Wednesday, January 23, 2013

Reiki

Reiki

Reiki is a healing technique based on the principle that the therapist can channel energy into the patient by means of touch, to activate the natural healing processes of the patient's body and restore physical and emotional well-being
But for most people this answer is not clear enough. I find the best way to explain Reiki is by referring to the body's own healing abilities. For example:
Imagine you cut your finger. First, it is probably bleeding, but shortly after, a crust is forming over the cut to protect it. This crust will stay on for a few days, while underneath, the cut is healing and new skin is being produced.
This shows us, that we all have the ability to heal ourselves. And as proven by quantum physics, everything is made out of energy, so are we. Reiki is nothing more than energy, which the Reiki practitioner bundles up and leads into the client's body to give the client enough energy to heal himself.
I know that this explanation is pretty long, but in my experience, this version works pretty well when I have to explain to someone the meaning or Reiki. Simply because they can relate to the finger cut and the healing process. other good examples:
Imagine, for example, that you hit your elbow. What is the first thing you do instinctively? – You place your hand on the painful spot with the strong desire that the pain would stop. And in general it happens that way. If you now imagine that you hit your elbow and are not able to place your hand on it because you are holding something, then maybe you remember that the pain lasted a lot longer than if you had put your hand there because your hand transfers some energy.
If a child falls and hurts her knee, what does she want you to do? – She wants you to kiss it to make it better.
If a child wakes up from a bad dream, what do you do? – hold her in your arms until she calms down.
If a friend is sad, we take her in or arms until she feels better.
As you can see, we are able to create change simply with our wish and strong desire to do so. We want the elbow to stop hurting. We want that the child is feeling better, we want to comfort our friend.
When you give someone Reiki, the intention is the most important tool. Should you not believe in your own abilities, the Reiki treatment won’t show the desired effect. ‘With faith you move mountains’. There is more truth to this sentence than one might think.
Each Reiki Master/Teacher will suggest a different way of preparation for an attunement. Some might for example suggest that you fast for a week, meditate every day, not consume any alcohol or meat for at least 3 days prior to the attunement instead a lot of water or tea.
A good rule of thumb is, what feels right for you, is the right way to get prepared.
Just keep one thing in mind: Reiki and Alcohol do not mix. This is true for Attunements as well as Treatments. Alcohol can increase the energy to an uncomfortable level and can greatly interfere with the healing process. This counts for the patient as well as the practitioner.
To become a Reiki Practitioner, you need to be attuned to Reiki. The first step you should take is to chose the style of Reiki you would like to learn and then find a Reiki Master in your area who teaches this style and who you feel comfortable with.
Some Reiki Masters teach Level I and Level II in one weekend. Others take at least two days for each of the two levels. The Master Level should take at least 3 days to be taught, especially if it is a Master/Teacher attunement.
To work as a practitioner, generally only Level I is needed, however it would be wise to get at least Level II to have access to the first 3 Reiki Symbols.
Depending on where you live, there are different rules and regulations for Reiki Practitioners. It is important to inform yourself about the regulations before you start your practice.
Using the Life Force Energy should be as natural as breathing. Our ancestors knew how to use it already thousands of years ago. Over the centuries, this knowledge got lost partly out of fear of prosecution by the Catholic Church. People who knew how to make use of the energies around us were crucified as witches. In the decades following, science and technology exploded and created medication and treatment options for any kind of illness or disease. This caused the natural way of healing to be forgotten.
With the rediscovery of the Live Force energy by Mikao Usui, the world was given a way to reconnect with it and use it as our ancestors have for centuries.
