I just read “The Fear Cure” by Lissa Rankin. It is a decent book on the topic of addressing fear in your own life and cultivating courage in the face of those fears. There is so much fear in our culture; just turn on the news for a moment or read the headlines in your daily paper- the economy is down and heading into a recession, the destructive path of the wild fires burning across Canada are threatening homes and people’s lives, volcanoes are erupting, more people are being diagnosed with cancer, our homeland security is being threatened, and on and on and on.  The media thrives on fear and takes a rather fear based stance on many issues.  Certainly I have felt a lot of fear in my own life and feel the weight of old beliefs surface from time to time that have been based in fear based programming and family upbringing to some degree. I discuss these issues in my book “Living in Alignment-Embracing Illness as a Catalyst for Transformation” if the things I touch on resonate with you on reading this blog or please purchase Lissa’s book for more courage cultivating exercises to assist you in dealing with fear in your life.

Right now, we are being called to live authentically, to find a way to align mind/body/spirit in a way that is congruent for our personal selves. When fear and overwhelm show up for me, I always look for limiting beliefs that I carry within me and what could be blocking my evolution on a soul level? How can I challenge those fear based beliefs and move forward on my path?  In her book, Lissa talks about four fear based assumptions and I think she is right on the mark- I definitely resonate with some of them and I expect you would too. A belief that the world is a dangerous place which is one that I have definitely felt to some degree which is actively supported by the media’s stance on reporting the news as mentioned. If you don’t sense that there is a larger force protecting you from harm then fear can run rampant. Not too long ago, my car was totaled in an accident- it shocked and scared me to my core. But I also felt a sense of calmness come over me knowing that I was in fact looked after; I was not hurt at all but my car was a write off.I often look for the meaning in events and that is where your attention to your soul can be a guiding force. I sensed this accident was meant to get my attention and look at my life with a microscope to see what is feeling congruent and what is not and I am actively on a path of self alignment as a result.

I read somewhere in a Pathwork lecture online (which I find to be incredibly helpful if you are on a spiritual path and are looking for guidance) that fear automatically comes from desires of the self will. That if the self will desires something really strongly and those desires are contradictory to other currents within you; that you have a deeper being within you that knows what is right for you, then fear will show up. This is the most helpful truth for me. The self will or my own personal desires to self gratification can be strong-it is much easier to do things that feel good and sometimes choosing the path that brings me further in my evolution feels too challenging for me. I can feel scared. In a limiting way, I can claim I am weary from my soul path-it feels overwhelming when I am not tapped into the vital energy of consciousness or God self of my being. When I am feeling more connected to my soul energy, I am more open to taking risks and challenging my fears.

Cultivating courage to make changes first requires that you get in touch with your soul. If you are feeling fearful you need to go “deeper”; perhaps to a well of life giving water metaphorically, something that represents a reservoir of faith and trust for you… It is a necessity to nurture and develop a soul connection in your life. Being connected to your soul helps you make better decisions and helps you release fear as you begin to trust in a higher power that wants to guide you in your life.  It does not have to be a religious based orientation or it can be if that feels right to you. I recently started attending a church based singles group because I was seeking out some support that felt right for me. If you listen to your intuition about what support you need, it will come forward for you in your life. If you have negative views on religion and like to talk about guidance from angels or the universe, it does not matter, there is always support from the spiritual realms no matter what you label it as. Make sure you make the time to do the things that help you get in touch with your soul- for me meditation, yoga, walking, being in nature, music, and reading spiritual books are practices I need to do on an ongoing basis.

I accept that fear and worry show up pretty much on a daily basis for me but aligning with the God presence within me or my soul essence trumps any fear that tries to blanket and oppress my existence. Realize that you matter, that there is a purpose for your life, that you can let the light shine through your eyes to bless other people, that you have much wisdom to impart and above all, that you are loved. A useful exercise for you to do in the meantime: take a microscope to all your beliefs about life and ask yourself if they are health promoting or fear promoting and if they are in fact limiting your joy and happiness. This is an ongoing process- please book an appointment with me to discuss these things if this is new information for you. Until next time, be well. I will write more about this journey in ongoing blogs.

References: Lissa Rankin The Fear Cure, Pathwork lectures Eva Pierrakos, Robin Vinge Living in Alignment-Embracing Illness as a Catalyst for Transformation

It is the beginning of July and most people are in ‘summer mode’. This means drinks on the patio, barbecues, stampede wear, and outdoor concerts for some; typically healing is the last thing people are thinking of. People’s desire to cut loose and have fun is a great way to infuse enthusiasm back into their life- everyone needs a daily dose of joy to bring more life force energy into your mind/body/spirit. But, don’t forget about your health despite the liaise-faire attitude. Implementing some discipline and keeping your eye on the prize (better health) allow you to move forward with your health goals while taking the edge off your intensity so it does not feel like another day at the office.

