A Centered Place

 

Exploring Svaroopa® Yoga

 

 

 

As a vacation treat, I visited two of my clients yesterday, Phil Milgrom and Nancy Nowak, who live in Warren, Massachusetts, a tiny village in the western part of that state.  Phil and Nancy are yoga instructors for Svaroopa® Yoga, which I had never experienced.  Their yoga center is called “The Centered Place” and this is a very appropriate name for it.  As soon as I walked inside, I felt more centered and grounded. 

Since I love doing yoga and have been seeking to expand my yoga experience, I had signed up for a private session with Phil.  Even though I had already done some yoga that morning (my body really likes this practice), Phil and I spent 2 hours together in the studio.  He explained the principles of Svaroopa® and then showed me with gentle care how to do some very simple yet profound and precise postures.

Svaroopa® Yoga is unlike any yoga I have ever experienced.  It is based on the idea that, if gently asked, the muscles of the body will let go of tension and expand, creating more space within you.   All of the asanas seem to be variations on asking the body to relax and let go.  And my body responded.

Since I am very sensitive and can feel many things in my body that most other people can’t feel, I was able to notice very tiny shifts taking place.  I can sense areas where my body feels stuck.  As we did the asanas, I could feel those area begin to think about opening and, in some cases, actually start to open .

For me, this has been a completely new experience.  In only two days of practice of just a few postures, my body is already changing.  I can feel it releasing and shifting.  It seems to be growing larger in energy.  When we make space inside us, of course that space will be filled naturally.  And what we naturally fill ourselves with is Consciousness.

So Svaroopa® Yoga can be very helpful to anyone who wants to get rid of physical tension, feel healthier, make more space inside themselves for spiritual development, and just R-E-L-A-X and enjoy each day.

Namaste,
Nedda

Learn more about Svaroopa Yoga at http://www.thecenteredplace.com
Learn more about Phil’s services at http://www.philmilgrom.com/

 

Traditonal Chinese Medicine as Applied to All Life

 

Balance In All Things

by Susan Pipes 

 

I am delighted to introduce Susan Pipes, a fellow Animal Communicator who is also a practitioner of Traditional  Chinese Medicine.  In this guest blog, she will be introducing us to the basic concepts of Traditional Chinese Medicine.

 

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is one of the oldest holistic and preventative healing systems that is still in practice today. Believed to be over 3000 years old it has a rich and fascinating history that explains the relationship of health and all life to the dynamic forces of nature.

Created as a preventative health care system it could adapt to changes that manifested in the body. This philosophy and healing system evolved to explain treat and prevent illness and disease using natures elements and influences. This holistic view of all life sought to bring balance and harmony between living things and the universe.

The ancient doctors were paid when the patient was healthy, if the patient was sick the doctor no longer received his fee. He would then treat the person with the four distinct methods of treatment to bring balance and harmony back in the body.

• Herbology – the use of plants and nature’s gifts taken internally or sometimes applied externally to bring balance in the body
• Acupuncture – using fine pre-sterilized needles placed at certain pre determined points along meridians or channels in the body to bring about balance
• Manipulative therapy ( tui na massage, qi gong, tai chi) Using manual techniques to unblock and move qi
• Food cures (diet therapy) – foods and meal preparation techniques used to assist and support the body according to the principles of yin/yang, excess/deficiency, interior/exterior and warm and cold as they apply to the organ system.

TCM was originally based on the theory of yin, yang and qi. This was later expanded to include the 5 elements or five phases theory which is based on the 5 elements, wood, fire, earth, metal and water. Although this theory was easy to explain it is very complex and is still used today as a basis for differentiation and treatment or healing.

Yin and yang are present in all life and are so interconnected and related that one cannot survive without the other. They are constantly changing and reflecting the complex patterns that can occur in the body at any given time. The ancient Chinese believe that the key to mastering health is to regulate the yin and yang of the body.

