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Chakra Series-The Root Of It All

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The root chakra is located at the base of the spine and resonates with many different energies. As is it the foundation of our energy centres, when it is off balance we will often feel it in many ways energetically or otherwise. To give you a better understanding of what the root chakra is responsible for, I would like to break it down for you and offer some insights as to how to keep this chakra balanced and empowered.

 

The Root Chakra energy can affect:

 

-How connected we feel to life, others, and the world

-How safe we feel and how much fear we hold

-How we choose to accept ourselves or others

-How much stability we manifest in our lives

-Our ability to find a calm place within our body

-Our ability to express our anger

 

The first sign for me personally that my root chakra is in balance is when I can sit down and relax without the feeling of needing to get up and do something. My ability to relax is directly connected to my ability to feel safe, secure, and at peace with life. When your root chakra is unbalanced, you may feel that you are ‘out of touch’ with life, or ‘off the path’. You are still on the right path, you may just need some re-balancing and strengthening. For some, an imbalanced root chakra can result in depression, chronic pain, anxiety and feeling fearful. Of course, seeking out the supports that are appropriate for you is important, and energy healing such as Reiki is an additional form of support that is beneficial for releasing these energies that may be built up and blocking the flow of feeling grounded.

 

Tips for maintaining a healthy Root Chakra:

 

Physical activity such as running, yoga, walking, dancing, or movement of any kind that feels nourishing for your body. Being in nature is so refreshing, I personally find swimming to be so grounding.

Calming exercises for anxiety and fear, such as journaling, counselling, somatic movement, meditation, reiki, listening to music. Find what works for you.

Grounding breathwork. I recommend putting your bare feet into the earth, at the park, beach, or your backyard. Having a direct connection to the earth energizes you and allows for release of energies. Start by rooting your feet to the earth and taking 2-3 slow inhales and exhales. This feels so good to do and instantly grounds your entire energy/body system.

The colour red. As red is the colour that represents our root chakra, eating red food, wearing red and surrounding yourself with red visually can be very supportive as well.

 

 

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Summer Solstice Reflection

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We are all experiencing a time of imposed stillness and reflection. It is very often that when we have space to slow down or ‘stop’ what we have been doing, energies will rise to the surface to be acknowledged. It is true that sometimes we are even made to slow down in order to have space to ‘stop’ what we are doing, such as getting a cold or flu and needing to rest. This happens to a lot of people at the beginning of a holiday or summer break, when the routine has been so full and busy, that when you finally get to a point of disruption in that routine, energy that has been built up will arise to be cleared. Hopefully in a gentle way.

For some of us, this time has been very slow paced and we’ve been given the opportunity to reflect on what has been and which direction we are going. For others, this time has been demanding in a different way with schedules being uprooted and an emphasis on rearranging what we’ve already been doing but now is confined within four walls.

No matter what you have been going through, we are all feeling the same collective energy around us to one degree or another. This energy will affect you in different ways, and no matter what you have been going through or feeling, we can acknowledge and release the old energies of the past to make room for the new. This is very good timing as we have just received an abundant recharge from the summer solstice shift, which has propelled us forward in energies of celebration and a chance to step into a new beginning.

This is an especially potent time to release any stuck energies. This could be old hurts, feelings, traumas, or energetic weights. If you’re carrying a lot of old hurt, belief or heaviness, it affects the reality of receiving the source, the insight, to the increase of flow of energy that is around us now. Reiki has helped to alleviate these heavy feelings or even small places within. If you are not sure if you hold any of these feelings or pockets of energy within that may be blocked, use your breath or meditation to check into your body and notice what you feel. Are there any tense or tight spaces in your body? If any feelings are coming up, where are they sitting in your body?

