Energy Medicine for Beginners: 40+ Simple Practices to Find Health and Happiness through Energy Healing 9781647399399, 1647399394

Citation preview

Copyright © 2021 by Rockridge Press, Emeryville, California No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning, or otherwise, except as permitted under Sections 107 or 108 of the 1976 United States Copyright Act, without the prior written permission of the Publisher. Requests to the Publisher for permission should be addressed to the Permissions Department, Rockridge Press, 6005 Shellmound Street, Suite 175, Emeryville, CA 94608. Limit of Liability/Disclaimer of Warranty: The Publisher and the author make no representations or warranties with respect to the accuracy or completeness of the contents of this work and specifically disclaim all warranties, including without limitation warranties of fitness for a particular purpose. No warranty may be created or extended by sales or promotional materials. The advice and strategies contained herein may not be suitable for every situation. This work is sold with the understanding that the Publisher is not engaged in rendering medical, legal, or other professional advice or services. If professional assistance is required, the services of a competent professional person should be sought. Neither the Publisher nor the author shall be liable for damages arising herefrom. The fact that an individual, organization, or website is referred to in this work as a citation and/or potential source of further information does not mean that the author or the Publisher endorses the information the individual, organization, or website may provide or recommendations they/it may make. Further, readers should be aware that websites listed in this work may have changed or disappeared between when this work was written and when it is read. For general information on our other products and services or to obtain technical support, please contact our Customer Care Department within the United States at (866) 744-2665, or outside the United States at (510) 253-0500. Rockridge Press publishes its books in a variety of electronic and print formats. Some content that appears in print may not be available in electronic books, and vice versa. TRADEMARKS: Rockridge Press and the Rockridge Press logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Callisto Media Inc. and/or its affiliates, in the United States and other countries, and may not be used without written permission. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. Rockridge Press is not associated with any product or vendor mentioned in this book. Interior and Cover Designer: Angie Chiu Art Producer: Meg Baggott Editor: Carolyn Abate Production Editor: Rachel Taenzler Production Manager: Michael Kay Cover Illustration: Vecteezy.com; Pelin Kahraman, p. 21–22, 26, 31–36, 49, 73, 84, 87, 101, 113 ISBN: Print 978-1-64739-939-9 | eBook 978-1-64739-940-5 R0

To you . . . May you become the healer you were destined to be.

contents Introduction

PART ONE: ENERGY MEDICINE PRINCIPLES AND PRACTICES CHAPTER ONE: CHAPTER TWO:

What Is Energy Healing?

Healing Modalities and Methods

PART TWO: PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS FOR SELF-HEALING CHAPTER THREE: CHAPTER FOUR:

Self-Healing

Practices for Common Ailments

Calming an Anxious Mind Combatting Fatigue Chanting to End Back Pain Releasing Unhealthy Habits Restoring Harmony by Balancing the Seven Chakras Improving Poor Circulation Releasing Insomnia Improving Digestion Working through Fear of Failure Finding Autoimmunity Relief

Improving Your Focus Finding Gratitude Preventing Upper Respiratory Infections Overcoming Grief Creating Self-Compassion Walking to Feel Connected Draining the Lymph Nodes Easing Migraines Dissipating Negative Energy Soothing Osteoarthritis Scanning Your Aura for Past Trauma Fostering Peace and Tranquility Stopping Procrastination Releasing Relationship Pain Learning to Take Responsibility Releasing Sexual Shame Sound Healing to Clear Sinuses Becoming Unstuck Silencing Tinnitus Selenite Meditation for Pain Management Cultivating Trust Strengthening Your Vision Raising Your Personal Vibration Letting Go of Worry Weight Management

CHAPTER FIVE:

Practices for Positivity Resources References

Acknowledgments About the Author

Introduction “If you want to find the secrets of the universe, think in terms of energy, frequency, and vibration.” —NIKOLA TESLA

I’ve always been able to feel energy. Growing up, I had the blessing of being surrounded by teachers who believed that learning about crystals and essential oils was just as important as math and history. So when, as a young adult, I encountered the same problems as my coworkers and friends (stress-related headaches, allergies, aches and pains, acid reflux, etc.), I dealt with these issues differently. I turned to essential oils and sound therapy, meditated with crystals, and drank herbal teas as means of relief. Working with energy has profoundly changed my life, and I believe it will also help you on your journey of self-healing. After my husband died in an accident many years ago, my world fell apart. A friend suggested I take Reiki classes to help me work through the grief, and it became a life-altering experience. Reiki is a form of energy medicine rooted in Japanese healing traditions that uses hand placement just off the body, or light touching. The practice integrated well with what I already knew about the human body and the energy that exists inside, but the class opened up my world even further. I went on to become a Reiki teacher and opened a small clinic in South Texas. I have since treated thousands of clients, both in person and long distance, covering a wide range of issues from asthma to Zieve’s syndrome. Energy healing continues to amaze me in its simplicity and effectiveness. In this book, I will share the fundamentals of energy healing, including the history of energy medicine in ancient cultures and how society is embracing these practices today. I’ll explore the different components of energy medicine—meridians, chakras, and aura work—as well as the basics of why your vibration is important to your health. We will dive into many healing techniques, including the use of color, sound, Reiki, tapping, essential

oils, and Indigenous healing principles. I’ll also share other key points of energy healing, including the need to treat the whole individual, not just the symptoms. Most of the techniques I share in this book are simple and require no extra training. There are lists of supplies with each exercise, as well as additional tips, so you can make the most of the experience. These techniques are not intended to replace medical treatment but to work alongside modern medicine. My goal is to demystify energy healing and give you easy techniques you can begin using immediately to take control of your health. It’s true that energy medicine can assist people in dealing with chronic pain, various illnesses, and balancing their emotions. But it’s not a magical, one-off antidote. In order for energy medicine to take hold, you must commit to a healing practice. You must also be willing to make the necessary changes to reap the full benefits of these practices. This could mean a new eating regimen, better sleeping habits, or reducing your consumption of alcohol or tobacco (vaping or otherwise). In general, you’re going to learn to be more aware of when your life is out of balance. Energy healing is like everything in life—the more you put into it, the more rewards you will see. Reciting an affirmation once a year is not going to swing the scales toward healing if you still engage in addictive behaviors, live a hyperstressful life, and consume toxins daily. That’s why it’s imperative you become an advocate for your health, read, study, learn, and ask for guidance. Commit to the suggested length of practice in each exercise and dedicate yourself to moving into a healthy, balanced state. Please note that the recommendations in this book are not intended to cure any disease or replace your current medications. Always consult with your doctor before embarking on a new healing protocol.

PART ONE

Energy Medicine Principles and Practices Energy medicine is a broad term for a collection of holistic healing modalities, many of which have existed for thousands of years. These modalities derive from different cultures and beliefs, but they all share the same principle: humans are made of energy that flows throughout the body and influences a person’s physical and emotional well-being. Energy medicine recognizes that when that flow is disrupted or blocked, the body moves into an imbalanced state that causes physical and emotional pain. In part 1, you’ll learn about the essentials of energy healing and the useful practices that can restore your balance and bring harmony back to your body.

CHAPTER ONE

What Is Energy Healing? In this chapter, we’ll demystify much of the mystery around energy healing and get down to the essence of what it all entails. You’ll discover that most types of energy healing use different cultural terminologies and approaches to healing, but at heart they’re fundamentally rooted in similar principles. Once you learn the basic concepts, you can begin your own personal healing approach to bring your body back into balance. In later chapters, I’ll share more specific exercises you can begin using right away, but first we’ll work to understand the science and methodology behind energy medicine.

Benefits of Energy Healing Energy healing isn’t a new concept. More than 5,000 years ago, Indian scholars founded an entire healing tradition based on energy, and it is still in use today. In the third millennium BCE, Chinese doctors developed a complex system of wellness based on similar energy healing practices. Indigenous peoples throughout the world adhere to some type of energy healing practices within their cultures. Truth be told, modern medicine wasn’t designed to address the whole person in the way that energy medicine does. It’s only recently that researchers and scientists in traditional, or Western, medicine have begun to understand what energy medicine practitioners have known for thousands of years. It’s no secret that our health is a direct expression of our mental, emotional, and environmental attitude. It’s influenced by what we focus on, what we ingest, our home and work environments, and our stress levels and relationships. Energy healing explores these aspects of a person’s overall health and works to bring the individual back into balance. The practice aims to improve your health and wellness through the body, mind, and soul connection, using a gentle, holistic approach that often creates a chain reaction of positive changes in your life. It assesses the mental, physical, and social factors that may be affecting a patient, rather than just the symptoms of a disease, recognizing that the body is not a machine, but a reflection of your overall state. For example, if a client came to me because of a constant upset stomach, I’d begin by reviewing not just their diet but their overall stress issues. One of the easiest and most relatable examples that best details energy healing in action is people who struggle with their weight. In a more traditional approach to weight loss, people who drop pounds through diet changes tend to gain it all back when they stop adhering to their prescribed eating regimen. That’s because gaining weight is only a symptom of a greater root cause. Energy healing will take into account the whole person and target the root of the problem, such as the client using food to self-soothe or eating to gain weight to insulate themselves from a stressful environment. Until these deeper issues are addressed, no amount of dieting will be successful. Only by healing the root cause of the energy imbalance can the weight stay off for

good. Using energy to provide relief for autoimmune diseases, such as lupus, is another effective means for the practice. Autoimmune disease occurs when your body’s immune system attacks your own tissues and organs, causing inflammation. In general, autoimmunity can affect many different systems in the body and move from one system to another, so it can be difficult to know where to begin to bring about relief. Energy works through these layers of trapped energy (think of an onion), so you can often experience results quickly. Energy medicine is also considered “clean” or at least free of side effects. All too often, medical treatments rely on regimens that call for prescriptions or intense therapy treatments, which can be hard on the body and psychologically damaging. Energy healing doesn’t make a person feel drowsy or thirsty. It also doesn’t need to be conducted on a full stomach to avoid nausea. To put a finer point on it, the only side effect of Reiki is happiness! Ongoing healing sessions isolate any imbalances before they turn into major issues. Even though this book is about learning a variety of energy healing modalities for self practice, I do recommend having one energy healing session with a practitioner. While you don’t necessarily need to work with an energy healing professional every time, seeking out an expert will give you helpful insight and knowledge for when you are ready to go solo. In an energy healing session, the practitioner encourages you to evoke your own healing power. They guide you to release the toxic consequences of unhealed emotions such as anger, shame, greed, fear, depression, and grief. Energy healing teaches us that these emotions are detrimental to our health, and that we need to release rather than repress or ignore them. Even I use an energy healer to help work through issues, so that should tell you how much easier it is to process these different emotions when you have outside support. You’ll also find that overall, energy healing practitioners take more time with their clients than traditional medical providers do. They encourage the clients not only to be proactive in their health, but also to become a partner in the entire healing process. Energy healing works to align all aspects of your being and brings forth your best self. This includes living up to your potential in all areas of your life—physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual.

QUIZ: HOW’S MY ENERGY? Everything around us is energy, and this energy influences all areas of our life, including our physical health. Often, changes in our general health, mood, or attitude go unnoticed until other symptoms arise. This quiz will help you get a sense of where your energy is right now. Rate each question with DISAGREE, OCCASIONALLY, or STRONGLY AGREE. When you’ve completed the quiz, group your statements and add them up to give yourself a better sense of where you are. I often have trouble sleeping or staying asleep. ◯

DISAGREE

◯

OCCASIONALLY

◯

STRONGLY AGREE

I often feel emotional and moody for no reason. ◯

DISAGREE

◯

OCCASIONALLY

◯

STRONGLY AGREE

My mind is very active, and I often have racing thoughts. ◯

DISAGREE

◯

OCCASIONALLY

◯

STRONGLY AGREE

I often have negative thoughts that I cannot control. ◯

DISAGREE

◯

OCCASIONALLY

◯

STRONGLY AGREE

I do not feel safe. ◯

DISAGREE

◯

OCCASIONALLY

◯

STRONGLY AGREE

I often suffer from unexplained heartburn or acid reflux. ◯

DISAGREE

◯

OCCASIONALLY

◯

STRONGLY AGREE

My life feels stuck. ◯

DISAGREE

◯

OCCASIONALLY

◯

STRONGLY AGREE

I suffer from chronic pain. ◯

DISAGREE

◯

OCCASIONALLY

◯

STRONGLY AGREE

I suffer from anxiety. ◯

DISAGREE

◯

OCCASIONALLY

◯

STRONGLY AGREE

I feel unworthy. ◯

DISAGREE

◯

OCCASIONALLY

◯

STRONGLY AGREE

I have been told I am too sensitive. ◯

DISAGREE

◯

OCCASIONALLY

◯

STRONGLY AGREE

I often use food to soothe myself or emotionally eat. ◯

DISAGREE

◯

OCCASIONALLY

◯

STRONGLY AGREE

I am jealous of others. ◯

DISAGREE

◯

OCCASIONALLY

◯

STRONGLY AGREE

I feel unheard. ◯

DISAGREE

◯

OCCASIONALLY

◯

STRONGLY AGREE

I allow other people to dictate how I feel about myself.

◯

DISAGREE

◯

OCCASIONALLY

◯

STRONGLY AGREE

I have reproductive issues. ◯

DISAGREE

◯

OCCASIONALLY

◯

STRONGLY AGREE

I struggle with money and finances. ◯

DISAGREE

◯

OCCASIONALLY

◯

STRONGLY AGREE

I often feel deeply sad for no logical reason. ◯

DISAGREE

◯

OCCASIONALLY

◯

STRONGLY AGREE

People frequently take advantage of me. ◯

DISAGREE

◯

OCCASIONALLY

◯

STRONGLY AGREE

I have frequent headaches or migraines. ◯

DISAGREE

◯

OCCASIONALLY

◯

STRONGLY AGREE

ANSWER KEY • If most of your answers were DISAGREE, then your energy is flowing, and while a monthly energy tune-up is still beneficial, you appear to be in a harmonious and balanced state. • If a majority of your answers were OCCASIONALLY, then regular energy healing sessions and personal attention to energy imbalances should help you move back into a balanced and healthy state. • If a majority of your answers were STRONGLY AGREE, then you could definitely benefit from energy healing.

Energy The human body is composed of energy, and an energetic field has existed for thousands of years. Prana (Indian), chi (Chinese), and ki (Japanese) are all names that ancient cultures used to describe this phenomenon. These societies observed the correlation between healthy, balanced energy and stagnant or blocked energy centers in the body. We still use the healing practices they created long ago, proving that energy is a constant across all healing traditions. China has one of the world’s oldest medical systems. Acupuncture and Chinese herbal remedies date back at least 2,200 years, although the earliest known written record of Chinese medicine dates from the third century BCE. Based on their extensive study of energy, Chinese scholars developed techniques to deal with imbalances in the body. Some of these include acupuncture, qigong (a powerful type of energy exercise), tai chi, and, of course, traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). The martial arts were also developed with energy in mind. As I often explain to my students, if martial arts were just a matter of physical strength, we could all lift weights, become

stronger, and easily break bricks with our fists. But it’s well known that the key to this activity is directed energy: the flow of chi (energy) is what makes it possible. More than 3,000 years ago, people in India studied the body and its energy flow. Our modern-day knowledge of chakras and the intricate energy system they govern is based on this philosophy. From that wisdom came a natural system of medicine called Ayurveda, a healing system rooted in finding balance within the mind, body, and spirit. Pranayama, a formal exercise of breath and energy flow, and yoga, which employs breath work, poses, meditation, and exercises, are also ancient healing practices from India. Many other countries adopted these concepts, which are now used interchangeably with other energy systems and healing modalities. An example is the Japanese energy healing modality of Reiki—practitioners across the world address energy imbalances in the chakra system with this technique, which also incorporates the principles of TCM. Indigenous Americans also have their own theories and practices for energy work. Different tribes, such as the Cherokee, understood energy healing and acupuncture meridians—according to a 19th-century manuscript in the Smithsonian Institute, they used needles made of thorns or porcupine quills in healing practices. There are over 500 federally recognized tribes (and many more without federal recognition) across the United States. Each tribe maintains it own unique approach to healing; however, it’s fair to say that these varied modalities recognize that the entire universe is alive with energy in motion. Many Indigenous American religions are rooted in the belief that we are all connected via energy, and use techniques to balance personal energy via sweat lodges, ceremonies, drumming, and prayer. They also use energy manipulation to prevent and treat illness. It’s important to note that First Nations have closed their religions to non-Indigenous peoples, and have asked others to refrain from practicing them without being invited by a member of the tribe. Regardless of the name you assign to the energy system, time has proven again and again that energy healing is the key to wellness.

Energy Healing As we’ve discussed, many energy healing practices and traditions believe in

the core concept of removing energy blockages and restoring balance to your body. But they aren’t the only modalities that use techniques to balance personal energy—emotional freedom technique (EFT), acupressure, color therapy, healing touch, sound healing, and more are also included in this category. Even though these modalities are different, they share the similarity of being healing methods that work directly with the body’s energy. The modalities of healing can be categorized into a few groups. Chakrabased and meridian-based approaches are the most common, and some modalities use both. Other modalities don’t use either system, instead calling on physics and scientific energy principles as their source of healing. CHAKRA HEALING Chakras are energy centers of the body that both send and receive energy, regulate organ functions, and influence our emotions. When energy flows unobstructed from these energy centers, the body is receptive to healing. Chakra-based healing methods cover a wide swath of techniques. They include chakra meditations, therapeutic touch, yoga, healing touch, quantum touch, and craniosacral therapy. These energy healing techniques are especially helpful for chronic illness, feeling stuck in a relationship pattern, and ending addictions. MERIDIAN HEALING Meridian-based methods work with the energy pathways of the body rather than the chakras. If that sounds too abstract, think of energy meridians as superhighways that energy uses to move through your body. Many meridianbased methods stem from acupuncture, including acupressure, EFT, kinesiology, and more, and help rebalance the systems of the body and trigger healing. The results from meridian-based energy healing are usually instantaneous, making it an ideal approach for migraines, fibromyalgia, and chronic pain. OTHER HEALING METHODS Modalities that don’t focus on meridian- or chakra-based healing are quite powerful in their own right. Some of these focus on shifting consciousness by changing the body’s vibration. Other types work on personal transformation

and clearing past trauma from the body’s energy field. Examples of these methods include shamanic work, sound healing, flower essences, angelic healing, crystal healing, and dream work. Shamanism involves a type of energy healing that enlists assistance from the divine. The word shaman originated from the Tungus tribe in Siberia. Shamanistic healing includes calling on ancestors, angels, elementals, guides, spirits, or the higher self to facilitate the healing. Shadow work removes energetic blocks, as well as assisting clients with integrating unwanted or unloved parts of themselves. This type of healing is particularly useful in overcoming trauma, childhood pain, sexual trauma, self-defeating behaviors, anxiety, PTSD, and lifelong issues. Modalities that borrow from quantum physics are yet another version of energy healing. They work to access unseen and future states to help manifest change. By affecting a future state, the healer is able to manipulate the energy of the now to align with the future state in which the problem is no longer an issue. These types of energy healings are also helpful at clearing psychic debris from people’s energy. Sensitive individuals and empaths are more likely to pick up this type of energy debris, and it can leave them feeling overwhelmed, anxious, and chronically ill. While these kinds of energy healing may seem very different, they all agree that chronic pain, emotional distress, disease, and other ailments come from an imbalance or blockage in our body’s vital energy. The route can vary, but all focus on restoring the energy of the body and bringing it back to a state of harmony and balance. In part 2 of this book, I’ll share a variety of healing exercises with techniques you can learn quickly and begin using right away to restore your energy flow and facilitate healing. Regardless of the path you take, it’s important to keep in mind that all healing is actually self-healing, whether you’re working alone or with a provider. When clients come to me, asking for help with their issues/pain/problems, we always discuss the fact that I am not doing the healing—they are. I’m just a tool in the process. If I can be helpful, great, but all healing happens on a personal level and is ultimately your personal responsibility.

