Spring Detox: Awakening Your Body in 30 Days

We have entered a period of seasonal re-birth. Like the quality of  moist Mother Earth–Moksa–our body awakens from the winter and begins processes of regeneration and growth. This is the best time to plan for the proverbial ‘detox.’ The organ most active at this time is the liver which according to Traditional Chinese Medicine is governed by the wood element and houses Hun–the etheral soul–a part of us that merges with our ancestors and the life force of nature.

We want to spring forth, up towards the sun, grow, reach, reach for our highest potential.

Personally, I feel like I need a huge detox! And, I’m making plans for it. My life has changed so much in the past 6 months. I’m ready to grow my vision by integrating my work to include all my passions and talents.

Yeah, this is gonna be a big one. So, like I said I’m preparing because you know how it goes sometimes:  you get fired up about something new only to realize that you are not ready, it’s too much work; the first symptoms of detox set in and you say, “Hell with it! Where is my cup of coffee.” I believe the key is to prepare and take small, realistic steps everyday.

One of the ways I am going to hold myself accountable is to write about my journey. More specifically, I’m going to post every week on this blog about my experience (and those of you who want to share and do this with me), self-care tips, inspiration for the journey, recipes–food is our first medicine, remember?–and resources.

Consider this 30 day process starting next month on the equinox. Let’s do it together! Innately it’s what’s happening in your body.

Next week’s post will be about things to get ready like herbs, essential oil, specialty items, books you may need to order. I’ll also give you an idea about how to assess yourself on the level of detox best fit for  your lifestyle right now. There is such a thing as too much detox and I’ve seen people become discouraged just because they did too much too soon.

Let me know about any specific areas of interest or concerns you may have. Post it here in the comments. You can also find me on facebook.

Blessings.

Your Intuitive Guidance System: Where is it?

I recently gave a short talk on the subject of the intuitive guidance system which I’ve come to know as an extension of the body and its senses such as: hearing, sight, smell, touch, balance. As Carolin Myss says, “Intuition is not a gift. It is a skill.” And, in my opinion, it is vital to your growth and development.  Anchored in the body, it is innate.

We all use it to varying degrees in our daily lives–the more we do, though, the more creative, happy, prosperous and healthy we become. I wanted to share with you a questionnaire I developed for assessing which areas are most active, which can use some exercise, and perhaps which ones need to be brought back to balance (these are usually ones which manifest symptoms.)

Enjoy. Give me feedback. And, if you want to go deeper, I’d love to schedule a private session and take a journey to your deepest self. Warning:  you may initiate change in your life, you may discover how powerful you are, you may hear your voice for the first time. I know a thing or two about that. I can support you.

Mark all that apply then see which “clair” scores highest, lowest and in-between.

Claircognizant (extension of  conscious mind/neocortex)

□ Do you often “just know things” but can’t explain why?

□ Do you appreciate art, aesthetics?

□ Are ‘strong minded’ (“If you don’t think about getting that cold, you won’t”)

□ Do you become irritable if you don’t get enough sleep/rest?

□ Do you see the humor in (almost) everything?

Total_______

Clairsentient (extension of mind-body network)

□  Do you easily pick up on other’s feelings?

□ Find specific scents soothing or irritating?

□ Have allergies to certain chemicals, drugs, substances?

□ Are a picky eater (ex: kids who declare they are vegetarian)?

Total______

Clairvoyant (extension of sight)

□ Do you have a vivid imagination or dreams (including daydreams)?

□ Do you feel drained by spending too much time by electronics, computers, airports?

□ Do you see auras or flashes of lights?

□ Do you feel uncomfortable in certain places but can’t tell why?

Total______

Clairaudient (extension of  hearing, balance and spacial awareness)

□  Are you sensitive to noise?

□ Do you often ‘hear’ things that are unspoken?

□ Do you feel sudden and momentary change of pressure or ringing in your ears?

□ Do you sometimes lose your balance?

□ Do you feel “creepy- crawly” sensations on your skin that pass within seconds?

Total_______

Clairmystic (extension of the central nervous system)

□ Do you experience a sense of inexplicable joy?

□ Do you feel at one with everything and everyone?

□ Do you experience ecstasy?

□ Do you feel like you have the power to change your life or “something” is guiding you?

