 Stephanie (on right) in post massage bliss after a 90 Minute BWS signature massage with Mercedes. "Transformation is through the body, not away from it. This is why no true master has ever advocating fighting or leaving the body, although their mind-based followers often have." -Eckhart Tolle
Previously I have written about the difference between knowledge and knowing. I shared my experience with Eckhart Tolle and how the only true way to "know" something, is to experience it. What are you noticing...knowing? This week I encourage you to become curious about what and how your physical body is trying to communicate with you. Our physical body is a portal to what is really happening deep within. By deep within I mean beyond the mind and it's thoughts/story/narrative. For example, ever notice how physical pain causes us to "do" something when it no longer becomes tolerable? The moment we feel "we have had enough of feeling sick/tired/achy/lonely" (i.e.: suffering) we can decide it's time to make a change. Time for transformation!!! Perhaps we decide to become conscious of our food habits and choose to eat better. Or, maybe it's time to lace up those sneakers and exercise. For some it's time to ease up on the physical body and get a massage or finally try yoga, etc. And still for others there's a sense of the inner body that feels "off". Anxious, afraid, alone...endless cycle of emotional up and down. Why does connecting with the body matter? From a practical sense, we need it in order to live so why not take care of it the best we can? On a deeper level, the physical body is a powerful doorway to access wisdom and therefore transformation. Can't change what you don't know/want to know :) Perhaps most importantly, the body is the vehicle we have been gifted with to transmit the song of our soul. While some wisdom traditions may teach denying the body and/or ignoring the body, in my experience, it is the exact opposite. We must pay attention, listen, learn, respect, and celebrate the body. Then we must apply these lessons in the form of action. How do we access the physical body, in a deeper sense? It varies. One thread runs through all of it and that is the practice of presence...awareness. A.K.A - paying attention. Some of us pay attention quite naturally and either choose to take action or not. Doing nothing is also a choice :) Others of us engage in movement practices - yoga/running/walking outside/dance... to help us get in touch/feel the inner body. And still others rely on meditation, massage, energy healing, and soul work to assist in bringing us into deeper awareness. There's no right or wrong way. And the "way" may change over time as you change. Nothing is permanent in this world of form. Ha! As I say-- the only "wrong" way to meditate is simply to not do it all. And so it is with life and dealing with change. We will either consciously choose to listen to our body or not. Regardless, life / transformation happens anyway. We can embrace it (peaceful path) or fight it (suffering path). I don't know about you. I rather the peaceful path. Namaste, Stephanie  What is the Endocannabinoid System?
The endocannabinoid system (ECS) has been called one of the single most important scientific discoveries of modern time. So why is it so significant? It does so much more than allow our bodies to interact with THC and feel the mind-altering effects of cannabis. As one of the 12 major systems in our body, it is highly involved in maintaining the homeostasis, or balance within the body’s systems as well as physiological functions such as modulating pain and inflammation. Why Is Homeostasis Important? Homeostasis refers to the body’s process of maintaining balanced conditions for the cells in our bodies to live and function. This is critical for the proper functioning of our bodies as a whole to keep conditions stable enough for all of our cells to thrive and do their jobs. To better understand the importance of homeostasis, think of it as needing our body systems to stay in the Goldilocks zone. For example, our blood sugar shouldn’t be too low or too high, but just right. The same thing applies to many other conditions within our body such as temperature, blood pressure, and more. The endocannabinoid system does just that! How Do CBD and the Endocannabinoid System Work Together? Plant cannabinoids are able to affect the body medicinally because of our endocannabinoid system and the interactions that happen there. Like some other neurotransmitters, cannabinoids such as CBD, interact with many different receptor types. This means that while the CBD is activating certain cannabinoid receptors, it may be interacting with other receptors as well. CBD has the ability to affect the overall levels of endocannabinoids in the body. This is referred to as endocannabinoid tone. CBD can increase the levels of anandamide by preventing the FAAH enzyme from breaking it down. Inhibiting the FAAH enzyme in this way has been shown to improve anxiety disorders. When the body does not produce enough endocannabinoids or is unable to regulate them properly, it becomes more susceptible to health issues that can manifest as anxiety, inflammatory diseases, or skin disorders. However, research has shown that CBD can directly activate serotonin (the feel good neurotransmitter) receptors that may decrease anxiety. Every mammal has an endocannabinoid system. This system is affected by internal and external factors, as it relates to inflammation, injuries, and balancing homeostasis. It also protects against cancers, diseases, and nerve damage. The ECS also balances and protects our Central Nervous System and Immune System responses. In return, when this system is activated properly it initiates pain control and calms inflammation. The ECS is critical to the life cycle of skin, fighting against skin cancers, eczema, psoriasis, dry skin, and internal/external inflammation. Psychologically, the ECS allows us to experience new perspectives. Evidence suggests that the ECS helps with subtle yet therapeutic shifts in the brain in the way we perceive the world. This allows us to relate to our internal bodily landscape, the way we think and feel about ourselves, and the way we interact with the people around us. CBD is a non-psychoactive part of the hemp plant. CB2 receptors communicate with our bodies when CBD is inhaled, ingested, or applied topically. This allows the CBD to work through healing pathways in our body. Note: Not suitable if you are pregnant or nursing.  Ocean Meditation - 60 Seconds of Relaxation
Meditation doesn't have to be complicated. All it requires is commitment. As you watch this video: Inhale Peace, Exhale Stress >>>Watch Here  Everyone experiences some level of stress & anxiety. However, when it becomes severe and persistent, or shows up in the form of panic attacks, it does not take long before someone reaches out for help.
