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Beyond Covid: A Chance for Spiritual Renewal, New Identities & Rebirth

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Beyond Covid: A Chance for Spiritual Renewal, New Identities & Rebirth

When the earth is sick, sickness spreads in ways that affect people. In this case, we have been treating Mother Earth poorly for so long, She is acting out our own projections, abuse, and anger. Covid-19 is exactly that.

The coronavirus has been around for a long while now. It’s had an indelible impact on our lives and world. This pandemic sent friends and family members to the hospital at record numbers. However, as with every other terrible event or situation, humanity will pick up the pieces and emerge ready for change.

What will most likely not change very much is how we abuse the planet. Sadly, most Republican and right-wing conservatives, and their counterpart governments, might have a wonderful handle on fiscal responsibility and infrastructure management, but they do not understand emotions, love, and how connected we are to all of the elements, planets, bugs, bunnies, each other – and the myriad of etherial realms. C’est la vie!

In the meantime, you can love yourself by loving the planet.

You can love others by first loving yourself.

And you can effect changes that improve your life, attitude, perspective, and conditions.

Are you ready for that life-changing transformation?

If the planet has left you isolated or emotionally and spiritually strung out, you can choose to pursue peace and balance.  

Declare this out loud: It’s time for me to have a lovely spiritual renewal. It’s time for me to accept, own, and celebrate my life. I will make changes and invite new light and love into my life!

It’s now time to reflect on yourself, form new habits, and adopt your most core nature as your primary identity. LET’S DO THIS!

COVID: The Affect on Our Spirit

The coronavirus is certainly a physical ailment, but the effects reverberate beyond just the physical body.

For many of us, this was our first experience with a widespread infectious disease – one that claimed hundreds of thousands of lives. Amid all this, we’ve all had no firm reassurances from the medical community on the illness or treatments.

Some of us took the vaccine and it harmed our health. Others ignored protocol and were selfish – and chose to avoid the vaccine – becoming harmful petri dishes that put everyone else’s lives in jeopardy. 

While governments and health organizations were rightfully keeping an eye on the numbers of infections, hospitalizations, and casualties, much fewer eyes were on the numbers of mental ailments resulting from the stress, uncertainty, and isolation. 

Statistics have revealed increased drug use, suicide rate, and other concerning issues surrounding wellness.

Thoughts of suicide and symptoms of anxiety and depression were on the rise, especially among health care workers.

The Kaiser Family Foundation reported global adverse mental health effects such as disturbed sleep, abnormal eating behavior, worsening chronic illnesses, and increased alcohol consumption. With an already worrying mental health crisis sweeping the world, COVID-19 was the last straw for many still struggling to function in their daily lives.

Luckily all of these things are improving! 

Spiritual and emotional ailments are a reality, pandemic or not. COVID-19 created an opportunity for us to open our eyes to the severity of the crisis and the lack of connection within ourselves.

As we all stood still amid lockdowns that kept us frozen in our homes, we were suddenly forced to reassess the states of our minds and spirits without the distractions of our regular routines.

The pandemic will always be an event we remember as one of the lowest points for our planet, but we can look forward in a positive light.

Beyond Covid, we have a chance to be reborn. We can reinvent ourselves, explore new identities, and heal our spirits.

An Opportunity for Spiritual Renewal

In every dark and low moment of our lives, we have a choice. We can wallow in the pain and find comfort in unhealthy habits, or we can seek transformational experiences big and small that will help us cope and climb out of the darkness.

These transformational experiences will be different for everyone. 

For many, prayers, routines, and rituals are helpful ways to re-establish our balance and peace. If you love rituals, check out my Free Resources pages. You’ll find ancient ceremonies, lovely prayers, and encouragement that you might find helpful during times of change and transition. You might also consider using my Personality Cards – they’re wonderful for all sorts of rituals. 

Spiritual renewal will come from identifying the negative forces, attitudes, and experiences in our lives and ourselves, then setting goals and courses for change that will help us become reinvigorated, renewed, and reborn. 

Do you allow energy vampires to affect your emotions and your life choices? Have you fallen into an unhealthy habit with drugs or alcohol? Maybe you lack balanced emotions or healthy priorities and need to reassess your journey.

Or, you might be too attached to someone who violates your boundaries, and it’s time to say goodbye and find yourself again.

No matter your concerns and situation, everyone can work on their spiritual renewal to come out on the other side of covid feeling refreshed, transformed, and ready to live life again.

 

Check out my course: FREE YOURSELF. It can help you completely rebirth your life.

 

Taking on a New Identity

Amid a spiritual renewal, we don’t need to change our appearance or behavior inauthentically. Instead, we need to dig deeper within ourselves to find what lives within us. Times like these can inspire us to make a firm commitment to becoming more in line with our authentic Selves. 

You may have recently realized that you’ve never been your true self. Maybe you’ve put on a mask or followed certain socially-acceptable behaviors under the guise of a false identity for a fair portion of your life. Realizing this and committing to a new life with an authentic identity can feel challenging but – on the other side of it – it can be wonderfully freeing.

Following this path requires that we be truly bold and courageous. To find our true Selves and commit to a life of honesty and freedom is the ultimate journey.

A choice like this might require that you try on a few different hats–so to speak–before you find one in which you’re entirely comfortable. Thankfully, there are so many tools and resources out there to help you on your journey.

Looking for a great start to your journey? Find a spiritual Guru to guide you. Throughout humanity’s existence, there have been divine masters who walked among us and changed the way we saw life and the Cosmos. Some have been physical embodiments of the divine forces of the universe, such as the Divine Feminine. Others have been reincarnations of Gods and established new philosophies and faiths.

Finding one or a few that speak to your soul can help you to re-establish spiritual balance and set on a new path to your true self!

You can also choose to establish a routine of prayer, meditation, and other rituals that help you center yourself and reflect on your authentic identity. Setting aside a few minutes a day for reflection and prayer will help you grow your spiritual strength over time and achieve a rebirth!

If your health is failing in some way, explore Ayurvedic Medicine and Traditional Chinese Medicine. Remember that eastern medical ideologies treat the core of diseases and challenges, while western medicine treats the symptoms. Why? Because drug companies are not restricted and their only motivation is profit.

Achieve Rebirth after COVID!

With the guidance of divine masters, spiritual tools such as prayer, and resources like my personality cards, you can set off on the path to a spiritual rebirth! And check out my Free Yourself course – it’s life-changing!

The most important thing you can do is to stay committed to your journey and be true to yourself.

Spiritual renewal and finding your core identity are not easy, and it can take inordinate amounts of time, all depending on your unique situation and spiritual state. Still, for authentic freedom and happiness, the pursuit is a vital one!

In all things astrological and spiritual, please realize that these aspects are only suggestions to help ease some stress. You are far more powerful than you realize.

The blueprints that astrology, white magic, and other spiritual forces and practices suggest are not hard and fast rules. It might also be that you have other influences in your life that might greatly enhance your ability to receive what you desire.

It is also probably that your spirit is more powerful and vibrant than any numerological or astrological reading.

To improve your vibration, luck, and happiness, spend time chanting Sanskrit mantras and love-filled sutras. Access and strengthen your chakras through pranic breathing and yoga. To achieve balance and fully allow energy to flow within you, pray for others. When we do this, the Universe prays for us.

REMEMBER! YOU ARE LOVE!

You are a beautiful Living Being filled with light and love, born from stardust. You are unlimited potential in every direction. With a focus on discipline, virtue, and your own goodness, you can become as expanded and liberated as you desire. 

Pray for others and the Universe prays for us. 

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The Life Of Bees

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The Life Of Bees

I love bees. How about you? Most of them are so cute and remarkable diligent, it would be difficult not to love them.

Bees are the hardest workers on the planet. To eek out a teaspoon of honey, they kill themselves – literally.

Humans have been fascinated by the magic and movements of bees for centuries. These little insects have an incredibly complex social structure in which each individual has a job and works for the good of the whole. Imagine if humanity did this?

From making the delicious honey we so enjoy to caring for the young up-n-coming bees’ lives, these lovely creatures are busy from their first day of life until their last.

What does the life of bees look like on a day-to-day basis?

Read on to learn more about the life cycle of bees, as well as what each member of a colony spends their days doing throughout the year.