Total_______

So, You Didn’t Get the Flu Shot? Five Things You Can Do to Boost Your Immune System Naturally

 

 

● GET REGULAR CHIROPRACTIC ADJUSTMENTS

–research shows an increase in white blood cells following a chiropractic adjustment

● GET ENOUGH SLEEP

–your body needs the extra energy to repair

● SUPPLEMENT WITH IMPORTANT NUTRIENTS: VITAMIN C, B COMPLEX, ZINC

–these are important catalysts in the immune response

● CUT DOWN ON SUGAR

–eliminate all refined carbohydrates when you feel “under the weather”

● USE HERBAL IMMUNE BOOSTERS:  ECHINACEA, ELDERBERRY, GOLDENSEAL, PAU D’ARCO

–follow dosage; hide in strong juice (grape) or jello for kids,  and make sure to adjust dosage according to age/body weight if using standard adult strength. Many of these herbal preparations are available specifically for kids

Grounded Visionaries

About two years ago I heard someone say, “Find your tribe.” The words shook me, redirected my attention and got me asking some core questions.  Today, as I journaled some insights over coffee and the cocophony of the waking house, guarding the fading images of my dream, it became very clear that the people in my tribe are grounded visionaries. It can be a bit of an oxymoron in this new day and age–still.

Visions are delicate glimpses to the intentions of life. I’ve had a few–chiropractic being one– and I feel like it could take a lifetime to ground them. The phenomenon of people fishing these out of consciousness is a testament to this web of life, this interconnectedness.

If I were to say anthing to my tribe of grounded visionaries, I’d say, ”Let’s connect.”

The Season of Letting Go

It is the season of Letting Go. Autumn marks the time of the year when we begin to slow down, involute, integrate the past year. It is the proverbial “separating the wheat from the chaff.” I am doing more self-care than ever since I am in the midst of making some huge changes in my life. I figured I’d really step into the energy of the season and let it work for me. So, I dug out my trusty TCM and herbal books to help me come up with a plan for then next two months.

According to TCM autumn is ruled by the element of metal which represents: boundary, instinct, interaction, transmutation, synthesis and interchange. These are the qualities which begin to influence us at this time. I’ve noticed that I need more personal space to be with my thoughts and contemplate where I’ve been and where I’m going. The organs ruled by this element are the colon and the lungs. The emotional body is letting go and we can grieve what is dying to make room for the new. I’ve been more weepy than usual and I promised I’d be with the emotions more and not clean my house incessantly– which makes for a  clean house, but clogged internal pipes.

I’m diving more into herbs and plan on doing some interesting stuff which I’ll write about later once I experiment on me and my kid. In the meantime look for a list of references at the end of the post in case you are feeling adventurous too.

I’m also happy to report that I’ve began to make fermented foods and things are moving along–if you know what I mean. Kaya loves it! I made a combo of fermented cabbage, daikon and cucumber. I sliced them into bite-sized pieces, layered with salt (be generous I didn’t put enough), 2 bay leaves and 4-6 whole allspice per layer, covered with water then a small plate on top and pressed it down with another heavy bowl of water. 3 days later the vegetables fermented. The smell was “sour/beer like” but not offensive and they tasted slightly tangy. I transferred them to the fridge. The “kiszonka” or fermented food can stay in the fridge for up to two weeks.  The best container for this is one made from clay or glass. I happen to get creative and bought an old crakpot dish at the thrift store. Remember to wash all working surfaces and utensils with boiling water before fermenting. Eat up!

Essential oils of the season are:  cypress, clary sage, eucalyptus, hyssop, pine, tea tree, thyme, frankincense, juniper berry, sweet marjoram, myrrh, and yarrow.

I got cypress for me and clary sage for Kaya. I am careful about both for her and make a half percent solution: 1 drop of essential oil for every 10 ml of oil (two tsp.) because both have a precaution for epilepsy. Children under 13 can do a 1 percent solution– 2 drops of essential oil for every 10 ml of carrier oil– and adults can bump it up to 3 drops of essential oil.  I rub it into her feet. Last week I did a gentle diaphragmatic release on myself with clary sage and was amazed how much more deeply I could breathe.

Blessings and may you let go gracefully. Write me any other tips you may have; especially fermented foods and herbal remedies.

References/Books of Interest

Aromatherapy for Healing the Spirit. Restoring Emotional and Mental Balance with Essential Oils. Mojay, Gabriel.

Macrobiotic Diet. Kushi, Michio and Aveline.

The Yoga of Herbs. An Ayurvedic Guide to Herbal Medicine. Dr. Frawley, David and Dr. Lad, Vasant.

The New Age Herbalist. Mabey, Richard.

An Attitude Adjustment

A man I was adjusting the other day broke my heart–open. I swear sometimes when I’m working I wonder, Who is adjusting whom? Patients  help me get an “attitude adjustment.” So, I was warned by the front desk that he is “weird” and I should watch out for him. This time (I’ve adjusted him before) he was very irate and talking super fast about how unfair the healthcare system was because they were cutting his insurance benefits off and he might not be able to get care anymore. He told me about his pain for the day as he plopped face down on the table. This should sound very familiar to my fellow chiropractors. He proceeded to tell me that for the past fifteen years chiropractic care has kept him out of the mental hospital. He tiptoed around an official diagnosis but mentioned that when given a choice to be on medication for the rest of his life he chose this instead and it has been working. He is very peculiar about the way he is adjusted so he proceeded to tell me what to do but as a vote of confidence he also added that I don’t adjust like a girl–I’ve passed the test apparently.

