The Energy Healing Blog

One More Cool Way to Elevate Your Energy with Color

---by Nancy Hausauer

Here's yet another way to use color to support and elevate your energy, a simple but beautiful exercise that I've loved for years.

IMPORTANT! DON'T READ PAST STEP 3 UNTIL YOU'VE COMPLETED IT! Otherwise, you'll spoil the exercise for yourself.

Favorite Color Exercise

1. Pick two or even three of your very favorite colors. If necessary, find something physical in each color to help you visualize it.
2. Picking your most favorite color first, imagine that you ARE that color. From this perspective, write a paragraph or so about yourself as that color. Write down all the adjectives and phrases that, to you, reflect or embody that color. Allow yourself to be very imaginative, free-associative, and sensory.

   For example, if you chose brown as your favorite color your paragraph might read like this:

   I, Brown, am deep, rich, and earthy. I nurture life. I grow things. I'm not flashy, don't need to impress others. I'm very solid and make an important contribution to the world. I'm quiet, comforting. Rich and complex, like good chocolate or coffee.

3. When you're done, do the same thing with your next color. DON'T READ ANY FURTHER UNTIL YOU'VE COMPLETELY FINISHED! Then scroll down to finish the exercise.

   

4. OK. All done, right? So your descriptions of your favorite colors are actually descriptions of YOU. Most of us have been conditioned to be so modest and self-effacing that we won't speak or even acknowledge our unique strengths and gifts. But these adjectives describe you. Of course, they don't completely define you, but I'm guessing there's a lot there that portrays you -- in all your unique glory -- pretty accurately. Cool, huh?

5. Keep your color descriptions somewhere where you'll see them from time to time, to remind yourself how wonderful you are.

An exercise like this has a wonderful impact on your energy. It helps you identify and strengthen your signature energy and develop your self-love and appreciation. This in turn helps you feel more compassion and appreciation for others and enables you to better "serve the light." All of this helps elevate your energy and build your light body. Enjoy!

Namaste, Nancy

Clear and Balance Your Energy Field with This Color Meditation

----by Nancy Hausauer

Last week I wrote about using the colors in your own environment for doing self-energy healing. I thought a nice complement to that would be a color meditation that you can use for yourself or for others. It'll help you feel refreshed, energized, clear-headed and calm.

It's adapted from a mediation in Laura Alden Kamm's wonderful book, Intuitive Wellness. She calls it "Running the Rainbow." It balances and harmonizes each chakra.

Sitting comfortably with your spine straight, ground yourself by visualizing roots (or tubes or channels or whatever image works for you) running from your 1st chakra or the soles of your feet deep into the earth.

Next you'll visualize (or feel) the colors below rising up, one by one, through these grounding roots.

Run each color individually up through your roots and through your body to the top of your head, cascading out the top of your head and back to the ground. At your neck, allow the color to stream down your arms, spilling out the palms of your hands and back into the ground.

Have the color flow be continuous. Allow red to transition smoothly to orange, the red flowing out your head and palms while the orange flows into your feet and up your body, and so on with the other colors. Don't overthink it or try to hard -- just allow it to happen, with the attitude that whatever you do is just right.

Go through the colors in this order:

• Red

• Orange

• Yellow

• Green

• Light blue

• Indigo

• Violet

• Silence/stillness (Yes, I know silence is not a color. But treat it like one!)

End by visualizing/feeling yourself surrounded by a beautiful white light. Take a few minutes to sit in silence and enjoy the feeling of balance and harmony.

One of the beauties of this meditation is that it can be done slowly if you have the time, or quickly if all you have is a few minutes.

Laura Alden Kamm's website is http://www.energymedicine.org/ She has a couple of free guided meditations on this site (not the one above) that are very nice.

Namaste, Nancy

Color! Energy Healing That's All Around You

----by Nancy Hausauer

Color can be powerful therapy. It's an easy, delightful way to do energy healing for yourself.

Color is light, specifically the reflection of a particular spectrum of light. And light is energy, so color is energy with particular properties.

These particular properties can carry strong therapeutic benefits for our energy fields. You'll know their impact because of how they make you feel.

How You Can Tell What Colors You Need (Hint: It's Easy!)

You know instinctively what colors are supportive and healing for your energy. You respond to them instantly, in a primal, physical way. You just LIKE some colors. These are the colors that are energetically good for you.

