Seasonal Reflections: A Blessed Imbolc

Early next month sees Imbolc, the fire festival which, although still deep in Winter, brings with it hope of the brighter seasons to come.

Here in Monchique, we haven’t seen snow or freezing temperatures (although there’s been quite a lot of fog). The Winter has been lush, green, damp and fruitful. But still, we’ve been through a seasonal waning of the year, as well as some dark days personally, and I’ll be pleased to celebrate the coming Spring.

This is the time when we clean out the cobwebs (time for a spring cleaning), and also the time when we nourish and pay attention to those seeds which have been buried all Winter and which may be ready to start sprouting soon. For me this is a time to pay attention not only to Nature but to the younger members of the family, making sure that they have the right conditions to grow. It’s also a time to discover or rediscover creative projects and see what they might grow into this coming year.

In this spirit, I am pleased to share with you a guided meditation which I became inspired to create this week, and which I hope inspires you with your own creativity: The Seed.

I’d also like to share a suggestion to aid in connection with your kids – a kind of active visualisation, if you like, for parents of young kids, to do whenever you’re having a quiet time together, maybe at bedtime or in front of the TV: umbilical breathing.

Umbilical breathing comes in two parts. First, you tune into your little one’s breathing. Notice when they inhale and exhale, and gradually allow your breathing to match theirs. Let this occur over several rounds of breath, so as not to be forcing your own breathing too much.

As you continue to breath in tandem with your child, imagine that there is an umbilical cord linking your bellybutton with theirs. We focus on the bellybutton because this is the area of an important energy centre, the Tan Den. Now, as you breathe in, imagine that they are sending some of the joy, wonder and ease which young children naturally feel to you. Picture or feel it dissipating throughout your body. And as you breathe out, imagine that you are reflecting that back to them, along with the love, nurture and care which you naturally feel for your little one. Continue this for as long as you like.

I hope you have enjoyed these two techniques, and if you would like to know more about me and what I do, please visit the Vibrant Self Healing website.

NLP as a Spiritual Practice

I sometimes find, in conversation with other healers – wonderful people, with great energy, and clearly defined spiritual paths – that I feel, unfortunately, as if I am having to defend NLP, and my use of NLP in my own healing practice. The thinking seems to be “NLP is a psychological approach which has been used in business and marketing, therefore it cannot fit with my spiritual path”. I notice the frowns of disapproval when I talk about NLP techniques, the rejection of this psychological business which they don’t understand.

I want to make it absolutely clear here that I am not trying to malign anybody else’s path. Nobody has to embrace NLP – or anything else – if it is not right for them. But here’s why I think that these super-spiritual beings should at least give it a chance before they reject it.

Firstly, to acknowledge the very valid points. Yes, NLP is a psychological approach. This does not make it different from approaches of the spirit – indeed, our word psyche has roots in ancient Greek and translates literally as soul. It’s merely a different approach to the soul from those like Reiki and meditation (which I love). And yes, NLP has been used in business, and in advertising, and sometimes with very poor ethics. It has earned its poor reputation – or should I say, the people who used it unethically have earned their poor reputation. Because NLP in itself is neither good nor bad. NLP is a tool.

Language is another tool. Yet I’ve yet to meet anybody who has said to me, “I won’t consider using language because it has been used for purposes which I don’t agree with.” Indeed, they’d have to use language of some sort to convey this message to me. NLP is the same. It would be utterly ridiculous to reject it outright, without gaining an understanding of what it is, how to use it. Indeed, learning how people think can be the most insightful thing you ever do.

Some of the more trancelike techniques in NLP have worked beautifully alongside Reiki to help my clients to gain insight and understanding, and make the changes which they need. My clients, whoever they are, and whatever their circumstances, invariably come to me in search of support and a good listening to. NLP has given me the tools to provide this. Using NLP principles and techniques, I have also developed my Pain Management strategy. NLP has made me a healer.

And NLP has made a big difference on my own spiritual path. It has enabled me to question and change the thought patterns which often come with energetic and emotional blockages, to think clearly about my purpose in life, and to make the changes I need to. NLP has helped me enormously in my own journey. And I use it, with conscious intent, to heal and empower others. I understand what I’m doing and why I’m doing it. I use it alongside other, more spiritual (according to whom?) approaches such as meditation and Reiki. And because I approach it from my spirit, in Spirit, with a spirit of integrity, it is for me a spiritual practice, as much as my Reiki, my meditation, my writing and my cooking is.