ENERGY HEALERS

We live in a stressful time, so it’s beneficial to have some sort of energy therapy session regularly, if possible. Investing in your personal healing isn’t a one-time shot. Think of it more as an ongoing procedure. As we address one issue, we make space to grow and heal another problem, gradually removing blocks and hindrances so that health can return to the body. While this takes time, working even briefly with a qualified energy healer can radically accelerate the process. An energy healer is equipped with various tools to help you access the relief and comfort your body needs. There are many ways to work with a trained energy healer. Doing it face-to-face is ideal but not always possible. Many healers offer a variety options for sessions, including prerecorded videos, group workshops, and listening to guided meditations. We can tap into the subtle, vibrational energy of healing in many different ways. I personally work with clients all over the world via the internet. Long-distance energy work is just as powerful as in-person sessions. Taking classes or following instructions from a qualified teacher can also help you expand your knowledge and facilitate healing experiences for yourself and others. Most energy healers share common principles that form the foundation of what they practice. These principles include beliefs about energy, health, and clients’ expectations. Whether they use tools or channel high vibrational energy, all practitioners work to help the client bring their body back into a state of harmony and balance. Some energy practitioners believe that healing is a sacred event. They may call on angels, spirit guides, and ancestors from other realms to assist with the healing. Some will use crystals, color, and scent in their sessions. Ask the practitioner in advance what type of tools they will be using and in what ways. If you are sensitive to smells or sounds, let them know. Ask as many questions as needed to feel comfortable, because this session is about you! During a typical energy healing session, a healing practitioner connects with a higher vibration and passes it along to the client. The actual procedure will vary based on the type of energy session you choose. For instance, Reiki practitioners pull universal life force energy into their bodies and send it to the client, while sound healers may use instruments, bells, gongs, tuning forks, or recorded tones to shift and clear a client’s energy. Both procedures are intended to remove energetic blocks and recalibrate the client’s energy field. No matter what tools or modalities they use, most energy practitioners will emphasize that all healing is ultimately self-healing—they merely amplify or possibly accelerate the process. Later on in the book, we will dive into the different types of energy healing tools, such as Reiki, color therapy, TCM, and more.

Principles of Energy Work

This book will help you learn to heal those conditions that are in your control and to protect your energy in certain situations. By equipping you with the right knowledge and tools, my hope is that you can begin your own journey of healing and balance. As you progress through your journey of energy work and healing, it’s helpful to keep the following principles in mind. 1. Everything is connected. Your overall health is affected by your emotions, your stress level, your nutrition, and many other factors. Recognizing this allows healing to take place on a deeper level, but there are numerous other considerations that guide energy healing practices. 2. Everyone has a choice when it comes to energy healing. We should respect their individuality by not sending energy to people without their consent. 3. Energy healing is not “one size fits all.” Each of us is one of a kind. Energy medicine teaches that we need to recognize our own uniqueness and find the best approach that works for us. If one technique doesn’t seem to be working, try another approach. Issues take time to heal, and often there is no set timetable for that healing. This is because energy healing focuses on a root-level cause, not just a symptom. 4. We are not machines. We are living beings, each with a field of energy, consciousness, and intelligence. The body is capable of amazing healing and renewal—transformation is always possible. The physical body and mind are intricately linked, so if we are unhappy, stressed out, or emotionally unwell, it will affect our physical health. That’s why it’s wise to focus on the positive rather than the negative. Our attention shapes our reality, so if you identify as being ill or focus all your energy on your diagnosis, it will shape your future. 5. Energy debris, past trauma, and unresolved emotional pain can become lodged in the energy of our bodies. If this energy is not dislodged, it can manifest into illness. Being healthy is an ongoing process. You must take an active role in your physical, mental, and emotional well-being by working toward balance. Monthly energy healing sessions can isolate problems before they have a chance to morph into chronic pain or illness.

6. While energy healing can have almost miraculous results, it’s important to remember that it isn’t a guarantee. A lifetime of personal disregard, neglect, and poisoning your body cannot be fixed with a single energy healing session. There are also some conditions that are so severe and acutely rooted in the body that they are impossible to reverse.

CHAPTER TWO

Healing Modalities and Methods Many long-standing energy healing traditions have led to breakthroughs in the wellness world. While terms may vary from culture to culture, the principles of energy and its effect on our health are basically the same: practices that eliminate blockages will move you into a state of balance and wellness. Even though these practices are hundreds if not thousands of years old, they still remain vital today, and we can access them with tools we already possess. To better understand energy healing and the modalities and methods you will choose in your wellness journey, let’s explore the fundamentals. In this chapter, we will take a closer look at how the body’s energy systems function by studying chakras, meridians, and auras. We will also investigate how newer energy modalities incorporate timeless wisdom, as well as common methods suitable for self-healing work that you can use immediately.

Healing Traditions and Systems Now we’re going to dive deeper into meridians, TCM, and the chakra system and discuss your personal energy field, also known as your aura. My goal is to demystify this information and present it in a way that lays the foundation for energy healing. Obviously, this information will be a condensed version, since each topic could fill several books. But before I get into that, I want to explain how healing through these ancient energy systems differs from modern medicine. At first glance, it might seem that healing through energy is unusual, isolated work. But the healing traditions discussed in this book are complete medical systems that take a holistic approach. For instance, TCM treats the whole person. It focuses on physical and mental health, organ health and functionality, disease prevention, and internal balance. This is different from the conventional approach you may encounter when you visit a medical doctor’s office. Conventional, or allopathic, health care is often referred to as Western medicine or modern medicine, and is likely what most of us were raised on. Allopathic medicine aims to combat disease by using remedies such as drugs or surgery to produce effects that are different from or incompatible with those of the disease being treated. The goal is to stop the disease or ailment from spreading or further damaging the body. The term allopathy was coined by Samuel Hahnemann (1755–1843) to differentiate between the common practice of medicine (allopathy) and homeopathy, a type of medicine that he founded. At that time, the term allopathic medicine was often used in a derogatory sense and referred to treatments such as bleeding people with leeches to relieve fever and ingesting dangerous drugs such as creosote for cancer. It’s true that allopathic and holistic approaches are two very different systems, but they can work together, with the common goal of bringing health back to the body. Used together, this dual-pronged approach can help speed up healing time, reduce the need for pain management, and fortify the body. The energy healing techniques used in this book may seem like they’re completely different from allopathy. But dig deeper and you’ll see they have many commonalities. This includes what constitutes illness, defined roles for

patient and practitioner, and healing actions or protocols. All healing systems have expectations for recovery and a return to balance or good health. Just as Indigenous American healing traditions emphasize the connection between harmony and wellness, TCM also points to the balance among human, ecological, and spiritual systems. The words may differ, but the foundation is the same. In energy healing, we acknowledge that the mind, body, and spirit are all interconnected, and healing is based on harmony and balance. In most traditions, energy healing is a unique and personal journey. Most of us know on an intuitive level the important things we need to do to get well and stay well. But many of us have forgotten we can tap into this inner knowledge and trust it to be authentic and helpful. Likewise, connecting with your own sense of what it means to be spiritual is an essential ingredient in defining your path to wellness. You soon learn you have more power to heal yourself than you ever realized. In TCM and most of the healing modalities discussed in this book, pain, illness, and disease represent a disruption of the natural balance. Energy healing works to bring the body back into balance. TCM As we have discussed before, TCM is a huge and complete healing system in its own right. To fully understand the vast system and its many components, you’d need many years of study. So in this section, I’m going to streamline the basics of yin/yang, balance, and meridians, along with their functions. As we begin an overview of TCM, please keep an open mind about energy and the role it plays in health. One important concept to remember is that vital energy moves along specific pathways in the body. These are definable streams called meridians, which, when blocked, can cause illness. MERIDIANS Meridians are the superhighway for energy in the human body, and are the foundation of TCM. Energy is routed along these channels, which connect the energy flowing around us with our physical body to maintain internal balance and health. According to TCM, there are 12 standard or principal meridians, which are divided into yin/yang groups. There are also eight extraordinary meridians that are not connected with the organs and are thought of as storage vessels for energy. The 12 principal meridians are

considered the most important meridians of the body. They connect to the vital organs and are the main pathways that transport energy throughout the body. Each is associated with a corresponding organ and stops and starts at a fingernail or toenail. For example, the large intestine meridian, which begins at the root of the fingernail of the index finger, passes up the arm and over the shoulder to the face, ending at the side of the nostril. The major organs that are governed by the 12 main meridians are classified into two groups: yin and yang. Organs that are solid—such as the heart, liver, lungs, kidneys, and spleen—are considered yin. Organs with a hollow cavity—such as the bladder, gallbladder, large and small intestines, and stomach—are considered yang. Meridians also follow a yin/yang classification, depending on which organ they govern. Vital energy, blood, nourishment, and other information signals continuously flow along these meridians, controlling the inner workings of your body. They assess and react to issues such as when to raise your blood pressure, regulate your emotions, or release water. Our body is in constant communication with itself through the innumerable messages flowing through your meridians. These energy pathways help coordinate the work of the organs and keep your body balanced by regulating its many functions. The process is similar to the nervous system—always running smoothly in the background until there’s a problem. 12 PRINCIPAL MERIDIANS

YIN

YANG

Interior

Exterior

There are six yin meridians that are located in the inner regions of the arms, legs, chest, and torso.

The six yang meridians are located in the outer regions of the arms, legs, head, and torso.

ELEMENT

Heat

Cold

AREA COVERED

Lung, heart, kidney, liver, pericardium, spleen

Large intestine, stomach, small intestine, bladder, triple burner, gallbladder

LOCATION

YIN ENERGY FLOW

YANG ENERGY FLOW

YIN/YANG Simply put, yin and yang form the basis for TCM. It’s a foundation for understanding health, as well as treating illnesses in the body and understanding our interconnectedness to our actions and the surrounding environment. The concept was first referenced in Chinese literature around 700 BCE: “Everything around us, including our bodies, is composed of two opposite but mutually interconnected forces, known as yin and yang.” These two forces are in constant motion to stay balanced. When balance is achieved, we live in harmony and wellness, but when one force dominates the other, issues and illness manifest. Yin and yang govern different parts of the body. Yin rules the lower parts of the body, while yang commands the upper body and back. Because yin and yang are connected, illness and disease are not thought of as invading forces but more energy imbalances that can be corrected. Additionally, yin and yang are in constant flow or movement. So, if one becomes unbalanced in the body, it makes sense that illness will occur. For example, symptoms of too much yin and not enough yang are feeling cold, insomnia, low energy, edema, frequent urination, dry mouth, and slow pulse. Too much yang and not enough yin can leave a person feeling hot, restless, angry, and constipated, and having a fast pulse. Good health comes from balancing these two forces via the meridians. Think of yin and yang as the back and forth, the push and pull we need to stay balanced. When the energy flows freely, the body remains healthy. But stress, unhealed trauma, an unhealthy diet, or negative environments can clog or block the body’s meridians, leading to illness. Understanding the connection between meridians and our overall health provides valuable information about underlying conditions and seemingly unrelated symptoms. When a blockage occurs, it may manifest in a variety of ways, both physical and mental. Kidney problems, for instance, can manifest as fear, short-term memory loss, or back pain, while liver problems often reveal themselves as blurred vision and/or emotional symptoms such as unexplained sadness or depression. ENERGY (IM)BALANCE

If energy isn’t flowing smoothly along the meridians, it can influence our physical and mental health. The meridians are incredibly strong energy pathways, but they are also sensitive to our inner and outer environments.

TCM teaches us that our physical and emotional health are not separate. Overall health is affected by our thoughts, emotions, and stress levels, as well as diet and lifestyle choices. Emotional imbalances can act as both symptoms of and causes for physical ailments. Likewise, mental health conditions are also linked to specific physical issues, and vice versa. But the connection between our emotions and physical health goes even further. When we are thinking or saying negative things about ourselves or our body, the meridians are registering this stimulation and sending messages to our organs. The negative, lower-vibration energy is then pushed to our organs, chakras, and aura, and over time this energy affects our health. This is yet another reason why it’s so important to stay present and be aware of your words and thoughts. You must make it a priority to speak kindly to your body and treat yourself gently. GETTING STARTED WITH MERIDIANS

Though meridians are part of TCM, activities that treat these energy pathways are now part of Western culture. Many types of energy practices use the wisdom of meridians to move energy along these superhighways. This includes Reiki and EFT tapping. Ritual hand gestures called mudras— which are found in Buddhism, Hinduism, and Jainism—can also move and balance energy. Acupressure, acupuncture, yoga, and tai chi are also wonderful ways to unclog the meridians, along with meditation and spending time in nature. Sound healing, shadow work, and spiritual coaching can be instrumental in removing traumatic blocks from the past that often interfere with energy movement. Exercise and proper diet also play an essential role in keeping your energy flowing properly. Simple meridian exercises that include a combination of repetitive movements, stretches, and acupressure stimulation are beneficial for both physical and mental health. They work well in stopping pain, headaches, stress, common cold symptoms, high blood pressure, diabetes, and digestive issues. These simple exercises can also help reduce stress. Many studies done on the effects of acupoints and meridians for the treatment of people who struggle with depression and anxiety showed positive results. As with everything mentioned in this book, meridian work isn’t a magic bullet or a cure that will heal all your problems after doing it once. Healing begins with an honest appraisal of where you are and what needs to change. Once you identify your issues and make a commitment to modify and address your situation, you’ll be on the journey to healing. Being present, learning to

be gentle with yourself, and allowing time and space for your healing are huge parts of the practice. Meridian work can assist you in making these life adjustments smoother and long-lasting. The good news is that you can start working with meridians today. Simply tapping along the meridian lines of your body can release blockages and bring more energy and blood to the organs associated with the meridian. If you’d like to take a deeper dive, I encourage you to read as much as you can on the subject or to take a class with a trained professional. But you can learn the fundamentals of tapping today and soon be on your way to making these techniques part of your daily self-care routine. CHAKRAS Even though you may be new to world of energy healing, you probably heard the word chakra before picking up this book. Both meditation and yoga practices use it quite regularly. The term chakra dates back to India between 1500 and 500 BCE. It first appeared in the ancient Hindu scriptures knowns as the Vedas. Chakra is a Sanskrit word that loosely translates to “disk” or “wheel” and refers to the energy centers in your body. In their earliest iterations, chakras were envisioned as spinning wheels because they are energy centers that spin, open, and close as energy moves through them. Other ancient traditions such as TCM, Tibetan Buddhism, the Jewish Kabbalah, and Sufism share similar concepts about energy centers and the need to activate them in order to achieve balance. Within the context of energy healing, the chakras govern multiple physical, mental, and spiritual functions—they are key to maintaining a healthy mind, body, and soul. The main function of the chakras is to draw in energy and information as they move and spin, but to function at their best, the chakras need to stay open and balanced. If one becomes stuck, blocked, or closed, you may experience physical or emotional symptoms related to that particular chakra. The seven chakras run roughly along your spine, regulating the flow of your personal energy, your physical and mental health, and your perception of the world around you. The main chakras begin at the root, or base, of your spine and extend to the crown of your head. Many smaller chakras are located throughout your entire body, including the bottoms of your feet, your palms, and the tips of your fingers. Each chakra is key in staying healthy, but

the seven main chakras that govern the crucial energy centers of your body are usually the focus of most energy work. Each power center has a specific job and its own energetic vibration, color, food group, element, crystals, scents, and bija mantras. (A bija mantra is the seed syllable of each chakra that can be chanted to bring the energy centers into harmonic balance.)

CHAKRA ENERGY CENTERS

THE SEVEN MAIN CHAKRAS The seven energy centers break down like this: ROOT CHAKRA

The root chakra, or Muladhara, is located at the base of your spine. It provides you with a base or foundation for life and helps you feel grounded, secure, and able to withstand life’s challenges. This chakra governs your basic personal needs, such as safety, stability, strength, and commitments. It is also responsible for self-preservation and your reaction to danger. SACRAL CHAKRA

The sacral chakra, or Svadhisthana, is located about two inches below your belly button. This energy center governs the body’s lymphatic and circulatory systems, reproductive organs, bladder, kidney, and large intestine. It is also responsible for your sexual energy. We need to balance this chakra to tap into the creative energy that allows us to think outside the box and step forward into new situations. SOLAR PLEXUS CHAKRA

The solar plexus chakra, or Manipura, is located in the upper belly. As the seat of our personal power and identity, it’s responsible for confidence, selfesteem, authenticity, personality, willpower, and ego. Physically, it governs the digestive system, including the stomach, large and small intestines, liver, pancreas, gallbladder, and adrenal glands. HEART CHAKRA

The heart chakra, or Anahata, is located in the center of your chest at heart level. It governs the thymus gland (part of your immune system) and everything related to love, connections, and relationships, as well as acceptance, compassion, empathy, gratitude, and beauty. The heart chakra is a bridge between the lower and higher energy centers and helps us understand that we need to be both practical and optimistic in our relationships. THROAT CHAKRA

The throat chakra, or Vishuddha, is located in the center of the throat. It governs the mouth, jaw, sinuses, tongue, neck, and thyroid glands. This

chakra also relates to all forms of communication—our self-expression, speaking our truth, asking for what we need, and understanding what other people are saying are all ruled by this chakra. THIRD EYE CHAKRA

The third eye chakra, or Ajna, is located in the center of your forehead, just above your eyes. It governs the eyes, the ears, the nose, and both hemispheres of the brain. It also covers the pituitary and pineal glands, imagination, and intuition. Also called the brow chakra, it rules our inner world and our perception of the world around us, as well as our psychic abilities. CROWN CHAKRA

The crown chakra, or Sahasrara, is located at the top of the head. Like the brow chakra, it’s associated with the pituitary and pineal glands, as well as the hypothalamus (which links the nervous and endocrine systems). The crown governs your inspiration, devotion, and faith, as well as the higher self and the divine. It is also responsible for a healthy spiritual life, covering your life’s purpose, destiny, communication with the universe, and spiritual connection to your community. CHAKRA (IM)BALANCE

Certain functions of the chakras overlap. The lower three chakras work together to balance your physical body, forming your foundation for the physical world, how you feel about yourself, your creativity, and how you relate to society. The upper three chakras, on the other hand, function on a

more abstract or spiritual level. When our chakras become blocked, overactive, or underactive, each manifests its own set of problems. But in general, when one chakra is impacted, the entire system suffers. When a chakra is overactive, the qualities associated with that energy center become a dominant force in your life, both physically and emotionally. If your root chakra is underactive, for example, it could manifest as insecurity, fear, panic attacks, and depression. Or if it’s overactive, it could manifest as anger, aggressive behavior, and overconfidence that leads to unhealthy risk taking. If your third eye chakra is overactive, you may be sensing or even seeing the spiritual world, which may seem like a cool ability, but it can make functioning in polite society almost impossible. Alternatively, when that chakra is blocked and totally shut off, it shuts down your intuition and psychic gifts. Chakras can become blocked or underactive when we experience too much stress, physically or mentally. This could be caused by overwork, tragedy, illness, disappointment, drug use, addiction, poor diet, trauma, selfdestructive behavior, or sudden shocks. When one or more chakras go out of balance, the whole system falters; prolonged imbalance may lead to physical and mental illness. Even though each chakra has distinct properties, they all work together, meaning if one chakra is out of balance, it affects the entire system. That’s why chakras should be a priority when you’re committing to a self-healing practice. Many modern energy healing modalities such as Reiki work with the entire chakra system and make it easy to ensure good chakra health.