So color therapy isn't rocket science! Just notice what colors you like, which feel good to you, and then find ways to incorporate them into your life.

How to Do Self-Energy-Healing with Color (Hint #2: It's Easy!)

Obvious and important ways to use colors are in your clothes and your home. You may also find that you feel better living in or visiting regions where certain colors predominate.

I love to use the colors of nature. Right now, for example, I have two huge rhododendrons covered in lavender blooms. They create an enormous block of lavender, and I like to just stand in front of them and soak it up. I wait for it every year -- it's like my yearly dose of purple, and I NEED it!

Whenever you can, receive a color with sunlight shining through or reflecting off it. For example, in early spring where I live, the vine maples leaf out, and standing under them with the sunlight streaming through is pure heaven. After the gray winter, the light green feels amazingly nourishing to my energy.

In the fall, you can do the same thing with the leaves of trees that have turned red, orange and yellow. Just stand under them with the sun streaming through. Yum.

Color impacts us whether or not we're aware of it. But like most things, if we're conscious of it and take the time to really let it in, it offers much greater benefit. Color is one of life's great gifts. Appreciate it, enjoy it, and use it to support your energetic health.

How Do YOU Use Color?

Namaste, Nancy

Photo copyright Andrew Dunn, AndrewDunnPhoto.com

Art As An Energy Healing Force

----by Nancy Hausauer

Every culture has art forms. Making and appreciating art is a universal human trait, it seems.

As my artist husband said recently, "Art makes me remember why I'm alive."

The Energetic Benefits of Art

People are usually called to specific genres of art, just as they're called to specific forms of healing. You may be healed and uplifted by opera, for example, while for me it's bluegrass. You may respond to realism in painting or literature, while I resonate to impressionism in visual arts and magical realism in literature.

While no two people respond even to the same piece in the same way, there ARE pieces of art that seem to have an almost universal aesthetic and energetic appeal, such as the Taj Mahal and the great cathedrals of Europe, which were specifically designed to create feelings of elevation and awe. (I.e, they were DESIGNED to have an energetic impact.)

Do Particular Pieces of Art Have Particular Energetic Benefits?

This led me to thinking about how particular works of art have an impact on particular aspects of our energy anatomy. I've been too busy to give much thought to it, but I was wondering if you, dear readers, could come up with movies, literature, visual art, architecture, theatre, music, dance, or other art forms that support particular chakras or other aspects of the human energy system.

What Do You Think?

Namaste,

Nancy

Why Are You Using That Acupoint? A Great Acupressure Resource

----by Nancy Hausauer

If you're an acupressure fan, like I am, you'll love this site: Acutake: Discover How Acupressure Works.

I particularly like the site's "Why Are You Doing That Point" series. It gives detailed explanations of where key acupoints are, what they're good for, and the theory behind it all -- in language that's easy and fun to read.

Clipped from: acutakehealth.com (share this clip)

This site offers the clearest explanations of any I've ever read, extremely informative and easy to understand. Thank you, Acutake!

Namaste,

Nancy

Intuitive Empaths: Your Tender Heart Needs Special Care

----by Nancy Hausauer

A fair number of clients who come to me are empaths -- people who have a gift for intuitive insight into the feelings of others. Basically, they can feel what others are feeling. Often, they're suffering from one or more physical ailments, exhaustion, anxiety or depression. Usually, at least some of it is related to their being an empath, and the wear and tear on their energy, psyche and body that occurs if this intuitive gift isn't managed and taken care of properly.

If you're reading this, chances are that you (or someone dear to you) is an empath. And you'll be much more likely to thrive if you learn some skills and strategies to manage this special intuitive gift.

Am I an Empath?

• Empaths are people who have intuitive insight into the feelings of others. You understand what others are feeling and often feel it as well, taking on their physical and emotional suffering.

• You are almost always a good listener. Other people, even complete strangers, tend to open up to you and tell you their life stories and problems.

• Sad books and movies probably make you cry.

• You probably avoid conflict because you acutely feel the discomfort of the other person.

• You may be very sensitive to sensory input, easily getting over-stimulated.

• Crowds may make you feel drained.

Both a Gift and a Challenge

Care and Feeding of the Empath

Go to this page to learn some energetic techniques and other life-style strategies for staying healthy energetically, physically and emotionally. (It's free and you don't have to sign up for anything.)