More and more people are looking for holistic alternatives to the “mainstream treatment” of medication and talk therapy. Holistic treatments address the underlying causes, and benefit body, mind, and spirit. Energy healing and meditation are two powerful modalities that work directly with the nervous system and the mind to bring about deeper lasting healing. Another profound way to manage stress and anxiety these days is to give yourself an opportunity to disconnect from tech! Energy Healing When approached with an open mind, energy healing is a highly effective way of making the unconscious conscious --and healing deeply rooted trauma that we cannot always get to in talk therapy. Energy healing sessions allow us to target the root cause of anxiety and panic attacks, heal wounds that we are not consciously aware of, and release core beliefs and experiences stored in the body or the subconscious mind (feeling mind). The techniques used during an energy healing session are designed to switch the nervous system out of “fight–flight-freeze” mode into a state of deep relaxation, allowing for both short-term and long-term relief of stress and anxiety. In addition, what we learn during a session can help us re-align our conscious mind (thinking mind) toward what we want to create. Meditation The ancient practice of meditation, in particular Transcendental Meditation (TM), is becoming a more widely practiced alternative to “mainstream” treatments for panic attacks, anxiety and stress. TM teaches us how to be still and allow the brain and nervous system to re-boot. In TM we allow and accept whatever arises. This practice sends messages of steadiness and balance to the emotions and nervous system, even as normally disturbing or triggering images may arise, for example. This neutral reaction allows the time and space needed to process or let the image pass through. Over time we apply what we learn in TM to manage stress in our life more effectively. We begin to realize that emotions and thoughts come and go. More importantly we realize we are not our thoughts and emotions and learn non-attachment. Disconnect from Tech Breaking up is hard to do, yet sometimes it is what we must do to keep calm! Recently I disconnected from all social media. What happened was remarkable. I felt instantly calmer and was able to re-connect to myself. I did not realize how much of my energy and attention was getting drained by the noise of the world. Even “good” noise is still noise and we need to manage it. While you may not be able to disconnect for an entire week, setting up boundaries about how much time you are on tech (including television) is vital to stay sane. Easy ways to do this daily are no tech when eating, shutting your phone off at night when sleeping, giving yourself at least 5-10minutes in the morning when waking up, and another 5-10 minutes at night before going to sleep to breathe and name what you are grateful for. We really must tune out of tech in order to tune into ourselves. If you can take a week off from tech, do it! It is a wonderful practice of letting go. Over time, we learn that we are not really in control of anything but our choices. We realize the importance of choosing habits that make us feel good. Want to learn more about the above or learn Transcendental Meditation? >>>Email Stephanie here >>>Book Now  "Wear gratitude like a cloak and it will feed every corner of your life." -Rumi
When we focus on what is working in our life, and we are grateful for it -- we gain the energy to do more of that...and less of what isn't...think self-care 101 :) Here’s a simple 2 step gratitude meditation: 1. Invest 5–10 minutes at the start or end of your day writing what you’re grateful for. For example: What great things happened today? What are you thankful for in your life right NOW? Who are you thankful for? Maybe you are grateful for your morning cup of coffee, a hug from a loved one or furry friend, even hitting only green lights on the way to work. It doesn’t matter how big or small; find as many things as you can to be grateful for and write them down. 2. Next, feel in your body NOW the experience of gratitude. Maybe it feels open, expansive, joyful. Set a timer for 2 minutes. Continue focusing on these feelings during your 2 minute meditation. Practicing gratitude will make you healthier and happier, and it will be easier to focus on what’s good rather than what’s not working in your life. Looking for support with meditation? Contact Stephanie here. |
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