Your Breath Holds the Key to All Healing

I cannot say how much that headline alone sounds so positive and magical. I mean, what could be more perfect for the NEW YEAR!? So, read the following and I hope everyone tries it out. It's free, easy to do and pretty much proven to work. How to do it is at the end of this post - in six EASY steps. I usually do this at nite, in bed to relax and clear my head of all the millions of thoughts consuming my mind.

"Thousands of years ago, great Hindu yogis and Chinese sages developed powerful systems of breath control which they used for mastering fear, healing illness and attaining the state of enlightenment. These ancient systems of breath control possess such remarkable powers, because they access the spiritual life-force that gives our breath its life-sustaining powers. The Hindus call this life-force 'Prana' - the Chinese call it 'Chi' - Hebrews called it 'The Breath of Life' - Christians call it 'The Holy Spirit'. (Andy Caponigro)

Alternate Nostril Breathing Exercise (Anuloma Viloma )

This is EASY to do and VERY beneficial! A healthy person will breathe mostly through the LEFT nostril for about 2 hrs, then through the RIGHT nostril. But in many people, this natural rhythm is disturbed. Anuloma Viloma restores, equalizes and balances the flow of Prana (breath) in the body and produces optimum function to both sides of the brain. This will lead to a balance between your creative and logical thinking. The Yogi’s consider this to be the best technique to calm the mind and the Nervous System.

The Scientific Confirmation

Medical science has recently discovered the nasal cycle, something that was already discovered by the Yogis thousands of years ago. Modern scientists found out that we do not breathe equally on both nostrils, that is one nostril is much easier to breathe through than the other at any particular time. Each nostril alternates about every 2-3 hours. Scientists also discovered that the nasal cycle corresponds with brain function. The electrical activity of the brain was found to be greater on the side opposite the less congested nostril. The right side of the brain controls creative activity, while the left side controls logical verbal activity. The research showed that when the left nostril was less obstructed, the right side of the brain was predominant. Similarly when the right nostril was less obstructed the left side of the brain was predominant.

The Ancient Yogis went one step further. They observed that a lot of diseases were due to disturbances of the nasal cycle or if a person breathes for too long through one nostril. To prevent and correct this condition, they developed the Alternate Nostril Breathing Technique. This clears any blockage the airflow in the nostrils and reestablishes the natural nasal cycle. For example, the Yogi’s have known for a long time that prolonged breathing through the left nostril only (over a period of years) will cause Asthma. They also know that this so-called incurable disease can be easily treated by teaching the patient to breathe through the right nostril until the Asthma is cured and prevent it from recurring by doing the Alternate Nostril Breathing Technique. The Yogis also believe that Diabetes is caused, to a large extent, by breathing mainly through the right nostril.

Bascially you are: Inhaling through one nostril, holding the breath, and exhaling through the other nostril.
One Round of Anuloma Viloma (Alternate Nostril Breathing)

1 Inhale through the left nostril, closing the right with the thumb, to the count of four.
2 Hold the breath, closing both nostrils, to the count of sixteen.
3 Exhale through the right nostril, closing the left with the ring finger, to the count of eight.
4 Inhale through the right nostril, keeping the left nostril closed with the ring finger, to the count of four.
5 Hold the breath, closing both nostrils, to the count of sixteen.
6 Exhale through the left nostril, keeping the right closed with the thumb, to the count of eight.

some words of wisdom

from .... RUMI - a poet who lived in 13th century Persia. He is known throughout the world still to this day for his poems meditating on the deep mysteries of the world, the afterworld, and the human spirit. So, Merry Christmas (a few days late) and here is a beautiful poem called LOVE DOGS. So, to go along with it I am posting a few of my fave [Blue Dog] winter pics from my fave New Orleans artist (George Rodrigue)  And, another "dog" artist I JUST discovered (and by just - I mean as in right now) Todd Young. So, here you are, and I am off to look at more of TY's awesome dog (and some cats) paintings!

LOVE DOGS  ~Rumi

One night a man was crying Allah! Allah! His lips grew sweet with praising, until a cynic said, “So! I’ve heard you calling our, but have you ever gotten any response?” The man had no answer to that. He quit praying and fell into a confused sleep. He dreamed he saw Khidr, the guide of souls, in a thick, green foliage.

“Why did you stop praising?”  “Because I’ve never heard anything back.” “This longing you express is the return message.” The grief you cry out from draws you toward union. Your pure sadness that wants help is the secret cup.

Listen to the moan of a dog for its master. That whining is the connection. There are love dogs no one knows the names of. Give your life to be one of them.

