Be Well Blog

Since my parents probably don’t know what a TiVo is, I’ll explain for everyone.  A TiVo is a digital video recorder that is basically like a computer for your TV.  It’s like a VCR but it records onto a computer chip.  The part that really lends to my philosophy on life is that part where the TiVo gets to know what you like and records things for you that it expects you’ll watch.  It gets to know what you like because it pays attention to what you do watch and record, and you can give a thumbs up or thumbs down to programs.  There is data about programs available to your TiVo so it can use algorithms that some uber geek wrote to determine the shows to record for you.  There is a fixed amount of space on the chip, so what you actively choose to record takes precedence over the shows that it has recorded for you without your knowledge.  At least that’s all how I understand a TiVo.

The key message here is that you can’t sit on your couch thinking “Oh mighty TiVo please record sitcoms about high school kids for me” while you’re watching CSI and Law & Order all the time.  You have given the TiVo no reason to believe that you will actually watch 90210 or Saved by the Bell, so it isn’t going to record them on its own.  Now, it WILL start recording them if you actually make a choice to record some of them or give them thumbs up and watch them. 

So, for all of you sitting out there praying or talking to your angels or some other form of manifesting, you have to take action consistent with those desires.  You have to make choices in your life that show that you are ready to receive what you are asking for.  Those choices are what will cause more to flow your way.  If you pray for peace in your life, but choose to continue to focus on friendships with people who are anything but peaceful and surround yourself with clutter, you send a message to the universe that you aren’t ready for peace.  Begin to shift the balance even in the smallest of ways toward what you desire.  Perhaps it is setting boundaries on the amount of time you’ll spend on the phone with a destructive family member, or spending 10 minutes a day meditating if you are seeking more peace in your life.  If you’re looking to invite a healthier relationship into your life, it is important to decline dates with people who fit your past M.O. but who you know to be unhealthy. 

Manifesting the life that you want requires both purpose and action.  So each time you make a choice, think about that great TiVo of life.  Be consistent between your purposes and your choices, and you will receive more of what you desire!

Go get ‘em!

Personal trainers, athletes, and others in the wellness industry can tell you many reasons why resistance training is important to your body’s health.  I won’t list them in this post, but you can learn more here.  I hear what they say and it all makes sense, but the fact is that in the past (very very recent past included), I have resisted doing resistance training despite the logic.  There are several reasons I think I’ve resisted it which I think are pretty common and have pretty simple solutions.  By simple I mean that they are not difficult but they do require effort.  This is not Exercise in a Pill which is apparently being scientifically studied as we speak!  This is using and connecting with your self in a way that promotes balance and health on every level – physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual. 

Standing still while isolating one muscle group for 3 sets just bores me to tears.  Realistically, whenever I started doing it I knew I would not continue to do it for very long.  It took too much time to work out my entire body and was too much to remember.  It just doesn’t suit my personality.  I needed to explore options that suited my personality and style best.  As it turns out, there are a lot of different approaches to resistance training, some more effective than others.  Do you like working out in a gym or in nature?  With other people or on your own?  Try different things and see what fits you best.  Remember that what fits you best at one time in your life may not fit you best at another – you aren’t required to find one technique that you will do for the rest of your life.  Just commit to exploring and doing 2 to 3 sessions of something(s) each week, and the rest will happen.   

 I wanted to find things to do that fit me well.  For me, I am active and I need to do things that have me moving around.  Recently I found out about Russian Kettlebells and have been training with Dan Hubbard in Carmel, IN for the past 6 weeks or so.  (As incentive for you to read the rest of this, there’s a link to a video of him working out without his shirt on at the end of this post!)  What I really like about the kettlebell workouts is that my body is in motion the entire time.  My whole body is involved in each exercise so the workout is efficient, taking only about 30 minutes two or three times a week.   Yes, you CAN do this in your bare feet or flip flops in the yard!  I also do a very fast walk combined with intervals of jogging and/or running about 3 or 4 times a week for about 45 minutes.  And guess what?  I really enjoy it all and look forward to it!  Because the time commitment is minimal and it is active, it fits into the flow of my life – it isn’t a sacrifice but a pleasurable complement to my life. 

My other big obstacle was that I was falling into the old “damsel in distress” patterns of behavior.  I honestly don’t know where it comes from sometimes, but especially if there’s a man training me I seemed to lose my moxie.  I wouldn’t work as hard, would complain, and would want to be “rescued” from the big scary weights.  Many other people sabotage themselves with guilt for skipping workouts and are so paralyzed by the guilt that they can’t go back.  All of this is energy going to waste; it’s that mental energy I’ve written about before that acts like a spoiled child.  It takes equal parts effort and self-awareness, but you can recognize these types of patterns and learn to easily relax them away.  Your mind is engaging you in an unnecessary battle and playing on your emotions.  Remove your focus from your head and move it into your heart, thereby choosing not to engage.  Relax your mind and really let yourself experience the exercise and connect with yourself.  Stop the guilt pattern and just put on your shoes and do something… anything!  Exercise becomes much more enjoyable when you surrender that mental battle. 

