Robert Peng:  Qigong Healer Training
Ann Bruinsma Ann Bruinsma

Robert Peng: Qigong Healer Training

I feel full.  Wowed.  Inspired. Reignited.  Alive.

How do I put into words the experience of 2 weeks with Robert Peng?

Robert completely exceeded my expectations.  It is awe-inspiring to be in the presence of a truly enlightened individual.

He showed up without ego or judgement.  His light-hearted energy brought a vibrant, lively feeling to class.  Robert has a compassionate, engaging smile and warmly invites participants to play with energy.

It struck me how Master Peng answers complex energetic questions in beautiful clarity, concisely and with the weight of universal truths. His words are expertly selected to convey meaning with ease.  What a gift to avoid the vague, non-answers that I am accustomed to!

Our daily Qigong movements and meditations were playful and varied.  Robert mixed and matched forms, used intention to play with Qi balls, and integrated tapping and pressure points with the movements. We were taught practices that empower our intuition, Qi flow, and energetic integration throughout the body.  At this training, the form did not lead the energy, but rather the energy led the form. 

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Transforming Grief
Ann Bruinsma Ann Bruinsma

Transforming Grief

We are in the season of the Metal element, which is often represented in the emotional body as a feeling of sadness, sorrow, and grief.  In this article, we consider energetic ways to empower our metal elements.

What is Grief? 

Grief is that empty feeling inside; a void.  It feels lonely and disconnected.  

We grieve when we lose someone dear to our hearts.  

We grieve when we lose a hope, dream, or goal for ourselves.   

We grieve when we lose a part of our identity.

In grief, we feel the weight of eternity, knowing that we can never get back what we lost.  Nothing will ever be the same again.  What is the point in trying?

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Pursuing my Dreams:  Sabbatical October 1-14
Ann Bruinsma Ann Bruinsma

Pursuing my Dreams: Sabbatical October 1-14

When you allow yourself to dream...

When you allow yourself to have wants...

There is an invitation to nourish your soul in the present moment by taking steps forward to bring your desires to life.

In the first two weeks of October, I have the honor of learning Qigong Healing from Master Robert Peng in New York.  Robert Peng grew up in Hunan, China, beginning his Qigong training at the age of 8.  Through intense practices of meditation, movement forms, acupressure, fasting, and more, he developed and honed powerful healing abilities.  Now he generously shares his knowledge in online and in-person classes. 

Robert's Qigong Healer training is offered annually, and has been calling to me for a year.  While I have absolute clarity and intention to take the class, my mind has been oscillating on the timing.  Should I wait until the kids are grown up?  October is a busy time in my household with birthdays, concerts, games, races, award ceremonies, and more.  It's never a good time to take 2 weeks away from your family and career.  

Now?  Later?  

Over the last 6 months, the decision point became clear through philosophies of expansion.

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Leading from the Heart:  Breaking the Habit of Control
Ann Bruinsma Ann Bruinsma

Leading from the Heart: Breaking the Habit of Control

Like many of you, I grew up honoring the incredible human brain.  I was focused on critical thinking; making decisions through logic; considering all of the angles.  Getting ahead in life was a game of strategy, planning, and will.   

I believed that there was one 'right answer', and all other paths were 'wrong'.  Enough mental gymnastics on a topic could lead you to the desired path.

I was so good at this game!  Life was like a chess board, and I knew how to move the chess pieces toward society's definition of success!

In the last few years, I've been learning about the heart-centered approach.  In The Qi Effect, Francesco Garripoli talks about quieting the intellectual and survival minds so that the heart can be heard.  

He says that the heart resides in the present moment.  It is the intuitive space in which we connect with our true essence and the divine within.  When we lead with our hearts, we feel the answer instead of thinking the answer.  When we make decisions from the heart, we are in alignment with our purpose.   

I love this concept.  But what does this mean?  How do we lead with the heart in our day to day lives?

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Vibrational Healing: Roles of Practitioner and Client
Ann Bruinsma Ann Bruinsma

Vibrational Healing: Roles of Practitioner and Client

I have often wondered how energy healing works.

Why does each person have a different experience and result?  What is the role of the practitioner?  What is the role of the client?   

I grapple with these ideas and continue to learn from every source I encounter.

Recently, I started following Christina Lopes, a YouTube presence focusing on spirituality.  https://christina-lopes.com/  She shares videos about the spiritual world, chakras, divine guides, healing, and more.  You might enjoy checking out her work.

