Benefits of meditation and mind-travelling

Jaz in Serenity Bay, Castaway Cay, Bahamas

Just because I think we all need a bit of sunshine today, especially those of us in the midst of an ice-storm in mid April!

Research has proven that meditating and evoking strong positive feelings makes chemical changes in the brain and increases serotonin so we can feel (almost) as good as if we were in our happy place in person...

Take at least 5 minutes today to feel the warmth of the sun that is available from behind the clouds, and make it shine in your heart. Imagine yourself in your happy place. Really feel it and engage all your senses - what do you see, hear, smell, feel, taste? Experience how this imaginary escapade can shift you into a higher vibration, notice how the perception of your day and interaction change.

Plus, remember that travelling in your head is absolutely free, so do it often! It feels good! :)

What if... you could change your life

It's time to play with your beliefs! So often, I meet with people who so strongly believe that a situation can't change, or that their emotion about a situation is set for ever and is immutable. These beliefs can be about their love life, about their self-worth, about how they handle a situation with a family member, about their career, about their intuitive skills or lack thereof... "It is what it is and nothing can be done about it," seems to be the bottom line story that is told.

Today, Spirit reminds us that one of the best ways to remove these mental and emotional blocks to our ascension is to play a game with our mind. The ego part of us that resides in our brain is fearful of change and wants to keep the status quo no matter what, even if it's detrimental to your wellness and abundance. So involve this part of you through playing "pretend". Engage your creative mind with "what if" scenarios: what if that difficult conversation went well, what if you already have all those psychic skills you wish to develop, what if you already have access to the emotional and financial abundance you need for your higher good, what if you are already good enough and pretty enough, what if you would meet the love of your life today, what if you would completely love yourself today, what if you would surrender to Spirit today? What would change in your outlook and perception then?

Once you have developed a potential positive scenario to your situation, play "dress up" and try on this scenario. Feel how it would be like to already be who or where you want to be. Have fun with it. Discover something about yourself in the process. Feel how your vibration changes just by pretending you're already there.

The more you practice through play, the more your rational brain will understand what it is that you want. The more you practice, the more your vibration muscles will be able to flex at this new point of attraction you are creating, and the better you will become at attracting what you really want in your life.

You don't think you have time to play or integrate this practice in your daily life? What if... you can? What if it could bring you the results you are looking for? ;)

Remember I am here to help you and support you in this process.

Reiki and Energy Work for a broken bone - week 2

I finished experiencing my second week with a cast for my broken wrist - and the healing continues!

Previous blog entries on this topic:

• Reiki & energy work for a broken bone
• Reiki & energy work for a broken bone, Week 1

I have collected several signatures and drawings, each very precious to me.  I imagine each one wrapping my cast and my arm with love and healing intentions - especially all the smiley faces, hearts and sunshines!

With the community of wonderful people sending me healing thoughts and Reiki vibes, I believe the healing has really sped up this week.  The swelling in my fingers is completely gone, the pain is almost non existent, and everyday I have gained more flexibility and strength - although still very restricted by the cast.  Gratitude, gratitude, gratitude to each of you supporting me with your well wishes and healing vibes!

I am enjoying this healing process and all it entails.  I am gaining insights in so many life lessons!  We were celebrating a birthday last weekend.  I was a bit overwhelmed with the to-do list, and then I learned how wonderful it is to ask for help and how happy people are to help.  So many people need a task to feel useful and satisfied, even when they're guests at a party.  I will certainly keep this in mind for the next gathering!  Some of my younger nephews were somewhat taken aback by my cast and this situation has been a good teaching experience about the body's ability to heal, and about moving through one's fear and apprehension of someone with a visible injury.  And this lesson also applies to many adults whose first reaction to seeing my cast is one of almost recoil, as if they are imagining the pain instead of the healing - this gives me insight into our society's psyche and our emotional focus, in general...  Why do so many choose to see the pain and suffering and feed that with fear,  instead of discovering the silver lining or hidden gifts?  There is material for meditation and transmutation here, but the words are not quite formed in my head yet to express the concept - more information to "download" and thoughts to cogitate!

