Book Review: When the Body Says No
Consider the many ailments that afflict us and those we love: ALS, multiple sclerosis, cancer, Alzheimers, Irritable bowel syndrome, autoimmune disease. Why do some of the kindest, most selfless and compassionate people suffer from these diseases? We all know someone who eats right, exercises, and makes sacrifices for their health, and still is diagnosed with an illness.
When the Body Says No, by Gabor Mate, addresses the underlying emotional landscape of these illnesses. He aims to make the qualitative quantitative, by sharing scientific studies that outline emotional patterns for each disease.
Did you know that genetics play a surprisingly minor role in the contraction of these illnesses? Did you know that we all host cancer cells, but other factors determine whether they overwhelm our system?
Mate’s research finds that much of our disease response is related to our childhood coping strategies.
Book Review: The Qi Effect
Francesco Garri Garripoli is a leading Qigong master in the US and worldwide.
He has walked through life as an intellectual (receiving a full ride scholarship to medical school), philosopher, disciple of Daoism, TV-series producer, healer, teacher...and so much more. Francesco studied with Qigong masters for decades in China, and healed his broken bones through meditation.
I have had the honor of learning from Francesco when he teaches in Boulder. In seminars he shares personal philosophies of energy, Qi, health, and life. I love listening to him explain how a loving heart-resonant energy is the catalyst for health and well-being.
This book is such a treat, as Francesco documents the many concepts that define his worldview and spiritual view. Reading this book is like attending weeks of classes with him!
In The Qi Effect, Francesco combines scientific facts with philosophical reasoning and personal experiences to explain the origin of the universe and its infinite existence in time and space. What an admirable undertaking! He challenges common scientific theories, and proposes new ones based on the same scientific observations.
Francesco openly recognizes that these hypotheses are controversial, and yet shares them to expand our perspective of the unknown and therefore the known. Some of the topics considered include:
The energy of chaos, Hundun, as an important ingredient for change and creation
Whether we are physical beings in a physical world, or energetic beings in a world of energy
The energetic impact of seeing yourself as a conduit or a container
What is the mind and where is it found in the body? How do we use our minds to make decisions?
The emerging science of Epigenetics, as it relates to Qi
The impact of Qi on relationships
Pickup a copy of his new book, The Qi Effect, to learn from the science, experiences, and musings of a Qigong master. It is a brilliant weaving of ideas into new perspectives.
High Vibe Gift Guide
We are entering the season for sharing our love with others, often through quality time and gifts.
Gift-giving can be a powerful act. When we select a gift that matches the recipient's vibration, it creates a smile. The receiver feels understood and seen. This authentic connection creates a sense of joy.
It can feel just as good to give. Bearing witness to pleasant surprise as the face lights up, brings the giver a sense of joy.
I like to call this Exponential Joy.
My goal in giving is to create this Exponential Joy every time. The recipient feels good; I feel good; we all connect in a positive way. It doesn't get much better than that!
I offer several gift ideas for the energetically and spiritually centered person. May some of these ideas resonate with you and your loved ones.
Gift Certificate for Energy Healing: I am honored by your referrals and trust in this intimate work. Give the gift of a personalized energy clearing and balancing session. Your loved-one is sure to feel lighter and refreshed! Certificates for new clients are available for purchase on my website. (To gift sessions to existing clients, please contact me directly.)
Membership at Una Vida in Niwot: Give this wonderful gift of wellness through consistent classes and connection. Weekly offerings include Qi Gong movements, Meditation, Yoga, Breathwork, Group Healings, and more. I am impressed by the quality of offerings and instructors at the studio. With your membership, join my classes on Tuesday mornings!
Kids and Self-Healing
I learn so much from my children. They are my greatest teachers.
When we raise our kids with certain ideas and beliefs, our hope is for them to understand what we have come to know.
And yet, the reality is that magic happens when they take the foundation of knowledge and build on it, getting creative, playing with ideas, stepping outside the box to see what happens.
And then the tables turn and the kids teach us...if we are open to learning from them!