It's Christmas Week

WOW - isn't it amazing how every year we are shocked at how fast Christmas comes around. I am surprisingly not that stressed, and it's Monday nite and I still have stuff to buy.  Now, not to confuse this with me not being a little bummed out, it IS the holidays, after all : )  This is my first year after a BAD break up with my ex-husband of 10 yrs. which was right at Christmas!  And no, I can't go into details, but let just say both of us got hurt, but him alot more - and I still cannot let go of some guilt I have over different things.  So, I made a list of "the good stuff" and if you do this, and read it and focus on the gratitude in your life, then it gets better....

This is also the 1st year Alex (my 9 yr old) doesn't believe in Santa anymore.  Am I sad about this - heck NO (LOL) it seems mean, but I am glad.  So, on that note - I am heading up to my fave store (Center for Mind, Body & Spirit) for last minute stuff, like these awesome watches...which I'm sure you could google and get anywhere.

SKINNY Watches with 'tourmaline'

Tourmaline is a natural source of negative ions and far infrared rays.  The effects of tourmaline can help cleanse the liver and kidney and improve blood circulation.  To learn more about these watches and all the colors you can wear, check out their website at:  http://skinnywatches.com/index.htm.

 

the GOOD stuff

• having a real Christmas tree

• my best frd from LA coming in town

• seeing all my cousins

• homemade cookie press xmas cookies

• extra days off work

• Christmas bonus & raise

• all my family & friends

• and no in-laws : )

So, Feliz Navidad, Merry Christmas, Happy Hannukah, Happy New Year, Seasons Greetings, and Happy Holidaze! 

Día de los Muertos

Buenos días! I always have the best intentions...but that darn procrastination gets in the way. So, this holiday (one of my faves) has come and gone - then I thought ... so what, I can still post it, as long as it's before the end of Nov. I just like everything this holiday is about....skeletons, mexican food, tequila, flowers! I love the Spanish and Catholic mix. Oh, and the art - I LUV the art!

Día de los Muertos or Day of the Dead
This Mexican holiday focuses on family and friends who gather to pray for and remember those who have died. This ritual is celebrated in Mexico and other parts of the US. Although it has been merged with Catholic theology, it still maintains the basic principles of the Aztec ritual, such as the use of skulls. In rural Mexico, people visit the cemetery where their loved ones are buried. They decorate gravesites with marigold flowers and candles. They bring toys for dead children and bottles of tequila to adults. They sit on picnic blankets next to gravesites and eat the favorite food of their loved ones.

"Here the people spend the day in the cemetery," said Esther Cota, the parish secretary at the Our Lady of Guadalupe Church. "The graves are decorated really pretty by all the people."

In larger cities, families build altars in their homes, dedicating them to the dead.
They surround these altars with flowers, food and pictures of the deceased. They light candles and place them next to the altar.

The celebration occurs on Nov 2 in connection with the Catholic holidays: All Saints' Day (Nov 1) and All Souls' Day (Nov 2). Due to occurring shortly after Halloween, the Day of the Dead is sometimes thought to be a similar holiday, although the two are celebrated differently.

Needles & Cupping & Balance - OH YEAH

Wow, my energies are so out of balance that it's literally unreal. Made worse by the fact that I quit taking my "depression" meds cold turkey about 5 weeks ago. At first I felt fine, then 2 weeks later when it stared leaving my system, I didn't!! I ran out and thought "hmmm, I'm just gonna stop taking it and focus JUST on holistic therapy and see what happens" It's simple: our bodys chi (energy) pathways being blocked prohibits the good chi to flow thru our system. And since the meds are pretty much gone from mine, I was definitely ready for a treatment. I don't know yet if I can do it (the no meds at all thing) but we'll see.

So, I went for my 3rd session of cupping Saturday and I literally couldn't wait. This time I did the accupuncture with it. I left feeling so good, and relaxed and detoxified. She focused mainly on my liver which is linked to your emotions. It's funny - cause whenever I do this stuff I feel so "untouchable" BUT, that's not how it works. Despite having a great treatment- I did got a bit emotional later that day...Halloween is my very FAVE holiday, and this is the 1st year that I'm not with Jim, and he has Alex for trick-or-treat. Which is fine, cause I had him Friday for the school thing. I also skipped my tradition of making my fave food (spagetti). Ahhh, well - enuf about me - read below on CUPPING. I LUV it!!

Cupping therapy is the method of using glass cups to create localized pressure by a vacuum. The Chinese have been doing this since ancient times by using heat inside the cups. The vacuum inside the cups causes the blood to form in the area and help the healing in that area.

Our body contains "meridians" pathways in the body which the energy of life called Qi ("chi") flows. It flows through every body part, tissue and organ. Cupping therapy is mainly performed on one's back because there are five meridians on your back. When these meridians are opened, the internal energy is able to flow through the whole body, instead of being blocked.

