I started oil pulling at the end of March, 2014. My 16-fluid ounce jar of coconut oil lasted through about three months of daily 15-20 minute swooshing practices, and joining forces with Coconut. Here's my story: In those three months, I only missed one morning. About three weeks into the experiment, we went camping and I forgot to pack the jar of coconut oil. Following that lapse, I realized that "something" was happening as a result of the oil pulling. The more I sat with the feeling, the more I felt inspired to write this blog post. It began as an experiment. I'm a scientist at heart, and the notion of swishing coconut oil around in my mouth to whiten my teeth, first and foremost, was intriguing. I started to do more research, and found that a lot of "pullers" experience digestive benefits, too. I love that! Next, came the information on plant spirit shamanism, and the literal joining of forces/focus to create/inspire the manifestation of the greatest good. Coconut Power to the rescue! YAY!!!
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http://www.pantene.com/en-us/pantenebeautifullengths/details/beautiful-lengths-make-the-cut.aspx With Love and Gratitude! Amy Recently, we were talking with a client about the various self-help posts on our blog. We were sitting in our office, following a session, and she motioned to the animal Safety Energy Lock charts on the wall. "Do you have these posted on your blog?" she asked. We do now! (Thanks again for the suggestion! -you know who you are) As you can see, Jin Shin Jyutsu is not just for people. It's been proven effective time and again for our animal companions, as well. I suggest feeding and walking/playing first, so they can be relaxed and focused during your time together. Maybe start a tradition; making it a part of the daily routine will allow them to anticipate this treat like they anticipate walk time, or meal time. If you have multiple pets in the house, you might notice that they all want a piece of the action. As long as it doesn't interfere with the connection between you and the "primary recipient", the more the merrier! Before practicing Jin Shin Jyutsu with your pet, however, I highly recommend practicing on yourself first. Go to one of our previous blog posts from 03-13, 03-28, or 04-08 to learn how to recharge yourself prior to offering this love to your furry friend. Recently, I found myself having to bear fair witness against myself. I believe there might be as many different paths to Truth as there are beings in existence. Yet, I watch myself working to convince people that "my" way is the "best" way. Interesting and ironic, as I don't care for that characteristic in others. When I step back and observe myself, and the quality of my interactions, I'm painfully aware of how lost I can get in my own agendas, my own passions. So, how do I share this love without shoving it down people's throats? The solution appears to go against everything we've been taught: less is more. Lately, this concept has been popping up in my life repeatedly; advising me to sit back, open up to the experience, and when it's right, it will all come together. This will happen whether I fuss about it or not. Change is the only constant in this life. When we least expect it, the path reveals itself. The less effort we exert, the more awareness we have. This is what Eckhart Tolle is referring to as "The Power of Now". Fostering a clear and strong connection to each Now moment reduces the mental chatter, and the influence of the ego. The easiest way to tune in to this juicy Now energy is through our Breath (it's a gift, a present to keep us in the present). Take it to the next level with Viparita Karani, or "Legs-Up-the-Wall" pose. Also referred to as the "Fountain of Youth", this pose teaches us that positive results can come from doing less, not more. Our bodies are tools, and are continuously adapting to how we use or abuse them over time. When we practice legs-up-the-wall daily for at least 5 minutes, we're sharpening those tools; learning to be receptive, to let go, and to be fully present in the Now. The physical body is reflecting the past. The subtle, or energy body, is speaking to the Now. What we are seeing in the mirror is not current. The changes that will manifest in the physical form are already happening at the level of our thoughts, our energy patterns, our non-tangible and invisible self. When we tune in to our Breath while in this position, we are resetting the body's clock, realigning with our perfect blueprint, and returning to a state of balance, neutrality. The goal is lifting the hips and adrenals higher than the heart, while keeping the heart higher than the head; creating a sort of energy waterfall. The benefits are abounding: boosts the libido, energy levels, digestion, adrenal functions, circulatory system, and mood. Helps with insomnia, tight hips and hamstrings, varicose veins, wrinkles, leg cramps, anxiety, jet lag, and calming the nervous system. Aides in stopping colds before they set in. Heightens self-awareness, bringing in more peace and serenity. Great for relieving lower back pain and headache discomfort. Many believe this is the most therapeutic of all yoga poses. There is no warm-up for Viparita Karani. Simply relax, while slowing your breathing down. Closing the eyes may help, too. This is supposed to feel good! If it doesn't, using pillows, blankets, or other props can help with being more fully relaxed, and reaping the rewards of this extra special treat for the body/mind/spirit. Challenge: Find someplace with uninterrupted quiet and a bit of wall space to practice Viparita Karani. Ideally, aim for at least once a day for 5-20 minutes at a time. Continuing with the schedule for a minimum of three weeks, make sure to note any changes in personal constitution during this period. Write them down, if you are so inclined. And, just like taking antibiotics, make sure the practice doesn't stop when you start feeling better. Practice is cumulative, so keep it up! The more you do it, the better you'll feel! *Please consult your physician or care provider prior to practicing if you have any eye disorders and/or serious neck/back injuries.* "Water really is the genesis ingredient for all life at all levels - water is so fundamental to everything involved in creating, reproducing, and sustaining life that it is possible to imagine that God created water, and let water do the work to create life." Charles Fishman, The Big Thirst, p. 44 With the influences of the Grand Cardinal Cross in full effect, Tait and I decided it was a great time to ground ourselves in the juiciness of Mother Earth, and prepare for the inevitable changes coming our way. The deep healing processes associated with water in its various states are numerous. Top these touchy-feely experiences off with a good old scientific film about this amazing element, and you have yourself a well-rounded foundation for contemplation and expansion.