The Attunement is a form of an initiation in which the Reiki Master opens the auric field of the student so that the crown chakra can open up to the Reiki energy.
Generally, an attunement goes down like this:
The student is sitting on a chair, eyes closed hands put together in prayer position. (by bringing the left and right hand together in front of the heart means linking the left and right side of the brain together)
Before the Reiki Master begins with the attunement he/she will encourage the student to call upon his/her spiritual guide and any being of light he/she would like to be present for this special moment. (if the Reiki Master teaches the significance of a spiritual guide; not all practitioners do)
The Reiki Master stands behind the student, using Reiki Symbols and breathing to open the auric field and the crown, then he/she will tap the student on the should to indicate that the student should now lift his/her hands. Once the Reiki Master is done he will signal the student to lower the hands again into prayer position.
Afterwards, the Reiki Master will walk to the front of the Student and give the final blessing.
Some Reiki Masters may encourage you to talk about any experiences you may have had during the attunement, others may not. It all depends on your Reiki Master and what he was taught and what he feels is the right thing to do.
In any case, I would encourage you to write down your experiences. it can be significant later on.
Once the body is attuned to Reiki, the Student will have the ability to use Reiki for the rest of his/her life.
There are many different ways to open a blocked Chakra. Which you prefer to use is entirely up to you. Following, I listed a few techniques.
a) Singing bowls
Singing bowls are usually hand hammered brass bowls from Nepal or Tibet. They are purchasable one at a time or in a set of up to 7 bowls, one for each Chakra. During a singing bowl therapy, the therapist uses the clapper on the bowl and then immediately holds the vibrating and humming bowl above the desired Chakra. The bowl can also be placed directly on the body of the patient, as long as he agrees to it and the bowl is not too heavy.
b) Tuning forks
Tuning Forks are used in about the same way as Singing bowls. The desired fork is hit against a hard surface so that it starts humming and then immediately held near the desired area. (each Chakra resonates to one of the basic music notes)
c) Crystals
Each gem in this world has its own purpose. Therefore, each Chakra also has at least one gem that aids in balancing and opening it. Also, there are gems which are wonderful for all Chakras at the same time. One of these gems I highly recommend. The Kyanite opens all ailing Chakras simultaneously. In my opinion it is a wonderful addition to a Reiki Therapy or self healing. Once I determined with the pendulum that one or more Chakras are closed, I offer my patient a Kyanite to hold on to for the duration of the treatment. (I myself always wear a Kyanite on a necklace)
Root Chakra: black tourmaline, hematite, black and snowflake obsidian, smokey quartz, tiger’s eye
Sakral Chakra: bloodstone, carnelian, red garnet, red jasper, ruby, ruby in zoisite
Solar Plexus: aragonite, citrine, golden calcite, malachite, rhodochrosite, rutiliated quartz, pyrite, tiger’s eye, unakite
Heart Chakra: aventurine, emerald, green calcite, green tourmaline, lepidolite, malachite, malachite-crysocolla, pink calcite, rhodochrosite, rhodonite, rosequartz
Throat Chakra: angelite, aqua aura, aquamarine, blue agate, blue topaz, celestite, chrysocolla, larimar, turquise
Third Eye Chakra: amethyst, azurite, charoite, Hawk’s eye, kyanite, lapis, sodalite, moos agate, sugilite
Crown Chakra: clear calcite, clear quartz, danburite, herkimer
During a Reiki treatment, the practitioner can place one gem on each Charka. It is important to always cleanse the gem before and after a treatment. (e.g. place in salt water, during a full moon on the window bench, holding it under running water etc.)
d) Reiki
It is possible to open the Chakras using Reiki. The practitioner places his hands over the desired Chakra and allows for the Reiki Energy to flow into that area. (After a treatment always recheck the Chakras for their openness.)
e) Scented Oils
Each Chakra reacts to a certain scent. The practitioner can use the desired oil and places it in a heating bowl, the scent then will open the Chakra. This treatment is best used when only one or maybe two Chakras are closed. It can lead to headaches pretty quick if too many different scents are floating in the room