CHAKRAS IN DAILY LIFE To understand how chakras affect our lives, let’s look at how imbalances in the throat chakra play out in modern life. It’s very common in the West for individuals who identify as female to have a blocked throat chakra. Blockages are often brought on by society, family dynamics, less than supportive relationships, and outdated personal beliefs. A blocked throat chakra can manifest as being timid, not expressing or standing up for yourself, filtering your words to the point of always being nice, or having an excessive fear of speaking out. You may feel unheard and as if your ideas don’t matter. Physically, a blocked throat chakra can manifest as coughing, sinus or tonsil issues, a sore throat, or a timid voice. If the chakra is underactive, the individual may come off as secretive or shy, or lack

the ability to ask for what they need. They may also mumble, trip over their words, mispronounce words, and have no sense of rhythm or timing when speaking. Physically, a closed throat chakra can lead to sores in the mouth, allergies, frequent sore throat, and laryngitis. If left unbalanced, this chakra can lead to serious thyroid problems such as fatigue, weakness, constipation, and even diseases such as throat cancer. If the throat is overactive, it may manifest as not having a correct social filter, putting your foot in your mouth, rampant oversharing, gossiping, excessive talking, not being able to listen to others, telling lies, and not being able to keep secrets. Physically, an overactive throat chakra can manifest as speaking too loudly, acid reflux, dental issues, throat pain, neck pain, or stiffness.

The good news is that it’s relatively easy to bring the throat chakra back into balance. Chanting the bija mantra “ham”; carrying and meditating with blue topaz, aquamarine, blue turquoise, blue lace agate, sodalite, or lapis lazuli; singing; reading out loud; spending time in nature; indulging in blueberries; or practicing the cat-cow yoga pose with lion’s breath can help balance this energy center.

THE AURA/AURIC FIELD You’ll hear the words vibes and vibrations thrown around a lot when people talk about energy medicine. But what do those terms really mean? Essentially, they are the low-level electricity emanating from your body. Everyone and everything that is alive has this—plants, animals, people. It is also commonly referred to as your bio field or the electromagnetic field, but in the energy healing world, we call this your aura or auric field. Your aura is a measurable field of energy. As aura colors change, it triggers a flux in the electromagnetic wavelengths of the chakras that can be

measured and even captured on film. In 1939, inventor Semyon Kirlian discovered that an object placed on an electrified photographic plate produced a mysterious image or aura around it. If you would like to have your aura photographed, search for aura photography services in your area. Most energy healers agree there are actually seven energetic layers to the aura. Think of them as nested Russian dolls encapsulating your body, with the different energy layers pulsating away from the body at slightly different frequencies. Each layer plays a significant role in regulating your health and wellness.

AURA ENERGY LAYERS

HOW AURAS WORK IN DAILY LIFE Aura energy plays a major role in your emotional, mental, and spiritual well-being, as well as in how other people interact with you and your life experiences. If the idea of an energy force emitting from your body sounds a little far-fetched, let me take a moment to explain this experience with an everyday occurrence. Have you ever been shopping and felt like everyone was bumping into you or blocking your path as you walked around the store? Perhaps you couldn’t get anyone to help you—all the salesclerks walked right past you like you were invisible. This is a sign your aura is pulled tight to your body, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but it does make interacting with other people difficult. Your aura is an energetic boundary around your physical body. Your aura energy or vibe is something other people sense, and even though they might not know anything about it on a conscious level, they’re reacting to it. Think of it this way: your aura gives people nonverbal clues about who you are. It tells a complete story about you and reflects your physical and mental health, changing throughout the day. It can become polluted and compromised by your personal energy system and reflects things like overindulgence in alcohol, stress, and emotions. But your aura also protects your physical body by keeping away negative or lower vibrations that could potentially cause you harm. Have you ever walked into room at school or work only to feel that someone was upset or angry? There were no visual cues from the people around you, but you just sensed it. Chances are you were reacting to someone’s aura. And just as you can feel other people’s vibes, they can pick up information about your overall state.

THE LAYERS OF YOUR AURA Each layer of your aura is important to your well-being. The energy vibration increases as it moves outward, with the seventh layer carrying the highest vibrational energy. THE ETHERIC LAYER

This is the layer closest to the physical body and can appear as a black

outline. It can give clues to a person’s overall physical health, and is often noted to be stronger in athletes and weaker in those who are ill or have compromised immunity. This layer is connected to the base chakra. THE EMOTIONAL LAYER

This layer sits directly outside the etheric body and holds all our feelings, emotional trauma, and sensitivity. From happiness to sadness, it expresses our emotional state and can change as our emotions change, revealing deep trauma as dark spots or holes. It is connected to the sacral chakra. THE MENTAL LAYER

This layer sits directly outside the emotional body and contains all your mental thought processes such as rules, regulations, judgment, and discipline. Very social or analytical people are often observed to have yellow auras. An overactive mind could be represented with a rolling yellow and mustard color, while creativity may show up as orange or maroon swirls. This layer is connected to the solar plexus chakra. THE ASTRAL LAYER

This layer can extend out about one foot. It is a bridge between the physical plane and the higher vibrations of the spiritual. It is also where we form our astral cords and is often seen as a very active layer in lucid dreamers, manifesting as a rainbow of colors. It is connected to the heart chakra.

THE ETHERIC TEMPLATE

This layer can extend about two feet from the body and is perceived as an etheric template or blueprint of the body. It looks like an X-ray or negative of your physical body, and grows stronger and showcases your health when you step into your truth and live an authentic life. It is connected to the throat chakra. THE CELESTIAL/CAUSAL LAYER

This layer can extend up to two and a half feet and strengthens in people who communicate in the spiritual realm. Usually strong in empaths, readers, psychics, and channelers, this layer is where your spiritual growth begins. Connected to the third eye chakra, it can manifest as purple, violet, or iridescent white in color. THE SPIRITUAL LAYER

This layer is the farthest from the body and can extend up to three feet from the body. A high-vibrating layer, it protects all the other layers and holds past life information. When healthy, this layer allows us to trust in our spiritual growth and make rapid strides on our chosen path. It is often seen as a golden light and is connected to the crown chakra. As a whole, the aura can extend several feet from your body when in a

healthy state and is usually very bright in color. In an unhealthy or weakened state, the auric field can be small or dull or appear to have rips or holes in it. Our emotions, past trauma, medication, judgments, and environment all affect the state of our aura.

NAME

THE ETHERIC LAYER

THE EMOTIONAL LAYER

THE MENTAL LAYER

THE ASTRAL LAYER

THE ETHERIC TEMPLATE

CELESTIAL/CAUS

SIZE

2 to 4 inches away from the body

3 to 4 inches on top of the Etheric Layer

3 to 8 inches on top of the Emotional Layer

12 to 14 inches on top of the Mental Layer

2 feet on top of the Astral Layer

2 to 3 feet on top of Etheric Template

FUNCTION

Physical health

Holds our emotions

Holds our judgments, rules, and personal morals

Bridge between the lower and higher planes

The blueprint of the body

Where spiritual connections are ma

CHAKRA

Root chakra

Sacral chakra

Solar plexus chakra

Heart chakra

Throat chakra

Third eye chakra

Color changes depending on mood

Usually seen as yellow

All the colors of the rainbow

Looks like a film negative or X-ray

Purple, violet, or iridescent white

COLOR

Can appear as a black outline around the body

or as a gray/violet mist

MIND YOUR AURA

As you begin working with energy and studying healing modalities, your aura will grow and expand. Most Reiki masters have a huge aura, often larger than six feet, surrounding them. But there are times when it’s a good idea to pull your aura back in—for example, when you are riding a bus; otherwise it could feel as if people are sitting right on top of you even though they’re in their seats! One thing I learned early from spending long days at the Reiki clinic was to pull in my aura after work. When doing healing work, we want to be able to sense and interact with the energy around us, but this can be impractical in day-to-day life. The good news is that it’s super easy to heal your aura. The upcoming chapters list some simple exercises for you to practice.

MYTHS AND MISUNDERSTANDINGS After working in the healing field for almost 20 years, I’ve heard most of the common concerns, questions, and myths associated with energy healing. If you have questions or concerns, you’re not alone. In fact, it’s always wise to ask questions and gather information on any new subject, but especially so when it involves your health. So allow me to answer some common questions and “myth bust” a few common misconceptions.

“You have to believe in energy healing for it to work.” This isn’t true at all. Energy healing isn’t based on some type of placebo effect requiring blind faith to be effective. You can be a total skeptic and still benefit from energy healing. So if you’re wondering how this could possibly work, or even be real, it’s okay—just give it a try and see for yourself. Skeptics are welcome. Try the selfhealing exercises in this book or schedule a session with a professional and see firsthand how energy healing works. I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised.

“Being a healer and working with energy is a God-given gift

available to only a select few.” This is not the case at all. Anyone can learn energy healing. You can be any age, ethnicity, or religion and learn energy healing. It’s not reserved for a select few.

“It’s impossible to feel your own energy.” False. Anyone can feel their own energy field by simply rubbing their hands together for about 10 seconds and then slowly separating them.

“Is it cultural appropriation if I practice energy medicine?” There have been a lot of conversations about this issue. In one sense, studying alone isn’t appropriation. And healing should be for all, not just a few. However, if you aren’t going to practice energy healing in the most authentic way, with respect to its culture of origin, you shouldn’t be doing it at all. This means you should learn the history, pronounce terms properly, and respect the historical significance behind whatever practice you embrace. As you learn more about energy healing, certain modalities will make more sense than others, and you may feel more drawn to Reiki than EFT. The important thing is to be respectful to tradition. And if a culture’s traditions are closed to outsiders, you should honor their wishes and avoid practicing them.

“Will more than one session be required to cure the problem?” Energy healing is not a magic trick that instantly makes everything right again. It may take several sessions and an ongoing commitment to changing your lifestyle (such as giving up smoking) to bring your body back into balance.

“I don’t think my regular doctor is going to support my journey toward energy healing.” Occasionally, you will find a conventional health-care provider who dismisses energy healing without doing any research. This implies that conventional medicine is the gold standard and anything else is a waste of time. But we also know that many of these healing modalities predate allopathic medicine by thousands of years and continue to work today.

“Energy healing involves witchcraft or demonic forces, or is

somehow unnatural.” This is false. This is ancient wisdom that doesn’t follow religious dogma. Energy healing isn’t religion-based in a Judeo-Christian sense. It’s actually quite common in the United States for hospitals, and even some churches, to offer energy healing such as Reiki to the community.

Uses and Applications Now that you have a better understating of what energy medicine is, let’s talk about practical applications of it in your life. Energy medicine is an excellent solution to relieve many everyday ailments, such as headaches or sore muscles, as well as more complicated issues like physical injuries and symptoms of disease. People who practice energy healing also find it useful for mental health issues such as depression and anxiety. Many common issues—such as reducing stress, easing joint pain, and even losing weight— can be managed through Reiki, crystal therapy, chakra balancing, and EFT. Meditation, yoga, and mudras also work very well to relax the body, calm the nerves, and reduce stress. If you’re unsure where to start, begin with good self-care. Try one of the simple exercises for relaxation in this book. After that, move on to another that can help with a specific problem, such as a stiff knee or sore neck. Experiment with a variety of offerings—try color therapy by coloring, combine chakra and sound healing by chanting, or remove blocks from your meridian with tapping. You can also work on balancing your energy centers by eating a variety of foods and journal your results. By making self-care a priority, not an afterthought, you will quickly learn how closely your emotional and physical health are linked. Doing something as simple as diffusing woodsy sandalwood essential oil while you sleep can have a big impact on how you feel. As you begin your practice, keep in mind a variety of long-term goals for true energetic balance and harmony. Nurturing yourself is not selfish—it’s essential to your survival and your well-being. By being accountable and proactive, you’ll make healthier decisions. This process will be easier on some days than others, but focus on long-term rather than short-term success.

If you’ve turned to this book for help with more serious health issues, I can say with confidence that you’ve come to the right place. Acupressure, Reiki, TCM, and color therapy can provide relief from more severe issues such as cancer and the effects of chemotherapy and radiation. Aftercare from surgery, chronic pain, and post-traumatic stress disorder can be aided with energy healing. I have also personally seen the almost miraculous effect Reiki has on chronic pain, fibromyalgia, diabetes, high blood pressure, joint pain, and Bell’s palsy. The reason energy healing is so effective is because it goes beyond the symptoms and works on the root of the imbalance. Most of the stress in our lives is caused in our mind. When our energy is out of balance, it’s easy to become overwhelmed and stressed out over something that can be easily handled. It also makes it difficult to complete deep healing alone, because most of the time the problem we think we are facing isn’t actually the problem. The real problem is how you think about your problems. As a healer, I’ve seen energy medicine help people heal trauma. For instance, working with a shadow work provider can help us validate trauma. Holding on to past trauma may actually be the reason we pick unhealthy coping patterns, turn to addictive substances, put ourselves in doomed relationships, or settle for less than we deserve. Most of us run from our trauma—and that’s natural—but in reality, what we don’t heal, we carry around with us into every aspect of our lives. When we acknowledge trauma exists instead of pretending we are okay or burying it, then we can take the necessary time to work through it. It isn’t easy, but it’s the path to freedom and liberation from constant suffering. Having an unbiased person with you along the way for this journey can make all the difference in the world. Remember, this isn’t a race, and even small changes can add up to big results over time. Think of it as balancing the scales back toward health. Even a little bit of work at home can go a long way in the energy healing world. Health isn’t just about what you’re doing or consuming; it’s also about what you’re thinking, engaging in, and feeling. By incorporating energy healing into your life, you are taking positive steps toward long-lasting health.

Common Energy Healing Methods

Now you should have a better understanding of the ways that energy can affect your health. Using this information, along with the energy systems of our ancestors, let’s take a look at energy healing methods that you can easily learn and practice. The goal of energy healing is to balance the energy flow in the body to promote health. Some techniques, such as sound healing, use tools to create a vibration that affects the energy; others require hands-on manipulation of energy, via either rerouting the energy by removing chakra blocks, or tapping, which helps rewire your response to situations by changing the flow of energy along the meridians. Techniques such as color therapy work to restore the flow of energy throughout the body, using color and light. Reiki draws in energy via the Reiki practitioner, who channels the universal life force energy to remove chakra and meridian blocks. While energy medicine can improve quality of life, boost the immune system, and reduce side effects of medical treatments or drug therapy, always use it with care. All the techniques I’ve included are considered complementary medicine and should work well with modern medical care. It’s important to follow your medical caregiver’s advice and not discontinue your medication or treatment just because you have added in energy medicine or are feeling better. Keep your medical provider updated on your situation and work together. Obviously, there are too many energy healing modalities to cover in this book, and I encourage you to continue to learn more about energy medicine and healing via books and trusted sources. To get you started, I have included a short list of resources in the back of this book that I often share with my clients. REIKI Reiki is a Japanese energy healing modality founded in 1920 by Mikao Usui. The first Reiki clinic and school was opened in Tokyo, Japan, in 1922. Reiki is a symbol-driven healing modality that works to bring the body back into balance by using universal life force energy. Reiki works well with other healing practices such as massage, crystal healing, and aromatherapy. Today there are more than one million Reiki practitioners scattered across the world. The Washington Post reported in 2014 that, in response to customer demand, at least 60 hospitals in the United States offered Reiki. I first opened the Serenity Reiki Clinic in 2006 and have witnessed firsthand

the amazing power of Reiki. This energy healing modality is used to treat stress, headaches, chronic pain, fibromyalgia, high blood pressure, arthritis, grief, depression, and a wide range of other ailments. It is also recommended that everyone have a monthly maintenance session to address any problems before they take root. During a regular office visit, the client usually lies comfortably (fully clothed) on a massage table while the Reiki practitioner moves their hands either on or slightly above the client’s body to balance their energy and remove any blockages. The Reiki practitioner draws energy in from the cosmos, and the client’s body actually sends the energy to any problem areas. Because of this, it’s not uncommon for clients to report tingling or warmth in one area of the body while the practitioner is working elsewhere. Most clients say they feel very calm and peaceful during a session. They also experience tingling, warmth, light pressure, subtle shifts in their body, and relaxation and report sleeping very well afterward. The feeling of calmness usually lasts several weeks after a session. Reiki is also unique in that it works on both the client and the practitioner. Every time the practitioner gives an energy treatment, they also receive one themselves. The practice has been proven to be just as effective when sent long distance as it is in face-to-face sessions, and can be sent to future events, such as job interviews, surgery, or other stressful occasions. There is only one side effect of Reiki: happiness. Anyone can learn Reiki—it doesn’t require any particular talents or unique abilities, and there are many accredited and attuned teachers all over the world. Once you learn Reiki and become attuned to the energy, you will always have that energy with you, even if you never use it. Reiki can also be used to clear crystals, empower your food, remove negative energy from people and places, and open up your intuitive abilities. HEALING WITH COLOR Intuitively, we all know the power of color. Color therapy is a healing method that uses the visible spectrum of color and light to positively affect the physical, emotional, mental, and energy centers of the body. Often referred to as chromotherapy or light therapy, it works on the principle that each color on the spectrum contains wavelengths of light or energy. For example, the color blue contains shorter wavelengths of light, while the color red is made up of longer ones. Each color also carries its own particular

energy or vibration. In color therapy, these components of light, wavelengths, energy, or vibrations are used to treat an imbalance or condition, such as fatigue, stress, or chronic pain. At first blush (sorry, couldn’t help it), color therapy may seem like a new age technique. But it’s actually an ancient practice. Healers in Egypt, Greece, and India knew the value of light and color, and incorporated it into their practices. They used colored dyes, minerals, stones, crystals, and painted rooms to promote healing. In ancient China, feng shui (which is related to TCM) was developed to understand the impact of color and the placement of objects relating to individuals’ health and balance. Feng shui has a set of formulas for balancing the energies of any given space to assure health and good fortune for the people inhabiting it. Medical institutes of today also use color therapy. AdventHealth for Children, a pediatric hospital in Orlando, Florida, recently installed a Philips Ambient Experience lighting system in both the emergency department and patient rooms. The system uses customizable illumination and imaging to holistically improve children’s experience in the hospital. Depending on the child’s situation, the lighting system can be programmed to be interactive for play, healing, or relaxation. Color therapy can be used on its own or incorporated into a healing regimen to fit each individual’s needs. Color therapists use treatments ranging from art therapy to colored light arrays, lamps, light boxes, solarized water, meditation, or even brightly colored silk scarves. The shades of colors used in the session will vary based on the reason for your visit. If you are seeking a calming and restorative session, then blue or purple lights will probably be used. White and yellow stimulate the lymphatic system, while red can help if you’re feeling lethargic and need stimulation. The sessions usually last one to two hours and produce a dramatic change to the client’s overall energy. You can easily take advantage of color healing at home. Colored candles, color visualization via meditation, color breathing, colored lamps, crystals, and art projects are simple ways to practice healing color therapy on your own. Even just adjusting the colors in your home can have a big impact on how you feel. For instance, green is associated with nature, quiet, relaxation, and the heart chakra. In your home, the color can bring in a calming energy conducive to rest, healing, and personal growth. Yellow is considered an important color for invigorating or energizing a space and helping with focus

and clarity. It’s associated with the solar plexus chakra and governs clarity, common sense, and self-discipline. Color therapy is a safe, holistic, and noninvasive treatment with no known side effects. It’s an excellent complementary treatment for traditional medical protocols, but not a sole replacement. Practicing color healing can be as simple as adding or rearranging healing colors in your environment. We’ll explore more simple healing techniques in the next chapter. CRYSTAL HEALING Humans have been fascinated with crystals and stones for centuries. Jewelry and ornaments made of stones have been discovered dating back 60,000 years. People have also long believed in the healing power of stones, and many of the qualities we attribute to crystals today were recognized long ago. As we’ve discussed, colors have their own specific vibration, and so do crystals. People are often surprised when they pick up a stone and feel a subtle tingling. Crystals can be incorporated into energy healing in many ways, from meditating to building crystal grids. Crystals lend another level of energy to your healing practice through color, composition, shape, and energy. The vibrational frequency of stones can be measured as an exact number of vibrations per second. Clear quartz is used in crystal healing to transmit and direct energy. Quartz is a great crystal to amplify energy and dissipate energy blocks. It should come as no surprise that this crystal has been used in manufacturing for years because of its vibration. Members of the quartz family possess piezoelectricity, a quality that allows electrical impulses to pass through a crystal in a predetermined path, making them useful for silicon chips in computers and for watches. But quartz crystals aren’t the only stones used in healing. Amethyst is a lovely mineral used for balancing your overall energy, stopping addiction, opening your third eye, and improving psychic ability. Tiger’s eye is another powerful stone used for protection, balancing the three lower chakras, and attracting wealth. Rose quartz is the go-to stone for all matters related to love, including self-love; red garnet is used to attract romantic relationships and can also be used for courage, optimism, and purging negative energy. There is no rule that you must work with only one particular stone for one specific purpose. With so many stones to choose from, it can be overwhelming, so follow your intuition when in doubt.