This was done by careful observation and knowledge of qi, blood and jin ye (body fluids). Qi is known today as energy but actually means manifested life force energy as given from the heaven and the earth. There are many types of qi in the body and a disruption can cause a disharmony changing the careful balance of yin and yang.

Everything is related and is based on the free flow of qi. If you have a blockage then disharmony will exist, remove the blockage and then balance will return.

There is a saying in Chinese medicine that “qi is the mother of blood and blood is the mother of qi” this statement illustrates the complexities and simplicity of the healing art. What does that mean? It means they are interdependent and inseparable.

Although Chinese medicine can be very effective it is important to address what the body is presenting by paying close attention to the signs and symptoms When you or your animal companion go to see a Chinese practitioner or doctor she will take your pulses, observe your tongue and classify yin and yang signs and symptoms. The six external pathogens start with the big brother wind, he can bring cold, summer heat, dryness, dampness or fire.

She will carefully ask you about the seven emotions that are related to the organs.

Further investigation will reveal the three treasures: essence, qi and shen (spirit). Together these qualities reflect the health, strength, happiness and mental qualities of clarity and stability. Good health is dependent on this harmonious balance and interaction. One of the first things your Dr. will notice is the quality of your shen. It is said that the shen lives in the mind but will shows its sparkle. The importance of the health of the body mind and spirit are valued.

If there is a collapse or complete separation of yin and yang then the jing or essence and the shen (spirit) will also leave each other. If they cannot live harmoniously the death will occur. I have heard people say that they have no yin or qi and of course that is impossible. This quality is reflected in the 8 principles and would be called a yin or qi deficiency.

The eight principles are used to understand the nature of the disharmony, they will not all be seen together or even be involved.

It is not unusual for an older dog or person to exhibit qi deficiency or kidney yin deficiency. The Dr. may want to nourish kidney yin and tonify qi using acupuncture and herbs or a different treatment method.

The internal organ concept is complex and as we have seen can involve emotions, tissues, sense organs and more according to this Five Element Chart. It is important to note that this does not necessarily refer to the actual organ but to the organ system and how it works. We will learn more about the organs and how they relate to the meridians or channels later.

Western medicine as we know it today trends to focus on the treatment of symptoms (biao) where TCM is root (bao) based on will go the source cause of the disharmony or disease. Western medicine is more useful for first aid and surgery while Chinese medicine may bring longer lasting results with chronic or multi layered conditions. Acupuncture is proven to be very effective for not only pain but for many conditions according to the WHO ( World Heath Organization).

It is much easier to maintain the balance than to try and bring balance back to a body with a multi layered illness. Chinese medicine and acupuncture is all about balance, in the home, in health and in life. People are now taking an active role in the preventative care and maintenance with not only their own health but in their animals as well.

Living a balanced life brings good health and harmony.

Living a life of moderation is key to keeping this equation.

We have seen how TCM seeks to obtain balance but how do we achieve that? Well, it is not a mystery, it is a mastery! A mastery of one’s self and all the theories. When we live a balanced life we affect everything in it. We have become the one that can affect the whole. Sometimes it is as simple as making changes to your diet, eating steamed vegetables and nourishing yin foods. Learning to express grief or anger so it does not collect and injure the channels.

* * * * *

Susan Pipes from AnimalSpiritCommunication.com offers guided intuitive animal communication, long distance Reiki, and focused energy healing. She also shares personal messages that your animal friend may have for you regarding personal growth and the reason for your journey together. She is a Traditional Chinese Medicine Practitioner and Reiki Master offering energetic healing for body mind and soul. Contact Susan at susanpipes@gmail.com or visit her website http://www.animalspiritcommunication.com.

 

Shamanic Transformation

 

EVERYDAY SHAPESHIFTING

by Sarah Sloboda

From time to time, I will feature guest bloggers who can add to the positive perspective and spiritual upliftment that my blog is intended to communicate.  Today’s guest blogger is Sarah Sloboda.  Sarah is the founder of The University of Sarah with a degree from The Art School of Optimism.  Her blog, entitled, “Everyday Shapeshifting,” is a true experience from her own life.  Here is Sarah’s story.

