Labyrinths - A Path to Healing

L is for Labyrinth

A labyrinth is an ancient symbol that relates to wholeness and healing.  It combines the imagery of the circle and the spiral into a meandering but purposeful path.   Labyrinths represent a journey to our own centre and back again out into the world.  They have long been used as meditation and prayer tools. 

A labyrinth is not a maze.  Mazes are puzzles with twists, turns and dead ends where many decisions are required to find your way to the centre.  Navigating a maze is a left-brain task that requires logic and sequential thinking.  A labyrinth on the other hand is a right-brain activity that invokes intuition, creativity and imagery.  It's a more passive, receptive experience where there's only one decision to make - to enter or not.  There's only one path in a labyrinth - the way in is the way out.  Once you decide to walk a labyrinth you're on the path to renewing the mind-body-spirit connection.

Research conducted by Harvard Medical School's Mind/Body Institute has found that focused walking meditation such as walking a labyrinth is highly effective at reducing anxiety.  Done on a regular basis walking a labyrinth can result in long-term health benefits including reduction of insomnia, reduction of chronic pain, lowering blood pressure and improved concentration.

If you're interested in walking a labyrinth in Canada or the U.S. click here to access the labyrinth locator.

Click here to see some beautiful labryinths and read a short history of labyrinths and mazes.

Kindness

K is for Kindness

One of my favourite quotes is from the Dalai Lama:  

"Be kind whenever possible.  It is always possible."

So, let's practice random acts of kindness.

Here are a few ideas to get you started:

Let someone in front of you in traffic
Smile at strangers
Hold the door open for people
Help your neighbours:  shovel snow, carry their groceries, bring in their trash cans or babysit
Offer your seat on the bus
Leave a few quarters at the laundromat or in a vending machine
Pick up trash
Share your umbrella
Buy a coworker a coffee

 

There are over 200 kindness ideas at the Random Acts of Kindness Foundation

 

Please practice as often as you can.

J-E-L-L-O

J is for Jello

Forrest Gump told us "Life is like a box of chocolates - you never know what you're going to get."

As much as that is true, I think life is more like jello.  Partially set jello to be precise.  You pour it into a mould and the rigid sides hold it in place.  If you change the shape of the container, the jello follows the new contours, fills the new spaces.  It's dynamic and flexible.  But if you remove too much of the supportive structure it's chaos.  It oozes in all directions,  eventually ending up wherever gravity's pull is strongest.

So the trick is to strike a balance between being confined by rigidity and leaking all over the floor.   The best part, unlike Gump's chocolates, is you can tell what flavour you'll get from the colour on the box. 

 

Failure is the condiment that gives success its flavour.

                                                                                                    Truman Capote

Inspiration

I is for Inspiration

According to the opening lyrics of one of my favourite  Quartet songs "Inspiration doesn't simply appear, it must have a spark, a chance to come clear and light up into view."  So take a moment now to consider what inspires you:

Something beautiful?

Acting silly?

Activity?

Reconnecting with someone?

Trying something new?

Having a little alone time?

Breaking out of your routine?

For me, I find listening to music inspiring.   My all time personal favourite inspirational song is "I Got a Name" by Jim Croce

If that one doesn't do it for you, the Goal Setting College has compiled an awesome list of 40 inspirations songs - you might find one you like here.

Do whatever works for you.  Get inspired!

Harmony

H is for Harmony

One definition of harmony is "the state of being in agreement in action, opinion or feeling".   Another is "an interweaving of different accounts into a single narrative".  I much prefer the second.  I don't believe agreement is  a necessary component of  harmony -  "acceptance" perhaps, but not "agreement".

I believe there are different ways we can be in (or out of) harmony: with ourselves, with others, and with our environment.  

Lately the corporate world has given a lot of lip service to the idea of personal harmony - they call it "work/life balance".   This usually means you can work an enormous amount of hours from home instead of at the office.  This isn't really balance at all, but it's a first, if tiny, step.  Then there's "work/personality balance".  I think this one is much more important even though your employer never mentions it.   "Work/personality balance" means the work you do is consistent with your beliefs and values.  You cannot find personal harmony if your job requires you to do things for money you wouldn't otherwise do.    

Harmony with other people is perhaps a little harder to attain.  It requires us to appreciate and value our differences.  There's no requirement for things to be the same to be in harmony.  In fact, in music, everyone singing the same melody line is boring.  Add some different notes and the music becomes fuller, more interesting, more satisfying.  Our relationships with others are the same.  If you keep company with only those who think and feel exactly the way you do,  you are going to stagnate and (sorry) become boring.    If you can accept a differing opinion or engage in a different culture you're on your way to finding harmony with others.

