yourself with inspirational books of poetry or stories, spiritually uplifting or vibrational music (harp, drums, wind instruments, bird or ocean sounds).  Hypnotic or rhythmic movement, (swaying, soul dancing).
• Believe – this is where it all begins.  Believe you are worthy, believe you have the knowledge, and believe you are the key to change.  BELIEVE in all that is “universally” true.  Believe you are better than the words of other’s.  BELIEVE you will transform and change for a better and more rewarding life.
• Trust and Faith – have faith in your own power, and, trust in the outcome.

Lilyana.

Workshops on Transformation & Life Enhancement starting soon at Lavandula Wellness Centre.

http://www.lavandulawellnesscentre.com  

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New Year, New You

The New Year is approaching!  We all are guilty of creating goals for the year ahead and not following through.  Goals take planning and initiative.  Rome wasn't built in a day and it wasn't built by one person.  Seek help from others around you, dream big and PLAN YOUR GOALS!

Great ways to stay on track:

For business:  Have huge goals for the New Year?  Want to take your business venture to new levels or start up a new one?  You may need someone to hold you accountable.  As an entrepreneur for the past 5 years I have learned how valuable it is to have help and be accountable.  Try hiring business or life coach to check in with and run your ideas by them.  A non biased opinion is always nice to have when in business.  It’s easy to let our heart get in the way of tough decision making and taking risks, even when we know what is best.  Alternatively you could hire a student or part-time receptionist to help take the load off of your day to day tasks so you can focus on the bigger picture, 10-15 hours a week of help can have a huge impact!

Personal Life:  This is a tough one.  Whether you are looking to decrease stress, gain confidence, write a book or run a marathon it is not easy to keep yourself motivated!  Keep a journal document the changes, good and bad, along the way.  This will help you to see your growth on paper so you don't quit when the going gets tough!  Meditation can help you to master your thoughts, manifest and take control back in your life, or give it up if that’s what you need.  There are different types of meditation: guided, spiritual, movement, mindfulness to name a few.  Pick one that works for you and go with it! Yoga is another great form of creating awareness in your mind and body!  Try meditation and/or yoga for 30 days!  I guarantee you will notice a difference in your mind and your body awareness.  A life coach can also help you to stay focused, keep you accountable and give you great ideas or insight on your goal. 

Health and Wellness:  This is the most common topic of goals for the New Year.  I always hear my clients saying their goals are to lose weight, quit smoking, eat healthier, exercise more and take better care of themselves.  There are a few ways to stay on track when it comes to being healthy.  Ensure that you are booking regular wellness appointments such as: relaxation massages, chiropractic care, acupuncture, reflexology or a facials to name a few.  

These appointments will help keep you:

 a) healthy

 b) pain free 

c) pampered and 

d) accountable.  

Your practitioner/therapist can help you overcome your obstacles in health by giving you ideas on healthy meal plans, fun activities to keep you moving and by answering your health and wellness questions!  As practitioners, we remember what you tell us, if you are going to the gym 3 times a week and we see you a month later; we will ask if you are still going to the gym.  We can also tell the differences in your range of motion, flexibility, muscle tone and alignment. 

For all your goals in life, a "goal buddy" always helps too!  Join a gym class with a friend, hire a personal trainer, ask another author or colleague to help write your book with you, whatever your goals there is always someone like minded willing to help or jump on board your new project. Goals don't have to be hard to reach.  Hard work, accountability, passion and a plan will guarantee success when it comes to your goals in life! 

Need help with your goals, give me a call!  I will connect you to the right path and the right people to start making changes in your life!

Stephanie Muir

RMT/Acupuncture Practitioner

Lavandula Wellness Centre

46 King St W Dundas ON  L9H 1T7

http://www.lavandulawellnesscentre.com  

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