Namaste,

Nancy

Must-Watch: The Biological Advantage of Being Awe-Struck

----by Nancy Hausauer

My experience has always been that energy healing is good for me on many levels, both as a giver and a receiver. One of the most profound benefits is a direct experience of what I would call "the sacred." Doing energy work shifts my consciousness and often transports me into subtle reality and a state of awe and wonder.

This amazing 3-minute video, The Biological Advantage of Being Awe-Struck , discusses the evolutionary value of wonder and awe. It's by Jason Silva, "a performance philosopher driven by the concept of awe." (Wow. THAT's a cool job description.)

Most of sense experientially that those transcendent moments are evolutionary, but it's also been corroborated by science. A sense of mystery and awe, says psychologist Nicholas Humphrey, gives us a greater incentive to survive, and more than that, to expand and flourish. A study coming out of Stanford University found that awe increases compassion, empathy and a sense of well-being.

Energetically speaking wonder and awe powerfully elevate our energy overall, and in particular our sixth and seventh chakras.

Here's the video:

The Biological Advantage of Being Awestruck - by @JasonSilva from Jason Silva on Vimeo.

(If your browser doesn't show the embedded video, you can find it here: http://vimeo.com/46264514)

This video makes me profoundly grateful (all over again) to be part of the community of energy workers.

Namaste, Nancy

Photo credit: anitapeppers from morguefile.com

Joy Therapy: Rev Up Your Second Chakra

----by Nancy Hausauer

If you want to give yourself a life make-over, joy therapy could be the thing for you. It's a beautiful way to support your second chakra, raise your calibration and give a boost of light and energy to your entire energy system.

The concept is simple.Just add more joy-producing things to your life.

But like many simple ideas, actually putting this into practice can be hard. Many of us are so focussed on work and achievement that we put joy (and physical comfort and health) way down on our list of priorities. It's a pretty ingrained habit for most of us.

When we do take a break from our bad habit of over-work and under-self-care, we often don't do things that give us joy. Instead, we do things that numb us out, like watching mindless TV or playing video-games. These things rarely produce real joy. Instead, they dull our capacity for feeling and lower our vibration, particularly, I think, of the critically important but often-under-valued 2nd chakra.

We're a second-chakra-challenged culture, in my opinion.

So how do we introduce more joy and nourish our second chakras?

Learn how to do the simple practice of Joy Therapy on this page. (Don't worry, you don't have to sign up for anything to read the rest of this article, and it's free.)

Don't wait till your next vacation. Be joyful now.

Namaste, Nancy

The Power of Thought to Change Your Physical Body

----by Nancy Hausauer

I write a lot about how powerful our thoughts are, and thus the need to choose not only our words, but also our thoughts wisely.

This is true for everyone, but it's especially true for energy healers and others who consciously work with healing energy. Our thoughts really do influence the health of our physical bodies. And since what we say and think influences what our clients (and friends and family) think about their own health and well-being, it's also critically important that we keep our thoughts about others and their prospects positive.

I thought this little video was an interesting affirmation of the power of thought from the world of science.

(If your browser doesn't show the embedded video, you can access it here: http://myscienceacademy.org/2013/01/20/the-scientific-power-of-thought/ )

The video discusses how, from a neuro-scientifc standpoint, imagining an action and doing it require the same motor and sensory programs in the brain.

It describes a scientific study where one group of participants were asked to practice piano 2 hours a day. The second group was asked to practice mentally only--they couldn't touch the piano. Exactly the same physical changes took place in the motor cortexes of both groups, and after 3 days their accuracy in playing was exactly the same. After 5 days, the physical practice group was more accurate, but the mental practice group caught up quickly when allowed to practice physically.

Another experiment had one group of people do a particular muscle exercise for 4 weeks. The second group only imagined doing the same exercise. In 4 weeks, the actual exercise group's muscle strength had increased 30%, while the imagination-only group's muscle strength had increased by 22%.

Pretty amazing, huh?

The take-away here is that our thoughts and imagination really do change our physical bodies–both the structure of our brains and the structure of our muscles. With just your thoughts, you can rewire your body-mind for a new, more positive reality.

