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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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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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5 Reasons I Love Reiki

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  1. Reiki is my personal tool to a clear understanding of what’s happening in my body. It is all too easy to ignore our bodies when they are relaying messages to us. Our bodies are highly intelligent and with every symptom and feeling there can be revealing insight, (if we pay attention). When I began using Reiki as a part of my personal healing practice I became more aware of the reasons I would feel so heavy at the end of some of my days. As a sensitive person, it’s quite common to carry energies from others without realizing it. Reiki has been beneficial for me to consistently ‘tune up’ my energy field and feel clear and balanced.

 

  1. Reiki helps me go to sleep- and stay asleep! For years I had a very inconsistent sleep schedule, often staying up very late or not sleeping through the night, which would require me to sleep during the day. As much as I do enjoy a good nap, I enjoy sleeping throughout the night without waking even more! For the past couple years, I’ve been experimenting with Reiki as a way of going to sleep at night. I notice anxiety quite often comes creeping up on me at night, usually in the form of excessive thoughts that won’t seem to subside. Before bed I’ll do 10-15 minutes of Reiki and instantly I feel a calmness that helps soothe me into a sleepy state. I also notice that when I do Reiki before bed, I wake up fewer times in the night and typically can sleep right through until my alarm (or my cat) wakes me up!

 

  1. Reiki has been treating my anxiety. In the past year I’ve been experiencing anxiety in a way that has been challenging at times, for me to work with on my own. Reiki has been a crucial little helper for me that I can call on at any time of day or night. For those who have experienced a Reiki treatment, you’ll know the gentle waves of calmness that come from a session. This gentle energy is exactly what I need (and I feel everyone needs) to help move through anxiety and stress that comes up in our day to day.

 

  1. Reiki promotes balance and harmony. Reiki is an empowering tool for balancing and grounding your energy. Anytime I’m noticing I’m feeling a bit ‘off’, I know it’s time to do some energy healing. Reiki works by clearing through your energy centers and meridians, releasing what’s ready to be let go of, and opening space for the new. Needless to say, after every treatment I feel refreshed and lighter than before.

 

  1. Reiki is SO wonderful to share with others. Imagine a rainbow washing down on you like a bucket of water, and you can feel the cleansing effects of its gentle flow. That’s what giving a Reiki treatment feels like for me – for real! One of the most rewarding parts about my practice is helping others maintain a healthy body and spirt. Connecting with my clients and sharing the healing space of Reiki has been a fulfilling and joyful experience for me.

 

With Love, Rose

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4 Tips for a Restful Sleep

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4 Tips for a Restful Sleep

If you ever have trouble sleeping through the night or have always wanted to develop a better nighttime routine, here are some tips on how you can make your pre-sleep plan a more calming journey into sweet slumber.

  1. Create a nightly routine. It’s amazing how much your sleep will change once you put an emphasis on the importance of what you do before you go to bed. What do you do before you go to sleep? For a long time I watched shows or movies directly before I fell asleep, and I noticed how much it changed my dreams and how restful my nights were. I also used to sleep with my phone right beside my bed, which after years of my mother telling me about electromagnetic radiation from my cellphone I finally listened. When I started making more time for myself, and paying more awareness to the stimulants around me and my sensitivity to them things began to change. Here are some suggestions of calming practices that you can use as part of your evening ritual. First, make some time before you rest to do a few things to help calm your mind and body. Drink chamomile tea. Do some light reading, writing, or meditate. Have a bath. Light some candles. Have someone else read to you. Sing or play music. Take a natural remedy like St Johns Wart or Magnesium. Do things that feel good for you, and challenge yourself to incorporate something new to your routine that may benefit your body and spirit!

 

  1. Soak your feet in Epsom salts. One of the many benefits of soaking your feet in Epsom salts is the cleansing and detoxing effects. Our feet travel and carry all our weight, and they also carry a lot of energy because they are our direction connection to the earth and can hold a lot of energetic weight. A good foot soak will increase your levels of magnesium when they become low, which is often caused by stress and anxiety. More magnesium= more serotonin in your brain = more feelings of happiness and relaxation. Not only does it feel good but it’s also doing a lot for you! This is a very nice part of my nightly routine which usually takes between 20 minutes and an hour. Tip* After you’ve soaked your feet, try laying on your bed or floor with your legs straight up on the wall. This may not feel good for everyone, however if you are able to keep your legs up for a good stretch, you will also be releasing a flow of energy through the bottoms of your feet. I’ve even fallen asleep like this as it becomes so relaxing!

 

  1. Increase the flow in your space. What does your bedroom feel like to you? Is it messy, disorganized and cluttered? If so this may be blocking the flow of energy in your space, and will directly affect your energy also! I believe your bedroom should be a sacred space of comfort and relaxation. By my bed I have; an aromatherapy diffuser, a crystal salt lamp, and many crystals. The combination of these things increases the flow and generally just makes me feel good. I have multiple crystals that I sleep with however directly above my bed is a large Selenite crystal that has a very high vibration of protection and clearing. Clear Quartz, Amethyst and Selenite are all good crystals for sleeping, however I recommend using your intuition to select the ones that are best for you!

 

  1. Light some sage. Burning smudge has been a sacred practice of Native Americans for a long time. It is a practice I watched my mother do for many years, and a practice I have been taught to use in my home. A dear friend grows the sage I burn at my home, and being mindful of where your smudge comes from is valuable. Allow for the whole process of lighting and burning sage to be as important as your focused intention. Have a bowl ready to catch the ashes, either using your hand or a feather, cleanse your hands in the smoke, smudging your face and body and spirit. The sage not only clears the negative energy in the space, but it does the same for your body as a cleanser of energies. Opening a window or door allows for the energy to flow out. You can use smudge to cleanse crystals, new objects you bring into your home, a new home itself, and people. When you have finished, dispose of the ashes and store your smudge in a safe and clear space.  I have been smudging for a while now almost every day since I moved into my new home, not only do I love the way it feels after doing so, but I love the smell. Be very mindful as you walk around with prayer or intention of what energy you would like to welcome into the space; calm, wellness, peace, love etc. If you practice Reiki you can also use symbols in your space while you smudge.

Remember how important you are, and how important it is for you to nurture and care for yourself. Getting a restful sleep will recharge you and refresh your spirit. As soon as I emphasized the importance the nightly routine was in my evening, I noticed a significant change not only in how I slept but how I felt at night in general. Aside from my cat doing late night parkour, I have such amazing sleeps and look forward to the evening rituals.

 

With love,

 

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Contact Rose

250-803-1127
Email
Vancouver

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Contact Willow

604-771-7501
Email
Delta

Social Connections