Discipline is the key to success so start by reviewing what you want to achieve and can stay consistent with on a daily basis. It might be something as simple as drinking enough water so your urine is clear versus cloudy. It might be taking a weekly trip to the farmer’s market and loading up on fresh veggies. It might be growing greens in your back yard so you have a variety, to choose from when you make your green smoothie in the morning. Ask yourself what can I be consistent with on a daily basis? If you do some consistent meditation in the am (10 mins- set an egg timer and breathe) you might be more in touch with what it is you need to do to stay disciplined and committed to your health goals. Ask your higher self (your inner wisdom) what would be something you can choose to do on a daily basis consistently to improve your health? Your inner voice knows- the answer might come to you when you least expect it.

Many people come to see me for a consult but I often here how they are not sure that they can stick with the dietary changes consistently. Break it down. Remind yourself why you are wanting your health to improve. Remind yourself why are wanting to make changes. What do you want your end result to be? This is very individual- it might be more energy, more clarity, weight loss, a healthier diet, reduced risk of disease, consistent remission (if you have an autoimmune disease), more consistent poops, reduced anxiety, better sleep, etc, etc, etc. What are you most wanting to achieve? Typically it takes 21 days to form a habit so try to choose one thing to start with that you really want to stay committed to and implement your discipline and will to make it happen. You can do it!!

The tendency to self sabotage is built into our human DNA. However if you keep your health goals close to your heart and engage that side of your DNA, your chances for success are much higher. Take a look at and draw upon the self care part of your nature to improve the likelihood of goals realized; in short-draw from your heart center. How can you love yourself more? By making these healthy changes in your life, is that not an act of self love? It is easy to sabotage yourself when you do not love yourself. Loving yourself means making choices that are in alignment to you whether it be healthy food choices, self respect, honoring yourself and others in relationships that you choose to engage in, implementing behaviors that are conducive to your good health (good sleep hygiene for example), being as congruent as you can in mind, body, spirit; all these things mean a healthy dose of self love which allows for transformative healing.

Bone Broth is the new cool drink on the block. Our ancestors knew all about the virtues of bone broth; they relied on it for sustenance. Bone broth is the broth made from simmering the bones of animals, choose from chicken, turkey, beef, lamb, fish, etc. Throw in some chicken feet, beef knuckles, ribs, trachea for extra cartilaginous properties. Cover the bones with water, bring it to a boil then turn down until it is simmering. For best results, cook bones for at least 24 hours and throw a tbsp or two of vinegar in when you first start cooking. This way you extract more minerals from the bone. Throwing bones into your slow cooker makes the process even easier- you can turn it on low, cover the bones with water, add vinegar and vegetable scraps like carrot, celery, zucchini, onions, garlic and seasoning if desired. Come back in 24 or 48 hours and your broth is ready to drink. Simmering for such a long time will also produce gelatin from collagen extracted from the bones.

Bone broth is said to tonify the blood. Because of its rich mineral content (calcium, phosphorus) as well as magnesium, sodium, potassium, sulfate that are readily absorb-able, make it a nutrient rich broth. The cartilage components include chondroitin sulfate, keratin sulfate, and hyaluronic acid. These glycosaminoglycans (GAGS) are important for tissue repair and provide the nutrients are skeleton needs for support. It has been said that bone broth is healing for those that suffer from arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease, cancer, decreased immune status and malnutrition.

The gelatin in bone broth protects and heals the mucosal lining of the gastrointestinal tract. It is helpful in treating leaky gut syndrome which is at the basis of many chronic health conditions that we face today including autoimmune disease. Gelatin is thought to increase the digestibility of other proteins. Glycine is the main amino acid in gelatin. Bone broth is believed to improve body weight and bone mineral density as well as reduction of muscle wasting. Used to assist healing of food allergies, maldigestion (too much acid or low acid), osteoporosis, dental degeneration, poor wound healing and many other chronic states of dis-ease, bone broth taken daily, 2 cups, can assist in boosting minerals and repair of connective tissue. I am hoping that bone broth will be on tap at local hipster cafe’s soon!! Until then, make your own and report back to me, how it was…

Reference: Traditional Bone Broth in Modern Health and Disease, Allison Siebecker, Townsend Letter, Feb./Mar. 2005