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 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 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 moreA Meditation on Fear
Just sit.
Notice where you feel hard and sit with that.
In the middle of the hardness, you’ll find anger, sit with that.
Go to the center of the anger and you’ll probably come to sadness.
Stay with the sadness until it turns to vulnerability.
Keep sitting with what comes up; the deeper you dig, the more tender you become.
Raw fear can open into a wide expanse of genuineness, compassion, gratitude and acceptance of the present moment.
A tender heart appears naturally when you are able to stay present.
From your heart, you are able to see the true pigment of the sky.
You can see the vibrant yellow of the sunflower and the deep blue of your daughter’s eyes.
A tender heart does not block out rain clouds, or tears, or dying sunflowers.
Allow both beauty and sadness to touch you.
This is LOVE, not fear.
A Few Thoughts on Forgiveness (and... go take a VACATION!!)
“To begin to forgive, it is good to forego for a while. That is, to take a break from thinking about the person or event for a while. It is not leaving something undone, but rather more like taking a vacation from it. This prevents us from being exhausted, allows us to strengthen in other ways, to have other happiness in our lives.”
~Dr. Clarissa Pinkola Estes, Women who Run with the Wolves
I have found that forgiveness, whether of self or another, is often an integral part of a healing journey. Forgiveness does not happen once and it is done – often we revisit forgiveness in many ways and from many angles over the course of life. The interesting thing that I have learned recently about forgiveness is that it is not often for the other person (you know, the one who did you wrong). More often, the act of forgiveness happens for YOU, the forgiver. Forgiveness is about opening the heart and while living with an open heart can be scary, it also allows us to be courageous and compassionate.
Read moreCraniosacral Therapy Part IV: Trauma, Resolution, and Resources
I briefly mentioned trauma in the last post about the Mind Body Continuum and I would like to expand on it in this post. Craniosacral therapy is an excellent therapy for all types of trauma, whether emotional, spiritual, or physical. Due to the inherent respect of craniosacral therapy, a safe space is intentionally created by the therapist which will allow the body to follow its inherent wisdom in finding resolution for unprocessed trauma.
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