Fall is an excellent time to support the natural detoxification capabilities of our bodies. Ancient healing traditions have honored the cyclical nature of the earth for thousands of years. On our healing journeys we can weave our practices with the timing of the earth’s cycles and access greater depths of wellness. Over time, this creates a natural rhythm, a flow that the body/mind/spirit gets used to. So, with fall upon us in Michigan and the fall equinox just behind us, here are some of my favorite ways to support the body during this season.
Read moreThe Healing Process: Integration and Figuring "it" out
I have recently become aware of a key point of conflict between the wisdom in my heart and the rational thinking of my mind. This point of frustration was illuminated by a statement, made by a teacher of mine, Pixie Lighthorse, which struck me deeply.
“As we travel along, our medicine (healing) will start to integrate. This does not necessarily mean that it will ‘make sense’”.
Read moreConfessions of a Recovering Perfectionist
Perfectionism has been a thread in my life for a long time. It resides mostly under the surface, but can put an immediate halt to almost any project I want to complete. You may recognize the voice of perfectionism, saying things like: "I am not qualified enough to do X" "I don't have the right venue for this class" "This project/class has already been done a million times" "I don't really have anything special to offer", etc.
Perfectionism in my life has been a way to keep some parts of myself hidden. Especially those that I find to be scary, paradigm-shifting, or rebellious. I can't dress these parts of myself up neatly, nicely to be presented and maintain the "status quo". I am finding some of my most deep, meaningful parts actually want to be a bit messy. They come out in full force like a pile of unfolded laundry on the bed. My job is then to sort through, begin to fold, and take care of each thing that comes up.
Read moreUncovering Joy: it's bubbling right under the surface
I have been reminded this summer that joy is not something to cultivate or to "achieve". Joy is a state that is inherent in all humans, accessible at any moment in time.
Joy v. Happiness
We live in a culture obsessed with happiness. There are many self-help-y books, courses, etc which aim to increase one's happiness. While I am not opposed to happiness, by any means, it is a state that relies on external circumstances. "If only I had that car/ house/ relationship... I would be happy". Most likely you are familiar with the voice inside your head that tells these stories. Each of these are things that, once gotten, will eventually lose hype. And then, the quest for that thing that brings happiness begins again.
So joy. Joy is an internal state, something that is not altered by external circumstances and is inherently primal in humans just like anger and fear. Joy is a state of being. So, I have come to understand that we uncover joy.
Read moreMotherwort: a plant for the Lion Hearted
Motherwort is a common plant seen in backyards and along sidewalks here in West Michigan. I first came into contact with her in my backyard about four years ago. The latin name for Motherwort is Leonurus cardiaca - Lion Hearted. Now this is what got me, even though I didn't know it at the time. As I look back over the past few years, I can see the thread that has been illuminated by this plant.
Read moreDancing in the Shadows: Healing my Relationship to Pain
The Guest House by Rumi
This being human is a guest house.
Every morning, a new arrival.
A joy, a depression, a meanness,
some momentary awareness comes
as an unexpected visitor.
Welcome and entertain them all!
Even if they're a crowd of sorrows,
who violently sweep your house
empty of its furniture,
still, treat each guest honorably.
He may be clearing you out
for some new delight.
The dark thought, the shame, the malice,
meet them at the door laughing,
and invite them in.
Be grateful for whoever comes,
because each has been sent
as a guide from beyond.
Seasonal Support: 4 Simple ways to support your Body this Spring
"Worms will not eat living wood where the vital sap is flowing; rust will not hinder the opening of a gate when the hinges are used each day. Movement gives health and life. Stagnation brings disease and death."
-Proverb in Traditional Chinese Medicine
Read moreThe Dance with Embodiment
Being able to be in my body in a comfortable way has been a deep desire of mine for years. I am not interested in feeling anxious in my own skin. I want to be grounded, settled, no matter what life brings. This is the power of embodiment.
Read moreThe Healing Power of Touch
One of the most important healing aspects of craniosacral therapy comes through relational touch. Sure, there are many ways to explain CST on a physical level, but the magic happens in the space created by healing touch. This is where the body and mind begin to meld, the work deepens and whole person begins to take shape. The body and the mind are intricately connected, although when it comes to integrating trauma or difficult emotions, the body often has a different memory or perspective than the mind does.
Read moreNavigating Your Emotional Awakening
Over the past few years, I have found myself in the process of learning to feel and observe my emotions. Something that was so natural when I was young, had become obscured as I got older and learned push uncomfortable emotions away. Years of stuffing emotions into the nooks and crannies of my being created a lot of discomfort that eventually called for my attention. I could no longer ignore that all emotions are a normal part of the human experience. And so began my process of awakening to these emotions that had been stored, some of them for years and years.