I discovered her Light Worker Activations.  These are recorded Live on Zoom with thousands of participants, and are available for replay on YouTube.  

Christina's activations blew me away!  She uses techniques to welcome powerful light into our cellular networks, leading to an increased frequency and level of health.  I've never felt so high-vibe before.  At the end of the sessions, my entire body buzzes and I feel fully alive.  

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Living Your Light Benefits Everyone
Ann Bruinsma Ann Bruinsma

Living Your Light Benefits Everyone

Time and time again, clients show me their big hearts.

They are engaged, intentional, and supportive. If you need something, they jump in to help. They are pillars of the community, supporting others as parents, friends, family members, teachers, therapists, doctors.

I love working with such big-hearted people. You are all a blessing!

AND ... I see the tremendous burden of this role.

Clients come in feeling depleted, overwhelmed, and on edge. They have 'compassion fatigue'. They work so hard to ‘do it all’, and are feeling the effects.

In sessions and group healings, we acknowledge the dance between helping everyone else and helping ourselves. We navigate the nuance of being selfish and honoring the Self. We always come to the same conclusion:

The best way to help others is to:

Be True to Yourself. Stand in your Power. Live YOUR Light.

It seems counterintuitive. How does helping ourselves help others?

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Finding Peace in a Divisive World
Ann Bruinsma Ann Bruinsma

Finding Peace in a Divisive World

Everything I read points toward the immense power of positivity. Gratitude practices, focusing on the present, and expressions of joy lead to a healthier and more satisfying life.

Over the last year, I have been pondering how to live in a space of positivity despite the ills of the world. When we listen to the news, we hear about wars and attacks that break our hearts. Our political system is divisive. Within our communities, there is fear of rogue gunmen, robberies, and traffic accidents.

It's easy to get caught up in the unrest and react to it. We expend our focus and energy on protecting ourselves, judging others, choosing sides, feeling broken hearted, and losing trust in humanity.

This may be natural and normal. And yet, the healthiest, happiest people are not consumed by these thoughts. They are not affected by the turmoil.

I ask myself:

How do I disengage from fear and frustration that is real?

How do I remain engaged with the world while being joyful?

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Holding Space
Ann Bruinsma Ann Bruinsma

Holding Space

In the last few weeks, both clients and spiritual peers have mentioned the importance of holding space. I find myself considering this term.

What does it mean to "Hold Space"?

I've come to realize that this is a significant concept, not just for the spiritual community, but for everyone.

Holding space is all about boundaries.

It's about being engaged and yet non-reactionary.

Holding Space is showing up with compassion and love, without taking responsibility for the situation or the emotions in the room.

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Parenting Podcast - Heart to Heart
Ann Bruinsma Ann Bruinsma

Parenting Podcast - Heart to Heart

This month, I was honored to be interviewed on the Heart to Heart Parents podcast. Carrie shares insightful topics each week that help us to navigate the parenting years from the heart.

You are going to love this episode! It is chock full of tip, tricks, tools, and personal stories.

Listen Now: https://www.liveyourlight.care/heart-to-heart-podcast

Carrie and I had a great conversation about our Sensitive, Gifted, and Spirited children. Our kids didn't fit the mold, and we found that parenting books missed the mark. We searched for ways to parent our kids in support of their best selves and their personal growth.

In this podcast episode, we talk about the many causes of sensitivity, including food intolerances, heavy metals, underlying infections, electronic usage, and feeling other people's energy.

Our conversation turns to mindfulness techniques that have helped our kids, and are great tools for you to try! We talk about the predominant perspective shifts that supported us along the way.

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Girl with Menstrual Pain
Ann Bruinsma Ann Bruinsma

Girl with Menstrual Pain

A 13 year-old girl came in recently, suffering from painful menstrual cramps. She was feeling achy, light-headed, nauseous, and low energy for many days around her cycle. Her flow was heavy and overwhelming. Overall, she was sensitive about life, with her emotions close to the surface. She took criticism personally and would break down into tears.

Her mom rightfully considered this intensity of pain and sensitivity to be excessive for a girl her age. They made the appointment hoping for relief.

During the session, we did a full Core Synchronism treatment to help the cerebral spinal fluid flow with ease throughout the body. We focused on the gentle rhythms of her reproductive system in combination with the brain, synchronizing these movements to enhance healing and reduce pain.

Her mom opted to Add-on a Qigong clearing to balance her energy-body. We opened her meridians and chakras and cleared vibrations that didn’t belong to her.