All Hail The Queen

The Queen Bee’s life is fairly straightforward – her job is to mate and lay all the eggs that will keep the hive growing and thriving. When she is a larva, she is fed royal jelly by her loyal buzzing servants, which transforms her into a Queen. She is not the only queen growing, however, and whichever Queen hatches first kills all the rest, which solidifies her position on the “Throne.”

Once the Queen is fully mature, she flies away from the hive to mate with drones from other colonies. After a few days of mating mid-air, she returns to her hive and begins laying eggs. She’ll lay as many as 2,000 eggs per day for the rest of her life, never leaving the hive again.

Drones

Drones are the only male bees in the colony, and their entire purpose in life is to mate. High-flying sex is the only thing on their minds. Drones are the male escorts of the bee world.

In most cases, drones do not mate with the Queen of their own hive. Instead, they fly up to an altitude of 200 or 300 feet, a mile or so away from the hive, and they mate with Queens from other colonies. This perform all of their sexy duties mid-air! The reason they do this is to maintain the diversity of the global genetic pools of bees.

Once drones have mated, they return to the hive to be fed by the worker bees. Kinda like gladiators when they return home from a day of battles at the local forum.

Drones do not do any work for the colony beyond mating. The lifespan of a drone bee tends to be somewhere around fifty-five days. As the weather gets colder, drone bees get pushed out of the colony and left to freeze, their life’s purpose accomplished.

Some bees in warmer climates will find ways to survive beyond their usual fifty-five days.

Workers

Worker bees have the most active lives of any in the hive. They perform all of the hive’s non-mating functions, including gathering food, caring for young, defending the hive, and building and repairing the nest. Worker bees’ daily activities vary as they continue through their month-long life cycle.

Worker bees tend to be the smallest of all the bees in the colony, coming in at just under half an inch in size. Drones are a little more than half an inch long, and Queen bees can be just under a full inch in length.

Young Workers

On her first day, a worker bee hatches from her cell, and begins to clean up everything around her. Unused pods need to be cleaned out in order to keep the hive healthy and in good order. She begins cleaning out her cell and then moves onto other cells that may have gathered dirt or other debris throughout the hive.

After that first day or two, a worker becomes a nurse bee, caring for all the developing eggs that the Queen has laid. She produces jelly and feeds the larvae as many as 1,300 meals each day.

As they develop, young worker bees feeds all of the growing eggs her bee bread, made from a mixture of pollen and nectar. On the fifth day of their development, she seals up their cells so they can finish their development.

Middle Aged Workers

After the first week of their lives, worker bees are already considered middle-aged, and they move into a new set of duties. During this next week or two, worker bees may take on a variety of roles within the hive. Oftentimes, they start out as processing workers, taking nectar from foragers and passing it to other worker bees who store it away to become honey.

Middle-aged bees also usually take on the role of hive architects, expanding the hive and repairing any cracks.

These tough old bee-folk make wax and build new cells for honey storage or for larvae to grow in.

These boomer bees may also create the bee bread that feeds young larvae.

Older Workers

Only when workers reach the end stage of their bee life cycle do they begin to leave the hive more regularly. As bees enter their third and fourth weeks of life, they become foragers, flying out from the hive to gather nectar and pollen. As foragers find good spots with plenty of pollen, they alert the other bees in their colony to this spot so they can focus their efforts there.

This is similar to New Yorkers who retire to Miami. Instead of gathering pollen, Florida retirees visit the area malls on little scooters and buy local newspapers and Entenmann’s crumb cake.

As they age, worker bees also help process nectar into honey. They run the warehouse and store the nectar, and they beat their wings to evaporate water from the developing honey. Some older worker bees also help to guard the hive and make sure no bees from other hives sneak in and steal their liquid goals.

The Life of Bees in Spring and Summer

Much like us, bees’ daily activities change with the weather and the turning of the seasons. Spring and summer are the bees’ busiest seasons. This is when they collect bundles of pollen and nectar from blooming flowers. The warmer months are also the safest to move around inside and outside the hive.

During the Spring and Summer, worker bees busily harvest pollen as much as twelve hours a day, as well as store nectar, make honey, repair the hive, and tend larvae. Drones fly out to mate with Queens from other hives, and the impregnated Queen of the hive spends all her time laying eggs.

The Life of Bees in Fall

Once the weather begins to cool down and the autumnal equinox comes around, bees prepare the hive for the long, harsh trek through the freezing months of Winter. Oftentimes, this means ejecting the drones from the hive and leaving them to die. The drones have performed their purpose by this time, and they’ll just consume hive resources during the leaner months, which would prevent the safety of the Queen.

As the weather cools off, the Queen’s egg-laying pace slows down a bit. The hive will need every bit of its honey to keep the current population of bees alive until the flowers bloom again. They don’t have resources to devote to caring for new bees, and moving around the hive can be dangerous in freezing weather. 

The Life of Bees in Winter

Once Winter sets in, all the worker bees return to the hive and settle in to make it through the Winter months. They form one large huddle in the center of the hive, with the Queen in the middle of the huddle.

Bees take turns buzzing their wings to warm up the hive, their Queen, and the other worker bees around them.

Bees rely on their honey stores to make it through the lean Winter months. A hive that hasn’t stored enough honey (or that has had too much honey harvested from them) may starve to death during this time. For the most part, the bees do not leave the hive until the weather warms up and flowers bloom again.

Learn More About the Life of Bees

From the moment their lives begin, bees have a dedicated role within their hive. Queens and drones spend their lives focused on mating, but worker bees handle every other aspect of hive life. From cleaning out cells and caring for larvae to harvesting nectar and pollen and turning it into honey, their daily lives are dedicated to keeping their hive healthy and running smoothly.

There are many lessons to draw from the lovely, beautiful lives of Bees. They are naturally and deeply committed to each other and their roles in the functioning of their hives. They roll with the punches so they can fulfill their life missions – and they protect their leaders at all costs.

Most importantly, Bees feed the planet. They are the singular species that is always required for life on Earth. Without Bees, the world would eventually perish.

If you see a Bee, pray for her. Love him.

Don’t be afraid of them. While they might seek to protect their hives, if you keep a distance, they’ll have no reason to attack.

The Life Of Bees is a noble one. THANK YOU, BEES!

I am here to help you awaken and bravely create an inspired life. Make the world a lovelier place! Learn more about our services today and start changing your life in the most positive way.

REMEMBER!

You are a beautiful Living Being filled with light and love, born from stardust. You are unlimited potential in every direction. With a focus on discipline, virtue, and your own goodness, you can become as expanded and liberated as you desire. 

Pray for others and the Universe prays for us. 

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WHAT IS BREATHARIANISM? OH MY!

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WHAT IS BREATHARIANISM? OH MY!

When we list the things humans need to survive, most of us come down to three basic requirements: food, water, and shelter. But there’s a movement that claims two of those three things are holding us back.

Some of the most extreme Breatharians claim to survive off of the life energy of the universe alone, no food or water involved. Others who believe themselves to be One With The Breath appear to drink water and snack once in a while – and somehow remain healthy. 

One might wonder which of these Breath devotees are telling the truth – and which ones are projecting an image that no human could ever embody.

Is it possible to go months or years without eating or drinking?

Do Breatharians really exist?

If so, how have they managed to defy the basic scientific principles we thought we understood?

Read on to learn more about this practice and whether it actually allows people to subsist on something loftier than mere food.

What Is Breatharianism?

Breatharianism is the practice of going without food, water, or both and, instead, living from the life energy of the Universe. As the name suggests, Breatharianism uses the breath to harness this energy and nourish the body. Breatharians claim to exist only on air and sunlight, foregoing food (and sometimes water) altogether, sometimes for years at a time.

While Breatharianism is a reboot of the ancient Yogic practice, today’s New-Age Breatharianism birthed in the mid-90s, thanks in part to the work of a woman born Ellen Greve, who has since changed her name to Jasmuheen.

Our friend Jasmuheen wrote a book called Living on Light: The Source of Nourishment for the New Millennium. This book describes a twenty-one-day process that will supposedly help your body adjust to surviving only on air.

While the new-age scene has bastardized this practice, which was established by serious-ass Yogis thousands of years ago, it takes a truly Divine Master or Enlightened Being to be a totes-for-reals Breatharian.