So take some time every day to imagine yourself in glowing health and in harmony with those you love. Allow yourself to think or imagine, before any important thing that you do, that it's going to turn out splendidly. Think well of everyone you love and everyone you meet.

You'll change your body and your world, and be an influence for good to everyone around you. The world needs this! The world needs you!

Namaste,

Nancy

Difficult Concepts Explained: TheBestBrainPossible.com

----by Nancy Hausauer

Clipped from: www.thebestbrainpossible.com (share this clip)

I'm a new fan of TheBestBrainPossible.com! It offers very clear, succinct, entertaining explanations of complicated concepts such as non-locality and how we create our own realities, that are very helpful for energy healers to understand.

I thought this blog on non-locality was especially good. It helps to explain how distance healing can happen:

http://www.thebestbrainpossible.com/in-two-places-at-once

This post, on why we experience different realities/the subjective nature of reality, was also great:

http://www.thebestbrainpossible.com/my-reality-is-not-your-reality

By the way, I'll be taking a break for a couple of weeks, getting some of that rest and renewal that I'm always touting so highly! See you in late April.

Namaste,Nancy


This fun ninety page guide clearly explains the chakras and gives dozens of practical ways to enhance them.

Two More Beginner-Friendly Energy Healing Techniques

----by Nancy Hausauer

Last week I wrote about a Barbara Brennan technique simple enough for first-timers. I wanted to share two more beginner-friendly energy healing techniques, one for a meridian and one for a chakra.

As you're doing these techniques, just lightly hold an intention to heal.

Meridian Energy Healing Technique

I dubbed this the "Vulcan Ear Technique" because it reminds me of Star Trek's Mr. Spock. It calms the Triple Warmer meridian, responsible for our stress response. Almost everyone can use a dose of this medicine.

1. Have the recipient lie down so that you can sit behind and facing the top of their head.
2. Put your palms on the sides of their head, above their ears.
3. Spread your fingers to create space between your index fingers and the other three fingers. Your thumbs and index fingers will be aimed to the front of the ear, and fingers 3-5 will be aimed to the back of the ear (with the space between fingers 2 & 3 over the top of the ear).
4. With fingers slightly curled so that they make pleasant but firm contact, stroke your fingers down either side of the ears, till your fingertips are a little below the earlobe. Most of the pressure will come from your index and third/fourth fingers. You may have to use a drop of oil, but most people have enough skin oils to provide the glide needed.
5. Still pressing lightly into the face and scalp, drag your hands back up.
6. Continue this up and down stroke in a soothing rhythm for half a minute or more.You'll have the recipient practically purring!

Chakra Energy Healing Technique

Namaste,

Nancy


This fun ninety page guide clearly explains the chakras and gives dozens of practical ways to enhance them.

An Energy Healing Technique Even First-Timers Can Do

----by Nancy Hausauer

Even if you've never done energy healing before, you can do it right now, helping friends and family feel feel more calm and refreshed.

You already influence energy all the time -- you can't help it. When you talk to someone, smile at them or interact with them in any way, you're impacting their energy.

What you're going to add to what you already do -- the "secret sauce" that makes it energy healing -- is that you're going to influence energy consciously rather than unconsciously, and with the intention to heal -- to increase wellness and harmony.

Here's a simple technique from Barbara Brennan's book "Light Emerging" for you to try with family and friends who are open to it. Most people find it very relaxing and comforting.

Aura Smoothing Technique

You'll be working with your hands on the aura about a foot out from the body. It helps to imagine your fingers about six inches longer than they really are. Lightly hold an intention to be a healing force. (No need to concentrate fiercely. Just a gentle, light intention works better.)

Have the recipient stand, feet shoulder-width apart. You'll start by standing at the front of their body. Place your hands (with their imagination-enhanced fingers) in the air about a foot out from their body, and a foot or two above their head (or reaching/pointing toward that area, if they're taller than you). Use your hands to stroke from above their head down to their feet in one long, fluid movement. Imagine that you are smoothing something, like the fur of a ruffled cat.

Now take a step around their body, and repeat your smoothing stroke right next to the last one. Repeat this all around their body, until you're back where you started.

You can also hold your fingers a bit apart and "comb" the aura, as if you were untangling strands of hair.

Not so hard, is it? Be sure to have someone return the favor, because you've got to keep the energy flowing by receiving as well as giving.