Root Chakra: cloves, rosemary, ginger, cypress, cedar
Sacral Chakra: ylang-ylang, sandalwood, myrrh, bitter orange, pepper, vanilla, orange (fruit)
Solar Plexus: lavender, chamomile, lemon, anise, grapefruit, fennel (liquorish)
Heart Chakra: rose, jasmine, estragon, cardamom
Throat Chakra: eucalyptus, camphor, peppermint, roman chamomile,
Third Eye Chakra: jasmine, mint, lemongrass, violet, frankincense, Basil (sweet)
Crown Chakra: frankincense, rosewood,
After a treatment always recheck the Chakras for their openness. If not, then keep on repeating this treatment until the Chakras are open.
f) Mudras
Mudras, are special hand positions, to open chakras. The Mudras have the power to send more energy to particular chakras. To enhance the effect, sounds are chanted. These sounds are from Sanskrit letters. When chanted, they cause a resonation in the body that one can feel at the chakra they are meant for. For pronunciation, keep in mind that:
the "A" is pronounced as in "ah," the "M" is pronounced as "mng."
Root Chakra: Let the tips of your thumb and index finger touch.Concentrate on the Root chakra at the spot in between the genitals and the anus. Chant the sound LAM
Sacral Chakra: Put your hands in your lap, palms up, on top of each other. Left hand underneath, its palm touching the back of the fingers of the right hand. The tips of the thumbs touch gently. Concentrate on the Sacral chakra at the sacral bone (on the lower back). Chant the sound VAM
Solar Plexus: Put your hands before your stomach, slightly below your solar plexus. Let the fingers join at the tops, all pointing away from you. Cross the thumbs. It is important to straighten the fingers. Concentrate on the Navel chakra located on the spine, a bit above the level of the navel. Chant the sound RAM
Heart Chakra: Sit cross-legged. Let the tips of your index finger and thumb touch. Put your left hand on your left knee and your right hand in front of the lower part of your breast bone (so a bit above the solar plexus). Concentrate on the Heart chakra at the spine, level with the heart. Chant the sound YAM.
Throat Chakra: Cross your fingers on the inside of your hands, without the thumbs. Let the thumbs touch at the tops, and pull them slightly up. Concentrate on the Throat chakra at the base of the throat. Chant the sound HAM.
Third Eye: Put your hands before the lower part of your breast. The middle fingers are straight and touch at the tops, pointing forward. The other fingers are bended and touch at the upper two phalanges, the thumbs point towards you and touch at the tops. Concentrate on the Third Eye chakra slightly above the point between the eyebrows. Chant the sound OM or AUM.
Crown Chakra: Put your hands before your stomach. Let the ring fingers point up, touching at their tops. Cross the rest of your fingers, with the left thumb underneath the right Concentrate on the Crown chakra at the top of your head. Chant the sound NG.
Warning: don't use this meditation for the Crown chakra while you don't have a strong Root chakra (you need a strong foundation first)
_________________
Reiki can be used for anything. Any situation can be 'treated' with Reiki. Let's say you are cooking, then let the Reiki energy flow into the food. It will taste better.
Do Reiki to your car before you drive.
Do Reiki before an important appointment or test in school.
Do Reiki while your friend/family member is in labour, it will help the process immensely (shorter time, less pain, less chance of complications)
Do Reiki before surgery to aid in a quicker finish and better outcome
Do Reiki after surgery to speed up recovery
Do Reiki to protect your home/property
Do Reiki to help solve a problem
the ways to use Reiki are limitless.
Following I listed some signs of a blocked Chakra.
Purpose of the first Chakra:
Physical will to be, self discovery
desires and reality, sexuality, trust, standing ones ground, repro-duction
The flowering of this chakra is the mature person who walks steadily towards their destiny
Possible signs and symptoms when this Chakra is blocked:
Body parts: central nervous systems, adrenals, lymph system, male reproduction, prostate, large intestines, coccyx, sacrum, bones, teeth, nails, legs, arms
Possible symptoms:
sciatica, constipation, ovarian, uterine, prostate, varicose vein, rectal cancer, immune disorders, hemorrhoid conditions, Disconnection community, family, or yourself. Sense of abandonment gives rise to frustration, blocked passion, emotional instability, self indulgence, insecurity, grief, loss, depression, conflict between attachment and letting go