I didn’t even know how to introduce an adjustment to this discombobulated neurology! I only had a few minutes (just the nature of the practice I was working in) to make a difference here. I knew I had to connect to something higher and hopefully bring him there. At first, I asked him to just relax and breathe. I embraced him totally. Pain. Frustration. Anger. Fear.Vulnerability. Perceptions. Diagnosis. Tension. And, I chose to connect with grace. Mind you, it is not very easy to do sometimes when a person drops all-of-that-and-a-bag-of-chips on your table! That was my attitude adjustment. Grace. He totally got it! With an innocence of a child, he began to thank me for helping him relax. The things he said about the government and its policies border on conspiracy theories, and anyone hearing him would dismiss them because he has a particular diagnosis, a mental  illness. He also happens to have a Ph.D. in some high-end physics. Why he was spewing them all on the table as I negotiated with C2 on the right? Overwhelm, I guess.

What touched me the most is how he thanked me for helping him, apologized for his attitude, took responsibility for his frustration and listened to my self-care recommendations. He was the most present person I’ve seen in that office all day. Supposedly, he is mentally ill. Right?

Entering Mysteries of the Mother

When I see the Ocean, I see Mother as God. Full, dynamic, a force I can only surrender to, a womb who takes me back inside. My own mother said today, “You are just like your grandmother (her mom). I thought, Yes, I am. I owned the Mother in me.  And, I saw a child’s innnocence in her. It’s as if she wondered how little I belonged to her; she saw my sovereignty.  Is it a coincidence that I grew up with my grandmother till I was five? And, what is it exactly that she imparted? What is it that took root and is finally blooming?

Sometime in my twenties I had the following dream.  I’m at my grandma’s house and there is a procession of Mother Mary.  This was an actual tradition which used to take  place  in the village. People would scrub floors, paint the walls and build a special shrine to Mother Mary when she arrived at their home. Neighbors would be invited to come and offer prayers and sing songs for about a day or two. She would move on to another house and so on. In my dream I’m in trasit from the neighbor’s house to my grandma’s house but I’m not carrying Mother Mary. I am carrying blood in my hands. The blood drips through my fingers yet my hands are always full of it. I marvel at this miracle  and at the same time I feel strangely inadequate to be entrusted with this holy phenomenon. My grandma says to me, ”You still don’t know how to do this. You are learning. I can’t die until you learn the ways of the Mother.  To whom am I going to leave my daughter (my mom)?

I understood the symbol of the hands and blood as being the uterus, a woman’s sacred mystery to create life, but it didn’t become real to me until I went through the initiation of motherhood. Then, the word became flesh. People became my children and my own uterus became a home.  I remember my shamanic teacher Maggie Whals (www.shamanelder.com) and my excercise of finding kiva/home from which we operate, to which we return to after we journey. I wasn’t doing so good. She scolded me, “Halina, your kiva/home is not for every Tom, Dick and Harry!” That’s what my grandma used to say. But, I didn’t get it until I had to protect my baby and until I ached for intimacy so much I was willing to endure aloness.

While Kaya and I were at the beach the other day I built a medicine wheel for myself with the intention of entering these mysteries:  devotion, intimacy, connectedness, guardianship, timelessness and moving from my core. I get that the cycle of life depends on me and my alignment with my deepest longings.

     (http://www.energymedicinewheel.com/Medicine-Wheel.html

Emotional Etiquette

Yes, there is such a thing as Emotional Etiquette, and even though I have not heard it put that way, I hope to perhaps coin the phrase (if someone already hasn’t). It is an honoring yet responsible way to deal with  emotions.

I believe if we come up with tools and strategies–etiquette–to be responsible with our emotions our relationships, health and environment would greatly improve! How many times do you catch yourself saying:  Don’t put your shit on me;  No, I’m fine or I am so furious right now; This conversation is over; What’s bothering you? I can’t stand it when you..; There is no point in talking–you never listen. Feel free to insert your favorite one. I believe at this point in our evolution as human beings, we truly need to honor this part of ourselves because emotions are extremely viable signals from life which help us connect to a vast network of informaiton about ourselves, our environment and most importantly:  how to co-exist with each other and our planet.

Have you ever walked into a room where someone has just had a fight? How did that feel? Conversely, have you ever walked into a temple or a place of worship? Notice the difference in your body?  Emotions aren’t just subjective, intangible, transient events. They are energy in motion and just like an x-ray or gravity they affect matter with which they interact–like you and I.