And without further ado, here is your reward… Dan working out shirtless!  (It would be really nice if you read his post first so he doesn’t feel cheap!)

Enjoy!

Laura

Okay, so I changed my mind.  I said I was going to write next about the resistance training tool/technique I’ve been learning about lately.  I still will, I promise (for those of you anxiously awaiting it) but I’m going to be learning lots more about it this week so I figured I’d wait.  That way I don’t have to retract any information next time I write!   And, honestly, delicious easy healthy food is so much better to read about!

So, this time I thought I would share another awesome healthy and easy recipe with you.  I have been making these every week since I first tried them because they are just THAT good and easy! 

Before I share the recipe details, I have to credit Isa and Terry from their cookbook “Veganomicon” although I have changed it just a weeeeeee bit for my tastes.  These roasted portobellos are so yummy and versatile that I’ve used them in several ways depending on my mood:

• My most favorite is to slap them on an Ezekiel sprouted grain hamburger bun (available in the freezer section in most grocery stores) with a teeny bit of vegenaise or avocado, sometimes a slice of fresh mozzarella or some other kind of cheese, a heap of romaine/spinach, and a slice of tomato.
• I have also sliced them and added them as a topping on my easy pizza:  brush a little bit of olive oil on a piece of whole wheat naan, make your own pizza sauce with plum tomatoes (super easy), fresh mozzarella balls and heaps of fresh basil.

Roasted Portobellos
1/2 cup Red cooking wine
2 tablespoons Bragg’s Amino Acids (or Tamari or Soy Sauce)
2 tablespoons Balsamic Vinegar
1 tablespoon Olive Oil
2 large whole portobello caps (twist the stalk thingy off like you would turn a doorknob if you were trying to open
the door really really quietly)
Dried spices of your choice — I use a pre-made tuscan herb mix of rosemary, sage, thyme, basil, bay, and marjoram.
Note:  The recipe actually calls for garlic, but I don’t eat it so add some if you want to stink

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.  I mix all the ingredients aside from the mushies right in the measuring cup.  Place the mushies in a pyrex dish (the smaller the better so the marinade doesn’t spread too thin) upside down.  Pour some of the marinade right into the “bowl” of the mushies, then pour the rest around them.  You may want to let them marinate for a little while but they’re just fine going straight into the oven.  Cover them with aluminum foil and put them in the oven for 30 minutes.  Take the aluminum foil off them at 30 minutes and flip ‘em over.  Put them back in the oven for about 10 more minutes. 

They do shrink a good bit when they cook, so I would recommend getting the biggest mushies you can find OR you can just put 2 of them together on your bun.  If you put them together base to base then they actually look like a hamburger.  Oh but waaaay better tasting than a hamburger could ever dream of being!

Enjoy!

P.S.  Still no pictures because my camera only takes black photos (notice NOT black and white… just black) and I can’t get bluetooth to work to get photos from my phone onto my computer.  I’ll get a new camera soon and will make up for the absence of photos I’m sure! 

And, what the heck is she doing there? 

Good questions!  I’m just as surpised by it as you are, and even more by the fact that I love it here!  I started A Higher Spirit Well-Being Center in January 2008 with the idea that the business would be wherever I am.  In other words, I always knew that we’d be on the road.  I like to live with that freedom.

Starting a new business seeking to share something quite different but also very personal was a challenge.  I put a lot of pressure on myself to “represent” and to be successful in (what I can see now) was the traditional definition of success, rather than my own definition of success. 

Gradually, I realized that wasn’t the way I wanted my business to feel.  It’s all about being true and living life joyfully, but I wasn’t enjoying it.  Teaching classes felt like heaven, but in between classes I wasn’t enjoying taking something so personal and spiritual and making it about money.  My bank account was dwindling so I decided to take the new me and apply my skills in software again on a short 5 month project in Indiana. 

So, here I am, doing the same stuff I used to do for work, but as a new person.  It had been 2 years since I last did a software implementation, and I think I had forgotten enough of the negatives that I felt like I was ready to dive in again for a little while.  I had visions of being so calm and peaceful now that work would be a breeze, and I would have the energy left at the end of the week to teach Reiki classes here in Indiana without any pressure to earn money from it.  HA! 

My first month here was so hard for me for several reasons.  I had spent the past 2 years dis-arming myself and breaking down walls.  Going back into a high pressure, politically-charged work environment was a rude awakening.  My newfound calm was all gone in a flash!  It made me feel like maybe all the benefit I had felt was temporary and conditional. 