Affirmation: "I am one with all that is. I am safe. I am loved.

Purpose of the second Chakra:
Creative reproduction, reproduction of the self self-respect
Success, sexuality, friends
the power to overcome obstacles and act with integrity
Possible sings and symptoms when this Chakra is blocked:
Body Parts: Female reproductive organs, bladder, large intestines, pelvis, buttocks, 3rd lumbar to sacrum
Possible symptoms: lumbar tension, low back and pelvic pain, sciatica, kidney and bladder infections, immune disorders, chronic fatigue, impotence, frigidity, irritable bowel, cancer and diabetes, addictions.
anxiety, fear, worry, power struggles, financial and work problems, emotional boundary issues, jealousy, mistrust

Affirmation: "I love and honor myself and all of life.

Purpose of the third Chakra:
Crafting of the self, self esteem
Will, power and fainting, ambition, decision making
power of transformation, in balance, you trust yourself and take full responsibility for your life

Signs and symptoms when this Chakra is blocked:
Body Parts: Diaphragm, pancreas, liver, gall bladder, spleen, kidney, adrenals, stomach, small intestines, rib cage, lower thoracic to 2nd lumbar
Possible Symptoms:
Respiratory, Immune, Hormonal and Digestive Systems, Ulcers, Gallstones, Heartburn, Diabetes, Hypoglycemia, Tumors, Anorexia, Bulimia, Hepatitis, Cirrhosis, Arthritis
victimization, need for approval, stress, anger, frustration, fear of responsibility, guilt, worry, doubt, commitment issues

Affirmation: "I am the powerful creator of my reality and I love it.

Purpose of the fourth Chakra:

Self-sacrifice, self love, Love, safety, love of life, power of movement.
This chakra governs the communication systems, especially the nervous system

Signs and symptoms when this Chakra is blocked:

Body Parts: Heart, circulation, lungs, rib cage, thoracic spine, thymus, breasts, esophagus, shares with the 5th chakra - arms, shoulders, hands

Possible symptoms:
Heart disease, Asthma, Lung and Breast Cancer, Thoracic spine, Pneumonia, Hypertension, Stroke, Angina, Arthritis
insensitivity, emotionally closed, passivity, depression, lack of forgiveness, loss, grief

Affirmation: "I am unconditionally loving and accepting.

Purpose of the fifth Chakra:

Resonance of being, self-portrait, Creativity, expression and speech
power of creativity and self expression

Signs and symptoms when this Chakra is blocked:

Body Parts: Mouth, teeth, gums, trachea, larynx, cervical spine, thyroid gland, shares shoulders, arms, hands and esophagus with 4th chakra)

Possible Symptoms:
throat, voice, gum, tooth problems, TMJ , thyroid conditions, catching the flu or colds, chronic infections, allergic reactions
stagnation, obsession, lack of expression, depression, indecision, fears and phobias

Affirmation: "I am the author of my life. The power of choice is mine."


Purpose of the sixth Chakra:

Self acknowledgement self responsibility, Intuition, charity, spiritual power
the seat of your Divine Consciousness

Signs and Symptoms when this Chakra is blocked:

Body Parts: Brain and nervous system, pituitary and pineal glands, eyes, ears, nose

Possible symptoms:
Headache, fuzzy thinking, brain tumors, strokes, blindness, deafness, seizures, learning disabilities, spinal problems, panic, depression
fears, phobias, lack of focus and discipline, lacking judgment, confusion, nightmares, schizophrenia

Affirmation: "It is safe for me to see the truth."

Purpose of the seventh Chakra:

Pure being, self discovery, Physical and emotional development
the power of the infinite

Signs and Symptoms when this Chakra is blocked:

Body Parts: Cranium, top of head

Possible Symptoms:
loss of meaning, or purpose, loss of connection with the divine, closed minded, worry, depression
Musculo-skeletal system disease, skin disorders, divine discontent, depression, chronic exhaustion, hypersensitivity to light, sound and environmental stimulus

Affirmation: "I am one with the present moment."