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The Many Faces of Indecisiveness
Ann Bruinsma Ann Bruinsma

The Many Faces of Indecisiveness

In Chinese medicine, we associate the ability to make decisions with the Gallbladder, part of the Wood element.

The gallbladder is a brilliant organ. It stores bile produced by the liver, and manages the ideal amount of bile distribution for digesting each type of food. It must plan ahead to have the bile ready when needed. The gallbladder must be decisive about how much to allocate. It must have the ability to foresee future needs, create a solution for those needs, and help the body move forward with digestion.

Recently a young woman came in with crippling indecisiveness. Simple choices, like which coffee to order at Starbuck's, derailed her and never found resolution.

As we talked about her experience of indecision, we both realized how nuanced this can be. Everyone experiences indecision in their own way.

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Experiencing Abundance after Burglary
Ann Bruinsma Ann Bruinsma

Experiencing Abundance after Burglary

Several weeks ago, I received a lesson in trusting the energy flow of the Universe.

Where there is Yin, there is Yang.

Where there is Loss, there is Receiving.

Where there is Lack, there is Abundance.

This is the breath of the Universe. It invites us to flow with ‘What Is’.

In early April, Live Your Light office suite was broken into. I arrived to work on Monday morning and found the suite door unlocked. The cabinets were open with a cigarette butt and ashes on the floor. The small bills of cash I kept for change had been taken, along with a tripod and phone charger.

It appeared nothing else had been impacted.

Through the shock of the break-in, I was incredulous at my fortune. The most valuable things in my office were untouched. The singing bowls, meditation pillows, crystals, and plants were all intact. Nothing was broken or damaged.

Even still, I felt a tremendous violation. In the following weeks, sounds in the hallway would make me feel vulnerable. It’s amazing how these things get into our head ad grow. The more we think about it, the more power is given to the event. I have to keep reminding myself that this is likely a single event, not personal, and won’t happen again.

And then a miracle from the Universe came into my life.

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Manifesting your Desires
Ann Bruinsma Ann Bruinsma

Manifesting your Desires

Clients keep telling me about Abraham Hicks and the earth-shattering wisdom they gain from their teachings. You shared, and I listened! In the last few months, I’ve been reading and listening to these teachings on an array of topics. I’m hooked and think you will be too!

Full disclosure: Abraham-Hicks is not human. Jerry and Esther Hicks are a husband-wife team who discovered in the 1980s that they could communicate with the infinite intelligence of the universe. Esther learned that she was a medium, and began to channel a team of non-physical beings that call themselves “Abraham”; named such because they come together as teachers of mankind.

The wisdom they share is simple and yet life-altering. I attempt to highlight their most important principles.

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Belief Code Certification
Ann Bruinsma Ann Bruinsma

Belief Code Certification

As you may know, I am certified as a practitioner of Emotion code and Body code.

As of this month, please join me in celebrating the completion of the Belief Code certification!

What does this mean? Since the three energy code practices build upon each other, I’ll share the broader picture and history of these modalities.

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2024 Solar Eclipse
Ann Bruinsma Ann Bruinsma

2024 Solar Eclipse

Next week, the Great American Eclipse will take place from Texas to Maine. My family will join the other eclipse chasers for this unique experience. Here’s why you should consider viewing the eclipse as well.

In 2017, we traveled to Alliance, Nebraska to see the eclipse. My husband insisted that we experience 100% totality; at the time I didn’t realize that 96% totality at our home in Colorado would be a completely different experience. He was absolutely right.

Totality refers to the moon completely obscuring the sun. While totality only occurs for several minutes, the effect is a dramatic multi-sensory experience. The environment darkens, as though it is nighttime. The temperature instantly chills. Birds become quiet and crickets begin chirping. As the eclipse ends, there are beautiful colors of sunrise in every direction.

During the total eclipse, it’s possible to see things that are not generally visible. The stars closest to the sun are only observable when the light of the sun is obscured. The corona, or surface of the sun, is apparent, as well as sunspots and solar flares dancing on the sun’s atmosphere. We gain an appreciation for the power of the sun and it’s its ability to warm and brighten our planet.

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Introduction to Taoism
Ann Bruinsma Ann Bruinsma

Introduction to Taoism

Taoism (Daoism) is an ancient Chinese philosophy that teaches us to seek the way of nature and live in harmony with the universe. Through simplicity and inaction, the highest good will be achieved.

This sounds like a dream compared to the culture of America! We are trained that life is complicated and we must take action to succeed. There is so much effort and trying in modern life.

