The Nature of the Body

Looking back now, it’s no mystery I was diagnosed with an autoimmune disease.

There were many years I overrode the messages my body told me - years where I normalized symptoms, or contributed exhaustion, insomnia, anxiety and digestion issues to being a mother, a wife, or the stress of my 40+ hour work week.

Everything was happening to me, and I kept showing up to circumstances that felt out of my control.

I also minimized my physical symptoms and continually prioritized the care of everyone around me until there was nothing left of (or for) me.

I was not taught self-care, self-love, or self-compassion. I was taught to try harder, always smile, never complain, don’t fight and to BE GOOD. I was taught to equate love through servicing, and to have an eternal locus of control.

In fact, I had no sense of self and spent my adulthood trying to figure out who “me” was.

Thankfully, in my quest to better love and understand myself, and heal my unresolved trauma, I’ve had some incredible teachers. Through educating myself in areas that were unfamiliar to me, I began incorporating more effective ways of loving me - all of me.

Ayurveda (ayur=life; veda=science) teaches the following:

An Agreement with Your Body

Your agreement is to stop and listen to the signals your body is giving you.

Your agreement is to work with your body, not against it.

Your body is the most amazing piece of equipment you will every own.

Acknowledge all your body does for you everyday.

Be thankful for it.

-Susan Bass; The Art of Digestion

Let’s dissect these messages.

 One: You have an agreement with your body. Did you know that when you chose to reincarnate in this lifetime you also chose which body would carry you through your journey? At that pivotal moment you made a body and soul agreement. That is a huge deal when you think about it. And yes, some of those agreements included certain illnesses, addictions, traumas that you would acquire and overcome in order to remember and live out your soul mission.

Two: Your agreement is to work with your body, not against it. At a deep level we are aware of exactly what our bodies need. Our bodies are ALWAYS communicating with us, in subtle and sometimes not so subtle ways. We know how much rest is required through different phases of our lives, how much water we need to consume to feel efficiently hydrated, what foods to ingest, what environments to make us feel comfort or discomfort.  If we listen to the messages our bodies are giving to us, we will feel the following: vitality, peace, comfort, clarity and centeredness.

Three: Your body is the most amazing piece of equipment you will ever own.  I believe the important message here is this: we need to treat our bodies like they are the most valuable thing we could ever possess. Simply because they are. Think about what you would look like without a body.  You would not be here, in a living form without your body. Sometimes we treat our bodies like they are always going to be there for us, adapt and change to our ever changing life and choices. But at some point, if we ignore the messages, the body says enough. The equipment stops operating. This could be portrayed in many ways, including: adrenal burnout, fatigue, digestion issues, breakouts, low vitality and energy levels, depression, insomnia, circular thinking and many more. Our bodies are not superhero’s, they need us to treat them like the fragile and amazing gift that they are.

Four: Acknowledge all your body does for you everyday, be thankful for it. Okay, this one takes the cake and can be the most life changing practice you add to your day to day life. When was the last time you actually acknowledged everything your body does for you? Every breath, every step, every word spoken, every good night’s rest and every moment you’re awake. None of that is possible without your body. Your body is your vessel, it is your home. And just like you are thankful to have a roof over your head you should give your body that same gratitude every day. It can be as simple as waking up in the morning, giving yourself a hug and saying “Ii love you”, to affirming out loud an affirmation similar to the following: “I am thankful for this day, to live, breathe, move, learn and explore in this beautiful vessel that I reside in.” Give thanks to your body each day, and watch how your life starts to transform in ways you never thought were possible. The practice of gratitude is a powerful and impactful tool that can make our wildest dreams come true.

In Ayurveda, nature is our authority. One of the essential standards of Ayurveda is that our habits, routines and dietary choices should ebb and flow with the seasons. We can lead a more balanced life throughout the year by making a conscious effort to live in harmony with the cycles of nature and adjust our day to day habits and lifestyle choices to work with the arrival of each new season. The Universe is always providing us with the medicine that we need. Notice how certain plants, vegetables and fruits are available during certain seasons. This is because they are growing during a time where they can help balance what is happening in the body!

The body is always reflecting the season. In the summer, we tend to have more internal heat.  During the summer, blueberries are aplenty and ready to eat. Blueberries, and berries in general, have a cooling affect on the body, and are especially known to protect the liver. They bring a reprieve to an over-heated mind, calm your thoughts, move energy downward and inward and encourage a more passive demeanor.  Doesn’t that sound like a perfect pair for the dog days of Summer?