You may have heard about putting crystals in the moonlight or sunlight to charge them. This isn’t always a good idea. Some crystals cannot take direct sunlight, and most enchanted crystals will fade if left for too long in sunny windows. The best all-around energetic cleaner for stones is rice. Pour uncooked rice into a bowl and bury your stones in it. Leave overnight or for 48 hours, then remove the stones and dispose of the rice. Don’t consume it or let animals eat it, as it has now cleansed all the negative energy from your crystals. There are many ways to work with stones, including meditation, wearing crystals, drinking crystal-infused water, taking a crystal bath, and using crystals to balance your chakras. To balance your chakras, begin with the lowest chakra that seems out of balance and select a stone that either is the same color as or corresponds with that chakra. Place the stone directly on your skin and relax. You can send Reiki to your body or simply lie down for a few minutes and allow the vibration of the stone to harmonize with your body. Visiting a crystal healer is also a beautiful way to experience the energy of crystals. In an hour-long session, the healer will place various stones and crystals on and around your body. Some crystal practitioners combine Reiki or other healing mediations with the stones, while others don’t. Either way, you’ll leave the session feeling relaxed and restored. We will be using crystals in some of the exercises, so be sure to get a starter kit before you begin. Price points will vary, so shop around. Crystals can easily be added to your self-care routine, but remember they aren’t a substitute for a doctor’s care. SOUND HEALING We know that everything is energy and that energy vibrates at different rates, so sound healing seems like a logical outcome. After all, we’ve all listened to that one song that seemed to resonate with us or draw out a specific emotion. Sound healing is an ancient technique that uses tonal frequencies to bring the body into balance. Tuning forks, crystal bowls, chanting, bells, gongs, Tibetan bowls, and drums are instruments that can be used in a healing session. Crystal bowls are tuned to the notes of the seven chakras. Tibetan bells remove stuck energy from your aura, as do tuning forks, while gongs stimulate the glandular and nervous systems. During a sound healing session, you will lie down on the floor or a yoga

mat and listen as a practitioner plays a variety of instruments. This is also called a sound bath. The frequencies support your own energy field and activate your body’s system of self-healing. While all cultures have sound healing, it’s said that this type of energy healing dates back more than 40,000 years to the Australian Aboriginal tribes who used the didgeridoo as a sound healing instrument. Sound healing has been shown to help people with pain management and is especially effective in treating arthritis, postoperative pain, and kneereplacement pain. It has also been shown to improve mobility, reduce muscle pain and stiffness, increase blood circulation, and lower blood pressure. Some sound healers use binaural beats, which are certain frequencies that can synchronize and change a client’s brain waves. Binaural beats in the lower beta frequencies (14 to 30 Hz) have been linked to increased concentration and alertness, problem solving, and improved memory. The alpha frequencies (8 to 13 Hz) are thought to encourage relaxation, promote positivity, manage pain, and decrease anxiety. The theta (4 to 8 Hz) range is linked to REM sleep, reduced anxiety, and relaxation, as well as meditative and creative states. Binaural beats in the delta (1 to 4 Hz) range are thought to produce deep sleep, deep cell restoration, and relaxation. Our brain naturally moves through different waves during the course of the day, depending on what we are doing, but rarely do most people reach the lower levels without spending years practicing meditation. Whether you choose binaural beats or having a sound bath, sound healing can be super relaxing. Most people experience a shift in their energy as the frequencies clear and balance the chakras and remove stuck energy from the aura field. You can work with sound on your own by using tuning forks or bells to clean your aura, or singing bowls or crystal bowls to clear blockage from your chakras. You can also chant mantras or listen to binaural beats on YouTube. TAPPING Meridian tapping, also known as emotional freedom technique (EFT) and thought field therapy (TFT), is a safe and powerful stress-relief technique that anyone can use. Gary Craig, a Stanford engineering graduate, is the founder of EFT, and Dr. Roger Callahan, a Californian clinical psychologist, is credited with developing TFT. Both techniques are based on the theory that

negative emotions create a pattern of energy that disrupts the energetic body and, if left unhealed, triggers that negative emotion again. Tapping combines present-day psychology with the energy medicine principles of TCM, via tapping the acupressure points on the meridians. By tapping the specific meridian points and speaking about the trauma you have experienced, you dissipate the energy. Both are simple processes that are portable and can be used quickly for almost instant relief. Tapping can assist you in healing painful memories and profoundly reduces your response to old emotional triggers. Most people use tapping to reduce anxiety, catastrophic thinking, fear, pain, and stress. The main difference between the two is that TFT does not require you to use repeated phases as you tap. Additionally, TFT provides a different set of unique tapping patterns for each problem category, using different tapping sequences for different triggers or emotions, while EFT uses the same generalized sequence regardless of the issue. With TFT, if you don’t notice results quickly, you’re advised to stop and move on to other TFT techniques, while EFT encourages you to continue the sequence, as it can take some time for the energy to dissipate. But both of these techniques are useful and valid. With our busy lives, it’s easy to fall into the trap of focusing on negative outcomes—and before we’re aware of it, these negative thoughts become a way of life. With tapping, we can release or move past negative emotions such as worry, fear, and anxiety. Tapping also works well on physical issues such as headaches, injuries, and weight management. The process begins by acknowledging the problem, remaining focused on the issue, and physically tapping specific meridian points with your fingertips five to seven times. Usually, the tapping is focused on nine specific meridian points of the body per session. Almost instantly, the tapping sends a calming signal to the brain, letting you know it’s safe to relax. This moves us away from a fight-or-flight response to a more manageable energy plateau. Tapping on these meridian points while you pinpoint what is causing your stress helps your mind understand that you are not in any physical danger and that it’s okay to relax. This reduces cortisol levels in the body and lifts fear as you move back into balance. For example, stress before a doctor’s visit or caused by bad news from your spouse can instantly trigger fear and the fight-or-flight reflex. When this happens, your body begins releasing stress-related hormones into the

bloodstream to help you manage the perceived threat. But while this may have been essential to life in prehistoric times, it’s a bit of overkill now because, unlike what our ancient ancestors faced, most of our threats are more perceived danger than real danger. Tapping is a wonderful tool to bring your life back into balance by bypassing or shutting down this response.

TAPPING ACUPRESSURE POINTS

AROMATHERAPY Aromatherapy is the use of aromatic essential oils for their sensory, energetic, and therapeutic benefits. While wildly popular today, aromatherapy isn’t a new idea and has been used for thousands of years. From Asia to ancient Egypt and much of the Mediterranean, many cultures recognized the benefits of working with distilled plant oils. Ayurvedic medical practices use plants and plant extracts for their medicinal and healing powers, with various uses for more than 500 plants. Aromatherapy works by breathing in one or more essential oils. The scent molecules in the oils travel from the olfactory nerves directly to your brain, where they begin a chain reaction such as relaxing the body or reducing pain levels. Even if your sense of smell is impeded, the molecules are still doing their job, affecting the mental/emotional center of the brain. These oils can also be absorbed directly into the skin. You might add a drop or two of fragrant eucalyptus to a carrier massage oil to help relax tight muscles, or a skincare company may add lavender to their products for its calming properties. Energetically, essential oils bring the core or life-force energy of plants to work on your personal vibration, causing direct changes to your mood and overall health. These oils are created by steaming or pressing different parts of a plant (flowers, bark, leaves, or fruit) to capture the natural compounds that produce fragrance. You may be surprised by the high price of some essential oils, but this is because it can take several pounds of a plant to produce a single bottle of oil. Also, aromatherapy isn’t the same as using fragrance oils or perfumes, which are made from essential oils but combined with or made entirely from chemicals. They’re not suitable for aromatherapy and should be avoided—use only an essential oil in its purest form. Diffusers are a great way to begin working with aromatherapy. A diffuser is a machine that uses water and a few drops of an essential oil, turning the liquid oil into a cold vapor. Research has shown that diffusing oils is especially effective for people suffering from Alzheimer’s and dementia, but it can be used for anything from a sleep aid to allergy relief. There are many companies that design jewelry to be used with essential oils. They make lovely pieces with felt patches, clay pendants, or lava stones that allow you to place a few drops of essential oil directly on the item and wear it throughout the day.

Aromatherapy works very effectively today for stress, anxiety, and a whole host of other problems, but there are some important rules to follow for safety. It’s not a good idea to place pure essential oils directly on your skin, as they are very strong. But diluting them in a carrier oil (like coconut or almond oil) is a great way to use them. Aromatherapists warn that if you develop an itchy rash or hives after applying essential oils, stop using them immediately and see a doctor, as you could be having an allergic reaction. While diffusing oils is a great way to benefit from aromatherapy, beware that oils can affect people differently. Peppermint essential oil is widely used for headaches, but it can cause agitation or distress in children under three years of age. Also, people with a fast heartbeat can have a negative reaction to peppermint. For this reason, it’s important to read up on essential oils before introducing them into your household.

PART TWO

Practical Applications for Self-Healing Imagine what it would feel like to be healthy and free of pain. What if you could focus, be creative, and have the stamina of youth? Energy healing is a transformational tool that not only empowers you but is readily accessible when you need it. So now that you have a better understanding of what energy medicine is, let’s talk about its practical applications in your life.

CHAPTER THREE

Self-Healing In 1860, Ralph Waldo Emerson summed up the true reward of personal health with the famous quote, “The first wealth is health.” Ask anyone who has been ill or lives with chronic pain or disease, and they’ll tell you that you can’t put a price on good physical or mental health. Keep this in mind as your self-healing journey begins. Reflect on your health goals: are you simply interested in learning more, or are you aiming for a cure for a particular illness? Once you sort that out, think about how much time and effort you’re willing to invest to improve your overall health and well-being. The clearer and more committed you are to your goals, the easier this journey will be. Throughout this chapter, we’ll look deeper into the art of self-healing and what you need to know about energy healing as you begin this potentially life-changing voyage.

Check-In Now that you’ve had a chance to take the energy quiz here, it’s time to dig deeper into your results. What were your biggest issues? Can you pinpoint anything specific? Before we start to break down your findings, let’s review the principles of body balance. Remember, personal energy, or body balance, is influenced by everything we do, consume, or partake in. In other words, what you read, watch, and listen to affects your overall health and wellness. Let me use a simple example: the amount of time you spend in front of a screen. A research team from the University of Glasgow, Scotland, charted the effects of TV screen time exposure on about 500,000 participants—adults from age 37 to 73—between 2006 and 2018. Specifically, they looked at the relationship of screen time to heart disease and death rates. The research showed that almost 6 percent of all deaths could be prevented or delayed if people limited screen time to two hours or less. Moreover, cardiovascular disease rates could be reduced by nearly 8 percent. If you’re still unsure about how your symptoms relate to your energy imbalances, let’s circle back to the quiz. Each question offers a great starting point in the healing journey. Looking over your answers, do you see a trend? Do you have very specific areas that need attention? Perhaps your entire body feels off and out of balance? Are you having issues, such as trouble sleeping, that you’ve just accepted as part of life? And are you noticing more and more unexplained problems—such as headaches, allergies, or nausea—that don’t go away on their own? I’m going to take this a step further and ask if any of the health issues you’ve noticed could potentially lead to a more serious condition if left unchecked. A daily practice of energy medicine is a good habit to begin, but it shouldn’t take the place of modern medicine to treat serious issues. Use common sense, and seek medical advice when warranted. But taking time to balance your body can bring relief to many of your ailments and potentially deter any long-term health issues. Learning to shift your energy can address the root causes of your imbalance and its mental and physical symptoms. Removing your energy blockages moves the body into a state of balance, harmony, and health. That’s why it’s so important to be aware of your personal energy. A weekly check-in with your body and your energy level is an important

part of this process. Get comfortable with asking yourself how you’re feeling on a weekly, even daily basis. Take notice of any new aches, pains, or discomforts, and observe your body. How does your skin look? Are your eyes clear or fatigued? Are you retaining water? Experiencing indigestion? Is your mind clear, or do you feel foggy? Make it a habit to notice your body, as well as your overall energy levels. If this concept seems a little odd at first, please know you’re not alone. Many of us are not taught that our actions directly affect our health, but how could it be any other way? For instance, if you experienced deep mood swings one week, think about how much sugar you consumed or how much time you spent online. As you get more comfortable with self-assessing, you’ll start to get a clearer picture of how your daily habits affect your daily body balance and energy. Before we move on, I suggest that you dog-ear the quiz page. As you learn more about chakras later on, you may want to revisit your quiz answers. The body’s powerful energy centers govern how we feel physically and emotionally, as well as our overall experience of the world. Taking time to balance these energy centers will greatly improve your health, and your quiz answers will provide great insight toward that goal.

Self-Healing Self-healing is a very empowering, personal journey, but it’s also a foreign concept to many who rely on Western medicine. That’s why we have doctors, right? A medical provider offers expertise, advice, warnings, and information about your overall health. But the person ultimately responsible for your health is you. It’s the decisions you make every day that will reinforce wellness in your life or lead you into further imbalance. Health, like energy, can change slowly. Our body is working quietly in the background to repair cell damage, flush toxins, and restore health. We can help this process along by learning to listen to our bodies and aid the process with simple healing modalities. Meditation, stillness, journaling, and mindfulness are all very easy and inexpensive ways to connect with your body. Let’s look at meditation first. You may see that word and immediately conjure up a person sitting cross-legged, hands resting gently on their knees, chanting both inwardly and outwardly for hours upon hours. But don’t fret—

it doesn’t have to be this intense for your first try. If silent meditation, as I like to call it, sounds too overwhelming, then a simple guided meditation is an excellent way to dip your toe in the water. You can find an abundance of free online sessions of easy-to-follow guided meditations to help you connect with your own energy. You don’t have to sit in stillness for hours or wrestle with your mind (which, trust me, isn’t easy for anyone!). Instead, you can go on an inner journey, or perhaps even take a mini vacation in your mind. Sound bath meditation is another form I find useful in my practice. This method uses bowls, gongs, and other instruments to create sound vibrations that help you enter a more relaxed state. The bath part of the meditation can seem odd, but all it means is that you’re allowing the sound vibrations to roll over your body and lower your brain waves as you go deeper into a state of relaxation. Just lying quietly on a massage table and listening to the tones can relax the body and still the mind. Daily journaling is another easy way to release stress and see connections between our actions, stressful events, diet, etc., and our overall health. Reading oracle cards is another choice that I recommend for self healing. Similar to Tarot, but with fewer rules and structure, these card are superb for reflection and insight to guide your healing journey. I’m also a fan of using simple techniques such as just putting your hands on a part of your body that feels uncomfortable or in pain. We often do this without consciously thinking about it. For example, we massage our temples when we have a headache or hold our abdomen when we have an upset stomach. Once you're more aware of these types of actions, it will be easier to hear what your body is trying to tell you. I’ve talked a lot about how important it is to listen to your body, but there will be times when it’s beneficial to work with a trained energy healing practitioner who can offer a fresh perspective on your situation. Someone who is not attached to your situation (or its outcome) can help you understand the larger picture. For instance, they might observe common habits, behaviors, or coping mechanisms that seem normal to you but are causing imbalances in your body and adding extra stress. It’s often difficult for us to understand how something we consider to be normal in society could be harmful to our health. For instance, just as long-term exposure to loud music causes hearing damage, long-term exposure to negative people damages our self-esteem and personal energy. If you’re unsure where to begin or even what is possible with energy healing, seek out a professional.

That said, even when working with a provider, it’s important be proactive about your own health. I recommend my clients keep a journal to document their symptoms, their stress, and any modalities they are working with. Going over this before the session can shed light on seemingly unrelated problems, such as visiting your mother-in-law and migraines, or how effective a mediation was on stress levels even days later. Ultimately, it’s your divine responsibility to take care of your body and overall health. Think of it as the ultimate level of self-care to master. While you are responsible for your health and well-being, energy healing is intended to work with, not replace, traditional medical care. Remember also that this book contains only suggestions and should not replace professional medical services. I often tell my own clients, “Break your arm? Go to the emergency room immediately. Once the arm is set and you have your prescriptions filled, come see me to help with pain and accelerate the healing process.” In other words, see me after, not before. Most energy healing modalities work well with modern medicine when used correctly. What I like the most about the practice of self-healing is you can always find a starting point for your wellness journey. You can set the pace for your comfort level and lifestyle. Can’t commit to weekly yoga sessions? Subscribe to a free yoga channel on YouTube and ease into it. Aren’t sure if chakra work or crystals are up your alley? Take baby steps and change up the colors in your wardrobe, or wear crystals and other gemstones and note the effect it has on your mood. There are many ways to begin energy healing, and, no matter what your commitment level, you can ease into better health.

FINDING WHAT WORKS FOR YOU Healing isn’t always a linear process. A doesn’t always lead to B and eventually C. There are many paths to wellness, and energy healing isn’t intended as a cookie-cutter approach. What works for one individual will not work for another, and that’s okay— finding the correct energy healing path may take time. But when you do find it, it’s like winning the lottery, because you move yourself closer to wholeness and living as your true, authentic self. This means you’re following a very individual path. After all, no one else is quite like you. Personal healing is a unique pursuit. You may even find it easier to pretend that you’re fine, rather than take the leap and explore the many avenues of energy healing. But there’s no reason to live with pain, anxiety, or worry if it can be remedied. During

your healing journey, you’ll be introduced to new concepts and different energy modalities. No one expects you to be a fluent self-healer right out of the gate, so don’t hesitate to read, research, and ask questions. It’s also important to consider the emotional baggage you are carrying with you. One concept I share with my clients is, “There is no reason to suffer.” Often, we carry burdens from our past that cause us great pain—childhood trauma, pain from relationships, grief—but we can let go of them and ease our suffering. Energy healing can assist you with deep healing work that frees you from past pain and personal trauma. It most likely won’t happen overnight, but the results could dramatically change your life. As you progress on your healing journey, you may find that a modality such as color therapy is a great place to begin to change your lifestyle. Seemingly simple changes can have big effects on how we feel. You may then want to incorporate another healing modality such as Reiki before moving on to third modality. Or you could try both new approaches at once to regain your health. As your situation changes, so will the healing protocols. There is the possibility that when you try a new modality, it may not resonate with you or your practitioner. It doesn’t mean that the modality isn’t helpful. It just means the personality or style of the person presenting it, or the modality itself, doesn’t jive with you. This happens in every field, from hairdressers to medical doctors. You would not stop having your hair cut altogether because you don’t like one hair stylist. It’s the same with healing. Try another teacher or practitioner before you dismiss the modality. I often encourage my clients to seek out counseling and behavioral therapy, which work well with most energy modalities. Discuss this with your medical provider and see if they have any suggestions. It may seem overwhelming at first with so many choices, but trust yourself and just begin the process. Know that you’re not required to try one route in particular or commit to years of only one type of energy approach. Ask the professionals for their recommendations. If you’re having regular acupuncture sessions, for example, ask your provider about other modalities to work in tandem with this treatment. They may have great insight into what has worked for other clients with similar ailments, and offer other helpful resources for you. I’d like to make one final point about feelings of sadness and depression. If you feel that you’re experiencing something more serious than just sadness, don’t minimize it. Instead, speak to your health-care provider and seek help. Depression is a sign from your body that it needs some attention, and it should not be minimized.