Harmony with our environment is perhaps the most difficult of all.   We humans have consumed a huge portion of the earth's resources,  yet I believe it's not too late to learn to live in harmony with nature.  This doesn't mean we have to trade in our cars for bicycles, wear hemp clothing and become vegetarians (though these probably would be good for us).  It does require a fundamental shift in perspective though - a shift that recognizes humans are not the most important species on the planet.  We're only one of myriad important species, and the sooner we realize this the sooner we'll be back on the road to interweaving different accounts into one narrative.

The Gifts of Giving

G is for Giving

Let us not be satisfied with just giving money. Money is not enough, money can be got, but they need your hearts to love them. So, spread your love everywhere you go.

Mother Teresa

I have found that among its other benefits, giving liberates the soul of the giver.

Maya Angelou

Kindness in words creates confidence. Kindness in thinking creates profoundness. Kindness in giving creates love.

Lao Tzu

Since you get more joy out of giving joy to others, you should put a good deal of thought into the happiness that you are able to give.

Eleanor Roosevelt

Life is given to us, we earn it by giving it.

Rabindranath Tagore

The Future is Now

"F" is for Future
 

“How wonderful that no one need wait a single moment 

to improve the world." 

Anne Frank (1929-1945)

With so much buzz about 2012 and the Mayan calendar, I can't help but think about our future and what it might look like.   I must admit, some days it's hard to be optimistic.  Political revolutions, austerity measures, oil wars, corporate bail outs, climate change, famine, peak oil, genetically modified food - so many things seem to be reaching their tipping point.   So what can one person do about any of this?  Lots!

“The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for 

good men to do nothing.”

Edmund Burke (1729-1797); Statesman, Author, Philosopher

5 things you can do to make a difference 

(from http://marinebio.org/oceans/conservation/local.asp) 

Try to keep things in perspective. Be mindful of the big problems, but focus on solving them through the things we can all do everyday to help reduce them.  Develop a positive outlook:

1. First, accept that you are only able to control your actions and responses to changing conditions around you.
   
2. Take responsibility for your actions in all things. It sounds simple but being accountable to yourself will help you make the necessary changes.
   
3. Stop to consider the consequences of your actions (if I choose to do this, what will be the result?).
   
4.  Lead by example! If you can change, then it just might inspire others.
   
5. Remember that one person can make a difference. Small accomplishments add up quicker then you might think. Remember, no matter what your economic standing, you can help save the environment and money at the same time. You the consumer drive the market; products are made because you buy them. If you buy products that are better for the environment it will become profitable for companies to respond to the demand for environmentally-friendly products. It really is that simple.
   
   If you choose only one product on which to flex your consumer muscle, please make it bottled water.  Watch the movie "Tapped" - it will boggle your mind!  At least spend a bit of time on the movie's website found here.   Thank you!
   

“I am only one, but still I am one. I cannot do everything, 

but still I can do something; 

and because I cannot do everything, 

I will not refuse to do something that I can do.”

Edward Everett Hale

What one man is doing to prove small, individual actions have earthshaking potential: http://www.rd.com/true-stories/inspiring/paul-stamets-and-the-healing-power-of-mushrooms/

“...if anything matters then everything matters. Because you are important, everything you do is important. Every time you forgive, the universe changes; every time you reach out and touch a heart or a life, the world changes; with every kindness and service, seen or unseen, my purposes are accomplished and nothing will be the same again.”      William P. Young, The Shack

Earth Energies

"E" is for Earth Energy

I believe we need to spend more time connected to the energies of the earth.  In this post I share some of my experiences with you in hopes that you'll seek out your own interactions with the natural world around you.

Earth

When I was a kid I used to lay on the ground in my yard.  I'd roll down the small hill in front of the house and then just stay wherever my last roll left me.   I'd look up at the sky from there and watch the white clouds float across the blue background.  Then I'd close my eyes and wait until I could feel  the energy of the earth.   It was subtle at first, but got stronger the longer I lazed there.  I imagined it was the earth's speed that I felt as we spun on our axis and hurled around the sun.

I hadn't done this in almost 40 years when last summer at a friend's cottage three of us decided to give it a try.  We spread some blankets at the edge of a small lake and laid down to relax.  The air was chilly but the sun was hot and bright so I covered my eyes with my palms.   At first all I felt was the heat from the sun burning my legs through my dark jeans.  But as I settled in I began to feel it - we all did.  Gentle at first, then more intense as we continued to focus on the physical sensations it caused.  It was reassuring to know that after all those years the energy of the earth was still there, unchanged.   Just as unchanged as the earth rotating on an axis and orbiting the sun.