So, instead of sharing Reiki and light with others here in Indy, the past 6 weeks has been one of hmmmm… well we’ll just spin it positively into personal growth.  I am a different person and the benefits of the past couple of years are still with me.  I am just being challenged now to apply them and retain my sense of oneness, instead of building up the old walls again and compartmentalizing my life.   

That’s how I ended up here and a part of my experience, but there’s more…  I LOVE Carmel!  I had visions of corn fields and people with straw hanging out of their mouths watching auto racing before I got here.  It’s actually like a little bit of heaven here.  There’s space to breathe and live, people are so real and accepting, and there is so much nature to enjoy.  The trails are beautiful, parks are plentiful, and there are great grocery / health food stores close by.  The arts are alive and well with lots of outdoor concerts, Shakespeare on the Canal, movies in the parks, museums, movie/music festivals, and much more.  They also have one of the best baseball stadiums in the country which I’ll be able to verify next week — it’s supposedly a lot like Camden Yards.  If you’ve brushed off the midwest as I had, you just may be pleasantly surprised by a visit here!   

And, in case you were wondering, I would like to begin sharing Reiki with others again on a small scale, so I’ll probably put up a flyer or two about Reiki Therapy Sessions in the community this week.  If anyone out there is interested in a class, I will take time off from the software work in order to teach a class by request.  Reiki is much more important than helping a corporate giant make more money, and I feel strongly that I will make the time to share it with those who are ready to receive it.

Stay tuned… next week I’m going to tell you about the fitness technique/tool I’ve been learning a little bit about lately.  And, I hope to be able to begin posting pictures by then too! 

Goodness!  So much has happened since I last wrote!  I had to take a break because I was taking this blogging thing way too seriously.  I’m going to change my approach from being so analytical and philosophical and long, to shorter blurbs that I think like minds will benefit from.  So, for my first attempt at doing so, I want to share a great recipe with you all for — believe it or not — HEALTHY AND DELICIOUS BROWNIES!!!!

I would love to take full credit for these but they are actually the result of my own adaptation of a few different recipes I found on the internet and I don’t remember where I got them.  I actually have wanted to try these for months but didn’t have a food processor so finally yesterday I went and bought a small one just to make these.  Thank goodness they turned out delicious because they were some seriously expensive brownies (only if you count the food processor)!

BLACK BEAN BROWNIES 

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
2 T Peanut Oil
4 T carob powder
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/3 cup Agave Nectar (or use ½ cup raw sugar instead which will probably firm it up more)
2 ripe bananas
1/2 cup shredded coconut
1/2 cup ground raw almonds
1/4 cup oat flour
2 T spelt flour Preheat oven to 350F.  Prepare 8×8 square pan with non-stick cooking spray.
Place all ingredients in your food processor and blend until combined and smooth. Pour into prepared pan, bake for 30 minutes or until brownies appear to be set and firm.  Let them cool before attempting to serve. Mine turned out a little bit gooey but I think that’s because of the Agave Nectar — I think it was too much liquid.  Switch it to raw sugar (as I will next time to experiment) and I think that’ll fix it. Trust me, you can make these for your family and friends and never tell them what’s in them.  They won’t know!  They’re delish! 

Laura

I have heard the term “Healer” bandied about a lot referring to people in my line of business and it gives me an unsettled feeling in my heart each time.  So, I have contemplated the concept for several weeks now off and on.  I thought I would share my thoughts because I think many of us think we know how to fix our significant other, friend(s), and/or family members.        

To me, only the Creator knows whether or not I am on my path or need realignment and in what ways.  Part of the reason that I am so passionate about the system of Reiki that I practice is that I provide the universal life force energy to a person without any interference in their path.  The energy comes from the Source, is channeled through my hands to the person receiving it, and divine intelligence determines how it is used for that person.  There is no need for me to diagnose issues, direct the energy, or remain involved or take credit for the outcome in any way.       

People’s paths may involve hardship, illness, or other challenges for good reason.  To say that one is a “Healer” presumes that they can differentiate who is on their path and who isn’t, and that they know what requires fixing and what doesn’t.  If that’s the case, then I’m the mechanic who looks at the car, scratches her head, and hands the tools over to the owner.  The stuff that looks great to me may be exactly what you want fixed.  And, the stuff you want fixed may be exactly the way it’s supposed to be for you to get the information you require to do something down the road.  You just may not realize it yet.  In the past, I may have taken out some tools and tried to make changes to someone else and remained attached to whether they followed what I said, but I see now that I was/am totally unqualified to do that for anyone but me (well, even that’s questionable!) 