We recently visited Rome as a family, viewing the amazing historical sites. With his permission, I share the experience of Mark, age 13.
In the middle of a 3-hour tour of the Vatican, Mark started to feel ill. He was queasy and lightheaded, wanted to sit down, and needed support to stand and walk.
The Sistine Chapel, a coveted pinnacle of our trip, provided the first opportunity for him to sit. Surrounded by masterpieces, Mark was seated, prostrate, looking at the floor, trying not to throw up.
...Looking at the floor instead of the Sistine ceiling! It nearly broke my heart!
I did a little bit of Qigong on him, but must admit it was half-hearted; I wanted to spend this short time enjoying the Sistine Chapel!
Celebrate: Finally Learning to say No!
This month I reflect on what it means to say Yes and what it means to say No. What are we saying Yes to?
I am a recovering Yes-Man. I have spent many years of my life saying Yes to everyone and everything. In many ways, it has treated me well. I’ve said Yes to a great many opportunities, adventures, and experiences. Saying Yes has helped me to live fully and try things I wouldn’t have considered on my own.
However, when it comes to the needs and wants of others, I was conditioned to believe that No was a bad word, a selfish sentiment. Saying Yes to the needs of others feels good. We help; We support; We bend over backwards to selflessly make things happen. It’s the thing that Supermoms are made of. Our egos are filled by the appreciation of others.
And yet, I hadn’t realized the opportunity cost to saying Yes. When we say Yes to one thing, we are saying No to something else. If we aren’t careful, saying Yes to others can involve disconnecting from ourselves. We say No to our own needs and wants. Overtime, we lose the ability to know what we want. It is the ultimate betrayal: the betrayal of ourselves.
Why do we get so comfortable saying No to ourselves?
Halloween Candy and Mental Health
Halloween candy is more than just sugar. It’s more than just fat. It’s more than just calories.
I have always been in tune with my body and how different things make me feel. Since I react to foods, I tend to eat fairly clean. Of course, I’m human and enjoy a treat like anyone else.
Last weekend, the teenagers were hanging out at my house. With costumes and pumpkin carving, it was a joyful affair. One of them brought a bag of chocolate candies. They made my mouth water, memories swirling from when I used to indulge, and I chose to sneak a Milky Way from their stash.
Mmmm, the creamy deliciousness.
Within minutes, I was feeling yucky. My head was spinning, I had no focus to continue the work I was engaged with, and I felt the urge to lay down on the couch and take a nap. Surprise! My body gave a loud and clear message that the Milky Way was not my friend.
Woman Feeling Disconnected
A lovely woman with covid reached out for a session, looking for immune system support. She was experiencing fatigue, tightness in her chest, and a loss of taste and smell. We agreed to conduct this session remotely via phone, to avoid spreading the contagion.
Energy-body work is holistic, taking into account the entire system of Mind, Body, and Spirit. We can’t promise a specific outcome or know how an individual will respond to the energy balancing. The session may affect healing from a specific ailment, or work on something deeper within the body. This is the beauty and unfolding of energy work!
I learned that this woman had a traumatic labor and delivery 4 years prior. The c-section had hemorrhaged, leaving her low on blood and extremely weak. She was lucky and grateful to have survived, yet from that day forward, she felt as though she was missing something. She no longer felt like herself. She fell into a deep depression, labeled as post-partum depression, that didn’t lift. She lacked the spunk and spark for life that had always characterized her.
Being Present
I often hear recommendations to:
‘Live in the present moment’
‘Be present with your family’
‘Stop dwelling on the past or ruminating on the future, and focus on being present’.
Meditation gurus suggest that the goal of meditating is to be present and aware.
I like to think that I’m present. I flow through the world connecting with people, responding to the needs of others, and active each day.
But am I really present? Why is this even important?
Meditation and Mindfulness
Last year my husband started reading about meditation. He regularly came to me with this newly acquired knowledge of techniques and intentions.
I was surprised to realize that I was feeling threatened by his ‘authority’ on the matter. I was the one on a spiritual journey, studying and practicing meditation for several years. Who was he to 'school me'? I was possessive of the entire topic of meditation.