There is impatience coming up to move forward, get out of the house, go to the beach, go do what we want to do or what we’ve been limited in doing lately. Take time to move consciously as you move, it doesn’t have to be slowly, but it may need to be. Taking the time to do it consciously is choosing to do it from the heart without rushing what impulse may be guiding you. Impatience, the need to hurry or decide quickly, may be the first response but deeper lies a reason for getting away from what is feeling uncomfortable. In those moments of discomfort, I would say, just let it be. Let it be by choosing a conscious path forward. Let this moment be an opportunity for you to reset your intentions. Reset your mindset. Reset to allow the light in. And just so you know, this doesn’t mean you have to do anything! This could mean a time for you to take NO action. To regroup from within. Take the first step forward gently by thanking yourself for all that you do. This is your precious time to allow a gentle flow of energy to dance around you, clearing and cleansing what may need to be released. All you need is an open heart, and perhaps some intentions.

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The Benefits of Reiki for Cats (and all animals)- Part 2

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In my last blog post I talked about the benefits of Reiki for my cats. It is very calming, reduces their stress and speeds the healing with traumas and recoveries, not to mention how much they love it! Read Part 1 here . In this post I will be continuing to share my experience of using Reiki with my cats, and how it can be used with all animals.

Reiki can help with behavioral problems. When I first rescued my kitten Wimbly, he was very aggressive towards my 6 year old cat Abby. I worried that as he got bigger he would overpower her. Abby is very tolerant of his frisky behavior and will let him know with a growl when he is pushing it too far. I started experimenting with the both of them, and gave them Reiki throughout the day. After a week, they slept together on the couch for the first time! Abby had been so unsure of him prior to this, he was so small compared to her and in her defense, she had been an only child her whole life. They started to spend more time cuddled up together without any ‘kitten frisk attacks’, and I noticed their entire relationship changed. Mostly, Wimbly had become calmer in his body and was much more affectionate, even with me.

Reiki helps with transitions. Ever since she was a kitten, Abby has been terrified of being in the car. From short trips to the vet, to longer drives to the Okanagan. As soon as we get into car she begins hyperventilating, crying and moaning. For this reason, I keep her travel time to a minimum, but occasionally it must happen. When I used to go away for the summers, Abby would stay with my parents. This meant another stressful drive for the both of us that resulted in me behind the wheel while also putting one hand to her carrier giving her Reiki throughout the trip. When I start giving her Reiki, it isn’t more than a few minutes before she is calm and at rest in her carrier. As soon as we reach our destination I will sit with her in ‘her room’ at my parents and give her Reiki until she is settled. She will hide under the bed and not come out until I’m sitting on the floor with my hands open offering her calming energy. Once I started using this technique I noticed a big shift in how she was travelling, and it decreased her ‘settling in time’ once we arrived.

My experiments with Reiki and my cats will continue as they grow, and as needed. Not only do I offer my cats Reiki in times of need, but they also seek it out anytime I have someone over for a session or when I am giving a self-treatment. It is a good reminder for me that cats, and all animals, need Reiki as much as we do.

 

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Reiki Benefits for Cats (and all animals)- Part 1

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The benefits of Reiki for our beloved paw babies

I have two cats; one is a 6 year old named Abby, and this summer my partner and I rescued a long haired kitten who we named Wimbly. Both of my cats are rescues and came to me with a variety of emotional needs. My most recent kitten Wimbly was rejected by his mother when he was born and had to be bottle fed, and because of this he has many issues. I have been working on both cats with Reiki and have achieved some beautiful results that I would like to share with you.

        Reiki is very calming for animals and reduces stress. When I first rescued Wimbly he was covered head to toe in fleas (this was the reality for Abby as well). I do not condone harsh chemical treatments so by using apple cider vinegar and tedious combing I was able to be rid of the fleas within a week. Unfortunately, this meant, for both cats, much of their first weeks with me was forced holding and rigorous combing. Sadly this created anxiety in Abby and to this day does not like being picked up, (we are still working through this together). With Wimbly, I started by holding my hands open to him and offering him Reiki, when he accepts Reiki he will investigate my hands and usually collapses into my lap for Reiki cuddles. I noticed how much this reduced his stress and he soon would come over to me if I showed him the comb and would purr during his flea combing sessions! Relaxation achieved!