For someone to say they are a “Healer” implies that they take some amount of personal responsibility for someone else’s life conditions and take pride in making changes in other peoples’ lives.  Taking ownership and pride in someone else’s accomplishments takes away that person’s power.  They made the changes themselves for themselves.  I prefer to empower people in their own lives.  I am happy to share the wisdom that I have gained over time, and some people may find value there… others won’t.  When I share Reiki therapy with people, I am supplying them with additional energy that their own bodies distribute according to their own path.  I share the keys to Reiki with people who are ready, but they unlock the door and use the energy themselves.  It is my goal to “inspire” and “empower” which means to be fueled from within… offering a spark that you can choose to use to get your own internal flame burning stronger.  It is your choice to use the spark, your choice to fan the flame, and your choice whether to use that energy in a positive way.  In other words, your journey is one full of choices that are entirely your own responsibility.  I can only offer techniques that you may choose to use… or not.   

Love,
Laura

By popular demand, I decided to write this article to end everyone’s suspense about why I mentioned avoiding garlic and onion in my last 2 articles.  I’m sure you’re breathing a sigh of relief!  Following my usual pattern, I’ll look at this topic on the physical, emotional, mental and spiritual levels.

You may get regular headaches, but would you ever consider that garlic may be the culprit?  Probably not because you’ve never not had it at least once a day, and the media available here gives little to no reason to consider it a problem.   We live in a culture that almost depends on garlic and onion, so the only way to notice that they have any effect on us is to consciously quit using them altogether for a week.  That’s a challenge!  Literally!  There is very little processed food or even home-cooked food that doesn’t contain at least a small amount of one or the other.  That includes everything from salad dressings (even honey mustard and raspberry vinegarette), broths and soups, and some types of bread too.   Unfortunately many food companies consider garlic and onion powder as spices and don’t list them specifically on their labels. 

Here are my own reasons for avoiding onion and garlic (and their sisters and brothers chives, spring onions, and leek.)

1.  I’m a big proponent of listening to my body and really paying attention to it on a basic level.  I know that my body excretes toxins through the skin, the breath, and the tear ducts among others.  It concerns me to eat foods that cause my body to detoxify itself as strongly as garlic and onion do.  I always tell people that I question the value in eating anything that makes me cry or smell so vile for days.  I wouldn’t choose to date someone who made me feel that way, so why in the world would I eat foods that do!?!?  It is in fact the toxins in these foods that cause us to cry or stink for days.  It is true what they say that garlic and onion stimulate detoxification (hence the garlic smoothies on Oprah recently) but that is because the body is trying to get rid of the garlic and onion!  Hmm, ironic?

2.  Although western research and media tells us that garlic is a powerful antibiotic, they often neglect to point out that it is so good at killing bacteria that it kills the good stuff along with the bad.  Garlic and onion can actually cause anemia within a week if you eat enough, and have been shown to destroy red blood cells which carry oxygen throughout our bodies.  Naturally I’m dramatizing here, but it is similar to saying that releasing poisonous gas into buildings is good because it gets rid of mean people.  Well, sure it does but what kind of logic is that?

3.  The Taoists have recognized the set of 5 vegetables in the alliaceous family (garlic, onions, chives, leek, and spring onions) cause harm to our organs.  Specifically, they believe that onions are harmful to the lungs, garlic to the heart, leeks to the spleen, chives to the liver, and spring onions to the kidneys.

4.  On an emotional level, I have read information in various eastern philosophies which indicate their belief that onion and garlic provoke anger and anxiety, and contribute to feelings of sadness.  Ayurveda says that they lead to lust and ignorance.  Serious Buddhist and Taoist meditators also avoid onion and garlic partly because they lead to feelings of passion and lustful urges.  That may sound great, especially to you men out there, but we’re talking about inducing feelings of passion with foul smelling food rather than through healthy natural means like say foreplay!  (I couldn’t help myself!) Seriously though, this focus on the lower and densest centers of our being – the physical and emotional – distracts us from the spiritual. 

5.  A private study at Stanford University proved that garlic is actually a poison which penetrates the blood-brain barrier.  It desynchronizes our brain waves leading to significantly reduced reaction times.  One former engineer recalls that pilots were asked not to eat garlic at least 72 hours before flying during test flights he worked on in the past.  It may even be a significant contributor to chronic headaches and ADD.  See http://www.karinya.com/garlic.htm for the full transcript of a speech he gave. 

6.  Devout Hindus often avoid onions and garlic because they are considered unfit as an offering to Krishna.  “Garlic and onions are both rajasic and tamasic, and are forbidden to yogis because they root the consciousness more firmly in the body”, says well-known authority on Ayurveda, Dr.Robert E.Svoboda.  They don’t dispute the possible physical benefits of using these vegetables as medicine on occasion; rather they base their choice on the negative mental and spiritual effects of eating them.  See http://www.abhidhyan.org/texts/Tantrik_vegetarianism.htm for more interesting information.

7.  Taking this a step further, Taoists believe that onion and garlic not only turn your breath foul, but also your Chi or life force energy itself.  That life force energy carries with it the truth of who we are, and all the possibilities for our life.  When we introduce garlic and onions (among other things), we compromise our clarity about our true path.  The less discord we introduce into our lives, the more clearly we can experience our true spirituality and live our true purposes. 