I have also liberally flavoured my new book, Living the Reiki Precepts, with NLP techniques. The Reiki precepts are an integral part of Reiki:

today only

do not anger

do not worry

be grateful

be diligent

be compassionate

When I learned Reiki I wanted to learn how to do these things. A lot of them I am still working on (that’s what life is for!), and with a lot of them, I had a lot of success by using NLP as a tool to help me to integrate them into my being.

So those are some of the reasons why NLP, for me, is a spiritual practice.

10 Tips to Boost your Energy Levels

Since I started working with energy, by far the most frequent question I’m asked is is there something I can do to keep my energy levels up? I’ve been asked this by people going through intensive training, new mothers, and many people from all walks of life. It’s something that I struggled with myself for a long time, and still do if I don’t follow my own advice. But yes, there are things you can do to boost your energy, and, often, you do need to make real changes if you want to keep that energy up there.

5 In-The-Moment Energy Boosters

1. Have an energy-boosting snack. A smoothie will absorb quickly and send you the nutrients you need to carry on with your day. Use whatever fruits are seasonal/your favourites, try using avocado instead of yoghurt, and always include something like oats for the slow-release factor. When you know you’ll need something ready-made, try carrying snacks such as oatcakes and hummus, or peanut butter, for a balanced boost.

2. Meditate. Whenever you can get yourself a break, take a few minutes out to meditate. It might not sound immediately appealing, but it can be one of the most refreshing things you can do. Try my Energies Healing Meditation for Ankapati, available on this page.

3. Legs up the wall. This is a simple yoga pose and works by reversing the flow of your energy, so that everything that’s been headed down comes back up. It takes the pressure off your feet for a moment and sends the signal to your brain that it’s time to restore yourself. You can find a good explanation of it here.

4. Dance. Put on your favourite tune and let yourself move to it. As soon as you get that rhythm on and let your body move, the energy will start to flow once again.

5. Nap. If you’re genuinely knackered, then your body probably needs a rest. If you can possibly find even ten minutes to lie down and get some shut-eye, your body will thank you for it. As will everyone else around you!

Creating Energy through your Lifestyle

Although the above mentioned do work, they’re only really temporary fixes. If you find yourself consistently flagging, it’s because you’re expending more energy than you’re gaining. The obvious thing to do is to balance this out – decrease your output and increase your input. Here’s how.

1. Re-evaluate. Is everything you ‘have to’, ‘need to’, ‘must’ do entirely necessary? Ask yourself why you are doing it. Yes, basic needs such as food and shelter are important, and no, things you do because you’re worried about what someone might think aren’t. At the end of the day, if you’re doing too much, you need to drop something. Ask for help and support with the important stuff if you need it.

2. Balance your blood sugar. Much of the food available these days is highly processed and loaded with far more sugar than the human body is designed to take. Yes, your organs can process it, but in order to do this they need to use up a lot of that energy. In addition, when you consume any amount of sugar, a hormone called insulin is released to control it. Unfortunately, when releasing the insulin, your body overcompensates in the amount. That’s why we often have a slump soon after eating a sugary snack. Try cutting out all processed sugar for a month, and notice the differences in your energy levels.

3. Meditate. Yep, I know I already said this one, but meditation has long-term benefits as well as short-term. People who meditate regularly often report a greater sense of wellbeing – including in energy levels.

4. Sleep well. Whatever you’ve been doing all day, your body needs time to recharge. Try taking yourself to bed an hour earlier for the rest you need. Help yourself feel the benefit by making your bedroom a pleasant and relaxing place to be – lovely aromas such as lavender and chamomile can help with this.

5. Exercise. Small amounts of regular exercise can really help to build your stamina. Of course, use common sense and do only what you’re capable of – for someone recovering from chronic and acute illness, simply rotating the wrists and ankles might be plenty, whereas someone who’s a little fitter can do a lot more. Start slowly and always listen to the feedback your body gives you.

Complimentary therapies, such as Reiki, help to aid in relaxation and increase general wellbeing, which can also help those who are feeling a bit run down. If you’d like a consultation to help with your energy levels, you can contact me here.