Tuesday, June 17, 2008

Power Living Update - 6 weeks later

The 6-week Power Living(TM) program at BodyTech (described in my post on May 10, 2008) wrapped up last Saturday. At the final meeting members of the group shared their reflections on progress, areas of difficulty, and especially, their Wellness Plan for the next 3 months. Some themes emerged:

  • everyone appreciated and directly benefited from the information imparted through the program;
  • everyone made progress toward significant change to improve their own well-being;
  • even with different areas of strength and weakness, and varying challenges, everyone benefited from Power Living's holistic approach to learning about change in all areas (food, fitness, thinking).
  • everyone experienced slumps, and found the group meetings very helpful for re-energizing.
The main message of the final session was that slumps are inevitable, and the key to long term success is to continually revisit one's original vision, motivation, and commitment, to learn from experience, and to revise and recommit to your Wellness Plan as necessary.

Some examples of lessons learned:
"I need to make getting to bed by 9 p.m. an absolute priority. Otherwise I'm too tired the next day and everything goes haywire."

"I did great with the nutrition and exercise, but I need to incorporate more stress-relieving activities. I'm going to plan in regular massage."

"I need to be diligent with my journaling, to keep myself accountable."

"I need to plan my meals, prepare ahead, and have food with me at work to avoid going off-track."

"I need to continue to make myself my priority. I know I have to get my workout in first thing in the morning to make sure it happens - and I always feel so much better."

"If I go over a certain weight, I need to go back to the mini-cleanse guidelines for a while."

Personally, I am delighted to have gotten into the healthy habit of walking at least 30 minutes most days. Now I miss it if I don't go, and sometimes I can't wait to get out there to clear my head or listen to my I-Pod. I love this personal inspirational and cleansing time. I also benefited tremendously from the two sessions with the personal trainer to learn about resistance training to build strength. This is still my biggest challenge, but I'm getting my mind around it and have at least begun some resistance work. I've also continued to eat very lean - mostly protein and fiber, very little sugar, dairy or "starchy" carbs. And I only have coffee once a week as a treat on Sundays.

My goal was not weight loss, but I have lost a few pounds. More striking for me, though, is the transformation I feel in the composition of my body from flabby and weak to at least a little more solid and toned. And it's not any one thing - it's all of it working together. It's the coolest thing! And, even a little success breeds more success.

The next Power Living(TM) program will be offered in September. Needless to say, I highly recommend it! Please let me know if you'd like more information or are interested in participating in this life-changing program.




Thursday, June 5, 2008

Connecting with Ascended Masters and Angels - the Lightarian Way

Have you ever been curious about connecting to Angelic beings or Ascended Masters? Have you heard others speak of their experiences and wondered what this kind of energy experience is like?

I am delighted to say that I am now offering
two sets of energetic attunements brought forward by the Lightarian Institute for Global Human Transformation. These attunements, called Lightarian Rays(TM) and Lightarian AngelLinks(TM), are simple but powerful guided meditation/energy sessions for the purpose of connecting with specific Ascended Masters and Archangels. As described on the Lightarian Institute's website, these sessions are:

“celestially-inspired, channeled attunements designed to support the spiritual transformation that is taking place on Earth at this time. Steadily over time, these energetic attunements with the Masters and Angels will provide you with the most extraordinary enhancement and acceleration of your personal healing and spiritual development. Teachers, students and clients all over the world describe them as amazing and life changing.”

The series of Lightarian Rays(TM) includes attuning to 6 Light Ray energies:

* Empowerment Ray - Ascended Master Maitreya

* Clearing Ray - Ascended Master El Morya

* Healing Ray - Ascended Master Buddha

* Activation Ray - Ascended Master Sananda

* Manifestation Ray - Ascended Master Saint Germaine

* Source Ray - Source Energy


The series of Lightarian AngelLinks(TM) includes connecting to 5 Angelic energies:


* Seraph Rose Aura - unconditional love

* Archangel Michael - love, non-judgment, etheric interaction

* Archangel Gabriel - angelic joy, improved communications

* Archangel Raphael - courage, lighting the way, balance

* Archangel Uriel - beauty, creative expression


If you've ever felt drawn to the Angelic realms or to any Ascended Masters, or if you've just been curious, these gentle but lovely sessions provide a readily accessible way to experience a direct and permanent connection with beings "beyond the veil" while simultaneously raising your own vibration. For more information, see
Lightwork on my website.

Why Aren't We All Tapping?

Some time ago, I became aware of something called the Emotional Freedom Technique or EFT. This technique is a self-help tool for unblocking stuck emotions that keep us trapped in unhealthy patterns of thought and behavior. It involves tapping on specific energy meridian points on the body in a specific sequence while actively thinking about the problem or stuck emotion. It is simple to learn, simple to do, and by all accounts delivers not just rapid, not just effective, but positively miraculous results. From huge traumas to chronic stressors, EFT slays one after another emotional dragon. I wonder to myself, why in the world aren't we all tapping on a regular basis?? Why isn't tapping a household word (concept)?

EFT is one of several "tapping" techniques that have grown out of something called Thought Field Therapy, a subset of the broader field of Energy Psychology. In their book Instant Emotional Healing: Acupressure for the Emotions, George J. Pratt, Ph.D., and Peter T. Lambrou, Ph.D., describe these techniques as being:

"at the leading edge of a whole new approach to healing that combines elements of cognitive therapy with the latest thinking in everything from the mind/body connection, to subtle energy theories, electromagnetism, polarity, neuropeptide chains, acupuncture, and quantum physics."

While the specific mechanisms that make tapping work are not definitively understood, as Pratt and Lambrou point out, "It is not necessary [to] fully understand or believe in the theoretical foundation of Emotional Self Management (ESM) [their particular version]. The techniques will work whether you believe in them or not. You do not have to understand radio waves to listen to an FM radio station." Pratt and Lambrou go on to say that they themselves, as conventionally trained psychologists, continue to be amazed at the power of these techniques, stating that in their nearly 40 years of combined clinical experience, nothing has ever produced the same "immediate and powerful results."

For quite a while I was resistant to believing that EFT could possibly be as amazing as it sounded. However, as evidence of its effectiveness continued to cross my radar screen, I realized it was definitely time to let go of outdated beliefs and give it a try. I have since learned the basic technique by watching the introductory instructional videos offered by EFT developer Gary Craig; I have read Instant Emotional Healing referenced above, a self-help manual which also provides great background and context; and I have had several sessions with accomplished EFT practitioners. I highly recommend this readily accessible emotional power tool.

For an overview of the technique, see the video clip at Gary Craig's website, www.emofree.com, as well as a wonderful new youtube video called "An EFT Documentary: Try It On Everything." I'm considering offering a "Learn to Tap" workshop based on the Instant Emotional Healing book. Please comment back if you'd be interested in giving it a try!