(You can learn more ways to do energy healing at The Energy Healing Site.)

Namaste,

Nancy

Perceiving Energy: Simple Technique to Enhance Your Third Eye (Sixth Chakra)

----by Nancy Hausauer

The Quantum Touch Healer and teacher Deborah Gair teaches the following technique to open and enhance the 3rd Eye (Sixth Chakra) and the ability to perceive energy clearly.

Put your index and middle finger together on your thumb, forming a kind of tripod with your fingers. Put the tips of these three fingers on your third eye, between and slightly above your eyebrows.

Breathe in energy/life force. Feel it entering and flowing through your body as you breathe in. As you breathe out, imagine the energy/life force flowing through your arm and fingers and into your third eye.

That's it. Do it every day to enhance your sixth chakra/third eye, your intuition and your ability to perceive energy.

Of course, as the Domancich Method folks, teach, it's not really necessary to perceive energy in order to do energy healing. It works, with or without the perceptions--and sometimes perceiving energy can even be a distraction.

So no worries either way, whether you can or can't feel the energy. Definitely don't let it stop you from doing energy healing if you can't.

Namaste, Nancy

Relieve Pain with Acupressure: The 8 Top Points (Part 2 of 2)

----by Nancy Hausauer

Last week I posted the first of the 8 most important acupressure points for relieving pain. Here are the next five:

• Lung 1

  Lu1 alleviates pain in shoulders and upper back, as well as helping with coughs, asthma or chest tightness, and helping to release held emotions contributing to pain.

  Location: On the top of the chest, under the shoulder. First locate the depression under the end of the clavicle, next to the muscle. LU-1 is one thumbwidth under this point, slightly to the side. Here's a link to an image: https://www.acufinder.com/Acupuncture+Points/Lung+01+%28LU+1%29/417

• Stomach 36

  St36 is one of those "good for what ails you" points. Governing the immune system and vitality, it strengthens the entire body. It supports digestive processes, relieves stomach and knee pain, and promotes general muscle health (and therefore ishelpful in cases of muscle pain). It especially helps pain in the mid to lower body.

  Location: Four finger widths below the bottom of the kneecap, one finger width outside the shinbone, at the top of the "valley" between the shinbone and the other calf-bone, the fibula. You'll feel a muscle flex strongly as you raise your fore-foot up off the ground.

• Liver 3

  This major point relieves pain and congestion; clears the energy system, releasing pent-up energy, reduces anger, irritability, tension headaches, aggressiveness. Best used with LI4. (See Part 1, below.)

  Location: On the top of the foot, in the "valley" between the big and second toe.

• Kidney 3

  K3 helps with ankle and back pain, menstrual cramps, and earaches. Don't use if you are pregnant.

  Location: At the inside back of the ankle, midway between the inside anklebone and the Achilles tendon. Here's a good image: http://albanacupuncture.com/2010/10/01/boost-qi-kidney/

• Bladder 60

  B60 helps with general pain as well as specifically relieving sciatica, thigh pain, headache, low back pain, and rheumatism. Don't use if you are pregnant.

  Location: On the outer back ankle (or heel), midway between the outer anklebone and the Achilles tendon. Here's an image: http://www.frex.com.au/two.html

How to Perform Acupressure

Namaste, Nancy

It's Not Too Late to Join the Deepak Chopra-Oprah Winfrey "21 Day Meditation Challenge"

Just a quick post to let you know about the Deepak Chopra-Oprah Winfrey "21 Day Meditation Challenge," which started today. It's themed around "Perfect Health." For each day, there's a "centering thought," a mantra, an inspirational message from Deepak Chopra (I thought Day 1's message was very good, but then I am a big Chopra fan), and a few minutes of soft music by which to meditate. There are also some related questions to think/write about, and an on-line journal if you wish to journal about your experience.

Seems like a wonderful resource, and it's free.

Here's the link to the registration page.

Enjoy!

Relieve Pain with Acupressure: The 8 Top Points (Part 1 of 2)

----by Nancy Hausauer

If you work anywhere in the healing or medical world, you're going to deal a lot with people's pain.

If you're an energy healer, you're more likely to see people who are dealing with chronic, intractable pain -- pain that no one else has been able to help.

It's important to have a variety of tools in your "tool-kit" to help with pain. Acupressure is particularly good because you can easily incorporate it into an energy healing session, plus you can teach it to people so that they can do it at home.

