Take 2 deep breaths which resets the sympathetic nervous system 

Autogenic training:     visualize and feel each sentence and repeat slowly for a minimum of 18-20 minutes daily:

My arms and legs are heavy and warm

My heartbeat is calm and regular

My breathing is free and easy

My abdomen is warm

My forehead  is cool

My mind is quiet and still

Think of one stressor … sit up, uncross your arms and legs, rest hands on thighs … eyes closed … relaxed … hold breath and at top of your breath let the stressor go … then breathe from your feet and come up your body … imagine floating high above yourself where nothing is stressful … notice that you live down below … then float toward the future where you have achieved success … look back and see that the stressor is gone … anchor in whatever positive thoughts you want while here in the future because anything is possible and they become resources for you … then go back towards now and bring the good things you anchored in with you … then go forward one year from now and look back on now and there is no worry, stress or fear

Put their name on a small piece of white paper in pencil. Put the piece of paper in a baggie and cover it with water. Put the cup in the freezer. This will literally “freeze” their emotions toward you and have them move on to someone else to engage with their negativity.  Believe it or not, this really works!  I tried it, and when I had not been affected for awhile, I took it out of the freezer and threw it away:  within a few weeks, the annoyance was back.  Easily solved:  repeat the process and know that someday they will either find someone else to annoy or they will become enlightened themselves.

It is a gentle and effective way to detoxify, cleanse, and balance the body by drawing the impurities out of the body through the feet. As your feet soak in the ionic footbath, your body will undergo an amazing cleanse of years’ worth of stored toxins caused by positively charged ions. You will immediately feel more energized and will very likely have your best night of sleep in years. The ion cleanse foot spa can enhance the natural healing power of the body by balancing the electrons in the body which, in a healthy person, should contain 80% negative electrons and 20% positive electrons.

The Ionic Cleanse treatment works by osmosis. The ionic generator is placed in the footbath where it releases ions through the water and into your body. Your cells are then energized by the ions, stimulating the release of toxins, oils, acids, fats, heavy metals, yeast, cellular debris and waste that have accumulated over your lifetime. The body can also eliminate parasites, pinworms, and various colored mucous; even drawing massive amounts of nicotine from the tissue and joints of people that quit smoking several years ago. Ionic body cleanse is an innovative technique for facilitating detox and drainage while simultaneously fostering healthy pH changes in the body.

It is an amazing process to watch as the presence of these cleansed toxins and waste are deposited back into the water around your feet in a murky display of residue. You’ll be amazed at the stuff that comes out of your body. As your body is detoxified, cleansed, balanced and able to function at its fullest capacity once again, you will experience a sense of relief throughout the body, increased energy, and improved mental clarity. This process is really great for people who are “foggy-headed” or who have memory problems as it clears yeast and heavy metals from the body, which are two of the main culprits. We all breathe that stuff in without even realizing it and it accumulates over the years, causing all sorts of problems that you might not even realize are toxin-related. It is also HIGHLY RECOMMENDED for anyone who has experienced chemotherapy. Clients with specific health concerns have reported immediate relief from migraines, fatigue, neck pain, toxemia, yeast infection, and work or sport related injuries.

Process to increase mental energy and intelligence which stimulates the neural pathways in the brain by activating acupressure points on the earlobe.  Take left hand and cross it over and put your thumb on the bottom of your right ear lobe and index finger behind it … then take your right hand and cross it over and put your thumb on the bottom of your left ear lobe and index finger behind it … then breathe slowly and deeply with the tongue touching the roof of your mouth while you do slow deep knee bends while breathing <inhale going down, exhale going up>  …

You get a quick re-balancing of the body, which also yields a feeling of detachment and peace.

EFT <Emotional Freedom Technique> is an acupressure technique to relieve stress and optimize your emotional health.  It involves tapping on special acupuncture meridians with your fingertips while naming and tuning into a specific problem, and then using positive affirmations. It is important to focus deeply to get to the core of the issue <feelings, cravings, limiting beliefs, fears, past betrayal, grief, etc>.

Tapping is a fast and easy facilitator that distracts us into joy, since the universe hears our vibration and not our words.  As an aside, a fun way to get to the vibration of “yes” is to write out a list of 10 questions where the answer is a resounding “YES” and then ask yourself the questions and answer LOUDLY “YES!” <ie: is your favorite color purple? Do you love cats? Do you enjoy a crisp fall day? Do you love walking on the beach? etc> .  It is also helpful to say “I am” statements while tapping to further internalize the affirmation.

I studied Gary Craig’s method; further resources include Pat Carrington, Brad Yates and Carol Look, as well as numerous people on YouTube like David Childerley.  All negative emotions are simply a disruption in the energy flow.   EFT is a simpler and more self-empowering process than hypnosis or NLP.   You don’t pretend the problem is not there; there’s no denial because what you resist, persists.  The only disclaimer:  you also need to take full responsibility for your own well-being for tapping <if you are emotionally unstable, don’t tap unless you can deal with the emotions that come up>.

Quick summary of the process:   

STEP 1: Choose a problem to work on.

STEP 2: Rate your anxiety or discomfort.