8.  I was encouraged to avoid garlic and onion in my diet by my mentor and teacher who has a gift of being able to tune into a frequency to see what is happening in our energy fields.  The reasoning was that I have a responsibility as a Reiki Teacher to keep my energy as pure as possible because it is the energy behind the permanent attunements that I share with other Reiki students.  (There is no exchange of energy with students, however I have to use my energy to create the attunement.)  I was reluctant to believe that garlic and onion in my diet had any effect, however after giving them up for one week, I was convinced.  For me, this change in diet has been as life changing as eliminating caffeine and cigarettes from my life.   Pretty quickly after giving them up I felt more alert and aware, and had a sense of increased clarity and intuition.  I also noticed that my senses of smell and taste became keener. 

So, my initial motivation to avoid onion and garlic was to keep my energy clear for Reiki, then when I experienced the difference and began uncovering more and more information I was sold on the idea of avoiding them for my health and well-being on all levels.  

This isn’t an easy change to make if you decide to make a go of it yourself.  In fact, it was far easier for me to avoid cigarettes than it is to avoid garlic and onion.  Here are some tips:

• Read the ingredients on all food labels when you are in the supermarket.  You’ll actually find that where there is an onion and garlic free option, it is probably healthier in more than just that way. 
• When in a restaurant, tell the waiter that you are allergic to onion and garlic so to ask the chef what are the easiest options for you to consider on the menu.  I usually find there are only a small handful of options, but again, they tend to be the healthiest options on the menu anyway.  Remember that sauces, dressings, curries, and marinades usually have onion or garlic in them so remind the waiter of that.  Understandably, they tend to think about slices of onions on a burger and forget about the garlic powder mixed into the seasonings in the meat. 
• Learn to cook with whole foods, and use other spices and herbs and you will discover a whole new world of tastes out there!  In fact, once your taste buds adjust in a few days, you will require a lot less spice in your foods anyway.  You may even lose weight due to the healthier lifestyle. 

If any of you are already eating an onion and garlic-free diet, submit a comment and tell us about why and how you do it!  

All the best!

Laura

As you may have read, I recently wrote an article called “How to Choose a Reiki Teacher or Practitioner” in which I recommended that people look for someone who is “clearer than the average bear.”  Well, I saw a new client several days later who read my article before our first session, and she asked me how I keep my energy clear.  You would think that I would have been 100% prepared to answer that question given that it was something I had recently recommended people ask!  Not so!  I fumbled around a bit and gave her the first things that popped into my mind, which were true but constituted a hopelessly incomplete answer.  I have now paid close attention to my lifestyle and the way I handle life’s little challenges for the past 10 days so that I can offer a more complete answer. 

A couple of things first:

• This isn’t a 5-minute read because it just wasn’t possible.  There are lots of other things I do that didn’t make the list, but these are the biggies.  (Notice that they are all free!)
• I am a student of life myself and am sharing with you what I do to maintain my health on all levels.  I lay no claim to mastering any of the items below, however I strive to do so.  I am in no way saying that I think everyone should live exactly like me, however I do believe that the principles are healthy for all of us. 
• I have left Reiki out of this article deliberately, however it is a tool that I use daily to clear disturbances from my energy field and to manifest positive energy in my life. 

So, without further ado, here are the Top 10 things that I do in my life to keep my energy field as clear as possible:

1 - I see my physical body as a vehicle for the true spirit of myself, and it is key to my ability to fulfill my life’s purposes.  So, I am aware of everything that goes into my body including the Ben & Jerry’s Chubby Hubby!  I refrain (by choice and preference) from ingesting caffeine, cigarettes, alcohol, drugs, garlic, and onions.  I eat salmon or white meat once a week at most and that’s usually when I visit the parents (unless I do the cooking).  I seek an overall balance in my diet, so I eat from all of the food groups everyday and choose foods carefully to get the most nutrition out of what I eat.  I have been known to spend hours in the grocery store looking at labels.  I keep sodium very low and fiber up; good fats up and bad ones down.  I focus on whole foods, and I very rarely eat processed foods (which is a necessity when avoiding garlic and onion in the USA).  I pretty much drink only water and herbal teas, and plenty of both.  I do unapologetically go on sugar binges from time to time which fall at relatively predictable times (one being when I visit the parents… sorry guys, I ate a bunch of your ginger snaps yesterday!).  The operative concept is overall balance folks! 

2 - I do exercise of some sort regularly because it keeps me in touch with my physical body and releases toxins.  I exercise in a way that I enjoy because the point isn’t to look like a swimsuit model (perfection isn’t balanced… or that’s what I tell myself!)  I am exercising to honor my body and keep it healthy.  I also do it to remove toxins from my body through sweat and proper flow of lymph, and to get my blood flowing well through my body.  I have just skipped the last 4 or 5 days at the gym and I haven’t beat myself up over it – I required a break and tomorrow I’m going back because I enjoy it.  Beating myself up for missing days is useless and makes the whole thing seem like a chore. 