AMAZING!!! The subtle, and delicately strong details in the fabric of life are what make it so impressive. When's the last time you created oxygen? Or made a blade of grass? What about an entire field of flowers? Perfect. Language is amazing! The language of the hands predates spoken languages. According to ancient records that remain in the Archive of the Imperial Palace of Japan, Jin Shin Jyutsu was widely known before the birth of Guatama (Buddha, in India), the birth of Moses (recorded in the Bible), and the Kojiki (Record of Ancient Things; Japan A.D. 712). Jin Shin Jyutsu (pronounced: gin shin jit zoo) is an ancient Japanese Art, as opposed to a technique, that practices this language of the hands. A technique is a mechanical application of a skill. An art is a unique, skillful creation intrinsically connected to bliss. We use our hands to creatively communicate this bliss with our bodies, engaging the energy from the eternal Source of Life. There are 17,000 tactile receptors in the hand, and about 4,000 nerve endings at the tips of our fingers. These densely bundled groups of nerve endings connect with our energy pathways of our organs, influencing them and causing them to be relaxed, stimulated, or harmonized. This communication creates a tangible map of our subtle energy functions. When we are practicing mudras, stretching, crossing, curling, and touching fingers and palms, we are communicating with the body. The hands act as "jumper cables", energizing the body's drained battery; stimulating our awareness and understanding of "Now Know Myself". This brings the physical, mental, emotional, and subtle bodies back to their neutral, or balanced, state; reflecting the perfect blueprint once again. There are several energy pathways (rivers) that feed/bring life and light to all of our cells. When one or more of these rivers gets jammed up, it may lead to discomfort or pain. This blockage will not only disrupt the local area, but if left without attention, can eventually lead to other disharmonies along the path of the energy flow. Our energy rivers are just that; they are not enclosed in tubes, or shafts. Thus, when there is a back-up, there may also be over-flow. Imagine a river flooding. The river itself is not bad, but the extra water going where it isn't meant to be can create a lot of interesting projects. By connecting to Source via our Breath, this energy can be channeled back into it's optimal flow pattern, relieving stress through out the entire system. Practicing these mudras a little bit every day is easy. The results will speak for themselves. Surrender to the process. Breath. Smile. Be. Thanks for being you! Jin Shin Jyutsu is a holistic approach to wellness. It is a subtle art that harmonizes the Physical, Mental, and Spiritual energies of our beings. All of our life projects, whether they be physical, mental, or spiritual, begin on the etheric plane. That is to say that before a project manifests physically, or emotionally, it begins as a disharmony in our subtle energy fields. We can begin harmonizing these energies quite simply by holding our fingers, and breathing nice deep breaths. Each of our digits has correlations to specific emotions, physical senses, organ functions, elements, and colors to name a few. To balance our subtle energies, we can hold the finger that corresponds to the project we are working on. This subtle energy work is cumulative, and can be thought of as maintenance on our intricate systems. So the more we practice, the more efficiently our systems will function. * By the Way..........this is a great way to go to sleep, or get back to sleep after waking * Thank you for caring about yourself!We are always interested to hear how these practices are working for you. If you care to share your story, contact us at exquisitehealing@gmail.com.
Come back soon! Peace, Love, & Light! This past weekend, Tait and I hiked up Spencer Butte. On our way back down, we encountered this woodpecker a mere 2 feet from the path, getting his grub on. This was the second time, over the course of 24 hours, that Woodpecker crossed our path (the first was at our house that morning). When our attention is drawn in an interesting way to our animal friends, it's up to us to listen and interpret the messages and guidance being shared with us. One of my favorite sites for researching the metaphysical properties of our relationships with animals is "Spirit Animal Totems and the messages they bring you". Essentially, this is what they had to say about our visitor: "If Woodpecker has come knocking… It is time to really pay attention because opportunity has come knocking along with it. It is signaling you that great changes are happening in your life and it is up to you to seize the moment. Whether it is the renewal of an old project, the finishing of a new project or simply a serendipitous meeting with someone in your life. Whatever way you perceive it know that the door is wide open for you right now and that success is yours for the asking." This sounds fabulous! I'm ready. I'm IN! I am walking through that door! Yee-Haw!!! We also had the honor of eating our lunch at the top of Spencer Butte with this amazing hawk. (That's Eugene in the background.) It sat there on the branch through our entire lunch. Just as we stood up, it dove straight toward the ground to snatch up it's abundance. I went back to my trusty Spirit Animal Totems website for the scoop, and this is what I found: "If Hawk has flown into your life... Be aware that there is a message to be received and interpreted. Hawk holds the key to higher consciousness and trying to bring certain things into your circle of awareness. Know that enlightenment is imminent. Hawk often represents the ability to see meaning in ordinary experiences if you choose to become more observant. Many of the messages Hawk brings you are about freeing yourself of thoughts and beliefs that are limiting your ability to soar above your life and gain a greater perspective. It is this ability to soar high above to catch a glimpse of the bigger picture that will allow you to survive and flourish." Yep, that sounds about right. Now the trick is to apply these messages in fruitful and tangible ways. By reading about these powerful allies, and integrating their teachings into our lives, we are honoring their purpose for being. I'm super grateful for this opportunity to connect, and I surrender to this practice. Thanks everybody for being a part of this!
This super easy meditation can take as little as 10 minutes! By doing this everyday (for up to an hour each day) we are reconnecting with our Breath, our inheritance, our birth-right: Divine inspiration, joy, health, and abundance for all beings everywhere! We welcome your feedback. Thanks for stopping by, folks! |
Amy A Ehn &
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