Support You are not alone on this wellness journey. It’s helpful to seek assistance from family and friends, as well as energy healing resources. Acknowledging

and discussing your issues with those close to you can lead to a deeper understanding of your situation. For example, if you constantly experience negative thoughts, mention this to your family members—they may have insights or personal knowledge you’ve never considered. I once had a client who was always experiencing ringing in his ears and muscle cramps. When he mentioned this to his brother, he learned that his brother suffered from the same condition and found it to be related to dehydration. This wasn’t something my client initially considered as a cause for these symptoms, but with this new knowledge, he had a starting point. Sharing information could give you clues into your own health issues and support on this journey. But as you begin these conversations, remember that everyone is different. Your health protocol shouldn’t be based on another person’s experiences, even though it can be helpful to gather information. If you end up working with a holistic energy healer, they are also a great source of support. The first step in creating your bond is to get a clear picture of their practices. Ask about the methods and modalities they rely on, as well as how many sessions they recommend. Make sure you have a good understanding of what to expect during a session and how long the effects will last. Also inquire if they have any certifications or professional training and how long they’ve been in practice. You’ll find compassionate people such as nurses, social workers, and massage therapists working in the energy healing field. These practitioners bring even more knowledge into their practices and are great additions to your healing journey. You can also access some of the many trusted healing resources online, such as the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health and the International Association of Reiki Professionals. (When seeking information on the internet, always look for accredited sites with FAQs and clear ethics and standards.) The websites for these and other organizations have opportunities not only to learn more about energy healing, but also to expand your support system via online groups and chat rooms. Most people in the energy healing field are always ready to talk about their modality, so don’t worry about asking questions. We are excited to talk about health and wellness!

CHAPTER FOUR

Practices for Common Ailments We all have certain issues or concerns that could benefit from energy work. In this chapter, I’ll share 35 easy practices for common ailments. Before you begin, I ask that you remember to set your intention for healing. While this may seem obvious, often it’s not. Approach these exercises with an open mind and the intention to heal, and your results will be far better. Take an honest look at what needs to change in your situation, and practice these simple yet effective techniques to the best of your ability. Armed with this knowledge and the will to heal, you’ll begin a successful healing journey.

Calming an Anxious Mind This simple exercise uses color and art therapy and the element of fire, plus herbal medicine. The green candle works on the heart chakra, the fire empowers you to release anxious energy, and the shades of blue used to color your artwork are calming and bring balance to the brow chakra. In TCM, chamomile tea is known for its ability to regulate qi (energy) circulation and calm an agitated mind. The process of coloring an abstract drawing frees your conscious mind, allowing you to freely create. Gather your supplies: a comfortable and private space, one sheet of unlined paper, a green candle in a fireproof holder, a mug of chamomile tea, a pencil, and a selection of blue crayons or markers 1. Find a quiet room or space to perform this exercise. 2. Light the candle and place it on a safe surface. 3. Sit in a comfortable position, ideally where you can see the candle burning, and begin to doodle. With the pencil, make long, sweeping circular doodles or figure eights on the paper. 4. Allow all your worry and anxiety to flow out through your hand onto the paper. Don’t overthink what you’re drawing—you can’t do this wrong. Continue creating any shape, as simple or as intricate as you like. 5. When you are satisfied with the design, begin to color it in with the blue markers or crayons. Don’t rush—take your time, sip your tea, and allow yourself time to color in the abstract doodle. TIP: This should be an easy, no-stress exercise. Begin slow, and don’t worry about the outcome—just give your mind free rein to draw abstract shapes or doodles. If chamomile isn’t your tea of choice, ginseng makes a great alternative.

Combatting Fatigue Low energy and exhaustion can be frustrating on so many levels. When the root chakra is imbalanced, life feels more stressful, and it’s easy to become overwhelmed, stressed out, and fatigued. Burnout can occur because we just don’t have any extra energy to spare. From a physical point of view, this chakra controls the adrenal glands, which also could be the reason you feel fatigued. This exercise uses a simple root chakra meditation to help you feel more balanced and energized. Gather your supplies: comfy clothing, a private space, and a water bottle 1. Find a place outside where you can sit quietly with your back against a tree or on a rock (if possible), or somewhere you will not be disturbed or distracted. 2. Close your eyes and take a deep breath in through the nose, exhaling slowing and gently through the mouth; repeat three times. Imagine the breaths as red, vibrant energy that fills your body with health and vitality. 3. In your mind’s eye, imagine that, like the trees, you have strong roots coming down from your feet and tailbone. These healthy roots run deep into the earth, connecting you with its power. 4. Say to yourself, “I am grounded and safe.” 5. Sit with this energy as long as you like. You may repeat this exercise daily, or as needed to rebalance the root chakra. TIP: Learn to say no. You are not a bad friend or a bad person because you don’t attend every event you’re invited to or volunteer for every cause. You are just being realistic about what your energy levels will allow you to do. Make time to build your health back up, and don’t overdo it.

Chanting to End Back Pain The American Chiropractic Association says about 80 percent of the US population has some form of back pain. Energy healing is a great option to address back pain because it works through the layers of trapped energy in your body from past experiences. For this exercise, we will be working with the different chakras, focusing on the root and sacral chakras for lower back pain, the heart and solar plexus chakras for midback pain, and the throat and heart chakras for upper back pain. Chanting the names of the chakras releases the trapped energy and realigns these powerful energy centers. You’ll use a tone that feels natural, and the sound should roll out slowly and gently for the duration of your breath—don’t strain to reach a higher or lower pitch. Gather your supplies: your voice, a comfortable and private space 1. Sit comfortably somewhere you will not be disturbed or distracted. 2. Start at the base chakra and move to the top while being mindful and focused on what you are doing. Chant each chakra’s bija mantra three times, then move to the next. a) Root chakra: LAM b) Sacral chakra: VAM c) Solar plexus chakra: RAMM d) Heart chakra: YAM e) Throat chakra: HAM f) Third eye chakra: OM g) Crown chakra: AH 3. Listen to your body and the sound. (The A in “LAM” and the other mantras is pronounced with an “ah” or “uh” sound.) TIP: In the beginning, you may be able to do only two or three rounds of chanting, and that’s fine. The more you practice, the easier it will be, and the more results you’ll notice. There are many good videos on YouTube that you can watch and chant with if you are feeling unsure.

Releasing Unhealthy Habits Bad habits such as smoking, drinking, gambling, and even gossip can cause unnecessary physical and mental health problems. Stress and boredom can lead us to make questionable decisions that soon end up as habits. You can use energy healing to stop bad habits and replace them with new and healthy choices. In this exercise, we’ll use crystals and written affirmations to help shift your habits. Gather your supplies: four small, tumbled pieces of amethyst; an index card; and a pen 1. Take a deep breath and pinpoint why you wish to break this habit. Example: “I want to stop smoking because I know it is harming my body” or “Being addicted to porn will end my marriage.” 2. Hold that thought in your mind and slowly exhale. 3. On the card, write out the habit you wish to quit in a positive phrase, such as “I am free from alcohol” or “I breathe easily because I do not smoke.” 4. Fold the card in half and, if you are attuned to Reiki, place the power symbol on the folded card and send Reiki to the card. If you aren’t attuned, place the card in your cupped hands and visualize yourself succeeding in breaking the habit. 5. Place two of the amethyst crystals in your pocket, in your purse, or somewhere on your person. Keep these stones with you at all times for the next four months. Take the other two amethysts and place them where you are most often engaged in the bad habit— your computer, refrigerator, or desk. As you feel stressed, hold the crystals. 6. Carry the folded paper with you. Look at it anytime you feel the need to engage in the old habit. Hold the card and the amethyst until the urge passes. Focus on yourself succeeding. TIP: It’s wise to choose a substitute for your bad habit. Find something in advance, such as breathing exercises or mudras, to further take the place of it when you feel the urge.

Restoring Harmony by Balancing the Seven Chakras As you move through your day, your chakras are in constant flux. The people you interact with, the food you consume, the entertainment you watch, and the sounds in your environment all stimulate them in different ways. By committing to an energy healing practice that balances the seven chakras, you are recognizing that your health and energy matter. This practice focuses on balancing all the seven chakras through color meditation. Gather your supplies: comfy clothing and a private space 1. Sit quietly or lie down somewhere you will not be disturbed or distracted. 2. Close your eyes and take a deep breath through the nose, exhaling slowing and gently through the mouth; repeat three times. Give your body permission to relax. 3. With your eyes closed, imagine you are surrounded by a lovely, ruby-red light. See this light move to the area of your root chakra and bathe that area with healing light. 4. Sit with the energy as long as you are comfortable, and then slowly move up through each energy center, picturing its color. See the light turn orange as it moves up to the sacral chakra, then yellow as it interacts with the solar plexus chakra, emerald green for the heart chakra, turquoise blue for the throat chakra, indigo or purple for the brow chakra, and white or golden for the crown chakra. 5. Stay at each chakra as long as needed. Practice this meditation at bedtime and fall asleep while running the energy. TIP: Taking care of your chakras is an ongoing mission and requires a commitment to keeping healthy. But the good news is that even just a few minutes of meditation, journaling, sound healing, or color therapy can have a profound effect on their health.

Improving Poor Circulation Poor circulation isn’t a condition itself—it’s actually a symptom of other health issues. The most common signs of poor circulation include numbness, tingling, stinging pain in the limbs, and muscle cramps, usually in the arms and legs. As I’ve said many times throughout this book, it’s important to treat the underlying causes rather than just the symptoms. In this simple exercise, we use color to balance the heart chakra. You don’t have to be a master of meditation to achieve results from this simple visualization exercise. It can be done anytime, or even multiple times per day, if needed. I encourage you to drink a cup of calming mint tea before you begin to get your energy moving. Gather your supplies: a comfortable and private space where you can sit or lie down 1. Close your eyes and give your body permission to relax as you focus on gentle breaths, in through the nose and out through the mouth, like you’re blowing out a candle. 2. In your mind’s eye, imagine you are surrounded by a beautiful emerald light. You are breathing it in as it cocoons your body in warmth and health. 3. Just breathe normally and allow the light to warm and ease your mind. 4. Stay with the emerald light for 10 to 15 minutes, allowing it to engulf you in peace. 5. When you’re done, give thanks for this healing energy. TIP: It’s okay if you practice this meditation at night and fall asleep. You will still reap the benefits and should wake feeling rested. There are a handful of common conditions, such as obesity, varicose veins, heart conditions, and diabetes, that can lead to poor circulation. So make it a point to inform your health-care provider of your symptoms.

Releasing Insomnia If you’re dealing with insomnia or other sleep difficulties, crystal therapy paired with essential oils may be just what you need. For this exercise, we are going to use moonstone, lavender, and bergamot to create a natural sleep elixir. You should experience a better quality of sleep and wake up feeling more rested versus when you use pharmaceutical aids. Gather your supplies: moonstone, lavender, and bergamot essential oils, and a small cotton pad 1. Clear your moonstone with rice (see here), and place the cleaned stone on your bedside table. 2. Shake a drop of either lavender or bergamot essential oil onto a cotton pad and place it by your pillow in the evening. 3. Turn off all the lights in your sleep area. 4. Give your body permission to relax and sleep. 5. If your mind will not allow you to sleep, hold the moonstone and write in your journal everything that’s going through your mind. Dump everything out without judgment. 6. When you’re finished writing, place the moonstone on top of the journal. 7. Once you release your mind of all of your thoughts you should be able to sleep. TIP: You can also take a warm bath right before bed with a few drops of lavender or bergamot to begin relaxing. If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, be sure to consult with your doctor before using essential oils. Remember essential oils should never be taken internally without consulting a health professional.

Improving Digestion

You should always be mindful of what you are putting into your body, but this simple yoga mudra can help you eliminate some negative energy associated with digestion issues. For this exercise, you will use the Apana mudra pose, the mudra of digestion, to help eliminate stuck energy and waste. It’s a simple mudra you can practice anywhere, including while watching television. If you have joint problems or osteoporosis, this mudra may be difficult to form; if you experience pain, stop the pose and consult a doctor. Gather your supplies: comfy clothing and a private space 1. Begin in a comfortable position and join the tips of the thumbs with the tips of the middle and ring fingers while keeping the other fingers straight. Form this yoga mudra with both hands. 2. Hold for 10 to 15 minutes in three sessions, or do it continuously for 30 to 45 minutes. 3. Commit to two months of daily practice for best results. TIP: This mudra will help with stuck energy, but it’s still important to research the foods you should and shouldn’t consume for your optimum health. Track your system by committing to a food journal, and look for patterns between certain foods and digestion issues.

Working through Fear of Failure If you feel that your life is on hold or you’re not moving forward, it could be because you’re afraid of failure. This is a common belief affecting many people throughout the world. In this exercise, we will use a shadow work technique to understand and then release the fear of failure. Before you start, get clear on your issue. Are you afraid to try something new or change your circumstances because you feel you will fail? For example, are you ready to change jobs but find you cannot make yourself apply for a new position because you’re scared it won’t work out? Gather your supplies: paper, a pen, and something to play music 1. Put on some soothing music, and begin with a clean piece of paper. 2. Draw a line down the middle of the sheet. Across the top, write out what you want to do. Example: “Work at Acme.” 3. In the left-hand column, write out all that could go wrong. For instance, if you take a new job you may hate it, or you may not make enough money. 4. In the right-hand column, write all that could go right. You may really love the new job, for example. List all the positives you know about the new job—you would have a shorter commute, the hours are better, etc. 5. Write without judgment for at least 10 minutes. 6. After 10 minutes, if there is more to list, keep going. If not, stop and look over what you wrote. How likely is the left-hand column information to be truthful? 7. Say out loud that they do not apply to you, as you mark through all statements that you know to be false, untrue, or conjecture. 8. Look at what’s left unmarked. How likely are these situations to come true? TIP: This can be used for dating, moving cities, or anything where you feel you might fail and that fear is stopping you from doing it.

Finding Autoimmunity Relief As we discussed earlier, autoimmune disease, such as lupus, occurs when your body’s immune system attacks your own tissues and organs, causing inflammation. In this exercise, we will use sound healing via 68.05 Hz tuning forks (find tones for free on YouTube), which eases swelling and inflammation. After working with this tone, you will probably want to invest in a good set of tuning forks for yourself. We will also use the bloodstone crystal for its rejuvenating and healing properties; amber for fighting infection; amethyst for its cleansing, antidote energy; and lepidolite for its calming vibration. Gather your supplies: three each of bloodstone, amber, amethyst, and lepidolite crystals, sage or incense, and a 68.05 Hz tuning fork 1. Cleanse the stones before and after each treatment using sage or incense smoke. 2. Begin the treatment in a cool (not cold) room. 3. Drink a glass of water. 4. Sit or lie down comfortably on a bed or couch. 5. Place the crystals on and around the pain point of your body. 6. Strike the tuning fork and slowly move it from your head to your feet as it vibrates. 7. Repeat up to four times. 8. Close your eyes and focus on your body. Give it permission to release any energy blocks. In your mind’s eye, see these blocks easily coming off your body as mist, rising and floating away. Picture yourself feeling well and engaging in your favorite activities. 9. Stay with the energy as long as needed. TIP: Keep a food journal and log your meals and your symptoms to learn if your diet is playing a part in pain flare-ups. I would also recommend a full-body Reiki treatment of one hour at least twice a week until pain is relieved and absent for a week. You can then switch to monthly full-body sessions to address any new flare-ups.

Improving Your Focus Does this sound familiar? No matter how excited you are about your ideas, you just can’t stay focused long enough to get them off the ground. It doesn’t matter that you’re setting goals and following all the advice in a self-help book—inevitably you end up overwhelmed. Most people who face these types of challenges suffer from multiple chakra imbalances. When the root chakra is blocked, it drains our physical and mental energy, leaving us feeling overwhelmed and fatigued. In turn, an underactive sacral chakra makes it difficult to set realistic goals and follow through, so we can end up feeling scattered, unfocused, and disappointed. This happens because these problematic lower chakras leave very little energy for the higher chakras to function. In this exercise, you will make a simple elixir that you can drink to improve your focus. Gather your supplies: a sage bundle or incense; a lighter or matches; an 18 oz glass container with a lid; pen and paper; tape; 16 oz of clean spring, well, or mineral water; and two each of the following tumbled stones: tiger’s eye, iolite, smoky quartz, carnelian, and sodalite 1. Begin by burning the sage or incense and letting the smoke move over the stones, the container, and the pen and paper. Focus on cleansing the items. 2. Write positive words such as focus and success on the paper, and tape them to the container. 3. Pour the water into the container and place the lid on securely. 4. Place the container outside for 24 hours. If you cannot place the container outside safely, a sunny windowsill will do. 5. Once the container is in place, arrange the stones around the container, just touching the glass sides, and, if possible, one on top of the container. You are creating the elixir by indirectly infusing the water with the crystals. 6. You may want to make multiple batches at once—just add more containers and do the same thing. 7. Drink the focus elixir every morning for six weeks or until focus returns.

TIP: It’s easy to reach for an energy drink or caffeinated beverage when we go to study or focus on a project, but it really doesn’t help. The caffeine will perk you up, but only for a short period of time, and then leave you crashing and feeling worse than before. Instead, reach for a healthy alternative like cold water.

Finding Gratitude With so much negativity in the world, we could all use more gratitude and positivity in our lives. While it may seem cliche, it’s actually true—the more we focus on what we are grateful for, the more good comes flowing into our open heart. Use this daily practice of gratitude journaling to change your energy and your outlook on life. The crystals will help gently guide energy, communication, and balance between the seven major chakras. Gather your supplies: a comfortable and private space, a sage bundle or incense, a lighter or matches, a simple journal dedicated to gratitude in any color or design you like, a pen, one tumbled amethyst stone, one rose quartz, one small spear of blue kyanite, herbal tea, and something to play music 1. Sit under a tree or somewhere comfortable at home, with some soothing music and your favorite herbal tea. 2. Light the sage or incense, and allow the smoke to cleanse the journal and the stones. 3. Set your intention that you are going to begin a gratitude ritual, writing down daily—or at least weekly—what you are grateful for. 4. Tap in to your inner writer and begin to list all the things that you are grateful for, no matter how small they might be. 5. Sit with your journal for at least 15 minutes. The more you practice this exercise, the longer your lists will become, and you’ll see you have so much to be thankful for. 6. When you’re finished, put your journal in a safe place with the amethyst and kyanite on top of the book. Take the rose quartz and carry it with you as a reminder to notice all the good around you each day. TIP: List all things great and small that you are thankful for, such as a favorite smell, your hobbies, your favorite season, your favorite food, your pets, and so on.

