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 –treatments that work with the body, address the underlying causes, and benefit body, mind and spirit.
Energy healing, yoga and meditation all work directly with the nervous system and the mind to do just that. Another profound way to manage stress and anxiety 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. Yoga & Meditation The ancient practices of Yoga and Meditation are two more widely practiced alternatives to “mainstream” treatments for panic attacks, anxiety and stress. They teach us how to interact with the nervous system through breath and awareness, so that over time we can soothe and strengthen the nervous system. They also work with emotions, mental images, thoughts, and relationships, seeing them all as part of an integrated whole. Controlling the body and breath while opening the mind to allow and accept whatever arises 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. Disconnect from Tech Breaking up is hard to do, yet sometimes it is what we must do to keep calm! Last week I disconnected from email and 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? Email Stephanie here. Summer Self Care by Stephanie
“What you do for yourself-any gesture of kindness, any gesture of gentleness, any gesture of honesty and clear seeing toward yourself-will affect how you experience your world.” -Pema Chodron Nourish Body, Mind & Spirit Summer is the perfect time to slow down and notice where you need to be "fed", aka, practice self care. Nobody can do this for us. And if we don't do this for ourselves, we risk becoming resentful, contracted, and unhappy! We must feed ourselves in order to feed others. As I spoke about last week, we are in charge of our own happiness and this includes on going self care. Give yourself permission to do what makes you feel good. You're worth it. Top 5 Picks to Nourish Body, Mind & Spirit: Massage - From therapeutic and deep tissue massage to relaxing massage, it's one of the oldest healing modalities. Massage can relax muscles, soothe aches and pains, release energy blockages, rejuvenate body, mind and spirit. Yoga - Yoga promotes inner and outer health & well-being. In addition to improving physical health: flexibility, strength, balance, pain management, yoga is a powerful tool in personal transformation. Yoga has been shown to decrease stress, helping with anxiety and PTSD, while improving our mood and outlook on life. Meditation- We get 2 choices: medicate or meditate. From managing stress, anxiety, and PTSD to cultivating a deeper sense of inner peace and well-being, meditation can help. Energy Healing - Chakra Balancing is an energetic healing technique that works holistically on the body, mind and spirit from the inside out. Major systems of the body are restored with life-force energy to promote body's natural ability to heal. Chakras will be cleared and re-balanced so you feel lighter and empowered. Reading List - Self-enrichment is one of the keys to growth. Our top 5: -Untethered Soul by Michael Singer -- We are all trying to be okay. Guess what? You already are! -Reclaiming Joy by Stephanie Filardi -- 4 Steps, when applied, to live happy, healthy, free. -A New Earth by Eckhart Tolle -- Awakening to your life's purpose and then some! -A Return to Love by Marianne Williamson -- Love is a potent force and the key to peace...in relationships, work, life... -Women, Food & God by Geneen Roth -- How we eat teaches us volumes about our life. Time to stop the battle with food and deeply listen. Yoga is a tool. Like a hammer, yoga offer us the opportunity, if we are willing to see it as such, to help us build something.
And yet, how often do we judge the experience? Maybe we show up on the mat, or make excuses as to why we "can't", and then judge yoga itself. That's like judging the hammer. It makes no sense. Or maybe some people think of yoga as "bad" and in conflict with some type of "religious" life. Hmmm...yoga is a tool. Maybe "church" is also a tool? So, if we aren't paying attention, if we aren't present, we may hammer our finger or pull a ligament. We get "hurt". We blame the hammer or yoga. Maybe the truth is that when we aren't present as we do yoga, hammer the nail, live our life...it isn't the yoga, the hammer or life that's the "problem". Perhaps it's us? Meaning, we have not yet trained our mind "well enough" so it endlessly attaches judgment (good and bad) to everything. There is another way to live that requires a willingness to change our beliefs and the way we "see". Yoga is a tool. Whether our practice is strong and sweaty or gentle and sweet, isn't the point. When we embrace yoga as a tool, we become present to the wisdom it gives us. Wisdom is a form of help, yes? Take a moment to consider how your yoga/hammer/life practice supports you. Is there anything you must you change in your mind to allow the practice to help you build the life you want? Maybe you want more love, peace, laughter, friends, money...more of that feeling of being alive... Yes, MORE! Nothing wrong with wanting more. There's that judgment again :) Namaste friends, Stephanie
What is Yoga Therapy?
Yoga means union. Yoga therapy is the practice of applying yoga teachings to connect body, mind, & spirit. People come to Yoga Therapy to manage physical injury or pain, and/or mental and emotional stress or trauma. How will Yoga Therapy Benefit Me? Yoga Therapy promotes inner and outer health & well-being. In addition to improving physical health: flexibility, strength, balance, pain management, yoga therapy is a powerful tool in personal transformation. Yoga therapy has been shown to decrease stress, helping with anxiety and PTSD, while improving our mood and outlook on life. What To Expect In a Session: *Centering/Breath Work/Meditation to Quiet the Mind *Yoga Postures to Stretch, Strengthen &Tone the Body *Deep Relaxation to Invite Wisdom & Deep Peace Yoga Therapy sessions are provided exclusively by Peter. Each session is 75 Minutes, $160. Book On-Line here or Call us: 914.337.9356 Questions? Email Peter here. |
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