Much of my work with Qigong is based on Taoist principles. I am fortunate to witness the beautiful dance of gentleness and ease that naturally brings about greatness.

The Tao (Dao) is directly translated as "The Way". It is often described as the higher power of the universe, the life force, the origin of all things. It is also said that the Tao cannot be defined; as soon as you name or describe the Tao, it is no longer the Tao.

"The Tao never begins or ends, does nothing, and yet animates everything in the world of form and boundaries, which is called the world of the 10,000 things." (Dyer, 2007, xii)

The classic text of Taoism is called the Tao Te Ching (Dao De Jing). Written around 400 BC, this foundational work is credited to the ancient sage, Lao Tzu (Laozi). It includes 81 verses that resemble riddles and paradoxes, uniting the yin and yang to teach us how to live a peaceful and rewarding life.

"If action seems called for, he asks you to consider non-action. If you feel that grasping will help you acquire what you need or want, he councils you to let go and be patient." (Dyer, 2007, xii)

The Tao Te Ching has been translated thousands of times, each interpreting the Taoist philosophies in various ways.

I recommend for your consideration the version by Wayne Dyer,

Change your Thoughts - Change your Life, Living the Wisdom of the Tao

Dyer reviewed hundreds of translations of the Tao Te Ching and meditated on each verse to provide this in-depth commentary on the nature of our existence.

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Great Hopes for this Tooth!
Ann Bruinsma Ann Bruinsma

Great Hopes for this Tooth!

A common topic among clients and friends is dental health: Cavities, Crowns, Root canals, Receding Gums, etc.

We know through Western medicine that oral health is indicative of overall body health. Chinese and holistic medicine declare that each tooth is related to an organ system through the body's meridians. I've always been curious about these connections.

For many years, I have struggled with dental health. Despite brushing and flossing, I was prone to cavities upon cavities. Many fillings, crowns, and root canals later, I expected to struggle for life with dental issues.

At age 39, I was diagnosed with Lyme disease and started addressing this imbalance with herbal remedies and supplements. In the years since, my dental health has dramatically improved! I have stopped developing new cavities. Dental cleanings have been a positive experience, with results matching the effort I've put in. I am amazed at the quick restoration of oral health when addressing underlying conditions.

During my last dental cleaning, I was due for panoramic x-rays. The bio-dentist identified a shadow at the jawline, and suggested it could be an infection under an old root canal. We did a 3D scan for more information, and it was confirmed that an infection was festering under tooth 31.

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Electromagnetic Fields and the Body
Ann Bruinsma Ann Bruinsma

Electromagnetic Fields and the Body

Everything in the Universe is made up of energy.

Albert Einstein's theory of relativity tells us that E = mc2 . This equation states that mass and energy are interchangeable.

We also know that atoms are made up of a nucleus (protons and neutrons) and electromagnetically-bound electrons. The space between the nucleus and the electrons vibrates with energy. This is the energetic vibration that I work with during Live Your Light sessions.

Energy is everywhere, in everything. We cannot discount the impact of vibrations on life.

What types of vibrations are in my environment?

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Why Can’t I Lose Belly Fat?
Ann Bruinsma Ann Bruinsma

Why Can’t I Lose Belly Fat?

Many clients express a frustration about their weight, particularly their inability to reduce belly fat. They count calories consumed, increase calories burned, take weight-loss pills, and are perplexed to find that it is not working. Most talk about the belly fat that won't reduce no matter what they try.

Weight is a complex topic, related to metabolism, hormones, muscle mass, and more. In this article, I share several energetic and emotional components related to weight, and a special client story.

The question is: What is extra body weight doing FOR me? Why is my body intentionally hanging on to this weight?

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New Year’s Intention Setting
Ann Bruinsma Ann Bruinsma

New Year’s Intention Setting

Welcome to a New Year!

New Beginnings. New Intentions. New You.

Early January is a potent time to set intentions for the new year. On these short days and long nights, we can choose to embrace the darkness. This darkness in the environment invites us to turn our focus inward, toward the self, and become reacquainted with our inner-light.

Consider sitting in the stillness of the evening hours, spending time with yourself, and listening to your inner voice. This is the ideal time to journal and set intentions for the year ahead.

As I look forward to 2024, several intentions rise through me. I look for them to be attainable, easy to implement, and impactful. I love setting a low bar so that the intention is simple to achieve and there is room to excel. If an intention is costly of time or money, or creates inner turmoil, then it is less likely for me to commit. My intentions will help me to Live my Light!

I share my 2024 intentions in the hopes that they inspire your own light.

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