3 - I practice emotional self-control because emotion is a big energy waster, and leads to many physical health problems due to stress chemicals released in the body.  Let me clarify that emotion is different from feeling.  You can feel hurt, but you have a choice about letting that hurt turn into self-loathing, anger, rage, despair, etc.  I have developed a pretty good handle on my emotions although they do surprise me occasionally.  I reflect and contemplate what was really happening and get to the root of the emotion and the underlying feeling.  I can usually get there by asking myself “what does this remind me of?”  It is rarely the immediate circumstance that brought on the emotion, and almost always some subconscious reaction based on something from the distant past.  When I can reframe the feeling in my adult mind (I often use analogies to non-emotional and seemingly unrelated scenarios), the emotional reaction tends to diminish permanently. 

4 - I live my life and no one else’s.  I recognize that my only true responsibility and obligation is to my self to love, respect, and honor my self and enjoy my life to the fullest.  Everyone has their own path and my perspective on someone’s life is just that – they could be experiencing exactly what they are meant to experience even though through my eyes I see them making big mistakes.  It’s their path… period.  On the other side of the coin, I have no obligation to stay in any job, circumstance, friendship, relationship, house, or anything else if it isn’t a positive, nourishing, and mutually beneficial element in my life.  I think I was in my early 20s when I implemented the “3 strikes and you’re out” rule, and I still live by it (although the “3” is only an estimation).  I will make a determined effort to improve a situation when it makes sense to do that, and may simply adjust the amount of energy that I’m putting into a relationship so that it feels balanced.  But, I also recognize that sometimes the best choice is to remove myself from it altogether, either temporarily or permanently.  I am the only one responsible for the way I allow myself to be treated and where I put my energy.  This is true regardless of any justification, and whether or not there was any malice on the part of the other.  It isn’t about keeping score; it’s about being aware of the way I am being treated, taking responsibility for the way I allow others to treat me, and having courage to make healthy choices for myself. 

5 - I no longer take on new “people projects” in my personal life.  I put approximately zero energy into attempting to change anyone to fit my expectations of what I require in my own life.  I pay keen attention to who people tell me they are from the time I meet them and choose carefully who will come into my life.  I look for things like emotional self-control, positive outlook on life, self-worth, self-awareness, and I listen for patterns in their relationships with others.  I pay attention to how quickly they try to take a new friendship to the next level because I’ve found that the less discerning they are, the less likely it is that they are interested in really knowing me.  There are plenty of people who are looking for plugs to fill the holes in their life and don’t really care too much who takes the job as long as someone does.  I stay faaaaaar away from those situations. 

6 - I live today which means that I forgive and I leave the past in the past.  When we set the trash out, we don’t go walking by and dig through the bags 50 times before the garbage truck comes.  There is just no need in my life for rehashing the past and bringing the energy of it into my present life.  I have put the emotional trash bag out and let the garbage truck take it away.  It’s hard to do sometimes, but it is SO much better to just let things go.  When I quit smoking, I told myself every day that if there comes a time when I really feel like I would be better off with cigarettes in my life, then they are available.  I could choose at any time to bring that toxic energy back, but I haven’t yet and never will because I know that life is so much better without them.  The same thing applies to events, circumstances, people, places, etc.  I apply this principal to ex-boyfriends all the time!  Is there really any reason to keep the gifts, emails, letters, and pictures when looking at them just brings old emotional stuff up again?  Nope!  It’s just like picking up a cigarette again and thinking I can have just one.  It’s a slippery slope back into toxic world.  Load up that truck and take it away ‘cause I’m movin’ forward in my life…

7 - I have developed an awareness of my self-talk and now speak to myself with a positive, supportive, gentle manner on the whole.  Again, there are times when I slip into old patterns, but even then I recognize it pretty quickly and it is nowhere near the level of verbal self-abuse that I used to inflict upon myself with very little awareness.  Today, I think of myself as if I were my own child and speak to myself accordingly.  I pat myself on the back, I appreciate myself, I am gentle when I make mistakes and move on.  I encourage myself to live my truth, and seek to break any limits on the possibilities in my life.  I am far more concerned with my inner relationship with myself and nurturing my true self than I am with what anyone in the outside world thinks of me.  As my mentor and dear friend Roz Lawler says “What anybody else thinks of me is none of my business!”  Brilliant!  

8 - I also take steps to keep my mental processes from taking over my life.  I think of the mind as a spoiled child who is constantly seeking attention with little to no regard for the other people in the room.  I make a point to take my mind and sit it down in the corner just like Super Nanny would a child who is acting up.  I say to it “I will get to you soon, but now I am going to [fill in the blank]”.  In other words, I am disciplining my mind so that I can live my life from my heart.  The mind makes lots of noise, gossips, judges, and does all sorts of things that are manipulative and distracting.  The heart is wise, calm, and peaceful, and speaks only truth.  I prefer to focus my attention on the heart.  Just as it takes work with a child, this is something that takes awareness, time and effort… it isn’t easy, but it is sooooo worth it. 