To Juice or not to Juice


Juice, To Juice or not to Juice that is the question
 
We have been lead to believe that a glass of juice in moderation is healthy for us. That it can fill our need for a serving of fruit and/or veggies but is juice really that healthy?
Pretty much every single juice on the market has sugar as the second or third ingredient. (this means that it is the second or third largest amount in the container. so if sugar is the second third fourth or even ninth ingredient on the label there is ALOT of sugar in it.)
Sugar is your ENEMY not your friend. sugar messes with your insulin levels but also leads to suppressing your immune system, stimulates insulin which promotes fat storage, and among many other things stimulates triglyceride levels with can lead to cardiovascular problems.
You might read that label and think that sugar is not listed on it at all but do you know all the names for sugar? Sucrose, dextrose, and high-fructose corn syrup are among these names that are all essentially sugar.
you might be surprised at all the things you buy in the grocery store that can have ALOT of sugar in them: Bread, Mayonnaise, ketsup, spaghetti sauce and microwave meals.
However there are a select few that I find to be okay (not great just okay) in moderation. Naked is a company making fruit juice that i enjoy once in a while. they are organic use recyclable bottles and don't add any sugar (all sugars come form the fruit inside the drink)
But if you really want the best possible juice for your body make it yourself. This really is a simple thing to do. First get a good quality juicer, decide the types of fruits and veggies that you would like to juice. learn how to operate and clean your juicer. get a good mesh strainer(or not if you don't mind the foamy pulp).
Don't add anything but fruit and veggies to your mix.
Fresh made fruit juice can also help to detox and clean out your body. keeping you healthy, helping to prevent sickness, and jump starting weight loss. you can make juice from a single fruit or veggy or mix and match to your taste. some examples are:
apple, pear.  apple, pear and pineapple. apple and cranberry. apple and orange apple and carrot.ect.
however not all fruit and veggies are juice able. some just produce so little juice that it would take pounds and pounds to acquire enough juice to drink others the pulp is way to hard to separate from the juice to get a real juice out of them.some unjuiceables are: papaya, coconut, banana, strawberry, cantaloupe, honeydew, peach, plum/prune, apricot, and avocado.
you might disagree and say that you know they sell prune juice in the store or strawberry banana. but next time you go down the juice isle look at the actual ingredients in these juices and you will see that what they really are is the pulp from these juices added to other juices and water.
So in conclusion yes you can drink juice but you need to really read the bottle(not just the ingredients) or make it yourself. 

Herbs to cleanse the body


Herbs for clensing your body
Reasons to cleans include: to detoxify your body, and to jump start weight loss, to increase your energy.
Detoxing can help illnesses, rid you of migraines, improve your mental alertness.
This is meant to be for your educational purposes only, before trying any of the herbs listed please do your research on how to use them correctly and talk with your doctor.

Herbs for colon cleansing:
Aloe Vera,
Artichoke,
Barberry Bark,
Black radish,
Buchu,
Burdock root,
Cascara Sagrada,
Cayenne,
Dandelion,
Fennel,
Garlic,
Ginger,
Ginseng,
Goldenseal,
Grapefruit seed,
Green tea,
Kale,
Licorice root,
Milk Thistle,
Parsley,
Peppermint,
Psyllium Husk/seeds,
Red clover,
Rhubarb root/stems,
seaweed,
senns,
Speramint,
Tumeric.

When buying herbs you want to buy the best that you can so try for organic an good place to buy them is mountain rose herbs.

Butter vs. Other spreads

You should know by now that real butter is the best for you over the other choices. However if you don't please refer to "not all fats are created equal". 
Now that you are eating real butter you might be trying to find a good choice. Why not make it yourself?
No you don't need a butter churn, just use your blender or little jars and let the kids have fun making it. 
What you need to know:
When you make butter you will be solidifying the butter part and separating this from the butter milk. 
This will take about three to five minutes in the blender. just pour some cold organic all natural cream into the blender and turn it on your lowest setting. let it run for about two minutes while you go about the kitchen, next watch it carefully, when you see it condense into a group of butter pulse it about two times and turn it off. don't run it more because you could mix the butter milk back into it and have to start all over again (Trust me I know, I did this my first time making butter in the blender and it was a pain)
Now you will need to drain off the butter milk you can simply pour the milk out of the blender into a cup while keeping the butter in but you will still need to mix and drain more or you could try straining through cheese cloth into a jar. what ever your method of draining you need to remover the liquid in the butter and the put the butter into a jar or small bowl and either shack it with a lid on or stir rapidly with a spoon and drain again. the butter should be done when it becomes close to a light yellow color.
You can now add salt or leave it unsalted. 
Keep your butter milk in a airtight container to use when cooking. A great way to use butter milk is to marinate chicken in it over night with seasonings before grilling or baking to keep the chicken moist. 
If your choice is to make the butter in jars and let the kids have at it you will need water tight jars (small jam mason jars work well) and a kid or two with some muscle. 
Pour some cream into the jars put the lids on tight and tell the kids to shake, shake, shake. Don't worry if they get tired they can come back to it in a few minutes.
You will see the butter condense in the jar and then you can strain out the butter milk and shake the butter some more until its all strained and is finished. 
Congratulations now you have fresh healthy butter for the eating, enjoy.