Even Masters like Amma, who eat very little, tend to stay away from using phrases like Breatharian because it’s a dangerous practice – and it’s only meant for people who arrive at some version of Breatharianism naturally – ya know, like because of deep spiritual practices which can result in liberation – a state that is very rare.

How Does Breatharianism Work?

If breatharians aren’t getting their nourishment from food and/or water, where does it come from? Breatharians claim to fuel their body with prana, a kind of life-energy emitted by the Universe itself.

Prana is the Sanskrit word for breath. It points to the substratum and eternal substance that permeates reality throughout every level and realm, including inanimate objects. In other words, Prana is the source of all life built into all aspects of living and non-living realities.

Breatharians claim to be able to harness this energy through intense breathing exercises that connect them with this life-energy. Pranic breathing is an empowering and cleansing practice found in most yoga classes and other spiritual disciplines. 

Pranic breathing is usually performed by sitting in the lotus position, breathing into your stomach and exhaling, all through the mouth or all through the nose – and sometimes only one nostril. The pace of this style of breathing is often very fast with truncated exhales. Pranic breathing can certainly feed you for a time. It can also clear emotions and help you feel more alive and rejuvenated at a core level.

There are centuries of evidence showing the benefits of breathing exercises and meditation. Meditation and breathing can allow us to connect better with our own inner life force, the Universe, other people, and our own bodies.

The challenge with Breatharianism is that proponents claim that these practices can replace food and water. While this might be true for advanced souls, chances are pretty high that Bunny McStretchypants, who teaches beer yoga at the local gym, and Trendy Taj McKrishna, who drinks his own urine at parties, are probably not real Breatharians.

Folks like these are most often hopped-up on new-age narcissism while pretending to be the real deal, when in reality, they can barely manifest enough money to pay their electric bills. 

What is the Breatharianism Diet

On its face, the Breatharian diet seems simple: don’t eat food or drink water, ever. But when you dive into the practice, you’ll discover it’s much more complicated.

There are two basic steps to the breatharian diet: the initiation and the long-term plan. And there are two styles of Breatharians: crazy people who think they can do it forever and reasonable people who know they probably can’t do it for very long. Both types tend to eat once in a while – and most Breatharians drink water regularly.

Many of today’s Breatharian programs recommend starting with an initiation period of fasting. Fasting  gets your body jump-started into surviving off of nourishment other than food. In some protocols, this initial fasting period, during which you drink either only some or no water and eat no or very little food, lasts seven to ten days. Other programs only require you to go three days without any nourishment.

After the initial fasting period, Breatharians recommend that you move to a liquid diet. This consists mostly of fruit and vegetable juices and broths. Some wanna-bees will drink lemon water with cayenne pepper to slowly shut down their digestive systems.

Many Breatharians say they eat every now and then, either in social situations or because they want to enjoy the sensation of eating food. However, a handful of Breatharian leaders claim to go for months or years without eating anything at all. 

While this may or may not be true, it’s certainly fascinating! I have to mention here – um, please do not try this at home!

Breatharianism Doesn’t Work

Now that we know about Breatharianism and its principles, let’s get right down to the facts – it doesn’t work for 99.9999% of those who claim it as a lifestyle.

The simple truth is that the overwhelming majority of humans, aliens, and wandering spirits need food to live. More importantly, you can’t go more than a few days at a time without drinking water before your body begins to shut down. 

There’s no denying that our culture often tends to overindulge in food, and many people have unhealthy relationships with food. As we’ll discuss more later, there are some potential benefits to using breathing exercises and meditation as a way to improve your relationship with food. But the basic tenet of Breatharianism – that humans can live without food and water – has no basis in fact or science, except the occasional Enlightened Master who probably doesn’t need to promote their adherence to this practice. 

And any Enlightened Master worth their salt will probably want a cookie now and again, because cookies were made by God to make our inner-children smile. So there.

Breatharian Deaths

One of the problems with Breatharianism as a practice is that it can be very dangerous. So far, there have been five known deaths connected with Breatharian practices. The most recent death was in 2012, but the best-known was an incident in 1999 in which a woman died of dehydration and hypothermia after practicing the program described in Living on Light.

In most cases, people don’t die of starvation as a result of Breatharianism, but rather as a result of dehydration. Doctors estimate that you can only go for less than a week without water before you die of dehydration. After that point, your organs begin shutting down, your blood gets thicker, toxins build up in your body, and eventually you die. Good times!

Breatharian Leaders Eat

When you start looking closely at Breatharian leaders and the programs they claim to follow, one fact emerges: Breatharian leaders eat. They may make sweeping statements about going months or years without consuming any food. But when you start asking for details, a number of inconsistencies tend to show up.

Some Breatharian leaders admit to regularly drinking vegetable broth or fruit juice, as well as eating in social situations. Although these amounts of food may be much less than what most people consume, it’s definitely a source of nutrition other than sunlight and prana. A few Breatharian leaders have even been caught ordering in-flight meals or with whole refrigerators full of food. 

The Cost of Breatharian Retreats

In addition to being physically dangerous, some might say that Breatharianism classes and retreats are outright scams. Breatharian leaders tell their followers to go long periods of time without eating or drinking, all the while they are regularly eating food. Meanwhile, they’re raking in thousands of dollars in profits from retreats and coaching fees.

Why are they making so much money? Because New-Agers are knuckleheads. They believe trends will save them from themselves. Yeah, it doesn’t work that way.

They way it works is this: chant, pray, eat healthy, forgive, accept, release – and repeat. It’s not complicated.

Many Breatharian retreats, which are designed to get you started on the fasting program, cost more than $1,000. One-on-one coaching sessions can cost $75 an hour or more, depending on who you see. The simple fact is that too many New-Age trendsetter phonies make an insanely lucrative living off of selling dangerous lies.

Using Breath for Food Control

Although the Breatharian fasting program is dangerous, there are some helpful ideas we can take from it. Many people in our society have unhealthy relationships with food, including overeating and, in many ways, being addicted to food. We have to eat food to live, but there are definite benefits to being more conscious of what we eat and how we consume it.

Mindful eating is a helpful practice that uses meditative practices to help control food intake. You may find that using breathing exercises can be a great way to curb food cravings in times when you’re trying to cut back.

Breathing can be a great way to build a healthier relationship with food, but you have to be sure you’re managing your diet in a safe, healthy way. 

Do Breatharians Exist?

It would be easy to say that Breatharians do not exist. I’ve personally met a few Enlightened Masters who I never saw eat. And if you’re a real Breatharian or spiritual master, you’re probably not running around with a trendy book telling everybody to try it. Why? Because elevating ourselves through the most intense spiritual practices is f*cking painful – and not for everybody. 

While most of us cannot survive on life-energy alone, breathing and meditation can build healthier relationships with food and our inner Beings.

Breathing, sunlight, food, water, movement, and forgiveness can all work together to help you to build a life that’s healthy for your body, mind, and spirit.

I am here to help you awaken and bravely create an inspired life. Learn more about my services today and start changing your life in the most positive way.

REMEMBER!

You are a beautiful Living Being filled with light and love, born from stardust. You are unlimited potential in every direction. With a focus on discipline, virtue, and your own goodness, you can become as expanded and liberated as you desire. 

Pray for others and the Universe prays for us. 

 

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ASMR: The Wild Wonderful World Of Living Sound

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asmr-healing-benefits

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ASMR: The Wild Wonderful World Of Living Sound

If you love to feel intimately connected with yourself and nourish the parts of you that need some love and attention, you might LOVE ASMR!

Do you remember the feeling of having someone you loved brush your hair when you were a child and how relaxing that was? Do you love the sound of cellophane crinkling for some reason you can’t explain? Do you enjoy going to the doctor because of the one-on-one attention you get while you’re there?

If any of this sounds familiar, you aren’t alone – millions of people around the world are seeking out the relaxing experiences that can trigger ASMR. Read on to learn more about ASMR and what some of the most common triggers are. 

ASMR is alike an auditory hug or an intimate exchange with a lover. 

What Is ASMR?

ASMR stands for “autonomous sensory meridian response” and is a specific sensation people sometimes get in response to certain stimuli. Most people describe ASMR as a tingly feeling in the back of their head, although it can be more complex than that. In general, ASMR describes a feeling of deep, almost primal pleasure and relaxation.