STEP 3: Perform the Set-Up 

STEP 4: TAP the stress-relief points<eyebrow, side of eye, under eye, under nose, chin, collarbone, under arm, head>.

STEP 5: Rate your anxiety or stress again. 

STEP 6: Perform the Set-Up again.

STEP 7: TAP the stress-relief POINTS again.

STEP 8: Measure your anxiety or stress level on 0-10 scale.

STEP 9: Repeat Steps #5-#9.

Cleanse crystals and stones as soon as you first get them because  they carry energy from anyone who has touched them.  Once they are cleansed, you might want to limit others from handling them.   Your intention for their use determines how often they need to be cleansed after that.   If you use them for healing, cleanse them before and after.  If you use them for personal guidance and balance,  you can do it weekly or monthly.  After cleansing, rinse them in running water for a few minutes.

• Smudging:  <see yesterday’s post re: smudging as well>   Hold your crystal in the smoke of sage or incense for about 20 or 30 seconds
• Using other crystals:   Place the crystal you want cleansed on a larger crystal cluster for several hours. 
• Moonlight:   Place your crystal in direct moonlight overnight … either inside near a window or outside in a special place 
• Sunlight: Place your crystal in sunlight for a few hours
• Burying:   Bury your crystal overnight in dry sea salt or outside in the ground in a special place
• Soaking:   Soak individual crystals in sea salt dissolved in warm purified or spring water for about 4 hours <use a glass not metal bowl> … rinse in cool water to remove salt then throw the water out along with the negative energies you just cleared … don’t soak porous stones because it will harm the stone <opal, lapis, coral or amber — smudge instead for these>
• Running water:  Place your crystal in a mesh bag and immerse in a stream or waterfall for a few hours to cleanse and re-energize 

• Freezer:  put them in the freezer for a quick cleanse…no more than a couple minutes is necessary… the cold disconnects all the negative energies

Smudging changes the energy, clears negativity and blesses the object of your intention <be sure to use the appropriate herb>

• I suggest either growing your own with the knowledge and intention of honoring the plants or buying from someone who did the same
• Light the bundle and quickly blow out the flame, allowing it to smolder <catch any stray sparks in a shell or non-metal ceramic container>
• To clear a room:  walk around the room and let the smoke rise to reach every corner of the room
• To clear yourself / another person / object:  fan / feather the bundle over what is to be cleared
• In sacred ceremony and ritual:  to bless the space and the participants
• During transition:  like between seasons for a fresh start
• When done, be sure flame in bundle is completely out; it is usually best to stub it out and let it rest in the container until you are sure it is no longer burning
• Each smudging herb is used for a different purpose:
  • Sage:  most common is white sage, purifies and protects
  • Sweet grass braids:  used after sage to welcome in the positive energies <present  to 6 directions with intentions of calling in good energy>

Turn to the East:   smudge toward that direction and say:       “Spirit of the East, Great Spirit of Air, cleanse and inspire this space.”

Turn to the South:  smudge toward that direction and say:      “Spirit of the South, Great Spirit of Water, strengthen and bring peace to this space.”

Turn to the West :  smudge toward that direction and say:      “Spirit of the West, Great Spirit of Fire, energize and protect this space.”

Turn to the North:  smudge toward that direction and say:      “Spirit of the North, Great Spirit of Earth, ground and cleanse this space.”

 Look upwards:  smudge toward that direction and say:          “Great Father Sky, guard this space from above.”

 Look down:  smudge toward that direction and say:                “Great Mother Earth, nurture this space from below.”

• Cedar:    burnt when moving into a new home to purify and attract positive energy to the space
• Lavender:  attracts love, restores balance and creates a peace
• Rosemary:  for clarity 
• Mugwort: stimulates psychic awareness and powerful dreams
• Bay leaf:  protects against colds and flu

The person presenting to our Friday Morning Group yesterday did this meditation and it was extremely relaxing for me.  It is a Buddhist-based meditation for cultivating compassion and forgiveness, with many variations on the web but I like this version.  Prepare for meditation as you prefer, then gently repeat the following softly out loud or in your mind:

1. May I be filled with loving kindness

2. May I be safe  and well.

3. May I be happy and peaceful.

4. May my life be filled with ease.

Then replace the “I”s with “you’s, thinking of someone you love, then someone who is a challenge, then all beings

Take 5 minutes and do this daily.

• Lay in a comfortable position and take three deep cleansing breaths.
• Imagine a sunbeam entering the top of your head. Feel this light slowly scanning each cell of your internal body.
• Keep breathing. Blow out any negative energy you may feel as you exhale.
• Notice any changes in your body. Sensations will vary from person to person: you may feel temperature changes, see colors, smell something, or hear a voice offering you guidance.  All are completely normal.
• If you feel a block in a certain area of your body, notice how it feels.   Ask your body why that block is there and what you need to do to release it. Try not to judge or analyze the wisdom that comes to you. We experience energy blocks in our body because our body is trying to tell us something. Just breathe into that area until you feel the block dissolving.
• When you have finished your scan, take one last deep breath and exhale any energetic residue that you are ready to release and thank your body for sharing its infinite wisdom.