This past week, I have celebrated many gains, from being able to pull open a drawer or cupboard with my injured hand, to holding a pencil for a few clumsy entries on my grocery list and sudoku puzzles, to being able to type with almost two hands - the left hand at its proper place on the keyboard and my right middle finger doing all the work for my right hand.  My typing is more coordinated and quicker than during week 1, and I am aware and appreciate the typing skills I have learned since high school now that I don't have access to my full range.  I am being patient with myself and my recovery.  Although I am somewhat less patient in some dreams I've had:  I dreamt a few times that I was able to slip out of my cast to either prepare a meal, or to shower and wash my hair without covering my arm with a plastic bag, and shampooing with two hands - ah the luxury of a good lather!!

And so overall the lessons for week 2 have been to celebrate the small victories and milestones towards a full healing and recovery.  It is more and more apparent that attitude plays a great role in the healing process - and it's not only the patient's attitude but also that of the community.  The more we can create a positive attitude within ourselves, and the more we can nurture a positive attitude in our community, the better we are at having a positive impact in healing our our own body-mind-spirit and in raising global consciousness.

Blessings of Love and Light to all, and thank you for all your well wishes; I feel the Love! :)

***********

Updates:

• Reiki & energy work for a broken bone - Epilogue

Spiritual Guidance for April

Decks used: Joules Taylor “Celtic Messages”; John Holland “The Psychic Tarot”; Colette Baron-Reid “The Enchanted Map”

Phew! Has the month of March been as busy as predicted? Are you feeling the renewal of planetary energy and are you welcoming all the blessings Universe bestows upon you? For me, this has been the busiest month I’ve had in a long time, I feel energized, my faith is renewed and I have because more acutely aware of old patterns or beliefs I have been holding on to, even though they don’t serve me anymore in the present nor where Spirit is steering me… Leave a comment below: how has March been for you?

This month, all three cards have similar messages of peace, belonging, safety and security in this physical world. They also have an element of action or choice that needs to be made. A path to abundance lay before us, but it will remain out of our reach if we decide to stay back and lick our wounds, isolating ourselves from the gifts life and community have to offer. This is a time to feel confident in our skills and in the gifts we are called upon to share with the world. It is time to share the bounty of our soul, confident and secure that all the Love and Light we share will be returned ten-fold in myriad wonderful ways.

The cauldron symbolizes mystic regeneration and that which nourishes the soul as much as the physical body. It is time to find an outlet for all those ideas that have been bubbling away for so long lest they stick to the pot! Consult with financial or investment specialists regarding your project. Consult with family members and close friends; gather them around your hearth fire and listen to their wisdom. Most of all, consult with your inner guidance system and with Spirit and once you have all the ingredients for your recipe – get cooking! Your project will be delicious. Be prepared to share.

The 9 Swords advises you to quit worrying. To build on the above metaphor, know that once your cake is in the oven worrying about it doesn’t do much except drain your energy. Trust that you have made it right with all the best ingredients you could find, that it is now under the care of the best oven, and therefore allow it to rise and bake on its own. Have faith in the process. Keep positive expectations of how delicious it will be and how delightful it will be to share with friends and family. Get out of your head and out of your worries, and enjoy the moment. This card is a reminder to take action and trust that your soul and the power of spirit will grasp you firmly by the hand and guide you, but you must let go of the mental distress. Don’t suffer in silence – reach out for the help that is available to you.

Once you let go of your mental distress, you’ll be flooded by that good feeling belonging, of having arrived, of being home. Experience what it is like to be secure in your own skin and to live comfortably no matter what the external circumstances of your life. Open your eyes and find “your tribe” of like-minded people. Be confident that you are exactly where you need to be at this time, and stay on your path. If it is paved with Love, you can’t go wrong, no matter where it leads you.