There isn’t yet a lot of scientific study of ASMR and what causes it. The term was first coined in 2010 by a woman named Jennifer Allen, who launched a Facebook group to find out more about the phenomenon. Since then, millions of people have become fascinated by ASMR and have devoted themselves to finding new ways to experience this sensation. 

How Does ASMR Work?

The first thing to note about ASMR is that not everyone experiences it, and it’s different for everyone. In general, people have certain “triggers” that cause them to experience those sensations associated with ASMR. These triggers can include sounds, sensations, or even certain types of interaction.

There are millions of ASMR videos available on the internet with a wide variety of different triggers. Some of the most common triggers include having one’s hair brushed, listening to crinkling or brushing sounds, or getting devoted attention from some variety of caregiver. Some people may have a lot of ASMR triggers, while others may only have one or two. 

What Does ASMR Feel Like?

Many people describe ASMR as being a little like an orgasm for your mind. Although the experience isn’t necessarily sexual, it carries the same sort of relaxation and intense pleasure as an orgasm does. People who experience ASMR describe feeling almost as if they’ve gone into a trance, lulled into relaxation by their triggers.

For most people, ASMR takes the form of tingles beginning at the top of their scalp and making their way down the neck and back. You may experience a deep, primal sort of pleasure and a powerful sense of relaxation, almost floating. Some people find ASMR so relaxing that they go to sleep to ASMR videos or use them as a form of meditation. 

Brushing Sounds

Brushing sounds are one of the most common forms of ASMR triggers. For many people, their first experience with ASMR may be having a loved one brush their hair or brushing a childhood pet. These gentle sounds can still trigger those powerful feelings of safety, relaxation, and nostalgia.

You can find millions of videos geared towards brushing sound triggers for ASMR. Content creators film themselves brushing wigs, someone’s hair, pets, or even squares of carpet. These videos are filmed with binaural sound, which creates a more realistic 3D experience that can make you feel like you’re actually in the room with the person. 

Crisp Sounds

Crisp sounds are another common auditory ASMR trigger. This sound may remind us of paper rustling in books we read as a child, leaves crunching underfoot, or your parents reading the newspaper. 

As with brushing sound videos, content creators use binaural audio to record ASMR videos with crisp sounds. They may crumple up and then flatten out sheets of paper or tear that paper into small pieces. You can find videos of people crinkling cellophane and foil, combing their fingers through gemstones, or turning the pages of a book. 

Hair Brushing

For many people, physical touch is an important part of triggering an ASMR experience. As social creatures, we crave touch and physical affection from the people we love. In some cases, that physical touch can cause the sort of deep relaxation and platonic pleasure associated with ASMR.

You may find that you’re extraordinarily relaxed by the simple act of someone brushing your hair. If you don’t have anyone in your life who will do this for you, you can find videos of people brushing wigs or even other people’s hair. While these videos don’t recreate the full experience, they can simulate some of the relaxing sensation.

Ear Touching

You might be surprised to learn that many people find their ASMR trigger is in their ears. You have tens of thousands of nerve endings in your earlobes and in the shells of your ears. Some of these nerve endings even connect to other areas of your body, including your internal organs.

Many people find it relaxing – and in some cases, even erogenous – to have their ears touched and stroked. There are dozens of ASMR videos in which someone brushes their ear with a makeup brush. The soft head of the brush and the sound of the bristles moving over the ear can simulate the experience of someone stroking your own ear. 

Personal Attention

It’s no secret that many of us crave close personal attention. We love feeling like we’re the center of someone’s attention and that we’re really being listened to. In some cases, this pleasure may be so deep that it causes that ASMR reaction associated with deepest relaxation.

Some ASMR content creators film videos of themselves looking directly into the camera and speaking as though to you. They use positive, reassuring tones and put their hands near the camera to simulate touching your face. Even this simulation of close personal attention can give people that ASMR sensation.

Role Playing

Role playing is another popular form of personal attention for people who experience ASMR. You may have found that you enjoyed going to the doctor’s office or to get your hair done because of the one-on-one attention you got during those appointments. These situations also allow you to follow the direction of the caretaker, which can be relaxing for people with anxiety.

Some ASMR videos simulate an appointment with a doctor or similar caretaker. The creator may don a white coat, speak in a welcoming tone, and talk you through the steps of the appointment. They may give you small pieces of praise throughout the video and thank you at the end for being such a good patient. 

Color Matching

If you’ve seen color matching videos go by on social media, you know how engaging this content can be. Watching someone blend different shades of paint to achieve the perfect match is enormously satisfying. For some people, it can cause those tingles that go along with ASMR.

People who do color matching videos may focus on a couple of different ASMR triggers. They might create different color swatches that go well together or try to mix a paint that blends perfectly with another surface. Just watching someone mix paint can be extraordinarily relaxing in and of itself.

Learn More About ASMR

ASMR is a relatively new concept, but it has taken the internet by storm in the last few years. As of this writing, there are more than five million ASMR videos on YouTube, and that number is rising by the hour. If you’ve never experienced those tingles for yourself, try some of the triggers we discussed and see what is the most relaxing for you.

If you’d like to learn more about ASMR, check out the rest of my site at PaulWagner.com. I am here to help you awaken and bravely create an inspired life. Learn more about my services today and start changing your life in the most positive way.

REMEMBER!

You are a beautiful Living Being filled with light and love, born from stardust. You are unlimited potential in every direction. With a focus on discipline, virtue, and your own goodness, you can become as expanded and liberated as you desire. 

Pray for others and the Universe prays for us. 

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H.I.I.T. Exercise (HIIT): Short Spurts To Improve Your Heart, Mind, And Body

Fit woman completing a H.I.I.T Exercise
Fit woman completing a H.I.I.T Exercise
Working out every day with HIIT. A Shutterstock Licensed Image.

H.I.I.T. Exercise (HIIT): Short Spurts To Improve Your Heart, Mind, And Body

Exercise is one of the best ways to love your body. When we love our bodies, we improve our vibrations and we make better decisions. With a healthy and loved body (from head to toe), we have fewer health issues, better emotional and psychological health, and improved energy, resilience, immunity, and productivity.  

Are you ready to take care of your body and LOVE your body?

Be honest: What is your main excuse for not getting your daily exercise? For many people, it’s that they don’t have time. With a HIIT exercise routine, you’ll no longer have that excuse! HIIT can help you feel peaceful, less stressed, more empowered – and it can help you take control of your self-development and wellness.

With HIIT, or “high-intensity interval training,” exercise can be invigorating and productive without being time-consuming or tedious.

As the new year begins, consider gifting yourself a new healthy resolution you can stick to beyond a few weeks: check out this guide to HIIT and how you can personalize it to your lifestyle and needs!

What Does a HIIT Workout Mean?

High-intensity interval training is a technique for exercise that combines short, intense sets of exercises with recovery periods. HIIT workouts take your cardio routines to the next level, turning up the heat on your body while still allowing it the time it needs to recover safely. Busy professionals or stressed parents love this technique because it delivers a powerful workout in a very short period so that it can fit it into even the tightest schedule. 

HIIT workout routines are very safe and effective, and there is no one-size-fits-all approach, either! HIIT can look however you need it to look, whether you’re a beginner or an expert. If you aren’t used to exercising regularly or doing cardio, you can start with very short periods of intense exercise with a low-impact technique like the elliptical. If you’re already at an advanced stage in your exercise routines, you can push your body to endure much longer bursts of intensity with higher-level techniques. 

No matter where you are currently on your exercise journey, HIIT is wonderful because it evolves with your needs at whatever pace makes you comfortable!

How Long Is A HIIT Workout?

Let’s get right into it. HIIT is a favorite technique for busy people because it can last as little as 20 minutes! If you like exercising in the morning before your shower, waking up just 20 minutes earlier to fit in your HIIT workout will start your day right. 

If you can’t wake up earlier, try ending your workday with a quick session or burning off those dinner calories at night! Only have time for it on your lunch break? Why not take 20 minutes out of your hour lunch to give yourself that much-needed second wind for the afternoon?

Most HIIT lovers will keep their workouts to 20-30 minutes long. Many experts say that if you feel like your workout needs to go beyond half an hour, you aren’t working hard enough during your high-intensity intervals.

How Long Should HIIT Intervals Be?