Another example of this is the ever under appreciated Dandelion “weed”. Dandelions are profoundly healing plants (and bees love them for this reason!). They are the perfect medicine for the transition from Winter into Spring, which is when you’ll find them growing in your yard.  Excess heavy, and cold qualities are accumulated during the winter months. As Spring beings to thaw, extra moisture is brought to the environment as well our bodies. This can lead to imbalances such as: respiratory discomfort, excess mucus, bloating and lethargy. We can use dandelion during this time as a nourishing tonic for the liver and lymph functioning. The whole of the plant has a cooling effect. It is bitter and drying and can assist in alleviating the extra moisture or mucus in the system.

Dandelion root and leaves also stimulate the production of hydrochloric acid in the stomach, necessary for digesting the fats and proteins that may have accumulated in excess over the Winter season. In Spring, I ask you to remember that everything growing around you is medicine for you. Be grateful for the Dandelion in your yard that not only offers you its medicine and sacrifice but also, the first marking of sunshine after a long Winter’s hibernation.

Dandelion

Dandy Lion, so dear to me,

Everywhere for all to see,

Roots and leaves and flowers and seeds

All fulfill our bodies’ needs,

There is so very much of you

‘Cause we need you, it is true,

You are a doctor with no fees.

Roots for liver, leaves, kidneys.

Flowers ease pain and help lymph flow

And perform a sunny show.

I’ve heard that seeds are useful too,

Adding bitters to the brew.

Dandy Lion, so dear to me.

Everywhere for all to see.

-          Robin Rose Bennet, The Gift of Healing Herbs

The universe is always providing just the right medicinal amount of what we need to stay in balance and harmony with nature (and therefore our bodies). Everything is growing in its preferred climate, season and duration because it is connected to the cycles and rhythms of nature. This is how we, as humans were meant to live as well.

My greatest wish is that as a collective we can remember the sacred medicine of Ayurveda, and integrate it back into our lives. By doing this, we give ourselves permission to reconnect to the place in our hearts that respects Nature. Gaia is our greater authority with the power to destroy or rebuild. We can either work with it or against it, but at some point, if we don’t listen, it will no longer be a choice. 

Use the medicine that is provided for you, wherever you live. Have gratitude for the offerings before you, as well as appreciate your body.

Listen, really listen to what your body is communicating to you. When you do this, you will find you are filled with the vitality of the Sun and the heart of the Moon in a beautifully balanced, and symbiotic relationship of ebb and flow. You will connect yourself to the ying and yang and everything intrinsically connected to Mother Earth herself.  By doing this, together, we can all feel better, live better, do better and be better.

Don’t you think it’s time?

What one of the above agreements could you start incorporating into your life today?

Eastern Body Western Mind

Eastern Body Western Mind by Anodea Judith is not just a book to read, it is a 'work book' for healing the soul's wounds accumulated over a life time; and learning how to live in a healthier, more balanced and self loving way.

This book has helped reveal new eye-opening information around the development of the chakra patterns, how to keep them in balance, and does a wonderful job of blending both psychology and spirituality in a way that is comprehendible and transformative.

Anodea Judith starts by explaining the seven chakras; their location in the body, central issue, orientation to self, goals, rights, developmental stage, identity, demon, element, excessive characteristics, and deficient characteristics.

For me personally, the developmental stages of the chakras was the most pivotal section of this part of the book. I was the earliest case of asthma my pediatrician had ever seen, and instead, at 18 months was mis-diagnosed with Bronchitis. On my way home from the Dr.’s office in the car with my mother, I turned blue and stopped breathing. One of my earliest memories is my near death experience, and being brought back to life in the emergency room.

That event alone would have had such an effect on the development of my charkas, and therefore some of my internal blocks, patterns, and physical health.

Eastern Body Western Mind goes through so much detailed information about each chakra as well as practices to heal them. Anodea uses real life stories and situations that help piece what is a vast and complex subject together in a way that I was able to effectively grasp to create change in my life. Each chapter brought up so many issues I thought I had already processed and dealt with. I may have, but never so deeply and mindfully with a focus on healing myself as a whole; body, soul, mind and spirit.

I would highly recommend this book to any one who likes to dive into their own healing work. It is not a fast read, or at least wasn’t for me. It goes deep. Deep into areas that you may not want to face head on. But those are the places we need to go in order to heal completely.

My advice is to take this book one section at a time, set a schedule for yourself as if you were taking a class. One hour a week would be required to work through this book and incorporate some of the practices into your day to day life. You will see changes, learn a lot about yourself, and why you are the way you are and hopefully you will be able to have a breakthrough on at least one area of your life that you’ve been feeling stuck, resistance, or just unsure of how to conquer.

After reading this book, I am now able to both ground myself and tap into universal connectivity and consciousness for limitless possibilities. I can pull that universal energy down through my chakras to manifest anything I can conceive of. I worked on the areas that needed attention with a new awareness, and now I know where I still need to keep working.

Thank you Anodea for this book, it is a gift to us all.

To find out more, read reviews, or purchase this book go here.

What is Intuitive Healing?