Spiritual Assignments for this month 

Affirmations:

• I am divinely guided in every step of my journey. 
• I am safe. I am secure. I am divinely protected at all times. 
• I enjoy the process and the experience of life. 

Journaling:

• Continue to journal on limiting thoughts or beliefs that prevent you from feeling fully connected to others and the Universe. Identify these and work to release their hold on you. Release your worries. 

Other:

• Take action today toward realizing your dream. Pick an idea that has been bubbling away in your heart, and ask for divine guidance to bring it manifest. Ask that the right people, counselors and advisors show up in your life in divine timing to help you with your life project. Trust in this process. 
• Have fun and share a special meal with friends and family! 
• Book a Reiki or intuitive coaching session to help you release your blocks and clarify your spiritual guidance. 

April Flowers Contest! Comment below for your chance to win!

Here it is: my blog-based contest for your chance to win a 3-month subscription to "Guidance In Your Inbox" a $180 value!   This spiritual guidance tool is a document I lovingly prepare just for you, with your highest good in mind.  It is meant to provide you with valuable insights on the energies available to you, and on your next step for your soul growth.  The most important part of the document lists your Spiritual Assignments for the month, which are affirmations, reflections or journaling suggestions to help you see clear in your life and raise your vibration.

Are you ready to raise your vibration to the next level?

In the comment space below this post (click on "comment" and it will open a dialogue box for you to type in and publish your intention), share in a few words the area in your life you would like to see blossom this season, be it relationships, work, spiritual development, a sense of Joy, a release of past hurts, family, feeling of abundance...  Allow your Spirit to guide you in defining the area that needs most attention in this moment.

I will pray and send healing and loving vibes to every entry, holding the space and energy for you to experience the ascension of your vibration.   I ask that everyone reading the entries also hold the vibration for everyone; we will together create a powerful healing vortex helping everyone manifest their highest good.  Therefore everyone who takes the time to enter a comment is a winner!

On April 30th, I will allow Spirit to choose one entry and this person will receive a 3-month subscription to his/her personal, fully customized and channelled guidance document.

Are you feeling the renewed Earth energy, and are you ready to blossom?

I see you living a vibrant and joyful life.  How may I help you manifest your highest good?

Take the down-time challenge!

Our guidance for today is to schedule down time! To live a life tuned in to our highest good and our intuition, it is essential to step out of the hustle and bustle of the world every once in a while. It refreshes the body, mind and spirit and also clears you of psychic debris you picked up along the day.

Your day is likely very busy with chores, family obligations, work, meetings, projects... just piling up... and you feel like there is not enough hours in the day to do what is on your ever-expanding to-do list. Add this one at the TOP of your list: the down-time challenge! Take a 15-minute breather morning and afternoon. It will afford you the inner space you need to refuel your soul and check in with your more subtle vibrations.

When you go for coffee break today, take some time to sit down - or stretch in the sun - and savour the moment. Take a long inhale of the aroma of your beverage of choice and allow for that aroma to connect you with a sense of inner peace. Watch the world go by for a few minutes. Feel your shoulders relax. Be aware of the quality of your breath.

Your ego will likely fight you over this... It doesn't approve of downtime because when you relax it has to relinquish control and it despises that. It wants to run your life through fear and anxiety, keeping things in your head.

Your spirit knows that sometimes the most powerful thing you can do for you is nothing. So allow yourself to step out of the fear-based treadmill even for just a few minutes. Reconnect to the peace of Universal flow.

You deserve this. Your spirit needs it. Your feelings of wellness and happiness depend on it.

Will you take the down time challenge?

Reiki for a broken bone - Week 1

My injured wrist, waiting at the ER

It's been 1 week already that I started my "case study" for Reiki on a broken bone (Read previous blog here), following my most gracious but hard fall on my wrist while I was rollerskating disco-style (don't you love my glitter shirt? lol).  What have I learned in a week?

