This is the second in a series about each of the seven major chakras, possible indications of imbalance, and ways to support a more healthy, balanced flow of energy. Please feel free to share this information, as well as leave comments or questions...it really helps me to know what you all want to know more about! 2nd or Sacral Chakra: This energy center is a spinning vortex of orange light extending out at the lower abdomen, just below the navel in the front, and the corresp

This is the first in a series about each of the seven major chakras, possible indications of imbalance, and ways to support a more healthy, balanced flow of energy. Please feel free to share this information, as well as leave comments or questions...it really helps me to know what you all want to know more about! The 1st, or Root Chakra extends out from the base of the spine down toward the earth in a vortex of red light. Physically it has to do with the legs and feet, bones,

Forgiveness is something that most of us seem to struggle with. Not only is it difficult to wrap our minds, and hearts, around forgiving someone who has hurt us, we don't even know how to begin! It can feel like a hard and elusive thing. In this post I am going to talk about some ways I have learned to work with forgiveness. Two things to keep in mind from the start are, one, forgiveness is not for the other person, it is for yourself. And two, it doesn't necessarily happen a

When we see others struggling and want to help, it is so important to be aware of how we are approaching them - with sympathy, empathy or compassion. This makes all the difference in how our energies interact and the outcome for each person. So, how can we tell the difference? Sympathy implies that we are superior to the other. We do not see ourselves in the other. In fact, it can be a defense against the truth that their suffering is our suffering. When we approach with symp

I was out for a walk the other day, and about halfway through I realized I was completely lost in thought. I snapped out of it, took some deep breaths, looked around at the trees and sky, and felt the sun on my skin. The contrast was so marked, it really made me appreciate the difference between just being outside, and being outside with awareness. There is a healing power in nature and it is much greater if we consciously tune in to it. One simple way to tune in is to become

We hear a lot about having a practice of gratitude...writing down 3 things or 5 things each day that we are grateful for. Have you ever wondered why we need to "practice" it? Why doesn't it come more naturally? It's because our minds are not wired toward gratitude. The mind's job is to find problems. And it does that very well right? But, sometimes it becomes a little obsessive and leaves little room for anything else! On top of that, for most of us, our attention is glued to

This is something I have been thinking a lot about lately. Some of you know I went through a divorce this year...nothing like that to bring up issues of forgiveness, for self and other! It is something I have known is necessary for my healing and moving forward, but like for most of us, it has not come easily. I had this idea that it involved holding the other, or self, in some high level of love and compassion. And maybe, ideally, it does. But then I realized, to start with,