Preventing Upper Respiratory Infections A runny nose, nasal congestion, sneezing, cough, fever, and mucus production are symptoms of upper respiratory infections. These symptoms are caused by inflammation of the mucous membranes in the upper respiratory tract. A sinus infection can cause symptoms such as sinus pain, fatigue, chronic postnasal drip, and sometimes a low-grade fever. In this exercise, we will be using a blend of essential oils in a diffuser to help provide relief. Eucalyptus was traditionally used to treat coughs and asthma, cardamom is known for its anti-inflammatory properties, rosemary works as an expectorant, and bergamot has antiseptic and pain-relieving properties. Gather your supplies: an oil diffuser and eucalyptus, cardamom, rosemary, and bergamot essential oils 1. Before sleep, safely place your oil diffuser by your bed and close the bedroom door. You want to keep as much of the diffused oil in the room with you as possible. For added benefits, you can also move the diffuser during the day to the room where you spend the most time. 2. Add the essential oils: a) 5 drops eucalyptus b) 2 drops cardamom c) 2 drops rosemary d) 2 drops bergamot 3. Diffuse morning and night until you feel relief. TIP: If your condition lingers for several weeks, you could need antibiotics to clear the infection. Seek medical care as needed.

Overcoming Grief Tragedy can happen to anyone, and we are never truly prepared. Most of us try to avoid grieving at all cost, rather than facing it head-on. When we ignore our feelings and pretend everything’s okay, we often end up stuck in the grieving process. It is only when we begin to grieve that we make room for the healing to begin. In this exercise, you will move the dense energy of grief using sound by striking a tuning fork or ringing a small bell. You will also use your hands to move the energy off your aura. One session will not erase your grief, but it can give you an hour of peace, and when grieving this can seem like a miracle. Gather your supplies: comfy clothing, a tuning fork or a small bell, and a private space 1. Lie down comfortably on your back and strike the tuning fork or ring the bell about 6 inches above your heart chakra. Focus on the sound, and just breathe. 2. Once the sound stops, strike the tuning fork or ring the bell again and give yourself permission to be at peace in this moment. Push any thoughts away, and concentrate on the sound of the tuning fork or bell. 3. When the sound stops, strike for the third and last time. Again, just listen to the sound and allow yourself to be present. 4. Once the sound stops, put down the tuning fork or bell and allow yourself the time you need to heal. Stay where you are as long as you need before moving to the next step. 5. When you are ready, raise your hands, palms toward your body. 6. Beginning at your head, gently sweep your hands about 1 to 2 inches above your body. 7. Lightly move the energy away from your head, down past your neck and torso, and on down through your body. 8. When you reach your feet, draw them up to you or sit up to reach them; brush around each entire foot, then move the energy to the ground. 9. Ask Mother Earth to take the grief energy and transmit it as she sees fit, harming no one.

10. Repeat as needed. TIP: A small piece of rose quartz placed on your bedside table can aid in the grieving process and ultimately help you sleep better.

Creating Self-Compassion Cultivating self-compassion is another form of healing. As we acknowledge our own suffering and have compassion for ourselves, we begin the journey of self-healing. One easy way to tap into energy healing is by building a crystal grid, which is what we’ll do in this exercise. While there are no true rules for building a healing grid, most are built on a geometric pattern and have a focus stone in the center, an even number of stones surrounding that stone, and another set of stones to further lock in the outcome. Gather your supplies: a sage bundle or incense, a lighter or matches, a simple hexagon shape drawn or found online, a clear quartz point, six tumbled rose quartz stones, and six tumbled amethyst stones 1. Set your intention to become more compassionate. 2. Light the sage or incense and let the smoke cleanse the area to be used, the paper, and the stones. 3. Set the grid pattern down on a secure table. 4. Place the clear quartz point on the center of the grid. 5. Place the six rose quartz stones around the center point. 6. Place the amethyst stones on the outside line of the pattern, surrounding the rose quartz. 7. Once complete, activate your grid by visualizing healing energy from the universe flowing down to the focus stone, then trace the pattern of the grid in the air above it. Use your finger or a wand to connect the lines. Just hover above, tracing the outline until all stones are connected. 8. Continue to connect all the stones via your intention as you repeat your healing statement to become more compassionate. TIP: If you are attuned to Reiki, you can send Reiki energy to the grid. Rose quartz and amethyst are powerhouse stones that can be used for multiple purposes.

Walking to Feel Connected Loneliness comes from the feeling of being cut off from others and the sense of being stuck in an unending cycle. This exercise of walking around in nature teaches us that beauty and connection exist all around us. If you are feeling lonely and disconnected, make a point to do this exercise every day until you find your energy has shifted. I suggest starting at just 20 to 30 minutes in the morning, in nature or a park, if possible. Gather your supplies: comfortable walking shoes, warm clothes, protective outerwear, and a water bottle 1. As you begin your walk, take every opportunity to look around. 2. Stay focused on the “now” of the moment. Look at all the beauty around you. 3. Notice the weather and how the air smells and feels. 4. Notice the trees. Can you identify their species? What about their age? 5. Notice the sky as if you were to draw it. What colors would you use? Are there clouds present? What emotion does the sky invoke? 6. Notice any and all creatures you encounter. Are you crossing paths with dogs, cats, birds, or bugs? 7. Walk as if you are walking in beauty, and soon you will realize that you truly are. TIP: After you return home, look up the spiritual meaning of the creatures you encountered. What does a bird or cat signify? Journal about your walks to further capture the beauty you have experienced.

Draining the Lymph Nodes

The lymphatic system is an essential part of your immune system. It’s important to take care of this system because it defends your body against illness, viruses, infections, and germs. We have a network of hundreds of lymph nodes that steadily remove bodily waste and carry white blood cells that help prevent infection. When there is any obstruction or blockage in this system, fluid can start to build up. The Garuda mudra, also known as the eagle gesture, will help balance the air element in the body and assist with lymphatic drainage. This mudra involves both hands, which balances energies on both sides of the body. There is one warning with this mudra: if you have high blood pressure, check with your medical provider before practicing it. Gather your supplies: comfy clothing and a private space 1. Begin by sitting comfortably. Place your hands on your knees, palms facing up. 2. Close your eyes and center yourself. 3. Move the left wrist over the right and interlock the thumbs as you extend the fingers out on both hands. 4. Keep your hands in this position just above your root chakra for 10 breaths. 5. Move up to the next chakra and repeat for 10 breaths. Repeat moving your hands through the seven chakras. 6. For this mudra to be effective, you should commit to practicing it for at least 5 to 15 minutes each day. TIP: This simple mudra has many benefits, including aiding the digestive system and reducing

fatigue, and it’s also considered to be therapeutic for the prostate gland and menstrual pain.

Easing Migraines According to TCM, headaches are the result of trapped energy in your gut and lower three chakras, but it’s also possible that you have stuck or congested energy in your aura, or a blockage in the brow or crown chakra. Even though this may sound serious, it’s actually easy to move this type of energy. Before beginning the exercise, it’s important to practice obvious selfcare steps, such as drinking enough water, sleeping well, eliminating food triggers, and ensuring that you’re not overstressed and haven’t abruptly eliminated caffeine. This exercise uses a simple energy healing technique, along with two powerful affirmations, to move stuck energy out of your aura and chakras. Gather your supplies: an 8 oz glass of pure water, comfy clothing, and a private space 1. Drink the water to get the energy flowing. 2. Stand up and slowly begin moving your left hand counterclockwise in a circular, sweeping motion in the area over your head. 3. Do this for several minutes to clear and release excess energy. 4. Say aloud, “I release any and all energy blocks at this time.” 5. Now that you have cleared the blocks, it’s important to balance your crown. Using your right hand, reverse the motion, now moving clockwise over your head. Sweep this area with your hand for several minutes. 6. Say aloud, “My energy is balanced.” TIP: Make it a point to check in with your body and see your overall energy level. Are there other things happening besides the headache? Are you experiencing other symptoms, such as tightness in your chest or stomach, as well as headache pain? Let your medical provider know all your symptoms.

Dissipating Negative Energy You’ve probably seen people on television waving smoking bundles of herbs around to clear negative energy, and you may have even tried it yourself. From an energy perspective, you are using the elements of the plant and fire, along with your intention, to clear negativity from a space or person. Before you begin make sure your intention is clear and focused for maximum benefit. Gather your supplies: a sage bundle and a lighter or matches 1. Turn off your personal electronics and focus only on what you’re about to do. 2. Set your intention to clean and clear the environment (or person) and remove any negativity. 3. Light the sage bundle and slowly let the smoke waft up. Instead of cleaning one room, I recommend that you clean the entire house. Begin at the front door and clean the door as well as the frame, allowing the smoke to flow. 4. Open drawers, cabinets, closets, etc., and slowly allow the smoke to flow and permeate the areas. If the bundle goes out, relight and keep going. 5. If you lose concentration or your mind strays, stop. Begin again at the front door. 6. After the house is cleansed, cleanse all the residents by tracing the smoking sage around them. 7. Once you’ve cleansed the entire house and the people in it, give thanks to the sage and your personal deities for the help. 8. Place the dried sage bundle in a fireproof container and allow it to burn until it goes out on its own. TIP: Grow your own sage or purchase ethically grown sage. You should cleanse after any new additions to your home (pets included), after anyone in the home is ill, after houseguests, after arguments, or anytime you feel the energy is stuck or off.

Soothing Osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis, the most common form of arthritis, affects millions of people worldwide. This painful condition occurs when the protective cartilage that cushions the ends of your bones wears down over time. You might not think yoga is a sensible option for this kind of pain, but people have used yoga mudras for hundreds of years to ease this condition. The Matsya mudra translates as “fish,” and not only is it helpful for osteoarthritis, it’s also very calming for both the mind and the body. This exercise will use this simple mudra to activate the water element and move stuck energy in the chakras as well as in the joints. Gather your supplies: comfy clothing and a private space 1. Sit comfortably in a chair or on the floor. This mudra can also be done while lying down. 2. Place your hands, palms down, on your thighs, with the fingers together. 3. Close your eyes and become aware of your breathing. Relax and breathe normally. 4. Place the left hand over the right with thumbs extended to the sides. Be careful not to apply pressure to your lower hand. 5. Rest your hands on your lap or abdomen. 6. Practice this pose for 10 to 15 minutes three times each day, or for 45 minutes in one sitting. TIP: You may add a healing affirmation, such as “I am healing now,” to this practice. This yoga pose will also help with memory, promoting calm, and overall health. For best results, practice it daily for two months.

Scanning Your Aura for Past Trauma After my husband passed away, I carried grief around with me like a warm blanket. Even my grief was turning into a comfort zone. I can’t tell you what a relief it is to release past trauma and begin the healing process. If you think you could be carrying past trauma around and are ready to release it, begin with this simple exercise. Gather your supplies: comfy clothing and a private space 1. Start by standing tall or putting your back against a wall in a quiet room where you will not be disturbed. 2. Close your eyes and lift your arms out in front of you, palms forward, as if you were trying to gently push air away from your body. 3. Can you tell where your aura is? Be gentle, and give it a few tries without overthinking it. 4. Once you feel you can sense your aura, keep your eyes closed and see in your mind’s eye the energy coming off you. It’s okay if you can’t see any color at first. 5. Look for a hole, tear, or dark spot. These are usually formed from psychic debris or past trauma. 6. Once you locate the dark spot, stop for the day. 7. Repeat this exercise the following day and once again locate the dark spot. This time you will peel it off. Some people like to imagine they are using a brush with soap bubbles to scrub off the spot. Once it’s gone, your energy should shift dramatically. TIP: Most people have more than one spot on their auras. If you have several spots, go slowly and tackle only one per week. Give yourself time in between to process the changes before moving on to the next issue.

Fostering Peace and Tranquility Using water and crystals is one of the simplest ways to work with energy medicine. The water naturally absorbs the energy of the crystals and becomes empowered by it. In this exercise, we infuse energy into the crystal elixir by adding words of peace and tranquility to the water container. The aventurine, blue lace agate, and fluorite help with calming the mind and eliminating stress, while the amethyst heals emotional pain. Gather your supplies: a sage bundle or incense; a lighter or matches; an 18 oz glass container with a lid; pen and paper; tape; 16 oz of clean spring, well, or mineral water; three tumbled amethysts; three blue lace agates; three fluorite; and three green aventurine 1. Begin by burning the sage or incense and letting the smoke move over the stones, the container, the pen, and the paper. Focus on cleansing the items. 2. Write positive words such as peace, tranquility, and calmness and tape them to the container. 3. Pour the water into the container and place the lid on securely. 4. Place the container outside for 24 hours. If you cannot place the container outside safely, a sunny windowsill will do. 5. Once the container is in place, arrange the stones around the container, just touching the glass sides, and, if possible, one on top of the container. You are creating the elixir by indirectly infusing the water with the crystals. 6. After 24 hours, retrieve the water and either drink as is or use in unsweetened, ice-free tea. 7. Clean your stones and reuse. TIP: For added energy, make batches of this water during the full moon and use all month long.

Stopping Procrastination We all procrastinate from time to time, especially when it comes to doing things we don’t want to do. But when we miss deadlines at work, don’t adhere to our budget, or put off paying taxes, it can really be a problem. Procrastination is usually a symptom of a solar plexus deficiency. When this powerful lower chakra is deficient, it can manifest as low motivation, sluggishness, poor self-discipline, becoming unreliable, and even falling into victim mentality. If you need to take action in your life, there are many ways to balance this chakra. In this exercise, you’ll send energy to the solar plexus chakra—located below the breast bone—by doing a simple chakra meditation, focusing on a specific area of the body. Gather your supplies: comfy clothing and a private space 1. Sit comfortably on the ground, ideally during a sunny day, with your shoulders back and your spine straight. If this is not possible, sit in a chair. 2. Relax your muscles as you close your eyes. 3. Inhale through your nose and slowly exhale through your mouth. 4. Focus your attention on the location of your solar plexus chakra and connect to your lower belly. 5. In your mind’s eye, imagine a yellow glow above your navel, slowly expanding to the bottom of your rib cage and making the whole area warm and relaxed. 6. Enjoy this for three to five minutes or as long as you are comfortable. 7. Repeat daily until you see a change, and then repeat weekly to keep this chakra balanced. TIP: Wear yellow while you are practicing this meditation. It will help you align with the color, and the vibration will also empower the chakra.

Releasing Relationship Pain Old pain from past relationships can seal the fate of new relationships. These past wounds can prevent us from fully connecting with others and living the life we dream about. Many of my clients have experienced the same sort of dating patterns that stop relationships from ever taking off, or put them in repeating, destructive patterns. This exercise uses affirmations to help you release the pain around your past experiences and clear the way for a new, healthy relationship to grow. Affirmations work by rewiring the brain and changing thought patterns. We are literally stating to the universe that we are worthy of good things! Gather your supplies: comfy clothing and a private space 1. Start with any five of the affirmations below. 2. Repeat them three times out loud each morning and night. 3. Add two more to the list every other day. • I release the past with ease. • I am free from the past. • I accept myself. • I forgive myself for past mistakes. • I forgive others for past mistakes. • I embrace each new day. • I am constantly moving forward and bettering myself. • I attract healthy relationships. • I am healing every day. • I am grateful for past relationships, even as I let them go. • I am worthy of healthy relationships. • I am worthy of lasting love.

TIP: It’s also helpful to write the affirmations nine times each, daily, in your journal.

Learning to Take Responsibility To build the life you want, you need to take responsibility for your choices. When we acknowledge and become accountable for our actions, we can see the bigger picture and make decisions that impact our destiny. For this exercise, we will use EFT tapping to take responsibility and let go of blaming others. Before you begin this exercise, you will also need to know what the problem is and be ready to release it. Refer to the chart in chapter 2, for these EFT tapping points: KC, EB, SE, UE, UN, CH, CB, UA. Gather your supplies: comfy clothing and a comfortable and private space 1. Identify the problem, and be specific. Example: “My teacher expects too much of me.” 2. Name the problem, such as “Teacher problem” (this will be the name we use as an example throughout the exercise, but you can replace it). 3. Rate the problem from 1 to 10 on a scale of emotional intensity. 4. Tap the karate chop point three times and repeat this affirmation: “Even though I have this (insert name you gave the problem), I totally and completely love and approve of me anyway.” 5. Move your tapping to the eyebrow point and repeat, “Teacher problem.” 6. Move your tapping to the side of the eye point and repeat, “Teacher problem.” 7. Move your tapping to the under the eye point and repeat, “Teacher problem.” 8. Move your tapping to the under the nose point, stating, “My teacher has high expectations of me. Sometimes that’s too much, and that’s okay, even if it’s not okay.” 9. Move your tapping to the chin and repeat, “Teacher problem.” 10. Move your tapping to the collarbone and repeat, “Teacher problem.” 11. Move your tapping to the under the arm point and repeat, “Teacher problem.” 12. On completion of the first round, take some deep breaths and rate your score now. The number should have gone down at this point. 13. Now change the name of the problem to “Me problem.”

14. Tap the karate chop point three times while saying, “So even though I have this me problem, I totally and completely love and approve of me anyway.” 15. Repeat the sequence again, and you should feel a dynamic change toward the situation. TIP: Be mindful of self-talk or personal inner dialogue that sounds like self-pity or defensiveness. Handle this by being aware and redirecting your dialogue to something more realistic.

Releasing Sexual Shame Most of us grew up with misconceptions or outdated ideas regarding sex, love, intimacy, and sexual behaviors. If you are ready to release sexual shame and all that goes with it, it’s possible to heal that part of your life. We begin this journey by balancing the second chakra. In this simple exercise, you will be diffusing calming lavender oil while working with crystals and chanting the mantra associated with this energy center to clear stuck energy. The subtle energy of citrine will strengthen self-esteem and create a positive flow of energy around your body. The vibration of the chanting flows into the blocked sacral chakra and rebalances this important energy center. By bravely recognizing there is a problem and taking steps to release the negative feelings surrounding this issue, you are on your way to healing. Gather your supplies: lavender essential oil, an oil diffuser, and citrine crystal 1. Place 6 to 7 drops of lavender essential oil in an oil diffuser. 2. Sit comfortably, either on the floor or in a chair with your feet touching the ground. 3. Place a piece of citrine in each hand. 4. Chant the mantra for the second chakra, “VAM,” for several minutes. 5. After two to three minutes, stand and gently stretch your body. 6. Release any negative thoughts or feelings that came up during the exercise. 7. Repeat every other day, or as needed. 8. Carry the citrine crystals with you for the next 30 days. TIP: Not a fan of lavender? Substitute woodsy cedarwood. This nonfloral oil is one of the most grounding essential oils you can use, and it is proven effective in relieving both anxiety and stress. The citrine doesn’t have to be large or expensive—you can use small, rough pieces or a set of earrings for this exercise.

Sound Healing to Clear Sinuses Inflammation of the sinuses is unfortunately very common. This could be a side effect from a cold, allergies, or a viral infection. When there is inflammation pressure and pain buildup, this can lead to a runny nose, headaches, facial swelling and soreness, and even fever. Draining the sinuses is key to alleviating pressure and discomfort. To get the stuck energy moving and relieve the sinus, we will use sound healing. If possible, have a friend assist you—you can do it alone, but it’s more relaxing with assistance. You will be using tuning forks tuned to 50 Hz, or tones found online, to break up stuck energy around your sinuses. Gather your supplies: a warm towel and a 50 Hz tuning fork 1. Lie flat on your back in a comfortable position on a massage table, couch, or bed. 2. If you are experiencing major discomfort, apply a warm towel to the sinuses for five to seven minutes. 3. Remove the towel and hold the 50 Hz tuning fork about one foot over your face and strike. (Most tuning forks are sold with a small hammer to strike with, but you can also strike it lightly on a metal surface.) 4. Allow the tuning fork to complete its full vibration and repeat. 5. At this point, you should feel your nose begin to run, and you may be coughing—this is normal as the sinuses drain. 6. If you are not noticing any drainage, repeat with the tuning fork. 7. Finish the session by drinking a glass of water to stay hydrated. TIP: The subtle vibrations from this tuning fork work wonders not just over sinuses, but also at trigger points. Refer to the meridian chart and use it when you are having other issues such as a headache or earache.