HIIT workouts are highly customizable, so setting up your workout is entirely up to you and your abilities! If you’re just starting to explore this workout routine, you can try to keep intervals at just 30 seconds long. As your body warms up to this technique, you can lengthen your intervals to 3 minutes long.

For example, if you’re just starting with HIIT, you might want to try doing only a few high-intensity intervals throughout your workout. You can choose to make your intervals equal in length to each other or make your recovery intervals longer than your high-intensity intervals. No matter what you do, the idea is to push your body a little harder every time to improve your performance slowly. 

Listen to your body! Do not cause yourself pain or any injury, as exercise should be a routine of slow improvement. Regardless of the exercise technique you choose, you’ll never see results right away. Exercise is a journey in which you check in with your body, pay close attention to your health, and build a relationship of respect and growth. By building a healthy relationship with your body and exercise, you’ll start seeing results without obsessing over achieving them.

Do I Need Equipment for HIIT?

No equipment is necessary! HIIT is about working with your body to build stamina and strength through interval training. You don’t need any fancy machines, a gym membership, or weights. Anything you choose to add to your workout is entirely up to you and your goals.

HIIT focuses on cardio, so it doesn’t necessarily help build muscle or improve flexibility. To focus on these goals, you’ll need to choose exercises for your high-intensity intervals that work on these areas.

For example, you can choose to add weights to your workout to build muscle. If you’re looking to improve your legs and glutes, you can choose to add cardio exercises that target those areas, such as stair-climbing. There are so many resources that will help you choose the right activities for your goals, but the main point is that almost anything can be achieved with your personalization of HIIT!

What are the Benefits of HIIT?

HIIT is high-intensity cardio training, so you can achieve the benefits of cardio workouts within a shorter time. Cardio exercises, especially HIIT, can help improve your oxygen consumption — your body’s ability to use oxygen.

Further, in many studies, HIIT has proven to help lower blood pressure and heart rate for overweight individuals. In addition, it can improve insulin resistance while lowering blood sugar. Including high-intensity intervals in your workout also boosts your overall metabolism and increases your metabolic rate for hours after your workout!

However, many people who begin working out in the New Year are most interested in how a workout can help them lose weight. Thankfully, HIIT can do just that! Along with the many health benefits above, HIIT has also proven to help people lose weight by reducing body fat and the waistline, even without any dietary changes.

Should I Do HIIT Every Day?

Ultimately, your workout routine depends on what feels right to you. HIIT is absolutely a routine you can institute daily, but it is also a routine that doesn’t demand daily commitment. If you haven’t previously followed a daily exercise routine, committing to HIIT every day might be too stressful. Start with a comfortable routine while still being consistent, such as three times a week.

For those who already exercise but are looking to improve their routine, doing HIIT every day can help boost your health and get results faster. The most important thing to keep in mind is that you need to listen to your body and only do what feels comfortable while still challenging!

Ring in the New Year with HIIT!

Ready to commit to your development and wellbeing? HIIT can help you see results in a few weeks, helping you to keep the exercise habit throughout the year rather than dropping it by March! It is also highly customizable and a great routine for any experience level, all while only needing 30 minutes or less.

Further, HIIT can be an incredible addition to your self-development journey. As you reflect on your goals and set intentions for the next year, keep this option for exercise in mind. You might even choose to add it to your meditation routine, allowing the repetitive intervals of physical exertion to help you delve deeper into your thoughts and prayers. You might also choose to use your yoga practice as a cool-down period after your HIIT workout. This routine could help increase flexibility and prevent muscle injury while you reflect on how your body feels. Get in touch with yourself as you stretch, breathe, and pray.

The opportunities for your self-improvement journey are endless!

REMEMBER!

You are a beautiful Living Being filled with light and love, born from stardust. You are unlimited potential in every direction. With a focus on discipline, virtue, and your own goodness, you can become as expanded and liberated as you desire. 

Pray for others and the Universe prays for us. 

 

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Somatic Experiencing: The Wisdom Of Our Bodies

Woman doing somatic exercises in a somatic experiencing image - Paul Wagner

Woman doing somatic exercises in a somatic experiencing image - Paul Wagner

 

We have all been through hell and back. Life can be quite the challenge. While it’s helpful to soldier through it all and do our best to stay positive, it’s not too healthy to ignore what is stored within our bodies.

Emotions from life’s challenges and trauma can be stored in our organs for the entirety of our lives. These emotions connect with toxic memories. When we work to release it all, it can be even more painful – but in the long run, we clear ourselves for smooth and peaceful sailing ahead!

Working through past trauma can be one of the most horrible experiences you may face in your life. Living through that experience once was terrifying enough. Having to relive it in order to process what you felt during that time may be more than you can bear.

Somatic Experiencing uses the mind-body connection to help you stay calm during triggering events and to find your way back to a more peaceful way of being. It also helps you to release the excess energy that you may have trapped in your body – when the original trauma occurred.

Read on to learn more about Somatic Experiencing and how it could help you move forward into a happier life.

What Does Trauma Do to a Person?

Before we dive into the process of Somatic Experiencing Therapy, let’s talk some about how trauma impacts us.

After a traumatic event, many people experience post-traumatic stress disorder. This is not a cute little thing. It can be the most difficult thing you’ve ever dealt with in your life. 

PTSD is a condition that produces several physical symptoms. PTSD can range in severity from a mild inconvenience to an incapacitating disorder. In some cases, a PTSD patient may choose to be institutionalized for a time. This might help the person establish new boundaries and processes in her life.

Nightmares are one of the more common symptoms of PTSD, often in the form of panic attacks. These are usually flashbacks and reimaginings of the original event, in which the person seems to relive the traumatic event and various related trajectories.

Panic attacks, anxiety, and insomnia also tend to go along with this disorder. In the most extreme and serious cases, a patient may lose the ability to differentiate from their flashbacks and nightmares and reality.

If you’re experiencing these things, you can choose to work with a Somatic Experiencing therapist, a Traditional Chinese Medicine practitioner, a CBT or ACT therapist, and more.

There are MANY options for healing if you are feeling completely freaked out & messed up by a horrible event in your life.

Being walking into a swirling universe - Paul Wagner

What is the Freeze Response

For many people, PTSD symptoms are born from the “freeze” response to danger. You may have heard that, when animals are exposed to danger, they have a fight or flight instinct in which they choose to fight for their lives or run away. However, there is also a lesser-known response to danger: the freeze response.

Here are some freeze response examples:

  • Stop dead in your tracks, unable to move or respond to a situation 
  • Acting similar to a deer in the headlights, even though the danger is barreling towards her, the lovely animal soul is wholly unable to move forward.
  • Shallow breathing, staring blankly and avoiding eye contact 
  • Cognitive dissociation and feeling detached, numb, disoriented, unable to make decisions or take action 
  • Emotionally shutting down, feeling overwhelmed and helpless, withdrawn or socially isolated

Freeze response examples can be a severe emotional response or more of an emotional and cognitive shutdown. This response is central to prior and ongoing trauma, whereby we feel trapped in the moment of danger even after the threat has passed.

What Is Somatic Experiencing?

Somatic Experiencing is a therapy technique – much like others invented like neurofeedback and ACT – that aims to help people to process their traumas and find new ways to move forward. Peter Levine, who developed the theory, believed that our nervous systems might never move forward past where they were in the moment we were traumatized. Our emotions and memories get “stuck” there and have to be “reset” before we can feel empowered and clear enough to live our lives in the present moment.

Dr. Levine noticed that while people are often traumatized by the dangers we face, animals don’t deal with the same sorts of ongoing trauma. He believed this was because, at the time of the threat, their bodies let off enormous amounts of energy, even after they escaped the threat. 

Because we don’t expand this energy in the same way, that energy gets trapped in our bodies. Later, when we might least expect it, these energies can become expended. This might occur at inappropriate moments when unrelated triggering events take us back to the original traumatic event.

If you’re experiencing any of these symptoms or trauma symptoms right now, it’s important to seek the help you need to open up your mind and heart so you can expand. If you’re feeling this right now, see if you can breathe through it and find some tears. If not, call a friend to be present with you at this moment.

When you’re feeling clear and open enough, formulate a plan to find the best modalities for your healing and recovery.

Why is Somatic Experiencing Important?