Useful Acupressure Points for Pain

• LI4

  Large Intestine 4LI4 is one of the most important points for dealing with pain, especially in the head, face, and upper body. Excellent for headaches, shoulder and arm pain, toothaches, arthritis.

  Location: In the web space between the thumb and index finger, on the highest point of the bulge formed when they are brought together.Note: Don't use on pregnant women -- can cause premature labor.

  

• Gall Bladder 20

  GB 20 governs relaxation, releases endorphins, benefits the brain, releases trauma, and relives pain, especially head and neck. For headaches, stiff necks, balancing brain hemispheres, stress.

  Location: In the hollows just below the base of the skull, about three finger-widths out from the midline.

• Governing Vessel 16

  GV16 relieves general soreness, neck pain, headache, sore throat, trauma, fear, insomnia, and mental stress. It benefits the central nervous system and clears the energy of the head.

  Location: In the center of the back of the head, in the large hollow below the base of the skull.

How to Perform Acupressure

I'll explain the other four main acupressure points for relieving pain next week.

Namaste, Nancy

How Your Home Reflects Your Energy (And How to Use It As An Energy Healing Tool)

----by Nancy Hausauer

It's starting to get near that time of the year: Spring Cleaning time. Why is Spring Cleaning (or any major clearing of your home) energetically important?

As life coach Martha Beck says, "Our living spaces are basically three-dimensional portraits of our inner lives. You can’t de-clutter your living space without de-cluttering your inner life and vice versa."

Hmmm. . . Take a walk through your house. What do you see? How does each room feel? When you come home, what is your general feeling? Do you feel peaceful, or agitated, when come through the door? Does spending time in your home make you feel energized, or lethargic?

You can use the act of spring cleaning intentionally, to help clean up your energy system, open chakras and support energetic balance and flow. A good cleaning and decluttering of your home can really shift your energy.

Alternatively, if you notice yourself getting an irresistible urge to clean and declutter, it's usually a sign that your internal energy is in the process of shifting.

Martha Beck, in a recent blog post, gives a good exercise for decluttering, called the "Pray Rain Journal." (I don't understand the name, but it's a good exercise anyway.)

And here's a fun article associating the state of various rooms in your house with specific chakras.

You don't have to undertake a whole-house-cleaning if you don't want to. You can shift a whole lot of energy just by tackling one room, or even one cupboard or drawer. Or if you're really strapped for time, just clear a single surface, such as a table or shelf, and create an altar or other eye-resting, eye-pleasing spot. This could be as simple as a vase of flowers placed with intention on your cleared surface. It'll help bring more coherence, harmony and order to your energy system.

This is a good example of how you can use any intentionally done activity, no matter how humble or mundane, to heal and support your energy. Everything is energy, everything is connected, and intention is a powerful force. So happy cleaning! (And don't forget to whistle, sing or play music while you work!)

Wishing you a warm and comforting home that feels energetically just right,

Nancy

Energy Healing for Weight Loss? Self-Love Has to Come First

----by Nancy Hausauer

Recently, a reader asked, "Do you have anything for weight reduction and maintaining a slim body?"

I thought I'd share my answer, particularly since it touches on the same concept of self-love I wrote about last week.

"To me, carrying more weight than the cultural ideal isn't a defect. That being said, if I were doing a healing for someone asking for support in losing weight, I'd start by having them set an intention for self-love and good health.

Then in the healing session I'd focus first on the heart chakra, to nurture self-love, and depending on the particular circumstances, the second chakra to counteract the effects of cultural shaming, because in our culture, anyone who departs from the ideal body type gets subjected to a lot of negative energy.

Then I'd work to balance the 3rd chakra, to support the digestive system and will, as well as to help manage stress (extremely important in weight loss). I always do a balancing of the chakra system as a whole, to generally support health, balance, and wholeness.

(I should add that often in a session, what I think I'm going to do and what I actually do are different! I'd always follow what the energy tells me to do, rather than some pre-decided plan.)

You could do all of these things for yourself, or you could go to the pages on The Energy Healing Site for the specific chakras I've talked about and do some of the things recommended there.

I'd also work to clear and strengthen the energy field (the aura) in general. In some cases, people carry extra weight in order to protect themselves energetically.