Becoming Unstuck Most of us have felt stuck from time to time. You may be feeling unsure of what to do next in your relationship, or not know what to do following a divorce or illness. Or maybe you feel like your career is going nowhere fast, or that you have no control over your life. A side effect of feeling stuck is that we often lose our zest for life. We no longer feel optimistic or enjoy our hobbies or our lives. While many situations can cause this feeling, it’s usually traced back to an imbalance in the lower chakras. When they aren’t functioning properly, it can cause feelings of hopelessness and loss. We no longer enjoy life and may just be going through the motions. This exercise gets the energy flowing to your lower chakras using the invigorating scent of oranges. Gather your supplies: a glass of water, a bathtub, an orange or orange essential oil 1. Begin by drinking a full glass of pure water. 2. Turn off all electronics, including your phone. 3. Run a warm (not hot) bath. 4. Slice up a ripe orange and add it to the bath water. Or add 5 to 7 drops of orange essential oil to the full bath. 5. Take a moment to breathe in the orange scent. 6. Soak for at least 15 minutes. 7. Repeat as needed. TIP: While this exercise may sound simple, don’t underestimate the power of practicing healthy self-care. Taking time for yourself, especially when you feel stuck, can quickly shift your energy and open up new possibilities. If you feel yourself getting caught up in the past or becoming fearful of the future, remember you have control of your energy.

Silencing Tinnitus

Tinnitus, or ringing in the ears when no sound is present, is a common problem that currently affects 15 to 20 percent of people. Tinnitus isn’t actually an illness, but rather a symptom of an underlying condition, so be sure to inform your medical provider if you are experiencing this problem. The ringing can affect one or both ears, or jump from one to the other. It can also come and go or cycle throughout the day, and the more you worry about the noise, the more it usually increases. According to Ayurveda, the element of space is responsible for hearing loss. When this element is out of balance, it stops the growth of the other elements and can manifest in ringing in the ears, loss of hearing, and other problems. In this exercise, you’ll practice the Shunya mudra to increase hearing by balancing the elements of the body. Gather your supplies: comfy clothing and a private space 1. Sit comfortably, close your eyes, and become fully focused. 2. Bend the middle finger in a way that it is kept at the base of the thumb. Then lightly press the top bone of the middle finger with the tip of the thumb, while the other three fingers are kept straight and stretched. 3. For best results, practice this mudra for 15 minutes three times a day, and gradually work up to one hour per day. 4. Reduce stress with meditation, massage, and other healthy habits. 5. Discontinue this practice when the ringing stops. If it doesn’t stop, even after practicing this exercise regularly, talk to your health-care practitioner. TIP: While best when practiced with eyes closed in a meditative state, you can practice this

mudra with your eyes open. It also treats earache, throat pain, and ear pain.

Selenite Meditation for Pain Management In this simple meditation, you will focus your mind on your body, beginning with your feet and ending at your head, to release pain and discomfort with the help of selenite. The goal of this exercise is to notice everything about your body, relaxing each part as you move your awareness and release pain. Normally we label each sensation we feel, but in this exercise you will only notice the sensations and allow the pain to drift away. Gather your supplies: a comfortable place to lie down and a small piece of selenite 1. Lie down and place the piece of selenite either on or next to the area of your body that is in the most pain. 2. Close your eyes and give your body permission to relax. 3. Breathe in and out normally. Don’t worry if your mind wanders—just bring it back to your body. 4. Shift your attention to the bottoms of your feet. Focus on your left foot—how does it feel? Become aware of any sensations, and allow any pain you may be holding in this area to simply float away. 5. Give your body permission to release the pain. If you don’t have any sensation, pain, or feelings in your feet, that’s fine. Allow your body to be as it is. 6. Next, shift to your right foot and become aware of any sensations, again allowing any pain to float away without judgment. 7. Move your attention to your left ankle. Continue to breathe naturally as you notice any sensations and allow any pain to be released. Repeat with the right ankle. 8. Move up your legs in the same manner and notice how your body feels as you simply check in with it. Releasing any labels or negative self-talk, continue to allow any pain to float away. 9. Allow your body to sink further down into a relaxed state. Notice how it feels lying down. Allow yourself to relax as you continue to check in with your body. 10. Move up to your hips and continue in this manner until you reach your head. As you become aware of tension or pain in a particular part of your body, just imagine the

selenite nudging the pain away. TIP: Although it’s likely you’ll feel sleepy while doing this exercise, the goal is to try to remain present.

Cultivating Trust Trust is a tricky concept—trusting others is actually more about trusting yourself. If you can trust yourself to make the right decision or to recognize when someone isn’t telling the truth, it can be a game changer. Most people who have trust issues in relationships have been hurt in the past. Your lack of trust stems from a fear of being taken advantage of, betrayed, manipulated, or humiliated, and the perceived risk may feel overwhelming. The chakra associated with trust is the root chakra, and this exercise will help you heal that energy center with a crystal elixir, so you can slowly ease into trusting yourself. Gather your supplies: a sage bundle or incense; a lighter or matches; an 18 oz glass container with a lid; pen and paper; tape; 16 oz clean spring, well, or mineral water; 3 tumbled rose quartz; and 3 moonstones 1. Begin by burning the sage or incense and letting the smoke move over the stones, the container, the pen, and the paper. Focus on cleansing the items. 2. Write positive words such as I trust myself and tape them to the container. 3. Pour the water into the container and place the lid on securely. 4. Place the container outside for 24 hours. If you cannot place the container outside safely, a sunny windowsill will do. 5. Once the container is placed, arrange the stones around the container so they are touching the glass sides, and, if possible, one on top of the container. You are creating the crystal elixir by indirectly infusing the water with the crystals. 6. After 24 hours, retrieve the water and either drink as is or use in unsweetened, ice-free tea. 7. Clean your stones and reuse. TIP: Developing trust also includes becoming your own best friend. If you set a boundary around a trust issue, stick to it.

Strengthening Your Vision

The Yoga Agni mudra, also called the fire gesture, has been used to improve eyesight for centuries. It is a simple yet powerful mudra that reduces the earth element and activates or increases the agni, or fire element, in the body. When these elements are out of balance, problems occur that, if left unchecked, can result in illness and disease. This exercise uses the mudra to balance these two elements, leading to better vision and clearing digestive issues. This mudra can also strengthen an underactive thyroid gland, promote weight loss, and increase your body temperature. Gather your supplies: comfy clothing and a private space 1. Fold your ring finger and press it against the base of your thumb, applying gentle pressure. Keep the other fingers straight. 2. Perform with both hands, facing upward. 3. Practice this gesture on an empty stomach, ideally in the early morning. 4. Do this mudra every day for 10 to 15 minutes each day. TIP: Practice this yoga mudra daily for at least two months to reap the full benefits.

Raising Your Personal Vibration Why is it important to raise your personal vibration? Abraham Hicks put it simply: “As you think, you vibrate. As you vibrate, you attract.” There is no coincidence regarding the events surrounding your life—we are attracting and repelling experiences every single day. Even though we know the impact negative thoughts can have on our health, it can be difficult to refrain from worry and negative thinking. This can lower our vibration and cause stress on our energy bodies. This exercise will help you raise your vibration by repeating empowering affirmations. Gather your supplies: a clear quartz crystal Repeat these positive statements daily, saying each affirmation twice before moving on to the next one. • My life is full of miracles. • My life is a masterpiece. • My life is full of beauty. • My life is full of love. • I am loved. • I love and care for myself. • Everything I desire flows to me. • I am in contact with my higher self. • I am loved by my higher self. • I am in contact with guides, angels, and beings of the light. • I trust the process unfolding around me. • I release what no longer serves me. • I commit to my healing path. • I am healing.

• I enjoy being a part of the healing community. • I am growing as a person. • I embrace my personal path. • I embrace positive emotions and ideas. • I am relaxed and in balance. • I live a peaceful life in harmony with nature. • I listen to my body. • I can easily raise my vibration. • My vibration rises with every breath I take. • My life is unfolding perfectly. • I am a being of light. TIP: Hold a clear quartz crystal while repeating these affirmations to really shift the energy.

Letting Go of Worry This exercise uses affirmations to help you take control of your thinking and give your mind something else to focus on rather than worry. When you feel anxious or are worrying, stand in front of a mirror and repeat these affirmations. It may take some time before you see lasting changes, but don’t give up! Commit to at least six weeks of repeating the affirmations. Gather your supplies: comfy clothing, a mirror, and a private space Start at the top, saying each affirmation out loud, and repeat the list three times. • I am calm. • I am in control of my thoughts and emotions. • I am safe. • My loved ones are safe. • I have the power to make changes. • I am free to relax now. • I am ready to relax now. • I deserve to be relaxed and at ease. • I release all tension and fear from my body. • I release all stress and worry from my body instantly. • I breathe in healing energy that calms me. • I am healing. • I am becoming more and more calm with each breath I take. • I am healthy, relaxed, and comfortable. • My body is at ease. • Being peaceful and relaxed is easy for me. • My body is calm and relaxed.

• My mind is clearing, and I am at peace. • My life is peaceful and balanced. • I find peace all through the day. • My body and mind are working in harmony. • I am at peace. TIP: Write out these affirmations and carry them with you. When you feel worry creeping in, repeat them until the energy clears.

Weight Management In this simple exercise, you will create a crystal elixir that you can drink to help you manage your weight. The element of water correlates to the sacral chakra and relates to emotions, sense of self, passion, and joy. It is the seat of our impulses and the key to managing a healthy weight. You will also be using apatite stone for its power to help you control food cravings, rose quartz to lend self-love, and smoky quartz for its grounding energy and ability to dispel negativity. Gather your supplies: a tuning fork or a bell; an 18 oz glass container with a lid; 16 oz clean spring, well, or mineral water; 3 blue apatite stones; 3 rose quartz; and 3 smoky quartz 1. Strike the tuning fork or ring the bell over the stones and the container. Focus on cleansing the items. 2. Pour the water into the container and place the lid on securely. 3. Place the container outside for 24 hours. If you cannot place the container outside safely, a sunny windowsill will do. 4. Once the container is placed, arrange the stones around the container touching the glass sides, and, if possible, one on top of the container. You are creating the crystal elixir by indirectly infusing the water with the crystals. 5. After 24 hours, the water is ready to be consumed or stored in the refrigerator. You can drink the water as it is or make it into herbal tea or other beverages. Don’t add artificial sweeteners or caffeine, as these will reduce the vibration of the elixir and dilute its effectiveness. You can also wash your hands in the water or add it to bath water. TIP: Make a weight-loss elixir as listed here, but substitute citrine, snowflake obsidian, and fluorite for the crystals. It is best made during the waning moon cycle and can be made in large batches. Write a note on an index card saying you are ready to release what no longer serves you, including any extra weight, and place the container on top of the card.

CHAPTER FIVE

Practices for Positivity It’s not easy to stop the negative thoughts in your mind, but you can shift your energy by incorporating positive actions into your daily life. Some of these steps are super simple while others are more difficult, but you don’t have to master them all today. Begin with simple changes and easy exercises, like the ones I have listed, and give yourself time to heal. It’s possible to address our negativity, work on positive goals, and see results quickly. By making even small changes, you’ll begin to see your energy shift toward positivity and health.

EVERYDAY PRACTICES FOR HIGHER VIBRATION OWN YOUR DAY WITH INTENTIONS

One way to feel more in control, especially when you’re feeling stressed, is to begin your day with intentions. Start each morning by setting intentions for the day so that you are actively involved in your life. Put your hand on your heart, close your eyes, and go over the events of the day. Tell yourself that things will flow smoothly, and set your intention for any challenges ahead to be manageable. DAILY JOURNALING TO SHIFT YOUR ENERGY

Journaling each day will improve your ability to make decisions. Writing down your thoughts and feelings helps shed light on what’s going on with your body and mind, plus it offers insights on your overall physical and mental health. It takes only a few minutes each day. Making it a habit to write two journal pages each morning will help your vibrations shift in a positive way. BLACK ONYX TO STAY PRESENT

To stay focused in the present moment, carry or wear a piece of lovely black onyx. If you find that your mind wanders or you have difficulty staying focused, working with crystals and gemstones may help. Black onyx is a go-to stone for grounding, calming an active mind, or helping you stay alert. Carry this stone with you to stay present and mindful and to build self-discipline. CONNECT WITH THE EARTH

Go outside and sit or stand on the earth. Avoid concrete, and instead choose grass or natural turf. You can also sit on a large rock, if you can find one. Grab your water bottle and relax in nature for at least 10 minutes. Just being outside for even a short period of time will balance your energies and is a great way to start the day. BREATH WORK TO RELEASE STRESS AND ANXIETY

Find a safe place where you can close your eyes for a minute or two. Place your dominant hand over your heart and, with your eyes closed,

take a deep breath in through your nose. Then exhale out the mouth like you are blowing out a candle. Repeat three times gently. BALANCE YOUR ENERGY WITH COLORING

Either draw a design or pick up one of the many adult coloring books on the market. Turn off your phone, put on some soothing music, and just color. Allow yourself to experiment with colors, colored pencils, markers, and paint. Take your time, and remember how wonderful it feels to create without expectations or deadlines. ORGANIZE YOUR THOUGHTS

A never-ending to-do list can make you feel like you’re drowning in information. When the same thoughts are repeating over and over, you end up missing out on what’s right in front of you. One way to resolve this is to write out everything that’s going through your mind on a clean journal page. Once it’s on paper, you no longer have to remember it, and your mind should calm down. STOP THE SELF-CRITIC WITH JOURNALING

Are you your own worst critic? What do you say to yourself? Would you say these things to anyone else? No? Then why are you thinking them? Use your journal to keep track of your self-talk and where it comes from. Most people have their parents or caregivers playing on a loop in their minds. Once you identify what the chatter is and where it comes from, it’s much easier to understand that it doesn’t apply to you and release your inner critic. TONE FOR INNER BALANCE

All of us have those days when we feel overwhelmed or stressed just thinking about what’s ahead of us. You might have a presentation at work, a meeting with your child’s teachers, or an appointment with your doctor for test results. In this simple exercise, you sing or chant the vowels of the alphabet. I like to do this in my car while driving to a stressful event, but any place where you can belt out the vowels works. Begin with the letter A and tone the letter three times, then move on to E, and so on. When we tone, we draw or sing the letter out loud, such as “Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa.” Toning works wonders for opening up the chakras and balancing your energy before any stressful event.

UNWIND AFTER A LONG DAY WITH CINNAMON

Cinnamon leaf essential oil is an easy-to-use restorative oil. It’s particularly useful if you feel both physically and mentally exhausted after a long day. Put 3 to 5 drops of oil in a diffuser, sit back, and relax for 15 minutes. The anti-inflammatory properties of cinnamon leaf can soothe aching muscles while reducing drowsiness and making you more alert. PRACTICE MUDRAS TO MOVE STUCK ENERGY

I use this easy mudra, aptly named the Prana mudra, to move energy through the body. (Bonus: It is also helpful with fatigue and insomnia.) To begin, sit down, close your eyes, focus on your breath, and touch the tip of your thumb with the tips of your ring finger and little finger while you stretch out the other two fingers. Hold for 15 to 45 minutes. Don’t do this mudra while lying down. REIKI YOUR FOOD FOR WELLNESS

If you are attuned to Reiki energy, this is an excellent way to take your Reiki practice one step further. Check in to the energy of Reiki, then place the power symbol (Cho Ku Rei) over your food. This will imbue the food with the healing power of Reiki.

13 Practices for Common Goals INVITE INNER PEACE The heart chakra, located in the middle of the chest, governs love, calmness, and inner peace. It is where your inner child resides, and many people consider it to be the seat of your conscience. When this energy center is balanced, you are at peace with yourself and your environment—life flows easily around you, and there is no need to worry or stress. But when the heart is closed, it can lead to feeling moody, unstable, and jealous. This exercise uses the wisdom of the chakras combined with crystals and affirmations, and you’ll work to activate and energize the heart chakra using rose quartz. If possible, sit outside for this exercise—connecting with nature and the element of air will also help the heart chakra release blocks. If it’s not possible to go outside, sit quietly in a calm, private space. 1. Hold a small piece of rose quartz in the palm of your dominant hand. 2. Close your eyes and let your mind clear. Spend several minutes just becoming aware of your thoughts without judgment. 3. After your mind settles, place your other hand, palm open, over your heart. Take a moment to relax, breathing normally, and feel your heartbeat. Notice the steady beat. 4. Take a deep breath and release it slowly. Stay present as the air flows through your body. 5. Say aloud, “I invite peace into my life.” 6. Carry the rose quartz with you throughout the day, and as you feel stress building up, touch the crystal and silently repeat the affirmation. You can repeat this exercise every morning three to five times, or as needed to calm and soothe the heart. It’s also helpful anytime you feel stressed, anxious, or overwhelmed. AFFIRMATION FOR JOY

Words have so much power, especially when we speak them out loud. By using affirmations, we can easily shift our personal energy and effectively rewire our thinking. Most people have a steady, negative dialogue running through their subconscious mind that is hurt, angry, and fearful. Not sure this is affecting you? Think about what’s running through your mind when you lie down at night or when the alarm goes off in the morning? If you’re like most people, it’s probably not life-affirming words of positivity. But by working with affirmations, you can easily cultivate joy and happiness in your life. Affirmations work to reprogram the mind through repetition in a daily practice like the following exercise. 1. Upon rising in the morning repeat the following affirmation three times out loud:

“I am allowed to be happy.” 2. You can repeat it as many times as you like, even making this a personal mantra if it feels right. (Most of my clients repeat this affirmation while making coffee, with great results.) 3. In your journal or other notebook, write the following affirmations five times each evening before going to sleep:

“I am free to be happy and embrace a joyful life.” “I invite happiness and joy into my life.” 4. Repeat for the next 30 days or until you feel your energy shift. It’s important to say the affirmations out loud, even if you don’t feel them. Some people tell me they feel silly in the beginning, but this is about changing your energy and, by default, your life. To make this change, you’re going to have to commit and get past the ego. When you do, you can overcome negative thoughts, find calmness, and invite peace into your life. EMBRACE HAPPINESS WITH GRATITUDE We can draw happiness into our lives. Instead of focusing on what’s wrong or missing in your life, begin a gratitude journal. By cultivating an awareness

of gratitude, you open yourself up to all the wonder and magic in the world. While it might seem difficult at first, the more you practice writing out good things, the easier it will become. Begin with a new, blank journal. It doesn’t have to be fancy or expensive —it should allow you ample room to write, and that’s about it. Most of my clients journal at the end of the day, but you can select a time that works best for your schedule. 1. Commit to a daily practice of listing at least three things you are grateful for in your life. 2. Open a fresh page, list the date, and write. You may want to begin with a numbered list and later move to full pages to recount your experiences. The things you are grateful for could include being alive, the weather, your favorite food—anything, really. 3. Write as much or as little as you like, listing your blessings daily. There’s absolutely no wrong way to do it. 4. When you are feeling sad or down, revisit your journal to reconnect with your feelings of gratitude. Commit to six weeks of daily writing to reap the benefits of journaling. In the beginning, you may have to search for things to be grateful for. But the more you take note of all the good you are blessed with, the easier it will become. FIND CALMNESS WITH LAVENDER OIL Used for centuries, lavender essential oil has so many benefits. The fresh, floral scent is both calming and soothing, but it’s also proven to help people relax and even sleep better. According to a study published in Chronobiology International in 2009, 31 young adults—considered healthy sleepers— completed three consecutive overnight sessions in a sleep laboratory to test the effectiveness of lavender oil. The study found that when lavender essential oil was present as a controlled stimulus, the oil increased the percentage of deep sleep for both men and women. 1. When you need to relax, feel calm, or aid sleep, add 3 to 5 drops of

lavender essential oil into a diffuser. 2. Turn off electronics and give yourself permission to relax. It’s important to allow yourself time to rest. Deep healing takes place when the body is calm and resting. 3. This healing essential oil can also be added to a warm bath or shower. If you don’t have a diffuser, turn on the shower, let the warm water flow, and add several drops to the shower area. Get in and breathe in the healing scent. Make sure you purchase lavender essential oil and not some sort of chemical mixture. The oil should be pure, containing only lavender. RELAX WITH A CUP OF GREEN TEA Small minutes of calm can add up to a positive mood shift. When was the last time you sat with a cup of tea and did nothing but listen to the sounds around you? Simple pleasures really do make life worthwhile, especially if you are struggling with illness or chronic pain. Relaxing with green tea is a positive choice for its many health benefits. The tea is loaded with antioxidants and antimicrobial properties, and has been acknowledged for centuries for its medicinal properties. It also works as an anxiety remedy by helping calm frazzled nerves. 1. Bring clean water to a boil and remember that the type of water you use will affect the taste as much as the brand, age, and amount of tea you are consuming. 2. After the water reaches a full boil, allow it to cool for two to three minutes before pouring it over the tea. By allowing the water to rest and not adding boiling water directly to the tea, you will cut the grassy or bitter taste. 3. Let the tea steep for up to three minutes and enjoy. 4. Use your favorite mug, and be present as you are preparing the tea. Make this a mindful ritual, and don’t multitask; instead, concentrate totally on what you are doing.