Intuitive Healing is a diverse method of intentional and appropriated actions, alternative healing methods and insights to assist in the restorative process of individuals. This is done through the ability of the Intuitive Healer to connect to a Higher Power, God/Goddess/ All that is, Source, or Life force Energy. The Intuitive healer has a vast understanding of how the body’s natural energetic fields work and flow through the system and channels of the individual. Intuitive healing is a method that encompasses and works on the whole of the person on the emotional, physical, mental, and spiritual level. 

How does it work? The Intuitive healer uses their gifts, which come in forms such as visual, audial, or deep knowing and feeling, to receive spiritual guidance for the individual they are working with. This gives them the ability to unlock issues within that person's energetic system which are keeping them from living their most aligned, balanced, joyous life. When I ask my guides how to describe intuitive healing, they show me a toothed wheel slowing clicking from one gear to the next. The gears represent places where someone may have blocks, traumas, stuck or stagnant energy, and imbalances. Intuitive healing is a technique that facilitates the wheel becoming smooth again. It provides one with the ability to easily roll through life in optimal health and well being.

During an Intuitive Healing session, the Practitioner and the client are working together to create a shift in the energetic system of the client. This shift moves through the subtle energetic bodies and eventually is felt in the physical. The goal of the Practitioner is to get to the root of what is ailing the client through their spiritual guidance and intuition. Intuition being the ability to understand something immediately, without the need for conscious reasoning. With this expanded knowledge, the Practitioner brings awareness to the client so that the client can use the information to work through releasing the energy that is stuck in the body that is causing them dis-ease, stress, pain, anxiety or discomfort. In addition, the Practitioner will provide tools to the client to assist in the releasing and integrating process.

These will differ from person to person but may include:

·         Self-care

·         Journaling prompts

·         Mantras and affirmations

·         Dietary changes

·         Exercise or yoga

·         Sound healing

·         Herbal supplements

·         Acupuncture for chronic pain

·         Rest and meditation

·         Increased hydration

·         Electronic curfews

·         Energy healing services

How many sessions needed will depend completely on the client and their individual situation, goals, and desires. For some one may be enough, for others it could be a process that lasts years. It is hard to go into detail about what a session looks like since like each person, each process is completely unique. But I can say this; Intuitive healing is an effective, efficient, and powerful method that I see becoming increasingly popular amongst those who are searching for self-actualization and liberation from suffering. It is a process that has personally shifted my world for the better. I have personally seen and heard numerous accounts of transformative and life-changing results from work with Intuitive healers. If you have found yourself on this page, reading this article then I would say you are being called to give it a try yourself. Start with one session and see how it goes, what do you have to lose?

More information about each of my Intuitive Healing Sessions, or additional individual services can be found on my website here.

What is Reiki?

I oftentimes get asked, "What is Reiki?".

The word Reiki is made up of two Japanese words, Rei which means “God’s wisdom” and Ki which means “life force energy”. It is a spiritual healing technique which allows for channeled energy to enter a client’s body, ultimately restoring overall well-being and bringing individuals to a higher vibrational state. 

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Reiki energy originates in the highest dimension and is the vibration of love, harmony, and healing. Receiving Reiki brings about feelings of calm and ease, and aids in the elimination of all illnesses in the physical, mental, and emotional realms. Reiki can also assist you to balance or clear the chakras, by removing blockages, and allowing for energy flow again.

Reiki is tremendously effective at emotional healing and trauma recovery, and can be used to clear unwanted thought patterns, as well as be sent across time and space to your own past and future, healing the collective consciousness.

Reiki also has the ability to go beyond the surface to find an underlying issue and then reveal it to you in a gentle way, which can help to soothe unresolved or repressed emotions. Depending on a willingness for self-discovery, what comes to the surface will give you another chance for evaluation, and a different choice can be made with fresh eyes and a new perspective. 

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I use Reiki on myself every day, and have always considered it as a natural form of antidepressant. I use Reiki with my family and friends, and to raise the vibration of my food and water. I make offerings to plants and animals as I encounter them. I charge up crystals and infuse Reiki into jewelry so that I (or the wearer) is imbued with its vibration, which also enhances the healing properties of the stone. I also use Reiki to raise the vibration in spaces I occupy, as well as in sessions with clients. The possibilities really are endless!

I am attuned to Reiki I, II, Reiki Master, and Reiki Master Teacher. It is through study and ceremony that I was attuned to both the lineages of Usui, and Tibetan Reiki Ryoho; however anyone can be attuned to Reiki. In a personalized training with me as our teacher, you will learn how to send and receive the healing light of Usui Reiki. I work with my guides and clairsentience to build an intentionally based, area of life focus Reiki attunement, specifically for you. Once you have completed the training, you will receive a Reiki attunement.

Being attuned to Reiki will open you up to a higher vibrational state. Regular practice allows you to create a deeper connection to your own inner wisdom, higher self, & your angels and guides. You can also heal yourself and others, anytime you want.