9 - I have a rich spiritual life which is unique to me because there’s only one of me, and I keep it private to keep it pure.  I have developed my relationship with God directly through my own heart; free from middle-men, judgments, or expectations set out by others.  I very rarely share anything about my personal spiritual life with others because I am protecting and preserving the purity of that part of my life – I prefer that it be kept distinctly separate from the outer world.  It is obviously part of my outer world because it is me, but I refrain from discussing the details because, frankly, I have no interest in anyone else’s input on it. 

10 – I am true to myself.  I believe that when I interact with anyone in a way that isn’t authentically me, then I am cheating the universe.  I believe that we each bump into others even for 5 minutes for a purpose, and by being my true self, I am fulfilling my part of that purpose.  So, I honor what feels best in my heart at all times and trust that in doing so, I am doing exactly what I’m meant to be doing at that time.  That means that even when I make mistakes, there is value in exactly what happened.  I can accept it and move forward in my life. 

I have forced myself to limit this list to the Top 10 to prevent it from turning into a novel.  To sneak in another item on this list, I also have been working on balancing my business and personal life now that I have my own business (about which I am very passionate).  I have had to set office hours for myself which I am violating at this very moment.  So, the office is now closed.    J

With love and gratitude,

Laura

There are so many different “systems” of Reiki out there with different techniques, and so little consistency in the information on the internet and in books on Reiki. Even the Reiki associations in the US are reluctant to set firm standards because they want people to have the freedom to practice Reiki in their own ways. That is well-intentioned, however it doesn’t really help the consumer or potential student make a choice.

The following are 11 questions to explore with a potential practitioner or teacher before you decide where to spend your money. This list applies no matter what system of Reiki someone has studied because all Reiki goes back to the same origins.

1. How was he/she attuned to Reiki 1? Proper alignment to Reiki 1 requires a series of 4 attunements performed in the precise formula by a qualified instructor. It is impossible to be permanently attuned to Reiki with only one attunement, by reading a book, through meditation, or any means other than the 4 permanent attunements to Reiki 1 performed by a qualified instructor. If their answer is anything other than this, then buyer beware – you may be paying for little more than a relaxation session, or something other than Reiki.

2. Has he/she made any changes to the system of Reiki that they learned? Have they combined the Reiki with any other modalities? Have they added non-standard symbols that they found on the internet or in a book? Is there anything that they have discontinued doing that they were originally taught? Contrary to popular belief, Reiki is a science of energy rather than an art. The original attunement formulas and original symbols create an alignment to Reiki. Anything other than the original isn’t Reiki – it may provide benefits, however it isn’t Reiki. Some of my colleagues use the example of the formula for water (H2O). If you add anything else into that formula, you may produce something beneficial, however it isn’t water anymore.

3. To what extent does he/she feel that intent, meditation, or mantras play a role in their Reiki practice? True Reiki works independently of intent, meditation, and mantras. Reliance on other modalities to see results is a sign that the practitioner might be dissatisfied with the results of Reiki on its own. It is likely that if this is the case, you will find that some of their other answers to this list are inconsistent with a correct alignment to Reiki.

4. How does he/she use the Reiki symbols? 2 of the primary purposes of the Reiki symbols are to perform the attunement formulas, and to add certain qualities to a Reiki treatment (like you would add spices to a meal). Some of them can also be used for sending distant Reiki (set of 3 of the symbols), for clearing a house or space (1 of the symbols), and other such activities. Be sure to find out if they use the symbols in attunements (4 of the symbols are required for the 4 permanent attunements to Reiki 1 and the 1 permanent attunement to Reiki 2), and if they ever use them in sessions. Note: it isn’t required that they always use the symbols in sessions, but it is good for you to know whether they are aware of this use of them.

5. Does he/she practice drawing the precise and original Reiki symbols regularly and have them checked by another teacher for accuracy? Over time it is natural to relax about the form of the symbols and things “slip” in quality. It is a good sign if the practitioner/teacher regularly checks their symbols to ensure that they are correct.

6. How does he/she feel about showing the Reiki symbols to people who aren’t aligned? How do they feel about Reiki symbols being on the internet and in books? The Reiki symbols are sacred (that isn’t the same as secret) and someone who truly honors the power of the symbols will be less likely to agree with the symbols being shown publicly in books, etc.

7. After a full day of sharing Reiki Therapy with others, how does he/she feel? When someone is properly attuned to Reiki, they receive some Reiki in gratitude as they share it with others. For this reason, we are very rarely tired at the end of a day of Reiki. In fact, I sometimes have to schedule a trip to the gym after a day of Reiki to use some of the energy, and usually can’t wipe the smile off my face!