5. If possible, enjoy healthy tea in nature, on a patio or balcony, or someplace you can relax and have a moment to yourself. Unplug from electronics and simply enjoy your tea, noticing the texture of the mug and the taste and aroma of the tea. You can enjoy green tea at any time of the day, but drinking it in the morning will bring focus and clarity to your day. This tea does have caffeine, but the amount will vary depending on the type of green tea leaves used and how long it is brewed. Generally, it contains less caffeine than coffee. BUILD SELF-LOVE BY EDITING YOUR LIFE Self-love and self-care are terms that are thrown around a lot on social media. But they are both more than just taking bubble baths in Instagram-worthy settings. When we are empowered and present, we show up for healthy relationships and we feel secure and confident in who we are and what we want. We build self-love by realizing we have worth, drawing clear boundaries, and not allowing toxic behaviors into our relationships. For this exercise, you’ll need a fresh journal page and the courage to honestly examine your relationships. 1. Open your journal and list any and all of the relationships that you feel are tough or unsupportive. These could be relationships with family members, friends, or coworkers who are currently in your life. 2. Next, list why you feel you struggle with these relationships. Do these people speak negatively toward you? Bully you? Or do you just feel generally like they don’t support you? If you have these types of relationships, you’re bound to struggle with self-love. 3. Once you’ve written the lists, think about how often the behavior has happened over the past few months. Use a highlighter or different pen or pencil to highlight the names of people who tend to be unsupportive or negative toward you. 4. Now that you’ve highlighted the relationships that are less than positive, note whether there is a pattern. Is this a common theme in all your relationships, or is it something you struggle with only in your

relationships at work or with family? 5. Once you have identified the most toxic, unsupportive relationships, begin editing, or letting go of them. Instead, focus on the people who make you feel empowered and supported. This isn’t an easy exercise to do because it means you’ll have to be honest with yourself about your current relationships and then actively set boundaries or edit people out of your life. This can seem tough at first, but it will enormously improve your life. Once you make room for positive people in your life, the universe will send more to you. VISUALIZE SELF-CONFIDENCE Did you ever daydream as a child? Creative visualization is a powerful technique similar to daydreaming. It uses the power of imagination and concentration to create an image you’re working toward. The simple act visualizing trains our minds and creates patterns, reprogramming the subconscious mind so we can shift from negative to positive thoughts about ourselves and build self-confidence. When you are constantly focusing on the negative or visualizing negative outcomes, they’re more likely to become your reality. But by shifting to a positive story, we can shift our narrative. For this exercise, find a quiet place and allow yourself enough time to visualize without being interrupted. 1. Begin by sitting comfortably and closing your eyes. Allow your body time to adjust to the quiet around you. 2. In your mind’s eye, using your imagination, see yourself as confident, healthy, and happy. Visualize yourself succeeding in your efforts—you are self-assured, happy, and smiling. 3. Imagine every detail as you see yourself as confident. Picture your clothing and your surroundings, and engage all your senses. What sounds are in the background? How would your physical body feel? No detail is too small when visualizing, and the more senses you engage, the stronger the visualization will be. 4. If you are having difficulties imagining yourself as confident, think back

to a time when you felt empowered. Go back to that moment and allow yourself to relive that memory. 5. There are no rules regulating how long you have to stay visualizing. Spend a few minutes or longer, and revisit this version of yourself in times of stress. Repeat daily or as needed to feel more confident. Many people use visualizations to enhance their confidence and succeed in difficult situations. It’s reported that professional athletes such as Tiger Woods and Simone Biles practice visualization before competing. By repeating this exercise, you will shift your vibration, and these thoughts can actually become a new belief. POSITIVE MESSAGES FROM THE UNIVERSE Oracle card decks are meant to offer guidance and wisdom rather than predict the future like tarot decks, although they can be anything that the creator wants them to be. I often draw daily cards on Snapchat for my followers, and occasionally on the Serenity Reiki Clinic’s YouTube channel, to give people a little insight into the energies of the day. Amazon and many bookstores carry Oracle cards. Before using your oracle card deck, it’s wise to make it your own or infuse the deck with your energy. You can do this in a number of ways— carry the deck with you for a week, or place it under your pillow or on your nightstand for a month. 1. Shuffle the oracle cards and concentrate. Ask for guidance and be open to receiving a message. Mentally ask the universe for a message and draw one card. 2. Once you’ve pulled a card, sit with it. Look at the image, read the meaning, and think how this relates to your situation. What is the bigger message behind this card? Are you being told to be patient, seek advice from a trusted ally, or change direction? Or is the message more about being loved and honoring yourself? Let your intuition lead you in deciphering the card’s meaning. 3. Look for ways to incorporate the card’s message during the day, but

don’t overthink it. This is an aid and should be used as such. 4. Keep track of the daily cards in your journal. Over time, you’ll be surprised by the patterns. Regularly using the deck and spending time looking at the cards and reading the enclosed booklet will also strengthen the connection. FORGIVING OTHERS WITH HELP FROM AN ANGEL You don’t have to be a devout Christian to connect with the angels—all it takes is intention and will. Archangel Michael is one of the most popular and well-known beings in the angelic hierarchy. People all over the world call on him for help and guidance. There is no set ritual for connecting with him; anyone can call him into their life. This powerful being can assist you in releasing lower energies of anger, fear, and worry, and all you have to do is ask. If you’re striving to let go and forgive someone, this is an exercise that can easily help with that. 1. In a quiet place, safely light a small tealight candle. 2. Sit in front of the candle, place your dominant hand over your heart, and call on Archangel Michael. 3. Approach this with respect as you ask him to lift the pain you are experiencing and replace it with forgiveness. 4. Close your eyes and see the weight lifting off easily. You may feel a deep cleansing taking place at this time or the next time you sleep. Either way, don’t worry—the energy will be lifted and replaced with forgiveness and peace. Be open to other situations shifting in your life as you release this pain. 5. Express your gratitude for the healing. This can be as simple as saying “thank you.” 6. Blow out the candle and allow the healing to take place. Keep in mind that Archangel Michael cannot be called on a whim. It must

intentional. But the payoff is worth it. Working with the energy of Michael will help you develop and grow on your spiritual path, and shouldn’t be taken lightly. BUILD AN “I TRUST” LIST FOR PERSONAL BALANCE When we are out of balance, it can feel like everything is difficult or that the odds are stacked against us. But we can shift this energy and get back in balance by examining things that are working in our favor and that we can trust. This exercise, adapted from best-selling author Danielle LaPorte, uses an “I Trust” list—a great way to open your heart chakra and reinforce patterns of trust. 1. Sit quietly and take three deep breaths. Exhale slowly through your mouth, like you are blowing out a candle. 2. Place your dominant hand over your heart chakra. This chakra is located in the middle of the chest and is stimulated by a gentle touch. Sit for a few breaths or until you feel your mind slow down. 3. Grab your journal and, at the top of a blank page, simply write, “I trust,” and then list everything you can. Here’s an example: I trust that my partner loves me, that my dog adores me, and that the sun will shine tomorrow. 4. Take your time and focus on facts (such as the sun will come up) rather than worries or fears about what might happen. 5. Continue for as long as you like or until you feel yourself come back into balance. Staying in balance can be tricky in our fast-paced world. We can instantly be connected to other people via our phones, social media, and never-ending online news stories. If you feel you are being overwhelmed by social media, it’s okay to take a break. Allow yourself one day a week to unplug and just relax. SEATED YOGA POSE FOR FOCUS

We need focus and concentration to get through the day. When you are unable to focus, you can’t process what’s going on around you or think clearly. If you find you are unable to sit still or make decisions, or you are making careless mistakes, it may be time to try this simple yoga pose. The Sukhasana (translated as “sitting with ease” or “easy pose”) is a pose most people can easily shift into, even if you’ve never done yoga in your life. As a matter of fact, most children sit in this pose automatically when they are focused or at ease. It’s as simple as sitting cross-legged on the floor. 1. Begin by sitting on a folded blanket, preferably with your hips higher than your knees, or by sitting on a chair. It’s helpful, even if you are very flexible, to sit on a stack of blankets or a meditation cushion if you plan to sit in Sukhasana for any length of time. 2. Stretch through your spine, keeping your hands in your lap, palms down. 3. Close your eyes, and begin to slowly rock back and forth. 4. Allow your pelvis to tilt gently forward and backward. Try to find your natural center in the pose. This will help you mentally center and quiet your mind. 5. If you mind is struggling to remain calm, take several deep, relaxing breaths, exhaling gently and just being present with your body. 6. Sit and just be for three to four minutes. Relax and you should be calmer and more focused. Being unable to concentrate or focus can be a minor issue, or it can be a symptom of other conditions, including chronic fatigue disorder, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and alcohol use disorder. If your inability persists, be sure to mention your lack of focus to your medical provider. FALL ASLEEP FAST WITH MEDITATION Sleep is very important for good health. It improves our moods, helps our brains function better, and regulates our hormones. But when people are overwhelmed or stressed, they often have trouble sleeping. Rather than

turning to habit-forming sleep aids with dangerous side effects, why not try a simple meditation? This easy-to-learn meditation can help you fall asleep fast and stay asleep longer. Besides the benefit of better sleep, meditation also reduces anxiety, improves cognitive functions, and aids in controlling high blood pressure. 1. Do your normal bedtime routine, such as bathing, brushing your teeth, etc. Climb into bed and turn off all electronics and remove all distractions from the room. 2. While lying down, close your eyes and breathe slowly, focusing on your breath. Give your body permission to rest and sleep by stating this mentally. 3. With eyes closed, begin slowly counting to 10. See each number slowly become solid in your mind’s eye, and say the number in your mind. Focus on the number and let your body relax. 4. If a stray thought pops up or your mind wanders, gently push the thought away. Return to mindful counting, beginning back at 1. 5. If you reach 10, begin the sequence over, but this time you will be counting backward from 10 to 1. Be patient with yourself—this is a meditation practice, and it will take some time before you can easily count to 10 without losing your place. It’s meant to give your mind something to do while your body is free to relax and drift off to sleep. BUDDHI MUDRA TO IMPROVE COMMUNICATION Do you struggle to clearly communicate your thoughts? Not being able to fully communicate your thoughts, feelings, and ideas can impact every area of your life. A survey by the National Association of Colleges and Employers listed communication skills as the most important quality sought in prospective employees. We also know that any type of relationship is doomed to fail without honest communication. Luckily, we can tap in to the energy that regulates communication with a simple yoga mudra. Mudras have a number of benefits. The hands and

fingers act as a road map or reset for the energy, allowing you to increase or decrease energy as needed. This mudra balances the water and fire elements in the body, which are linked to communication. It also clears your mind, improves intuition, and aids in relaxation. 1. Begin by sitting comfortably on the floor or in a chair with your hands in your lap. 2. With your eyes closed, take two gentle, even breaths, exhaling gently. If you’re having issues closing your eyes, simply soften your gaze. 3. Using both hands, touch your thumb to your pinky finger while holding the other three fingers straight, not bent. 4. Gently lift your hands and point straight up, keeping your fingers together. Do not put excessive pressure on the thumb and pinky finger. 5. Hold this pose for at least two minutes. This should be a comfortable position, and most people can easily do this mudra on the first try. But if you are unable to hold your fingers in this pose, keep trying. It’s important to keep at it, and soon it will be easy.

Resources BOOKS The Artist’s Way: A Spiritual Path to Higher Creativity by Julia Cameron

A great place to begin learning the healing power of creativity. I invite you to start your healing journey with the Morning Pages described in this book. Energy Medicine: Balancing Your Body’s Energies for Optimal Health, Joy, and Vitality by Donna Eden

Another great book for beginners interested in learning more about energy healing. The Four Agreements: A Practical Guide to Personal Freedom by Don Miguel Ruiz

Another timeless book that assists us in finding the sources of personal pain and self-limiting beliefs. Love Is in the Earth: A Kaleidoscope of Crystals: The Reference Book Describing the Metaphysical Properties of the Mineral Kingdom by Melody

This book is overflowing with information on crystals and stones. Make Peace with Your Body: A Journal/Workbook for Self-Healing by Sarah Parker Thomas

If self-image and self-love are issues in your life, there are many resource and books out there. This one uses journal prompts to help you go further into healing body issues and self-image. The Miracle of Mindfulness: An Introduction to the Practice of Meditation by Thích Nhất Hạnh

A book to learn more about mindfulness. Spiritual Reiki: Channel Your Intuitive Abilities for Energy Healing by Sarah Parker Thomas

Learn more about Reiki and energy healing with my other book published by Rockridge Press. WEBSITES Chopra chopra.com/tags/ayurveda

Learn more about Ayurveda and healing. International Association of Reiki Professionals IARP.org

Also known as IRT, this is a great resource for both for Reiki practitioners and clients looking to know more. The Law of Attraction TheLawOfAttraction.com/what-is-the-law-of-attraction

Want to know more about attracting your ideal life? Learn more about manifesting and attracting what you desire at The Law of Attraction. The National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health NCCIH.NIH.gov

A great resource for fact-based information on all types of complementary healing. Serenity Reiki Clinic SerenityReikiClinic.com

For more information on Reiki and working with crystals, visit me at the Reiki clinic. The Tapping Solution Foundation TappingSolutionFoundation.org/howdoesitwork

To learn more about EFT tapping. Yoga International YogaInternational.com/article/view/learn-kapalabhati-skull-shining-breath

Learn more about yoga, mudras, and chakras. YOUTUBE Minds in Unison YouTube.com/channel/UCUh6k9ReBf1GTLCHRHDI2pw

Sound healing resources. Serenity Reiki Clinic YouTube.com/channel/UCUtkc66DLHxnY4EqvhkFi9A

We have an entire playlist with more than 14 short and simple affirmation videos you can watch. Yoga with Adriene YouTube.com/user/yogawithadriene

This free YouTube channel has many yoga videos that are easy to follow and perfect for any experience level. SHOP FOR SUPPLIES

Buddha Teas BuddhaTeas.com

For ethically sourced organic teas. They also have a wonderful line of chakra teas infused with crystals. Denise Linn DeniseLinn.com

Her Soul Coaching Oracle Cards are a great way to connect to your higher self and the universe. Elemental Healing ElementalHealing.shop

Buy good-quality and ethically sourced crystals and stones. Fabulous Frannie FabulousFrannie.com

Essential oils along with special chakra blends can be found here. Tuning Fork Shop TuningForkShop.com

A full range of tuning forks can be found here. OTHER To learn more about Reiki and energy healing, to book a session, or to enroll in a class, contact me: [email protected]

References 6AM. “Sound Healing 101: Top 5 Tips to Create an Ideal Sound Bath Experience at Home with Darren Austin Hall.” July 31, 2018. 6AMGroup.com/sound-healing-101-top-5-tips-to-create-an-ideal-sound-bathexperience-at-home-with-darren-austin-hall. Donna Eden. “Energy Medicine is Powerful Medicine!” Eden Energy Medicine. Accessed December 10, 2020. InnerSource.net/em. Kandikattu, Hemanth Kumar, P. Rachitha, G. V. Jayashree, K. Krupashree, M. Sukhith, Abdul Majid, Narayanappa Amruta, and Farhath Khanum. “Anti-inflammatory and Anti-oxidant Effects of Cardamom (Elettaria repens (Sonn.) Baill) and Its Phytochemical Analysis by 4D GCXGC TOF-MS.” Biomedicine & Pharmacotherapy vol. 91 (July 2017): 191–201. DOI.org/10.1016/j.biopha.2017.04.049.

Prakash, Shreya, Anindita Roy Chowdhury, and Anshu Gupta. “Monitoring the Human Health by Measuring the Biofield ‘Aura’: An Overview.” International Journal of Applied Engineering Research 10, no. 35 (2015): 27654–27658. May 2015. ResearchGate.net/publication/277575681_Monitoring_the_Human_Health_by_Measuring Sovik, Rolf. “Learn Kapalabhati (Skull Shining Breath).” Yoga International. Accessed November 1, 2020. YogaInternational.com/article/view/learnkapalabhati-skull-shining-breath. The Tapping Solution. “Tapping 101.” Accessed November 20, 2020. TheTappingSolution.com/tapping-101. Tirtha, Swami Sada Shiva. The Ayurveda Encyclopedia: Natural Secrets to Healing, Prevention & Longevity. Bayville, NY: Ayurveda Holistic Center Press, 1998. V., Jayaram. “The Concept of Chakras or Energy Centers of the Human Body.” Hinduwebsite. Accessed December 1, 2020.

HinduWebsite.com/hinduism/concepts/chakras.asp. Zotigh, Dennis. “Native Perspectives on the 40th Anniversary of the American Indian Religious Freedom Act.” Smithsonian.com. Smithsonian Institution, November 30, 2018. SmithsonianMag.com/blogs/nationalmuseum-american-indian/2018/11/30/native-perspectives-american-indianreligious-freedom-act.

Acknowledgments I would like to express my gratitude to my primary editor, Carolyn Abate, who guided me throughout this project, and the behind-the-scenes team who made all this come together. I would also like to thank my friends and family, who always motivate me, keep me laughing, and continue to teach me something new every single day.

About the Author is an Albuquerque-based author with more than 20 years of experience in the healing community. As an internationally acclaimed author, healer, and teacher, she has worked with clients all over the world. A lifelong student of energy and all things spiritual, Sarah has distilled the information and wisdom gained from a lifetime of study into empowering sessions and teachings. She is the owner of Serenity Reiki Clinic and Bliss Coaching. When she’s not writing or teaching, Sarah’s passions include reading and creating, and her greatest joy is teaching people that they can change their lives by becoming more informed and aware. Using easy techniques, she teaches that we do not have to suffer or settle, but can create the lives we dream about. Sarah Parker Thomas