Interested in learning more? https://www.andreafirpo.com/offerings

How Do We Heal?

What does real healing look like? What does it mean to be healed, and how would you describe it in your own words?

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As a healer, life guide, and women’s transformational coach, I’ve been asked on many occasions if there is anything in my childhood that comes up for me, and I can assure you there is. I am always healing – myself, and others – because we’ve all experienced childhood trauma to varying degrees.

To clarify, a child will experience trauma in an environment where they perceive the actions of others as anything less than loving – not what the adult’s intentions are, but how they are received. As we grow into adulthood, we then choose whether or not to reenact and perpetuate this wounding when we are feeling triggered, and that’s where our healing really begins.

Healing happens when you are triggered and you are able to move through the pain, pattern, and the story and you consciously choose to have a different ending.

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Your shadow side never fully disappears – it is something we all need to learn to love and accept about ourselves. However how it affects our choices in life can drastically change. It takes an incredible effort to bring to light what has laid in the shadows all along. Our inner work--our soul work--is what creates our healing.

Over the years, I’ve acquired a deep understanding of myself and my trauma, which changes how I treat myself and others. I am able to consciously respond, rather than reacting due to being triggered.

Do I consider myself healed? In many ways, yes. I’ve released a lot of my own shame, pain, and blame so I can remain free. I have arrived at a place where I don’t feel the need to fight the dark in order to awaken my light.

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I’ve found that healing is living in pursuit of your own dignity. It’s reminding yourself that you are worthy of honor and respect, no matter where you’ve come from or all that you’ve experienced.

When we honor and respect ourselves we teach others how to love, respect and honor us in a way we may never have experienced before. This is the embodiment of self-love and compassion. And like a ripple effect, this now enables us to respect and honor others in a way they’ve never experienced before.

When we are healed, we treat others with dignity. We choose to make eye contact. We become intimate and can invite people in with our questions. We practice right speech, communicating in a loving, compassionate, and authentic way – where the purpose of our communication is about helping ourselves and others suffer less. We have the ability to say to the world through our actions, “I am still worthy of dignity, and so are those around me.”

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In order to heal, we need to respect the tragedy we’ve survived and endured so we are able to honor the hardships and tragedy that someone else has experienced. Real healing allows us to hold not just empathy for others, but also compassion.

Empathy only requires us to understand another person. Compassion literally means “to suffer together”. It allows us to gain emotional awareness around how another person has suffered, increasing our desire to alleviate their misery or distress. We're humans, we're evolving, and it has taken many generations to come to a place where we can be kind and compassionate to each other.

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When we meet someone, we must assume they have just survived their worst, and they will not have anything left for us. We could be confronting someone who is not fully embodied, and who has the conditioned impression of not being worthy of their own dignity. Inevitably they are incapable of showing honor, respect, and dignity to themselves.

If they are aggressive, frustrated, angry, or judgmental with us – it only means that their dignity has been stripped away from them. We are only experiencing the intensity of the adversity they have survived.

Our reactions to them depend upon how skillfully we embody our own dignity, regardless of the circumstances. As the wise Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. said, “Every man must decide whether to walk in the light of creative altruism or the darkness of destructive selfishness. This is the judgement. Life’s most persistent and urgent question is, ‘What are you doing for others.’”

So shall we be reactive or responsive?
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When we are embodying our own dignity, we can lovingly discern when a person is not appropriate or necessary for us to engage with, due to their participation in their own trauma. We are able to prioritize our dignity and neutrality without bringing criticism and judgment into the equation.

Discernment is not judgment. Discernment allows us to protect ourselves and provides an example of a compassionate choice.

Now we are able to internally make the following distinctions:

I am not bringing criticism and judgement into my existence.

I refuse to perpetuate your trauma by not maintaining my dignity.

Your pain will not hurt me and my light will awaken you.

When we choose to react out of ego, we are only mirroring where we feel unseen, invisible and unworthy. In that moment we have no awareness of the pain in others, only our own. Ego is where we hide from any intimacy and the ability of being present, aware and accountable for our lives.

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From my own experience, healing is the ability to be stripped away from our past experiences. It’s our opportunity to say goodbye to any abuse, neglect, or abandonment that we are still feeling from our childhood, or that we’ve inherited through our ancestral history.

Healing is the physical, emotional and spiritual release of holding others accountable for our experiences of the past, so we are able to move forward. It’s forgiving everyone involved, including ourselves. It’s the action of clearing out the density within our fields.

When you are healed you are resilient. You are able to rebound from traumatic incidences. You have the ability to quickly reclaim your dignity. When things happen you say, “this is all happening for me” rather than “this is all happening to me.”
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We are all survivors of trauma and also the restorers of dignity. May we heal the heart of the world together.