8. How clear is he/she as a result of Reiki practice? In other words, how has the Reiki they use worked at clearing their own energy field? True Reiki clears “baggage” and after several levels of Reiki I would expect the person to be more clear than the average bear. It’s just like choosing a personal trainer really. Would you go to a personal trainer whose own fitness techniques weren’t working on her/him? Probably not. Now, the trainer may not be a swimsuit model, but that isn’t what you’re looking for either. You are looking for evidence that their techniques are working well for them.

9. Are they able to provide testimonials from prior students and clients? Look for more than signs that they found it relaxing. Lying on a massage table for an hour with nice music playing is relaxing, however true Reiki is more than relaxing. Usually people will be able to feel the energy flowing in some way whether that’s a tingly feeling, heat, a sense of the energy flowing like waves, seeing colors, hearing the “buzz” of the energy, and so forth. Look for signs that the clients know the Reiki is actually doing something more than just relaxing them. Note: A client doesn’t have to feel the Reiki during a session for it to work, so it isn’t cause for alarm if one person didn’t feel anything. However, if you look across a set of people, you are likely to find that a lot of them do feel it in some way.

10. What efforts do they take to keep their energy field clear? There are no right or wrong answers here, but it is information you would be wise to ask. Among the top contributors to energy imbalances are: alcohol, illicit unnecessary drugs, cigarettes, caffeine, and now for the most controversial: garlic and onion. I would give extra points to someone who chooses to avoid these in order to keep their energy field clear, especially for teaching Reiki.

11. Do they physically touch their clients during a Reiki treatment, and if so, why? Reiki doesn’t require physical touch and doing so in a professional session can lead to discomfort for the client. This is particularly the case if the client and practitioner are opposite sex.

Follow your heart. Our hearts are where we truly know whether something is best for us. Once you’ve collected the information above, take a few moments to turn your mental processes off and focus on your heart. Your heart will tell you if this is the best instructor/practitioner for you!

Different treatment methods resonate with different people, so if there is value in what someone is doing, then that’s great! It may be that someone who says they were attuned to Reiki through a book has something to offer that will be of huge benefit to you. The point here is that you are aware and informed.

Enjoy!

Welcome to the first edition of the Be Well Blog! I thought I would take this opportunity to write about the meaning behind A Higher Spirit Well-Being Center.

I remember sitting in Panera Bread in Harrisonburg, VA about 10 months ago asking anyone who could hear my thoughts to help me with the best name for my business. I had already designed the first version of my website, found a host, and was ready to buy a domain name. All I needed was a name for the business!

I had already spent a bunch of time brainstorming and nothing was resonating with me.  A Touch of Kindness… That one got scratched pretty quickly considering a recent ex-boyfriend’s last name was Kindness! Heart of the Matter… That one makes me think of brain matter. Soul Purpose… Nah. Possibly the worst of the bunch was Vim Healing Center! I just have to laugh out loud at that one. I can’t even remember what Vim means without going to dictionary.com!

As I sat in Panera Bread on the site where you buy a domain name, it just came to me: A Higher Spirit. Despite a friend telling me that it sounded like the name of a religious cult, it felt perfect to me. It still does and for so many reasons; in fact, the reasons change all the time and that’s even more reason for me to love it. Its meaning can be different for each person depending on what they require at that time. For me, the meanings include:

A higher frequency of cellular vibration
An increased level of energy
Lifted spirits from an emotional perspective
Uplifting
Empowered
Inspiring or Inspired
A sense of connectedness to our own divinity
The ascension process or enlightenment
The higher presence or magic presence for those familiar with St. Germaine
A higher octave in the sense of angelics or in the sense of the energy of sound/music
Spirituality - knowing and honoring the Truth of yourself and your connection to the universe

Those are just the meanings that have occurred to me over time – you may have your own. The meaning can evolve but, no matter what, it represents Freedom and Empowerment. Forward motion. Lightness of being. Truth. Ultimately, Truth is what I am offering through A Higher Spirit Well-Being Center… the Truth of You.

Reiki is only the beginning for A Higher Spirit Well-Being Center, but Reiki is a powerful and thorough tool for finding, knowing and nourishing the truth of who you are. I will also be offering a transformational workshop soon which I am developing myself based on my own life experiences, the truths I have learned, and my study of energy. In time, there will undoubtedly be more seminars, services, and offerings if my ideas are any indication. The business will evolve in time but I can assure you that my purpose will continue to be Inspiring You to Be You…Well!

I will now bring this full circle by telling you that the same friend who thought A Higher Spirit sounded like a religious cult came up with a really funny tagline for me: “We guarantee a happy ending….just not the one you’re thinking!” Needless to say I opted for the one you see today on my website, but Allen gets an honorable mention for making me laugh hysterically… I hope it has left you with at least a smile as well.

With Gratitude and Love,
Laura