Foods that cleanse your body

Apples help cleanse intestines
Avocados block carcinogens while helping to detox liver
beets detox blood
blueberries lesson pain and give antibacterial properties to the urinary tract
cabbage contains anticancer compounds helps the liver handle excess hormones cleanses the digestive tract strengths liver 
celery and celery seed cleans blood
cranberries cleans urinary tract
flax seed and flax seed oil essential through out the body high in o-mega 3's
garlic cleanses bacteria intestinal parasites and viruses helps cleanse arteries and respiratory tract
grapefruit cleanses blood and helps cleans heavy metals and is a intestinal and liver detoxifier
kale cleanses intestines and liver
legumes cleanses intestines regulates blood sugar
lemons detox the liver 
seaweed binds with radioactive waste to rid it from the body and cleanses heavy metals
watercress increases detoxification enzymes

Some Healthy drinks for you


SWEET VEGETABLE DRINK

This drink is good for softening tightness caused by heavy animal food consumption, and for relaxing the body and muscles. It is especially beneficial for softening the pancreas and helping to stabilize blood sugar levels.

1. Use equal amounts of four sweet vegetables (onions, carrots, cabbage and sweet winter squash), finely chopped.

2. Boil four times the amount of water and allow to boil for two to three minutes. Reduce flame to low, cover and let simmer for 20 minutes.

3. You may strain the vegetables from the broth and use them later in soups or stews, or leave as is.

4. Drink the broth either hot or at room temperature.

LOTUS ROOT AND SHIITAKE MUSHROOM TEA

This tea can help decompose heavy animal-quality fat and mucus.

1. Follow the same steps as in the previous recipe with fresh or dried lotus root.
2. Soak a one to one-half inch diameter dried shiitake mushroom. Chop or slice finely when soft.
3. Add two cups of water (you may include the soaking water from the shiitake mushroom).
4. Bring to a boil, reduce the flame and simmer for approximately seven to ten minutes. Add a pinch of sea salt or shoyu/soy sauce toward the end. Drink while hot.

Buy ORGANIC

Have you ever looked at organic foods and thought "I know they are supposed to be good for me but they are so much more exspencive". Or maybe you dont even know that they really are better for you. Organic food has to meet certain requirements to achive the tital Organic, Some of these requirements are things like pesticed resedue free soil, not using pestisides on the food, not using cemicals to ripen fruit, ect. and yes these things do make organic food better for you. Would you go suck down a bottle of insectaside? Of course not and it would do great harm to you if you did well this same stuff is being put on your food. and even though it is washed you are ingesting small amounts of it. There are a few produce items that are safer then other that youmight be fine to buy non organic.
  • Onions
  • Avocado
  • Sweet Corn (Frozen)
  • Pineapples
  • Mango
  • Asparagus
  • Sweet Peas (Frozen)
  • Kiwi Fruit
  • Bananas
  • Cabbage
  • Broccoli
  • Papaya

but there are othes that are also more contaminated then others and you should always buy Organic.
  • Peaches
  • Apples
  • Sweet Bell Peppers
  • Celery
  • Nectarines
  • Strawberries
  • Cherries
  • Pears
  • Grapes (Imported)
  • Spinach
  • Lettuce
  • Potatoes
This list is know as the dirty dozen list.