Hello Ego!
I received the gift of this trigger to bring me introspection and growth.
In addition, I found myself in resistance to reading the Headspace book; it had a casual and modern feel. I wanted to believe that all good meditation techniques stemmed from ancient times, wrapped in deep philosophies, and communicated by gurus.
Fast forward a year, and I found myself without a good book to read, antsy to find something. Of course, the Headspace Guide crossed my path again. I decided to give it a chance, and I am so glad that I did!
Recommendations: Near Death Experiences
As humans, we have many existential questions.
What is the purpose of life?
What happens after we die?
Is everything predetermined, or do we have free will?
I gravitate towards stories of Near Death Experiences, as the incredible accounts tend to offer perspective on life.
Those who physically died and came back to share their experiences, have compelling stories. They often report feeling overpowering love and joy. They become aware of a greater power, larger than themselves. Their lives tend to shift to one that is more spiritually connected, intuitively guided, and filled with a deeper sense of purpose.
I'd like to recommend three resources for your consideration and inspiration. These are fascinating accounts that challenged and expanded my belief systems.
Fire Cider
For Christmas, my sister-in-law gifted me a homemade jar of Fire Cider. It was my first introduction to the herbal tonic, said to boost the immune system and overall health.
I didn't think much of it until early August, when covid entered our house after a vacation. We all had sore throats and stuffy heads. I decided to try the Fire Cider and see what it would do.
Holy Smokes! I am so excited about the results, that I can't help but share with you.
One dose of fire cider, and the sore throat cleared up.
Two doses of fire cider, and I had tremendous energy.
Three doses of fire cider, and the sickness was rapidly dissipating.
I continued taking 2 tablespoons, 3-4 times daily for a week, avoiding getting sicker and healing fast!
The results were so compelling that I had to learn more about this tincture. Fast forward a few weeks, and I have made several batches and want to tell everyone I know about this easy-to-make remedy.
Trapped Emotions and Physical Pain
In my early 20s, I sustained a neck injury in a soccer accident. Playing on a co-ed team, I was body-checked by a large man. I heard audible cracking as the whiplash occurred.
Moving forward, the pain was in the form of constant tension and aching: looking at computer screens, sitting on airplanes, turning my head to hold conversations, sleeping at night, belaying a rock climber. This injury affected every part of my life.
Doctors looked at x-rays, and told me there was nothing physically wrong. For years I went to bi-weekly appointments with chiropractors and physical therapists and followed their daily strengthening exercises. I took prescribed muscle relaxers and sleep aids, purchased new pillows, used hot pads and home-massagers.
Despite my best efforts, the pain wouldn't lift and became chronic.
In my mid-20s, this scenario would repeat with my lower back from a biking accident. This young and athletic body was not healing. Injuries and pain were piling up and I started to feel desperate.
Live Your Light Healing
Every Tuesday morning, you can find me teaching at Una Vida in Niwot. In this beautiful, peaceful sanctuary, I lead a personalized Meditation (8am), Qigong Movement Forms (9am), and the Live Your Light Healing (10am).
Incredibly, the Live Your Light Healing has become my most popular class! Participants come from across the county, and return week after week.
What is the Live Your Light Healing?
- Participants sit or lie on a yoga mat. They find a comfortable position to rest, with blankets and bolsters.
- We set intentions for the session. Each participant is given the opportunity to request mental/emotional or physical healing specific to their situation. The healing is tailored to the needs of the attendees.
- The Live Your Light healing is a fusion of Body code, Aura cleansing, Intuitive healing, Medical Qigong and more. I tune into the energy of the group and speak aloud while processing the priority trapped emotions, subconscious beliefs, energetic misalignments, and more.
Some students fall asleep during the session.
Water Filtration
Are you frustrated with the taste of chlorine in your water?
Are you looking at ways to reduce contaminants in your water beyond the federal standards?
Clients have been asking me recently about my choices for water filtration. Over the last 4 years, my family installed three different water filtration methods. I'll share what we chose for the different applications and how we installed it.