First, I must be very mindful of what I think.  If I have a thought or feel a need to learn about a specific application of Reiki and energy work, the Universe might just synchronize ME as my own case study!

Second, attitude means a lot when you're healing from an injury.  I am using this time as an opportunity to learn more about myself, my relationships and my environment.  I am learning that it's OK to let go of certain thought patterns and of my control over some house chores - it's actually more fun to involve my family members and teach them how to do things rather than doing it all myself.  For instance, my son (who will soon be celebrating his 10th birthday) is now learning how to cook.  I am happy to be teaching him how to blend flavours and textures to create magic in the kitchen.  He is happy to have more autonomy in the kitchen and to have a say in answering that eternal question "what's for dinner Mom?" since I now answer him with, "Well, what do you want to help me create?"  This co-creation and teaching are habits I want to continue even after my cast is removed.

As for my husband, I am learning to rely on him more.  I am learning that he actually enjoys being asked to help and that it makes him feel useful and important around the house.  When I attended the Keeping It Positive Wellness Conference in Russell earlier in March, Kristine Gravelle-Rystenbil, "The Luv Chick" did mention that men were biologically programmed to help/provide and that one of the best things a woman can learn to help her relationship is to ask her man to use his big muscles to help with tasks around the house - a much better strategy than nagging.  That strategy did not resonate with me at all at the time of the conference, but now that I have to apply it, I must admit it works.  My husband is more than happy to help around the house now and to receive my coaching on how to do things (not nagging, coaching!).  He still hasn't mastered the art of the ponytail making, and I have found an other solution for tying up my hair, but his cooking and cleaning skills are improving.  And so I see my injury as an overall blessing for our relationship.

Finally, for the application of Reiki and energy work to the physical injury, I feel so blessed that I have this tool at my disposal 24/7!  I have felt a lot of pain not only at my wrist, but my entire arm, shoulder girdle and even on the left side of my body as I try to continue to function with my non-dominant hand.  With Reiki, I was able to reduce my intake of pain killers, both in dosage and in length of time.  My go-to strategy when I felt pain was to take a deep breath while connecting to Spirit, and sing "OM Nama Shivaya".  I have kept appointments with my clients this past week, and I have felt the energy wrapping my wrist in cool healing energy during treatments on others.  My pain was non-existent during sessions and for a few hours after sessions, and my arm felt lighter.  My sister drew the Reiki symbols on my cast, over the injured area, and since then I feel a constant light buzzing in my wrist, and I know it is healing.  It is hard to tell how much physical healing occurred in a week without the use of x-rays - and I am not a doctor - but given that I can now move my arm with less pain, that the swelling in my fingers is gone, and that I can take on additional weight for a short period of time (even my iphone was too heavy for the first few days!), I'd say there has been significant progress.

My recommendations, then, for anyone with a bone injury would be to enjoy the process as much as possible.  Instead of focusing on what you can't do, focus on what you can do.  Find creative new ways to move and involve others in your life.  An injury can be a teacher, for yourself and for others too.  For energy treatments, I recommend a minimum of 30 minutes of direct energy application every day once the bone is set, a go-to energy solution when the pain peaks, in addition to a minimum 1 hour healing meditation every day.  It's good to see a Reiki practitioner or energy healer every day in the first 5 days - your pain may be too high for you to concentrate on your healing and on the lessons you are learning, and you may need someone to hold that healing energy for you.  Once the pain is reduced, continue to see your energy healer every 2-3 days for the next few days.  The energy work can be done in person or at a distance - remember that I am available for distant sessions and I would be happy to help you in your healing process, wherever you are in the world.

Remember also that healing, like life, is a journey.  There are no overnight miracle cures - unless we have something to learn or teach from such a quick healing.  For most of us humans, we learn best if the lesson takes some time...

I am sending you loads of healing energy, and see you living vibrantly.

***********

Updates:

• April 8, 2013: Reiki for a broken bone - Week 2
• July 30, 2014: Reiki for a broken bone - Epilogue