Somatic Experiencing is extremely useful as a treatment for PTSD and other trauma-based disorders. Even challenging one-off experiences can leave an imprint within us. You might consider using Somatic Experiencing to heal even the smallest fissures within your Being and body.

Oftentimes, people may feel guilt, shame, or anger after a traumatic event. Working through the mind-body connection can help to ease these painful feelings and get your body back into a healthy rhythm.

In some cases, Somatic Experiencing Therapy can help with physical symptoms related to previous traumas. This can include muscle tension, chronic pain, digestive problems, and even sleep issues.

Dealing with the physical trauma symptoms can give us more resources to handle the psychological aspects that are driving them.

Recognizing Bodily Sensations in Somatic Experiencing

One of the first steps of Somatic Experiencing is to start recognizing the bodily sensations you’re feeling in this moment. In many cases, people aren’t aware of the physical response they’re having to a situation or how badly it’s affecting them. They might not realize the pain in a knee or a twitch in an arm is born from a prior trauma or their body’s reaction to a new event in the moment.

For instance, you may not realize how tense a muscle is until it relaxes and you feel what it’s like not to have that strain there.

  • Your Somatic Experiencing therapist might begin your therapy by helping you become more aware of the physical sensations you’re experiencing.
  • Your SE therapist may use mindfulness and other meditation techniques to help you discover any tension, pain, or discomfort you may be feeling.
  • The most wonderful Somatic Experiencing Therapists will help you note these sensations without judgement, fear, or the intent to fight them.

Just like in The Sedona Method, it’s all about witnessing what is there, embracing it, accepting it, and then releasing it.

Woman with eyes closed and hands over heart breathing - Paul Wagner

Somatic Therapy Examples

Somatic therapy gives you a gentle approach for working through past trauma by tapping into your body’s natural ability to heal and release stored tension.

1) Somatic Experiencing Resourcing

Once you’ve become aware of what your body is holding and experiencing, your Somatic Experiencing therapist will help you start tapping into the inner pool of resources you have to deal with these challenges.

Resourcing can seek the tools you need to handle that excess stored energy when it emerges. Soon enough, you’ll be able to draw on a deep inner pool of peace, strength, and resilience.

Your SE therapist will begin by asking you to remember a place, person, or thing that you love and that you associate with positive memories. When you start feeling that excess energy being triggered, you’ll learn to draw on this source of positivity in your life.

This can help you remain calm and present as the energy expands itself, making it easier to transition back into your most healthy and vibrant rhythms.

2) Somatic Experiencing Titration

Once you firmly establish your resources and tools, your SE therapist will begin putting your new coping and healing mechanisms to the test. Armed with the tools to deal with it, you’ll begin wading back into your trauma, re-examining the event that threw your life into chaos. This will be a gradual process that allows you to slowly build your resourcing response until it’s strong enough to tackle the next challenge.

This process is known as titration. It stays focused around the physical sensations you experience as you relive that past trauma. 

You’ll step through the traumatic event in slow motion. Meanwhile, your Somatic Experiencing therapist will watch your body language and physical responses. They may also ask you to report if you’re feeling hot or cold sensations, dizziness, numbness, or an overwhelming sense of weightiness.

Your SE therapist might also ask about the emotions that are emerging and which ones feel overwhelming. They might help you walk through those emotions and eventually release them, while working through past trauma.

All of your healing is up to you. The more open and vulnerable you are with your SE therapist, the more you will heal.

Chanting mantras, sutras, and other types of prayers can help you improve your vibration. Doing so, your mind, heart, and body might naturally release many of the things your body has stored throughout years in this life – and from prior lives.

3) Somatic Experiencing Pendulation

As you begin to experience these releases and physical effects, your SE therapist will guide you through the process of Pendulation. Somatic Experiencing therapists believe these symptoms are the way your body discharges that excess energy – the emotional energy that’s still trapped and connected to the original traumatic experience.

Faster breathing, pranic breathing, clenched hands, and allowing dizziness, shaking, anger, and crying are all considered a helpful part of this discharge.

As you work through these releases, your SE therapist will guide you through the come-down process. They’ll help you slowly transition back into a calmer, more peaceful state. You’ll be able to experience these discharges in a safe, judgement-free space. 

They may help you use certain breathing or relaxation techniques to ease back into a more relaxed state of energy. Doing so, you won’t be in danger of trapping that excess energy in your body – more so, you can eventually release all of it. The more you practice this pendulation, the more natural that response will become.

Learn More About Somatic Experiencing

Somatic Experiencing is an exciting technique that can help people process and release PTSD, old trauma, and the most challenging events.

Somatic Experiencing relies on the brain-body connection and inspires patients to walk through their physical and emotional trauma symptoms – all the while releasing all of the related imprisoned energy.

Although this technique is still considered “new,” it is helping millions of people walk through their body’s responses to traumatic experiences and become healthier and happier than ever before.

I am here to help you awaken and bravely create an inspired life. Learn more about my loving services today and start changing your life in the most positive way.

REMEMBER!

You are a beautiful Living Being filled with light and love, born from stardust. You have unlimited potential in every direction. With a focus on discipline, virtue, and your own goodness, you can become as expanded and liberated as you desire. 

Pray for others and the Universe prays for us.

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The Metaverse: Realities Colliding

Spirituality & The Metaverse. Shutterstock licensed image.

The Metaverse: The Walls Between This Reality And Others Will Evaporate

One day soon, there will be a metaverse tech launch that enables people to connect with others outside the restrictive and data-driven umbrellas of corporate-run social networks. 

This new Social Sphere will allow users to port their identities and customized data into a free and multi-way encrypted experience. 

The tech will empower everyone to create and engage in unique, protected, anonymous, custom, interactive experiences with friends, fans, and customers. 

Nothing will be compromised, manipulated, accessible, “hackable,” or owned by anyone other than each unique user. 

The interactive environment, sessions, and elements can be extinguished in an instant, creating inaccessible ghosts that can be turned on and off at will. 

In addition to manual participation, the interactivity can also be generated by brain impulse, eye movement, and gesture, but without the cumbersome attachments of cumbersome virtual gear. 

While many of the prior concerns about data and safety will evaporate, new and more serious concerns will emerge around virtual addictions and losing our identities to the enrapturing vapors of projection and illusion. 

While things like projection, illusion and all the related psychological disorders are already occurring in our current reality, they will become far more dangerous and toxic as time goes on – because the veils between the here-and-now and the fabricated digital realms of the metaverse will become far less obvious and far easier to traverse. 

We will become the robots that we are building, not because we envy them, but because we’ll need robotified identities in the metaverse to protect ourselves from our own wandering and self-negating tendencies. 

 

We can see glimpses of the forthcoming reality in the lives of celebrities. They contrive social identities to fulfill their own egos, desires, and the projections of others. The more money they have and the more attention they get, their identities become isolated and warped. They become facsimiles of themselves, unable to meander back to their original God-Given Selves. 

Lost in seas of delusion and paranoia, they break themselves, their relationships, and the hearts of everyone around them. 

The remedy for all of this has and always will be prayer, meditation, selfless-service, nature, healthy eating, and solitude.

REMEMBER!

You are a beautiful Living Being filled with light and love, born from stardust. You are unlimited potential in every direction. With a focus on discipline, virtue, and your own goodness, you can become as expanded and liberated as you desire. 

Pray for others and the Universe prays for us. 

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The Wonderful Benefits of Drinking Tea

Health benefits of herbal tea

Shutterstock licensed image

The Wonderful Benefits Of Drinking Tea

I love the magic found in tea. The warmth, the subtle flavors, and the healing feeling that emerges as the heat travels down your spine and into your belly. How I Love Tea! How about you?

When it comes to the benefits of drinking tea, it’s important to note that it can heal our hearts and open our minds to allow rebirth.