 

            “Hello, Joe?” I said, quietly into the phone.

            “Yes?”

            “It’s Sarah Sloboda.  I think I need to come in for a follow-up session.”

            “Sure, Sarah.  What’s going on?”

            “I quit my job.”

            “Come in tomorrow,” Joe said.

            Joe Monkman {http://earthspiritworks.com/} is a spiritual healer trained in the shamanic traditions of Peru.  Two weeks before this dialogue, I had met Joe for the first time – feeling sullen, depressed, disempowered in my workplace, and suffering from a stress-related stomach ulcer.  Although drawn to his work through a book I read on shamanism called, Soul Retrieval, I was extremely reluctant to believe that his drumming and waving his feather around my body was going to change anything for me, or my career.

            Miraculously, my disbelief was suspended after my first session with Joe.

           “Breathe in your nose, and out your mouth,” Joe instructed me, as I lay on the massage table in his Manhattan office.

            Quite frankly, I didn’t do much else.  I closed my eyes tightly, and listened while Joe drummed methodically, creating a feeling in the room that was deeply soothing, yet unfamiliar to me at a time when rushing to meetings from coast to coast with little to no sleep was a rhythm to which I had grown quite miserably accustomed.  According to what I’ve read on the subject, Joe was interacting with a non-visible part of reality on my behalf, to balance the energy I was carrying in my body.

            I told Joe about the struggles of my life, emotionally tied to the path my career had taken, and how I felt strong pangs of discontent, despite having achieved what I had said I had been wanting for years – a job in the prestigious world of television.  My life had been turned upside down after a perspective-changing car accident, and although I had tried to pursue the path that film school had sent me upon, some part of me was no longer present, and neither my medical doctors nor my shrink had been able to help me locate it.

            For Joe, however, this was common, everyday work.  A shaman’s purpose in ancient tribes was to help restore a person’s essence, in order to keep them whole, despite the traumas of everyday life.  Joe’s intention with me was to help create a space where the real me could shine through.

            When I walked out of his office, I found myself making eye contact with strangers on the street.  I felt open.  I was seeing through my own eyes for the first time in a long time.  Within two weeks, I could no longer tolerate my job.  I felt pangs of anguish, knowing that there were other ambitious souls who would love to hold my position, while I was resenting it, and longing for a place to express my creative voice.

            I sat in a bathroom stall, struggling to gain control of my emotions for 20 minutes before walking into my boss’s office and giving notice.  Part of me was just beginning to gain enough strength to represent myself honestly, although I don’t know how I spoke to my boss at that time without fainting.

            I called Joe, and told him what had happened.  I had no plan.  Just a general knowing that my creative sense, and my experience as a visual artist and photographer was enough to take me forward.  With Joe’s encouragement, I was able to begin to make my life reflect what was more authentically me, and I began to see my entire life take on a new shape.

            Within two months, I had booked my first big job as a full-time photographer – a wedding in Malibu – and had arranged with the bride who was a graphic designer to brand and launch my new photography company {http://www.sarahsloboda.com}.  My photography business thrived the very first year of its existence, and garnered worldwide acclaim for the work I did with children and weddings.

            Now operating from a place of near-constant evolution, I have re-branded as Sarah Sloboda: Photographer, Optimist.  It is my personal mission to provide millions of people with photographic evidence of their lives working beautifully.  I am also a consultant – working creatively to inspire and motivate other artists and business owners who are blocked, stuck, or otherwise need a brainstorm boost.

            Following the path to authenticity that Joe helped me to open, my career now has one clear premise – to make sure that the trajectory of my personal growth is reflected in the work I am doing in the world, so that others can benefit from my experience. 

(Follow this trajectory at University of Sarah: The Art School of Optimism, http://universityofsarah.blogspot.com.)