 Water

The energy of water feels unique to each situation.   The energy of deep, still water feels very different from the energy of water rushing over a waterfall.  During 2011's A-Z challenge my "W" post was "Water Energy".  I've linked to it here:   http://earthdragonhealing.blogspot.com/2011/04/water-energy.html

Trees

I have a friend who talks to trees.   She offers them reiki and in return they share their wisdom.  I would have thought she was crazy, except for 2 things:  1) I've known her for the last 8 years to be a rational and intelligent adult; and 2) On one occasion we reiki'd the same tree at the same time and then shared our experiences.  They were almost identical, though her's a little more profound as her intuition is more developed than mine.   Since that mind-opening experiment I feel the energy of the trees.  I feel it in the city from the trees whose roots are buried under the cement.    I feel it in the woods whenever I go for a walk, especially in the fall when the trees have shed their leaves and they're piled on the ground around me.   Tree energy is very intense in the fall.  Now I think I understand why it's my favourite time of year. 

How do you get in touch with nature?  Do you camp out? Ski? Canoe?  Please share what you do to connect to the earth energies.

Dalai Lama Wisdom

D is for Dalai Lama

The Dalai Lama is one of the most inspiring people alive today.   This post is dedicated to his teachings.

"Be kind whenever possible.

It is always possible."

Read one of his messages on world peace here: A Human Approach to World Peace

"Non violence is the reflection of inner peace"  

Watch the Dalai Lama in action here:  His #1 Commitment

 

Contentment is natural wealth

C is for Contentment

Are you content?  

Not if the advertisers have been doing their jobs right you're not.  There is no profit in contentment.  Content people don't want.  And want is the driving force behind the north american economy.  How many people do you know who actually need whiter teeth or fewer wrinkles?  Do we need a new hairstyle, designer shoes or a Hollywood diet?  Or do we want these things because we've been convinced there's something wrong with us the way we are right now?  Yes, I know shoes do wear out, hair needs to be cut and a healthy weight increases life expectancy.  But I'm not talking about the actual product or service we're buying.  I'm talking about the feelings of want behind the purchases.  Do we really feel younger with our grey hidden with dye?  Or have we been convinced by a youth-obsessed culture that we want to look younger?  It's sad really.  We spend so much time, effort and money on wanting that we fail to see we're okay just the way we are.  

The next time somebody tries to sell you "want", don't buy it.  Dare to be content.

Breathe Easy

B is for

There is nothing more natural than breathing.  It's the first thing we do when we're born.  It's the last thing we stop doing when we die.  Somewhere between the two we change the way we do it.  Watch a baby and you'll see the belly expand on the inhale.  Ask  an adult to take a deep breath and you'll see the chest expand and shoulders raise instead.  I'm not sure why this happens.  What I am sure of though, is that oxygen is essential to life and health and our habit of shallow breathing robs us of this vital energy source.

I offer you two really simple breathing exercises.  One to help you relax when you're feeling stressed.  The other to energize you when you're dragging.  For both exercises focus on where the breath goes.  Visualize the air going to the bottom of the lungs first to expand the belly,  then filling the top of the lungs last.  Do this in a relaxed way - don't force the breath in any way - just allow it to flow.

RELAX:
Inhale and exhale slowly through the nose.  Count to be sure each inhale and each exhale are the same length.  Start with a count of 4, then as your breathing slows down and your body starts to relax, increase the count to 6, and then 8.  Do this for 3 - 5 mins. whenever you're feeling stressed.   You can also use this technique as a sleep aid - continuing breathing like this until you slumber off.

ENERGIZE:
Inhale slowly through the nose, exhale quickly through the mouth.  Count to be sure each inhale is twice as long as each exhale.   (Try a 6 and 3 count to start and adjust to what feels comfortable.)  Be sure that you fully exhale each time, your lungs should be empty before you start the next inhale.  Do this for 3 - 5 mins. whenever you need an energy boost.

Accessories

A is for Accessories

Accessory: a thing of secondary or subordinate importance : an object or device not essential in itself but adding to the beauty, convenience, or effectiveness of something else

In the energy healing field there are many accessories a practitioner can use to enhance the client's experience.  Most practitioners provide relaxing music and low level lighting as these are obvious ways to help the client relax.  Incense is another popular accessory which when chosen wisely can fill the room with a calming scent.  Some practitioners decorate their healing room with stones, crystals, statuary and tapestries.  Candles are often present. Others create a sacred space by setting up an alter to display a collection of personal mementos.  


There is nothing wrong with using an accessory or two, though some practitioners can get a little carried away.    And too much of a good thing is... well...

just too much. 

Energy healing is natural.  It uses the body's subtle energy field and the universal energy that's all around us.  Accessories, while they may enhance the perception of the healing experience, do not necessarily enhance the actual healing outcome.   Energy healing is portable and effective whenever and wherever it is used.   On the side of the road at the scene of an accident.     In a doctor's waiting room.   At a restaurant, or in a movie theatre.  All of these are perfectly acceptable places to receive energy healing.   No special accessories are required.