In Chinese medicine, all the organs are connected together. So if you have a problem with one organ, it can affect the health of other parts of your body. For example, it is believed that the kidneys are connected to a persons aging. A person with an imbalance or disease in the kidneys will experience more graying of the hair, wrinkled and dry skin, etc.

Another healing benefit of cupping is it release the toxins in your body. The suction from the cups penetrates deep into your tissues causing them to release harmful toxins. It triggers the lymphatic system, clears the blood vessels, and stretches and activates the skin.

So, there ya go - and it only costs about $30 - 40!!

The Magic of Coconut Oil!

I really think that sometimes you meet people for a reason. Even if you only have a brief encounter with them. Maybe you just have a good immediate vibe with a person, learn something new, etc. So I'm in this health food store to buy 'biotine' an herb I read is good for people with blood type A (me). I'm talking to the hippie behind the counter....and this guy in line jumps in and I end up finding out tons of interesting info on COCONUT OIL. He raves on it for at least 15 min! I luv how he just cut in & shared all this info on something he loves & believes in, which is why I do this blog, and am now sharing this info with you. Anyway, I left the store without the 2 herbs I came for, but WITH a jar of Organic Virgin Coconut Oil.

So, here's what I found out: The health benefits of coconut oil include: hair care, skin care, stress relief, maintaining cholesterol levels, weight loss, increased immunity, proper digestion and metabolism, relief from kidney problems, heart diseases, high blood pressure, diabetes, HIV and cancer, dental care, and bone strength. [Ummmmm WOW!]
"The benefits of coconut oil can be attributed to the presence of lauric acid, capric acid and caprylic acid in our body. The human body converts lauric acid into 'monolaurin' which is claimed to help in dealing with viruses and bacteria causing diseases such as herpes, influenza and even HIV. It also helps in fighting some harmful bacterias." -Megan Sutton.
• Healing: When applied to infections, it forms a chemical layer which protects the infected body part from external dust, air, fungi, bacteria and virus. Coconut oil is effective on bruises as it speeds up the healing process by repairing damaged tissues.
• Infections: Coconut oil is very effective against a variety of infections due to its antifungal, antiviral, and antibacterial properties. According to the Coconut Research Center, coconut oil kills viruses that cause influenza, measles, hepatitis, herpes, SARS, etc. It also kills bacteria that cause ulcers, throat infections, urinary tract infections, pneumonia, and gonorrhea, etc. Coconut oil is also effective on fungi and yeast that cause candidiasis, ringworm, athlete's foot, thrush, diaper rash, etc.
A few ways to add coconut oil to your life are: add a tablespoon to smoothies, use it instead of butter on toast, add it to yogurt, cook with it, or eat a tablespoon of coconut oil before each meal to get all the benefits listed above, use it as lotion, etc. Be sure and get only the best coconut oil. Well, sounds easy to me, and since Friday I have already added some to my bath water (and my dogs!), put it in pasta salad, cooked with it, and put it on some scrapes Alex had. Plus, who can resist the smell of coconuts! So tropical and wonderful.

Happy New Year-in July!

I love the motivation I get from vacation! A re-birth, a soul searching journey, total relaxation- it's like my 2nd New Years. A new start. So, I just got back from a 10 day holiday in Myrtle Beach, SC. The whole family went (oyyyy): me, Alex (my 8yr old son) my parents, sister, her hubby and 2 kids. Awesome beach house, plenty of room...absolutely perfect. Yet something was different and sad...this was my first time in 11 yrs I've been anywhere w/out my (ex) husband- and we'd do 2-3 vac's a yr. It was also really sad for Alex! I was surprised that I felt this way, but I did. And I'm happy being separated. All this sadness and guilt came creeping back. But, instead of freaking out, I prevailed...pushed it all away, did some meditation and forced myself to focus, breath and relax. I am really trying to stick it - on a reg basis, which is the way to get the full benefit. Even for 10 min everyday (ya, right) but I'm doing pretty good so far, and won't worry about perfection as I always do! Who cares if you skip a day or 2. It's gonna be all about connecting, balance and inner peace. If it's hard to clear your mind, repeat a mantra, like "I feel calm and happy" or whatever.

Laura Fraser says: My preference would be to call meditation conscious & chosen relaxation. Constantly working toward the goal of discovering my own ability to reach a state of serenity, I have learned to meditate and it’s actually easy. Start by focusing completely on your breathing, which takes the mind away from the "clutter" that constantly tries to invade our mind and eliminate feelings that will lead to calm. With repeated effort the goal of clearing your mind - to think of nothing - does occur and the process of meditation takes on its own energy. The result is (and I guarantee this) peace, serenity, calmness. The peace and joy felt by those who meditate enters the world for all of us as positive energy. From it the world is a better place. Imagine if we all practiced meditation!