Thank a Tree!

T is for Trees

Not only are trees beautiful, trees are really important to the health of our planet, and by extension, to our own personal health.  Here's some of the things trees do for us:

• Trees are our planet's lungs.  They convert the CO2 humans exhale into oxygen.  According to http://coloradotrees.org/, an adult tree can change 48 pounds of carbon every year into enough oxygen to keep two people alive.
  
  
• Trees reduce ozone levels.  In large cities this can mean milder temperatures and more breathable air.
  
  
  
  
  
• Trees prevent soil erosion -   their roots stop soil from washing away.
  
  
• Trees moderate temperatures.  They absorb summer heat, cast some shady relief  and provide a windbreak from chilly winter winds.
  
  
  
• Trees provide food in the form of fruit, nuts and even maple syrup (yum).
  
  

                          Click here for some fun facts about trees.

And perhaps most important of all - trees can be fun!

Thank a tree!

Sound Healing

S is for Sound

Last year my A-Z entry for the letter "S" was Sound Healing - you can read it here. 

You might be wondering why I would choose the same subject again this year.  Well, I'm taking a different approach.   Rather than expect you to read about the benefits of sound healing,  I'll let you experience sound healing for yourself.  Right here.  Right now.

David Hickey is an incredibly talented sound healer who travels across North America with his Crystal Journey tour.  David's stated mission is "To create expansive, improvised and beautiful music, to awaken consciousness, to promote peace and to restore balance of the self and the planet." 

Click on the play button and give it a try.  Keep an open mind and listen for at least three minutes - it takes him that long to really get things going.  And close your eyes so you're not distracted by watching him play.




I hope you enjoyed it!

Click here to find out more about David and his healing Crystal Journey

Reiki for Health & Wellness

R is for Reiki

Here are 4 really good reasons to give Reiki a try:

1. Reiki can never do harm.  The Reiki practitioner acts as a channel for the energy and your body does the rest.  You and your body are in control of your own healing.   
   
2. Reiki is not a religion.  Although Reiki is spiritually guided, Reiki has no religious affiliation.  You do not have to "believe" in anything for Reiki to work.   
   
3. Reiki does not interfere with your current medications or treatments.  Reiki is a complementary healing technique that  is used in hospitals and hospices.
   
4. Reiki works on both chronic illness (e.g. stress related complaints) and acute conditions (e.g. sports injuries). 

The benefits of Reiki:

• pain relief
• reduced stress
• improved sleep
• increased energy
• feelings of well-being

People who have regular Reiki treatments feel more balanced and report an increased enjoyment in life.  So what are you waiting for?  Why not try Reiki today?  All you've got to lose is your stress.

Click here to find a Canadian Reiki Association registered Practitioner near you.

"It is good, I think, for our hearts, our minds, our imaginations, to be stretched; but body, nerve, endurance and life-span are not as elastic."   Anne Morrow Lindbergh

Qi Gong for Everyone

Q is for Qi Gong

Six things you wanted to know about Qi Gong but didn't know who to ask:

1. How do I pronounce "Qi Gong"?
   
   Qi is pronounced "chee"
   Gong is pronounced" gung" (rhythms with lung)
   
   
2. What is Qi Gong?
   
   A powerful system of healing and energy medicine from China.   It's the art and science of using breathing and gentle movement to cleanse, strengthen and circulate life energy (qi).  Read more from Qi Gong master Ken Cohen here
3. What are the basic principles of Qi Gong
   
   Breathing and being relaxed are two of the fundamental basics.  Watch Qi Gong master Ken Cohen demonstrate them here  http://youtu.be/I3GuK1OVbCc
   
   
4. What do you do with Qi Gong?
   
   Qi Gong is used as a healing modality  Watch a qi gong treatment
   
   It is applied in sports and martial arts to improve strength and stamina
   
   It is used as a spiritual discipline
   
   
5. Who can do Qi Gong?
   
   Everyone!  Qi Gong can be done standing, seated or even laying down.  Its gentle techniques are appropriate for all ages and levels of fitness.  It can even be tailored to suit the ill, injured or palliative student.
   
   
6. How do I find a Qi Gong instructor?
   
   Your local martial arts club may offer Qi Gong, or at least,  may point you in the direction of a local Qi Gong group.
   
   Check your local recreation centres.  Even if they don't offer Qi Gong, many rec. centres offer Tai Chi and Tai Chi instructors are often well versed in Qi Gong.
   
   If these options don't work for you, try the Qi Gong Institutes International Directory of Qi Gong Teachers and Therapists

Possibillian

P is for Possibillian

 Yes, "possibillian" is really a word.  Granted, you won't find it in any dictionary (yet), but there's an entry for it on wikipedia, so it must be a real word, right?

Possibillian was coined by neuroscientist David Eagleman in response to being asked whether he was an atheist or a religious person.   He replied "I call myself a Possibilian: I'm open to ideas that we don't have any way of testing right now. "
 

"Doubt is not a pleasant condition, but certainty is absurd"

Voltaire          

Once we get beyond the toolbox of science, no one knows anything for certain.  Actually, the only thing we do know for certain is the magnitude of things we don't know.    Being a possibillian means you don't have to limit yourself to one belief system - you can be open to multiple possibilities and ideas at the same time.  And it's okay to say "I don't know" - what a novel and freeing idea!

If you're interested in possibillianism you can watch David here or check out his website here

"Celebrate possibility and praise uncertainty."  David Eagleman

A Good Omen

O is for Omen

 If you've read some of my previous posts you'll know I struggle with my internal skeptic, even when it comes to Reiki.  Though I've been practicing it for several years now and KNOW it works, I can be skeptical.  Certainly not about the results, but about what the heck Reiki really is anyway.    I know the history of Reiki and have listened closely to my Reiki master, but never felt like I understood.

I did some research into acupuncture and traditional chinese medicine.  I learned another energy-based modality.    In these, and even in traditional western medicine, I realized that while we can usually explain what happens and when, we often don't know the how or why behind it.   I realized that my path is not the one of scientific inquiry which will one day, I'm sure, explain so much of what seems unexplainable right now.  No, my path is that of practitioner, of healer.  Of using the tools of Reiki to help people, even though they may seem mystical to me.  With this realization I felt I was ready to take the final step and become a Reiki master. 

During day one of my master training, I shared this insight with the group.  There was nodding of heads and general support around the table.  A short while later I noticed a 4 inch long feather on the floor beside my chair.   Knowing my Reiki master has a few feathers she uses during ceremonies, I returned it to her.  No, she said, it wasn't hers.    She'd never seen the feather before and wasn't sure how it may have come into her house.    The feather, she thought, was intended for me and I should keep it.

Hmm.  Call me superstitious, but I'll interpret that feather as a sign.  A sign that I'm on the right path.  A  good omen.