        Reiki relieves pain and speeds the healing process. Wimbly recently went in for surgery and therefore had to wear a cone on his head, which was recommenced for a week. If you’ve ever had your pet in this state you know how heartbreaking it is to see them so sad looking and uncomfortable after surgery and in a cone sized prison. With Abby, she became so depressed, she did not move from one spot on the couch for 8 days. Wimbly was more energetic but after giving him some Reiki I noticed he was very uncomfortable and in pain. He became desperate to remove his cone, and during a Reiki session with a client he slipped his cone off and came onto the table and slept for the entire session. For the next week I did Reiki on him every day and monitored his recovery, and noticed a huge shift in his mood and overall recovery. 

        Animals need Reiki as much as we do – and they love it! It is very rare that I can practice Reiki on myself without one or both of my cats coming and laying quite literally directly on my hands. They ask for it all the time in different ways, and usually sneak into my Reiki sessions with clients by sleeping on the table for the duration of the session, (this is Wimbly’s favourite hobby). Overall there are so many benefits of Reiki for Animals that can help with many different things, even behavioural problems.  I will be posting more about this in Part 2 of this article! Stay tuned..

 

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Choosing Reiki

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Recently someone asked me, “Why did you choose Reiki?”

I felt a bit put on the spot and answered with a short and quick response, which I can’t really remember. Probably a cliche about how Reiki chose me. Ha.

After giving it some thought, here is my answer. To those who ask, and for those who don’t know.

It’s like any other kind of deep love, the kind that quite literally makes you stop and wonder how you’ve gone on so long before without it.

Reiki has been a part of my healing journey, it has aided my own awareness into my personal body and the ability to finely tune my awareness and sensitivity to others. Along with other treatments, Reiki guided me through my recovery from a lung cancer diagnosis in 2012, and a longer journey of recovery for my greater spirit. The impact of the diagnosis has forever gifted me with the understanding of the preciousness of freedom in our youth, and how fragile our strong healthy bodies can be. The impact did not just leave a large physical scar which is an everyday reminder, but my mental health has shifted and I’ve been struggling with anxiety since. Reiki has assisted me in stepping into my personal power through self  healing, and given me the skills of understanding energy and the importance of daily release.

Anxiety was something I’d heard about my whole life but hadn’t personally dealt with until after my surgery, in which I had 60% of my right lung removed. I remained in the hospital for 18 long days afterward. Ironically the longer I have been in remission the greater my anxiety has grown, and the more noticeable it has become. Over this past summer I started having panic attacks for the first time, which were especially hard for me because I had no control over them. I will admit that I felt quite blocked, and even doing Reiki for myself felt like too much at the time. I spent most of my time in the Okanagan this summer, and nearing the end of July within a matter of days the city was swallowed by a thick smoke that made it especially hard for me to breathe. With this came another trigger of anxiety around breathing.  A once thoughtless movement for me, now at times becomes all I can think about. I started doing a blend of treatments, hypnotherapy, counselling, and receiving Reiki from another practitioner. This combination helped me address and move through my anxiety, and in turn got me back to a place where I was able to give Reiki to myself and others with ease again.

I’ve hesitated in writing this down for so long, stuck in the fear of feeling weak, or unable to take care of myself when I care for so many. I don’t often show this side of myself, the side that is hurting, and healing. I know that for most people we do this to protect those around us, or as a mechanism for just ‘getting through’ because we have to or we should. However, there is something so powerful in saying a hello to yourself when you are feeling lost, afraid, or anxious. And the empowerment from saying that out loud to someone is even greater. I recognize that we “get to” move through these challenges, or healing opportunities. Not that we have to, or should. We get to. We get to experience our healing, these moments where our lessons are the greatest. And through that we find our peace, our harmony, and that safe place where we can be at ease. The place where we find grace in all our moments.

 

With Love,

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Contact Rose

250-803-1127
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Vancouver

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Contact Willow

604-771-7501
Email
Delta

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