At home, I'd suggest that you do breathing exercises, meditation, and physical exercise to help manage stress, calm the nervous system and support a balanced, harmonious energy field.

And of course, affirmations can be very helpful, and visualizing yourself at the level of health and fitness you'd like to be -- always from a stance of self-love. I think cultivating self-love and coming from a standpoint of improving health are crucial.

P.S. I'd also recommend that anyone wishing to change their weight or fitness level practice non-resistance to their current state. Often when we resist something, we create an energetic blockage, a kind of a shell that hardens around the very thing we want to avoid, which tends to cement it in place.

Wishing you all the self-love and self-acceptance your heart can hold,

Nancy

Looking for Love? Start by Loving Yourself.

----by Nancy Hausauer

With Valentine's Day just around the corner, it seems timely to address the issue of Love -- in this case, self-love.

Loving yourself is one of the foundations of being able to love and be loved by others. It's also one of the hallmarks of a well-developed heart chakra, and one of the pre-requisites for true happiness.

Yet for most people, it's really hard to do. In developing the heart chakra, it seems to be one of the most difficult achievements.

It's so much easier to be compassionate, kind, non-judgmental, and tender to others.

All too often, we think and say terrible things about ourselves. It's so ingrained that we barely notice the steady stream of insults and judgements that we lay on ourselves -- things we would never think about others, especially those we love.

For the heart chakra to fully develop, and for us to fully receive the deep, true love that we all want, we must love ourselves.

This doesn't mean that you don't see your own imperfections. It just means that you love and accept yourself anyway.

Easier said than done if you have a life-time of unconscious self-judgment under your belt.

But it's just a habitual way of thinking, and all habits can be undone. With persistence, you can learn to treat yourself with the loving-kindness that you probably show to most other people.

Here's a suggestion for how to start practicing self-loving-kindness:

• Start by noticing your own self-judgment and non-compassion -- the thoughts and words that are less than tender, loving and kind toward yourself. (This alone would take you miles toward your goal of self-loving-kindness.) For example, let's say you've just noticed that you've mentally called yourself clumsy.
• Now think of someone you love dearly. Ask yourself, would I berate my dear one that? Would I want them to think such a thing about themselves?
• Replace "clumsy" with a more charitable thought, for example that you're strong, or enthusiastic, or that being graceful is a lovely trait but not really very important in the grand scheme of things. Or, think of a time when it wasn't true, when you were graceful. Or reframe it in a more neutral way, such as "Sometimes my mind/imagination is so active that I lose track of my body."
• Make a habit of doing this. With practice, you can do the whole sequence in a few seconds. It will open your heart chakra to yourself, and subsequently to others as well.

Wishing you a self-loving heart,

Nancy

Energy Healing Lessons of Early Spring

----by Nancy Hausauer

How's your energy? Are you brimming with vitality? Is your life going fluidly and efficiently? Or are you overworked, exhausted, burnt out and running into lots of obstacles and blocks in your life?

Looking to nature, the season of early spring can teach us a lot about how to preserve physical vitality, maintain energetic balance, and make our lives run more smoothly.

The Wisdom of Early Spring

Imbolc's lesson is patience -- doing things when the time is right, and not before.

The Power of Patience

Patience is required. Spring comes on its own timetable, not ours.

For the plants, there's no prize for coming up early. Break dormancy too soon, and their cycle for the whole year will be off. They may even die in a late freeze. So they wait till a complex set of cues tells them the time is right to start growing again.

Wait Till the Time Is Right

Taking the plants' lessons of patience and timing to heart -- giving both work and non-work, action and inaction their due -- can help us maintain our physical and energetic health.

This is partly because it builds cycles of rest into our lives, but it's more than that. When we act prematurely, we run into obstacles at every turn. The universe just doesn't seem to cooperate. Our energy is needlessly frittered away.

But if we wait till the right time, things go much easier. Doors open, people are eager to help, happy coincidences abound. Staying in rhythm with the universe, we preserve our own energy. It can remain smooth and flowing, rather than getting jagged and blocked. It's fueled, rather than depleted.

This year, watch closely as late winter patiently changes into early spring. Cultivate the wisdom of the plants, incorporating rest and judicious inaction into your life. You'll be so much healthier, happier, and more effective.

Namaste, Nancy