The Schumann Resonance - Earth’s Heartbeat
The Schumann resonance is the frequency of the earth and it's ionosphere; it is often considered to be the Heartbeat of the Earth. In the month of June, this resonance took on new behavior, spiking higher than it has ever been recorded. The spiritual community is in a flurry of excitement about what this could mean.
What is the Schumann Resonance?
The Schumann resonance has been tracked by NASA and worldwide since the 1960s. It follows the electromagnetic waves between the Earth's surface and the ionosphere, which is excited by lightning discharges around the world. This set of spectrum peaks in the extremely low-frequency (ELF) range of Earth's electromagnetic field historically oscillates at 7.83 Hz with occasional pulses to 33.8 Hz.
The Schumann resonance is a natural phenomenon, affected by the seasons, solar flares, activity in Earth's magnetic environment, the water aerosols in the atmosphere, and by other phenomena.
During the 3rd week in June, the Schumann Resonance did something that hasn't been seen before. It spiked to an all-time high of 190 Hz. The spectrogram charts took on a new form, with a pattern similar to DNA and sacred geometry.
Working with Horses
It's such an honor to work with horses. You may have heard that horses can help humans heal; equine therapy is becoming more popular. According to researchers, the vibration of a horse's heart extends 50 feet from their bodies. (The vibration of a human heart can be measured 8-10 feet from the body.) This electromagnetic vibration is a coherent heart rhythm, which brings those in the vicinity into an emotional state of calm and joy.
This month I had the opportunity to work with one of these majestic animals.
Meet Mirage, a 31 year old horse suffering from a degenerative neurological disease.
Finding Peace in the Overwhelm
A full life is a beautiful thing. We engage with family and friends in an authentic way. We step into hobbies with passion. We volunteer with causes that fill our hearts. The activities in our lives define us, connect us, and fill us.
And yet...too much of a good thing can still be too much!
In the last few months, I've fallen into the deep end. Between end-of-the-school-year sports and music events, volunteer activities planned when life was simpler, much-loved house guests, and a booming business, life has become overwhelming. Basic needs have been cut from my life. Every moment of every day is predefined. I'm rushing from one activity to another, hardly feeling present. All of the Zen that I've cultivated is wobbly and the chaos is creeping in.
Does this sound familiar?
The situation has given me pause to reassess and realign. After more than 40 years of this depleting pattern, it's time to consider other ways of showing up. I've gathered guidance from mentors and find myself slowly implementing their advice. In case it helps you, I wanted to share what I've learned.
Where is Your Mind?
Have you ever wondered where consciousness comes from? It's one of the biggest questions in science; we simply don't know if the mind creates consciousness or if consciousness exists independently of the body.
Anyone curious about delving into the science of consciousness will enjoy this 8 episode podcast.
Where is My Mind?
with Mark Gober
The Ripple Effect Podcast
Well that was fun! My first Podcast!
Last week I had the honor of being interviewed on Jen McNerney's podcast, The Ripple Effect. We discussed my toolbox of energy healing modalities and the amazing transformations we've witnessed. I share some of my personal story and how I got into this work.
I hope you enjoy this 45 minute conversation, available on all the major Podcast platforms (apple, itunes, spotify, etc). Please share with friends and family to give them a glimpse of the power of energy work!
www.buzzsprout.com/2169840/12750906
Jen McNerney of The Ripple Effect Podcast is a skilled energy-body healer, using Neuro Emotional Technique (NET), Theta Healing, Contact Reflex Analysis (CRA), Usui Reiki, and Metaphysical healing. She is a trained Speech Language Pathologist and uses equine therapy with clients. You can reach out to Jen at:
FunctionalHealthColorado.com/meet-jen-mcnerney
MindfulLittleTalkers.com
JenMcNerney.com
This Month’s Testimonials
This month I have received a handful of amazing testimonials. Rather than share one story, it feels good to share the many shifts my clients are experiencing. May it be an inspiration of hope for you and your loved ones.