A common question that comes up with clients when we get to working with emotions in general and particularly with difficult emotions is this:
"Why is it important to feel my emotions?
Read moreSimple Winter Self-Care Practice
Last winter I got into a simple ritual that I have been enjoying again now that winter is here. Winter can bring a lot of dryness to our skin, mucous membranes, and hair, so it is important to supply our bodies with more fats and water than in the summer (damper) months. I have found that putting good fats on my skin is a great way to absorb them and feel nourished in a deep way. The following winter ritual keeps my skin soft and moisturized all winter.
Read moreLiving in Harmony with Nature
I have had an image of a way to work with plant medicine floating around my brain for the past few months. The image is of a plant and human side-by-side. The plant (say a flower) has roots, stems and leaves, and a flowering top. The human looks just like you would imagine. What if we worked with plant medicines in a way that reflected this image? Plant roots to nourish our arms and legs, our root chakra, to ground our energy. Plant leaves to support the internal organs, the fluids like blood and lymph, the bones. Flowers and tops of plants serve to balance the head, the mind, the emotions, the energetic system.
Read moreHealing Modality Highlight: Flower Essences
Flower essences have quickly become one of my favorite healing modalities both for myself and in my practice. They are a less-well-known botanical medicine than herbs, but are just as effective. They differ in preparation than herbs and work on different levels of the body, which I will touch on briefly here.
Read moreRosehip Apple Compote
I love living in Michigan because we have a wide variety of seasonal fruits and veggies, especially in the fall. I have been enjoying the abundance of apples right now, but have been craving something warmer than the old peanut butter/ sliced apple combination. So, I created this super simple, rosehip apple compote. It is excellent spooned on top of plain, whole milk yogurt with a drizzle of blackstrap molasses (raw honey would be great too!).
Read moreBreathe into Being
Have you ever taken a moment to stop on a busy day only to realize that you weren't breathing? Or maybe you were breathing so shallow that there was no rise and fall in your chest or abdomen.
When I was a nursing student we had to observe the breathing of our patients as part of an assessment. A fellow nursing student was observing my breathing and found that she had a very hard time counting my breaths because there was no noticeable movement in my chest. That was the first time my conscious awareness was ever drawn to my breath. At the time, I didn't think much of it, other than to notice this phenomenon. I thought, well breathing is automatic so it doesn't matter much what is going on as long as it is still happening!
Over the past ten years, I have become much more conscious of my breath and the connection that I have with it. Through mindfulness and learning meditation, it has become an anchor into each present moment for me.
I have come to understand that the breath is one of the most central parts of our being. It can be one of the fastest ways to drop out of racing thoughts into the belly and Being.Read more
Forgiveness: the art of letting go
I was walking home the other day, listening to a podcast by Rob Bell called The Forgiving Flow. He is teaching a five-part series on forgiveness and this was the first episode. As I was listening, I was also taking in Fall and all her beauty. The burnt orange leaves slowly turning color, lining the street. The refreshingly crisp air entering my lungs, clearing out old, stagnant breath. In Traditional Chinese Medicine, fall is the season governed by the Lungs and Large Intestine. The lungs, large intestine, skin and nose are the organs related to the Metal Element. As you may imagine simply based on the function of each organ, they govern some important aspects of our lives.
Read moreFinding Your Roots: everyday grounding practices
“Grounding” is a bit of a buzz-word that has been floating around the natural health community, yoga circles, and other healing spaces over the past few years. I have personally been working on becoming “more grounded”, as I am sure many of you can relate. Over the course of my own process, I have come to understand that the concept of grounding or being grounded is very much a fluid part of our ever-changing existence. It is not a state to be achieved, something to be checked off our list. Rather, it is a state that we flow in and out of regularly.
Read more4 Simple Healing Practices that I LOVE
I wrote about the theme of simplicity in the healing process last week and wanted to share some of my favorite, simple healing practices.
Read moreThe Healing Process: simplicity
As I learn more about this process of healing, there are a few themes that I am beginning to see repeated back to me. I talked a bit about cycles last week and it has been my experience that the healing process (or journey) really follows this same pattern of cycles. One theme that I revisit over and over again is simplicity.
Read moreSupporting Your Cycle with Seed Cycling
In honor of this new moon (or dark moon), I am writing a post about a practice called Seed Cycling. But first, a little back story on the connection of a woman’s cycle to the phases of the moon…
Women and The Moon
Many cultures have recognized the relationship between women’s cycles and the cycles of the moon. The moon cycles from new moon (dark moon) to full moon in about 28 days. This is the same length of time for the average female to cycle from day one of her period, to the last day before her next period begins. The moon is the governor of the water on the earth and the gravitational pull from the moon effects the tides of our oceans here on earth. We humans are about 85-90% water, so imagine the effects that the moon has on our bodies!
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