We can make our own teas from fresh herbs. Some of which could also induce deep emotional and physical healing.  You might want to explore these teas, which you can make from scratch – each with a unique set of healing attributes:

        • Chamomile Tea: Relaxes the mind & heart
        • Peppermint Tea: Relaxes the stomach and body
        • Ginger Tea: Stimulates healing in the stomach, anti-inflammatory
        • Lemon Tea: Vitamin C, Liver Detox, Digestion
        • Echinacea Tea: Colds, flus, cough, immune system, anti-bacterial anti-viral, anticancer
        • Reishi Tea:  soothes nervous & immune systems
        • Sage Tea: Calming, removes toxins, anti-bacterial
        • Jasmine Tea: anti-inflammation, promotes sleep and relaxation, anti-bacterial, anti-viral
        • Matcha Tea: antioxidants, boosts energy levels, contains l-theanine
        • Lemon Balm Tea: Calms the nerves, mind, and body
        • Cinnamon Tea: Blood sugar
        • Dandelion Tea: Cleansing & Detox
        • Goldenseal Tea: Releases toxins, clears system, boosts immunity
        • Marshmallow Tea: soothes mucus membranes of the digestive system, respiratory tract and urinary tract
        • Chaga Tea: immune-booster, anti-cancer, anti-oxidant
        • Passionflower Tea: sleep, relaxation, lower your blood pressure
        • Turmeric Tea: anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer
        • Fennel Tea: digestion, coughs, colds
        • Maca Tea: Sex drive, boost energy, hormonal balance
        • Licorice Tea: digestion, anti-microbial, anti-bacterial.
        • Lavender Tea: Calms the mind, sedative, invites a spiritual heart
        • Ashwagandha Tea: Relieves mental and physical stress, boosts energy, reduces inflammation

If you love tea, find the time to dive more deeply into its riches!

When you think of a cup of tea, what comes to mind?

You may imagine the strong brews the British favor, enriched with splashes of milk and sugar. Or your mind may desire small cups of Chinese green tea, or mugs of steaming chamomile sitting on your bedside table.

Tea has a rich heritage all over the world, and it’s as diverse a drink as the cultures from which it springs.

There are so many benefits to drinking tea. Tea can create calm, provide nourishment, and give you the space you need to contemplate and process your life.

Tea is liquid therapy for the soul.

Read on to learn more about the benefits of drinking tea, as well as the many different types of this amazing beverage.

Black Tea

For most people, when you hear the word “tea,” black tea is what springs to mind. Black tea, green tea, white tea, oolong tea, and pu-erh tea all come from the Camellia sinensis plant. The difference among these teas is how they’re processed after the leaves are picked.

Black tea uses tea leaves that have been oxidized – the same process that turns apples and avocados brown after they’re cut. All tea leaves go through some level of oxidation, but black teas undergo the most strenuous form of the process. When we talk about the benefits of drinking tea, black tea is high in caffeine and comes in a wide variety of flavored blends, including chai.

Green Tea

Aside from black tea, green tea is perhaps the most popular form of the beverage. While black tea tends to have a stronger flavor and may be somewhat bitter, green tea is lighter in both flavor and color. The leaves are “fired” as soon as they’re picked to prevent the oxidation that would turn them into black tea leaves.

There are a number of potential benefits of green tea, ranging from improving brain function and weight loss to preventing cancer and heart disease. Green tea generally contains less caffeine than black tea, making it a good option for people who are sensitive to caffeine. Like black tea, it comes in a variety of styles and blends that vary widely in flavor.

Matcha Tea

Matcha tea is a form of green tea that has become extremely popular in recent years. Matcha tea leaves are grown in the shade, and the veins and stems get removed prior to processing. The remaining leaf material is ground down into a fine powder that later gets mixed with hot water to form a blended tea drink.

Matcha is different from other teas in a variety of ways; for one thing, the leaf matter is consumed whole, rather than being steeped. This can give matcha some additional benefits, including higher levels of antioxidants and other beneficial compounds. Matcha is often used in Japanese tea ceremonies and is one of the highest-quality teas on the market.

White Tea

Like the other teas we’ve discussed so far, white tea comes from the leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant. However, it is much more minimally processed than either green or black teas. While it doesn’t get fired like green tea to prevent oxidation, it also isn’t put through an intentional oxidation process either.

There are only three different styles of white tea: silver needles, white peony, and Shou Mei. The flavors of this tea tend to be somewhat lighter, since no steps to strengthen the flavors are taken during processing. When it comes to the benefits of drinking tea, white tea tends to have lower caffeine levels than either green tea or black tea, depending on how you brew it. 

Oolong Tea

Oolong tea sits somewhere on the oxidation spectrum between white tea and black tea. This tea is often described as “partially oxidized,” although this is only a part of what defines oolong tea. In addition to the lighter oxidation process, oolong tea goes through a distinctive set of transformations that shape the leaves into something new.

Oolong tea may be shaken, rolled, dried, pan-fired, withered, or baked to achieve a distinctive flavor in the cup. Different regions have different ways of processing their oolong teas, and you may find brews from different regions have very distinctive flavors. Overall, oolong tea is somewhat less bitter than black tea, but has a stronger flavor than white or green tea. 

Pu-erh Tea

Pu-erh is the last of the “true” teas we’ll talk about here. This tea is similar to black tea, but instead of being oxidized, pu-erh tea leaves get aged in the open air. This exposure to oxygen, as well as various bacteria and enzymes, actually cause the leaves to ferment somewhat, creating a unique, full-bodied taste. 

Like champagne, pu-erh tea is defined by the region from which it originates. This tea came from the Yunnan province of China, and today, most pu-erh tea in the world is still produced there. In general, pu-erh tea leaves are aged for about three years, although there are two different processes that take varying amounts of time. 

Herbal Tea

Herbal teas and the rest of the teas we’ll discuss here are not “true” teas – that is to say, they don’t come from the Camellia sinensis plant. Herbal tea is a large umbrella that can cover teas made from a wide variety of other plants. Popular herbal teas include peppermint tea, chamomile, ginger tea, mint tea, and many others.

Herbal teas, as a rule, are caffeine-free and may have a variety of flavor profiles and potential benefits. For instance, the benefits of peppermint tea include easing nausea, reducing inflammation, and making drinkers feel more alert. Chamomile is an anti-spasmodic that can help to relieve some of the symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome.

Rooibos Tea

Rooibos tea comes from a reddish bush native to southern Africa. This tea technically falls under the umbrella of herbal teas, and, like its cousins, it doesn’t contain any caffeine. However, it has a somewhat bolder flavor than many of its herbal cousins and is traditionally fermented to make the flavors stronger.

The benefits of rooibos may include reducing your risk of heart disease and cancer, as well as potentially helping people with Type 2 diabetes. Rooibos has high levels of antioxidants, which can have a variety of health benefits. And the lack of caffeine can make this a great option for people who are trying to cut back.

Mate Tea

Mate is another herbal tea that has gained a large enough reputation to deserve its own mention. This tea is made from dried holly leaves and originates in South America. Unlike most herbal teas, mate is very high in caffeine and was traditionally served in a gourd and drunk through a metal straw.

Some people say that mate tea has the strength of coffee, the joy of chocolate, and the health benefits of tea. The benefits of mate can include improved focus, reduced risk of infection, and weight loss. Mate is high in antioxidants, and the caffeine boost can help you to be more productive in your day.

Specialty Teas

In addition to the more common types of tea we’ve discussed here, there are also dozens of other specialty teas, some of which fall into the “true” tea category. Purple tea originates in the Assam region of India and is made from a rare type of tea plant that grows wild there. Yellow tea is processed more gently than green tea and produces a flavor somewhere between green and white tea.

Learn More About the Benefits of Drinking Tea

Tea is an amazing drink that is as widely varied as the cultures it comes from. From the strong, rich flavors of black tea and mate tea to the delicate flavors of white tea and herbal teas, you can go a whole lifetime without experiencing all the flavors of tea that are out there. Many of these teas also have potential health benefits, in addition to the simple joy of holding a warm cup between your hands.

REMEMBER!

You are a beautiful Living Being filled with light and love, born from stardust. You are unlimited potential in every direction. With a focus on discipline, virtue, and your own goodness, you can become as expanded and liberated as you desire. 

Pray for others and the Universe prays for us. 

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Neurofeedback, ACT, And CBT: Powerful Healing for the Heart & Mind

Shutterstock licensed image:  Heal your heart, your mind and life will follow.

Neurofeedback, ACT, and CBT: Powerful Modalities for Healing the Heart & Mind

The events and conditions within our lives can feel dramatic or difficult. At various junctures in our lives, we might feel completely overwhelmed and unable to cope.  We might even lose hope, faith, and focus.

Luckily, our world is constantly changing – and so are we. And while many of the aspects in our lives can feel insurmountable, we are always in control of our perspectives, attitudes, and abilities to look deeply within ourselves. 