So here are a few points to consider:

- Ask Permission to Talk About Your Emotions. “Venting” or even sharing a deep experience with someone  may be overwhelming (at the end of the day when we are tired) or inappropriate (the office).  Often times we feel the need to “tell someone” about what’s going on with us because the emotional energy is uncomfortable to be with. A better idea is to create a container–in the form of a designated time, space, person–to responsibly emote.  Ask the person with whom you’d like to share, “Can we create a time/space for me to share something I’m feeling.”  Additionally, you can set the tone of compassion by asking that the person “hold space” for you to talk about what you are feeling without offering advice or comments until you are done.  Be prepared to be flexible meanwhile taking care of yourself. Ultimately, our emotions are our responsibility.

-The Difference Between Thoughts and Feelings. Susan Forward, the author of Emotional Blackmail makes a great distinction between thoughts and feelings.  “Keep in mind” she says, “that a feeling is an emotional state that can be expressed in one, or at most two words.” For example, I feel worried. She clarifies, ”The moment you say ‘I feel like or ‘I feel that…,’ you’re describing what you think or believe” so add how that makes you feel, and you are at the heart of the matter. Being emotionally clear about what you feel puts others at ease and may help the emotion move through your body. One of the fastest ways to stop projection (when you are feeling confused about who’s feelings belong to whom) is to get clear and honest about your own.

-Best way to stop a difficult interaction. This is a brilliant suggestion by Carl Alasko, Ph.D. in his book Emotional Bullshit which resonated with me when I read it. He says that during a difficult  interaction we need to stop and figure out the best way to take care of our authentic needs which is part of self-care–another concept I love and live by. He suggests asking yourself, What do I need from this situation–right now? You may also have a general one like “I need to build relationship and bring this person closer to me” or “I always need serenity.”

I hope you find this helpful. Feel free to share.

After Enlightement, Take a Bath and Have Some Tea.

How do we–the Sensitives, the Intuitives, the New-Agers, Consciousness-Seekers– punctuate our life?  I tell you what:  Sometimes this multidimensional, multisensory journey through life is downright tiring!  Maybe that’s why the wise man (was it  Buddha?) said, “After enlightement, chop wood and carry water.”  I’d say, “After enlightement, take a bath and have some tea.”

Lately, I’ve become very restless. As I went deeper into this, I realized it’s because I’m addicted to the high my inner world elicits:  My dreams, my revelations, intuitions and spiritual longings, astral journeys. The ordinariness (which I am tuning into and discovering has a delicious bliss of its own) is seducing me, though. The seemingly mundane tasks of washing dishes, doing the laundry, cooking a meal, farting around the internet, cultivating patience around my goals or keeping a small commitment to self-care are beginning to feel like blessings between the times when I am hit with a revelation or faced with the next milestones of my soul-growth. I’ve resented these in the past. I found them to be distracting. I only imagined bliss (and chased it) in a world devoid of every-day life.  Now I see that they serve to almost calm the nervous system down, and when these moments come I welcome them with open arms and stay in awareness of a sensual, earthy existance trusting that my inner world is there, waiting.

How do we punctuate our life, then?  Embrace the ordinariness of it. Celebrate the senses. Welcome the rythm of time.  Temper the passions for a new world with appreciation for the structures which will actually bring it to life.

B r e a t h e. We are both spirit and body.

Holding Space: Sometimes Life Hangs You Upside Down

Holding space is a spiritual practice (more like a mystery one enters) which is so important during times of incubating a new world, new life, relationship or an idea. What’s it mean, anyway? ( I, sure as the sunrise, have been made to practice this a lot. Not that I’m an expert but…)

What’s been revealed to me is that holding space is harder to do for a westerner who has been taught to do, to accomplish, to “go get”, “make happen”, figure things out, to consume, to prevent, insure, pursue.  Sometimes it is down-right frustrating because there is nothing to do yet this is a dynamic process! This is not a witnessing of sorts where you observe what’s happening and let all outcomes, expectations and reactions simply wash over you. It’s more instinctual, spontaneous yet calculated, aware of all possibilities while in pursuit of the ultimate joy, filled with rhythm yet punctuated by intentions arising from the Divine Mind. Grace-full.

This mystery reminds me of how we are made in our mother’s womb. B.J. Palmer would say, Innate Intelligence.

Personally, for the past two years I’ve been… let’s just say ‘strongly encouraged’ by life to hold space. My pursuits of starting a practice and living in New Mexico were put on pause (I believe). My body brought to the surface some of the most chronic symptoms I’ve been dealing with for years. And, I was given the opportunity to observe myself in a relationship which short of being a very romantic story, was very misguided. AKA disillusioned. The vision of my work was adjusted, and a new direction was made crystal clear (down to a business name and a slogan). It’s as if someone took me and hung me upside down by my feet then left me dangling for a long while so I would stop “doing” and listen.

I didn’t understand what was happening at the time. I only surrendered because I didn’t know what to do. Now–humbled and feeling the ground beneath my feet again– I get it and I’m making it a spiritual practice.