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.
The 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 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 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 moreForgiveness: 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 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.
Using Plant Allies: lavender
Lavender has been one of my favorite plants to use therapeutically for the past few years. I love the smell and even the taste when mixed harmoniously with other plants and foods. I recently moved into a house that has a handful of large lavender plants in the front yard and they are just starting to bloom. Lavender has wonderful healing properties, some of which I will share here. There are many ways to enjoy and prepare lavender.
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