Even the darkest night has a dawn.

Shadows disappear when obstacles are dissolved.

Science is working on behalf of all the people who are in pain. Many are creating inspiring, life-changing technological advancements that promise to improve life as we know it. All of these emerging innovations are making life more peaceful and bearable for those who are struggling.

Let’s be honest.

Most of us suffer from at least one of these things: stress, frustration, anxiety, depression, panic attacks – or all of the above. Sadly, each of these things is fueling an accelerating mental health crisis.

It might seem difficult to significantly change our immediate environments or have lasting impacts on the world around us. We might not realize just how powerful and impactful we can be!

Regardless, we can change how we respond to everything. If we’re disciplined, we can deeply heal ourselves and become more resilient. By approaching life with a sense of warriorship – a sense of adventure – we can accomplish just about anything. 

Upon every challenge, we must focus on the positive and forge ahead with courage. It’s vital that we dig deeply within ourselves so that we may heal our hearts, minds, and spirits.

While God and Guru are here to nourish and guide us, the only person who can truly heal and save us is ourselves. 

We’re actually lucky to be on the planet right now.

There are so many unique healing and scientific innovations appearing almost every day —  ever heard of somatic experiencing? Specifically, new therapies are gaining momentum in the mental health space that could unlock a future of brighter days.

No matter the modality, begin by being vulnerable with yourself. Ask yourself what you’re feeling and what you need. If you can, call out to God and ask for Her loving guidance. When we’re open and vulnerable to the Divine, angels and transformative forces will come to our aid.

Knowing which options are available to you during your healing process is important. Here are a few that I love: CBT, ACT, and Neurofeedback therapy. 

What is CBT?

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, commonly shortened to CBT, is a wildly successful therapeutic method that has recently gained a lot of recognition. The idea behind CBT is that we can train the brain to respond to certain situations differently than it had before. This method involves talk-therapy mixed with Gestalt-style experiencing. This modality can also be found integrated into mobile phone apps that prompt and guide seekers to change the way they speak, feel, and think about their current situations and feelings.

Why does this work? The mind functions by firing neurons and creating neural pathways. The more your brain responds to a particular event, the more permanent this pathway becomes. People who often react negatively to events might do so because this is the most familiar way the brain knows how to respond. 

In other words, the more you can coax yourself to respond differently or positively to things, the more familiar and comfortable it becomes to stay positive rather than react negatively. 

Through CBT, we can learn to not only cope with stressful situations, we can learn to master and transcend them. Through CBT processes, we can learn to respond positively to even the most disruptive chaos. Breaking our negative cycles and teaching our brains to respond positively help and heal our minds, hearts, and spirits. 

What is ACT?

ACT, or Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, is a direct descendent of CBT, and for many people, it’s the most important modality they’ve adopted in their lives. This method uses CBT in conjunction with acceptance therapy, which teaches the patient to genuinely accept the world and all situations so that they can find peace. Another word for this technique is mindfulness, which encourages us to live in the present and be aware of ourselves and our decisions within the moment. 

An adjunct to ACT and CBT – or something that can replace them entirely – is The Sedona Method, a uniquely powerful and effective technique that helps participants acknowledge, accept, and release every experience and related emotions that emerge. More on that, later!

ACT comes in two steps. First, you accept the things out of your control, whether it is the people around you, your environment, or negative events. Then, you commit to specific actions that will help you handle the stress and pain within your situation. 

This method is useful for everybody, from all walks of life. It can help you,  your mind, heart, and spirit become more flexible, open, and (eventually) more detached. The more we can respond positively or proactively under stress, the stronger we become.

What is Neurofeedback?

While CBT and ACT rely solely on human beings changing their behaviors, Neurofeedback elevates these methods utilizing technology. In Neurofeedback therapy, a practitioner uses EEG Biofeedback to help the patient visualize, track, and understand exactly how their brains respond to a variety of stimuli.

With this technology, the practitioner and patient watch a screen to see the way the brain responds, which becomes a primary tool within the therapeutic model. The practitioner applies electrodes to the scalp and shows the patient how their brain waves appear. Then, the patient is asked to alter this activity consciously through a video-game-like interface. 

Through this method, the brain is trained to reroute its pathways, alter its activity, and ultimately respond positively, all within a fascinating reward system. This method is being used to treat conditions like anxiety, panic attacks, depression, anger, attention-deficits, sleep disorders, migraines, and even seizures and autism.

CBT vs. ACT vs. Neurofeedback: Which Is More Effective?

Whether CBT, ACT, and Neurofeedback therapies are effective has been in question for years. Many therapists are committed to using only these modalities, while more traditional therapists worry that aspects of these things are superfluous and ineffective. 

Experts are regularly and rigorously testing new therapy methods to determine which are truly beneficial to psychotherapeutic practitioners. This trend is especially true for recent attempts to administer CBT through mobile apps, which had once threatened the commonly-held belief that professional therapy requires consistent human interaction and face-time with a therapist.

In 2017, a German study revealed that CBT and Neurofeedback showed the same positive results in adults who had attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder. The kicker? The same positive results were found in the control (placebo) group. If nothing else, doesn’t this show that it’s not about what technologies and advancements we apply, but what our perception of them is? Maybe knowing you’ve acknowledged the problem and taken action to better your health is the most significant step towards healing.

It’s all about you. How do you feel? What helps you heal? What will help you change your mindset, and in turn, your response to the world around you? Whatever that is, that’s the answer.

Using Mindfulness To Heal

Being present and aware is natural to us, yet it often seems so far away from us. With the hustle and bustle of our daily lives, amid all of our complex webs of  responsibilities, we don’t realize how far outside of our bodies we usually are. We are too often living in tomorrow, next month, or even 5 years ahead of this present moment. When we aren’t in the future, we’re thinking of the past. All the while, we’re neglecting ourselves in the present.

Mindfulness is the first step towards healing, and it can be achieved through any of the above therapies. If you choose to attend a CBT or ACT group or individual session, you’re choosing to acknowledge your problems and pain in the present and take action now.

 If you choose to explore Neurofeedback therapy, you’re choosing to be aware of how your brain reacts and performs upon various stimuli and in the moment. 

When conscious of ourselves in the present, we’re paying attention to who we are, what we feel, and what we want. Knowing some of these things, we can successfully heal the aspects that are most troubling to us.

Of course, you don’t need CBT, ACT, or Neurofeedback to become mindful. Mindfulness is the most basic of all modalities for healing. All you need is yourself and the conscious decision to become fully present. 

Just like with CBT, you can train your brain to be mindful by default. Like with ACT, you can accept your reality in the present without being too reactive or overwhelmed. If you sit quietly amid a challenging feeling, you can find its source, accept the feeling, and then release it. This might take some time to master, but along the way, you’ll clear years of stealth emotions and experiences. Doing so, you can become free.

Find a way to make meditation a habit in your life. Encourage yourself to regularly turn inward so that you can acknowledge how you feel  in the present. This alone will train your brain to advance. 

Through mindfulness, we can become non-judgemental of ourselves and others. Instead of judging and feeling ashamed of our thoughts and feelings, we can fully explore them and get to know who we are. 

What can be more healing than completely and unconditionally embracing our authentic selves? Nada. Dive deeply and you’ll find that you are part of a luminous and expanded consciousness.

Get To Know Your True Self

If you truly want to heal your heart and mind, begin with a 10-minute meditation every morning and evening. As you meditate, focus on your inward and outward breaths. You might even imagine that your inward breaths are full of light and your outward breaths carry away stored negativity and stress. 

Explore different methods of therapy and tools for self-reflection. 

Seek a guru like Amma (Amma.org), Jesus, Buddha, or other living saints like Mother Meera and Karunamayi Ma. 

Talking to a professional or a trusted friend can help you acknowledge your pain and hear out loud what you’re really thinking for the first time. 

Use a diary or my Personality Cards to delve deeply into your soul to source and release behaviors and emotions that are stifling you. 

Any resources that help you pause, breathe, and explore yourself in the present will put you on the path to healing.

REMEMBER!

You are a beautiful Living Being filled with light and love, born from stardust. You are unlimited potential in every direction. With a focus on discipline, virtue, and your own goodness, you can become as expanded and liberated as you desire. 

Pray for others and the Universe prays for us. 

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