Happy New Year!

I'm enjoying this transition. For me, it's a time to choose new directions and focus my intention on what I plan to achieve next year. In light of the economic and environmental conditions, I feel strangely optimistic. I think the turbulence of the present can be used to energize great creativity and accomplishment. It's already begun with our country. Couldn't each of us make a similar transformation in our personal lives? I believe we can. Your thoughts and feelings are providing energy that is moving the world. Are you moving it in a positive direction? If not, now is the time to change. Slow down. Get a massage. Meditate. Dive below the violent waves on the surface of consciousness and find the still water...the calm...the right direction for you. It doesn't require a cave or a guru, just a decision. Slow down. Let go.
Don't party too hard...but, party.
Happy New Year!
Randall

For My Clients

I am so fortunate to have the clients that I have! I truly enjoy them and I miss them when they are away for too long. The quality of people who come in to see me makes me look forward to going to work each day. Part of the reason for this blog is to benefit those great clients. Whether you are currently a client or not, you can make the best use of this resource by sharing and participating. What questions would you like to discuss? Is there a health problem, injury or hands-on therapy that you would like to ask about? I bet someone else reading this has some experience with it. Would you like to share part of your healing journey with the readers or other clients? Maybe you have a concern, a suggestion or a comment which could be helpful. Let's make use of the internet to network and support each other. This blog will evolve according to your input, needs and desires. You can also subscribe or arrange with me for email notification whenever there is a new post.
Go for it!
Randall

Merry Christmas!

I want to wish everyone reading this a very Merry Christmas! I hope you got everything you asked for. Actually, I know you did. Have a great day!
Randall

A New Year

My last post was about transition and I didn't even mention the most obvious transition, the end of 2008 and the birth of a new year. Multiple holidays and rituals have evolved to help us become more conscious of this transition. It is worthy of consciousness. Anyone who doubts the power of this energy shift need only review suicide statistics over the holidays. New Year celebrations have become a metaphorical exploration of birth, death and resurrection. At the very least we feel compelled to revisit and reassess our year and our lives. What went wrong? What could we have done differently? What are we happy about? What did we learn?

Then we promise ourselves that next year will be different. We resolve to make changes in ourselves and our world. We give ourselves permission to start over. We give ourselves hope that next year really will be different. What is more important than beginning a year with hope? What is more healing and therapeutic than letting go of the past? What is more basic to our growth and health than self-forgiveness? What is more conducive to success than having a plan?

I think it is important to mark this transition in whatever way fits for each of us. I personally love bowl burning ceremonies. Many churches offer some version but, you don't need a church to create this ritual for yourself. Write down everything about the last year that you would like to let go of...that you would like to have out of your life completely. Take time to do this right. You have an entire week to work on it. Plan a small fire on New Year's Eve or prepare a safe place to burn something (perhaps in a bowl). When your list is complete, take all the time you need to consciously affirm that are releasing these things. Turn them over to God, the universe or your inner physician, whatever fits for you. Use prayer, meditation and/or music to deepen your experience. When you feel ready, burn the list in the fire (or in a bowl). Make sure it gets completely burned and the ashes get removed from your environment. Finally (this is important), imagine the year ahead of you free from everything on your list. Feel the excitement! Feel the gratitude! Revisit those feelings as often as possible.

I hope your holidays are transformational and beautiful!

Randall

Change

Isn't it interesting how much we dislike change? Or is it just me? Another word for change is transition. According to dictionary .com transition is: "movement, passage, or change from one position, state, stage, subject, concept, etc., to another..." Our climate is in transition. Our economy is in transition. Our government is in major transition. Since one of the principles of polarity therapy is "As above, so below", it would not surprise me to discover that many of us are experiencing more transition in our individual lives and bodies as well. Change is usually frightening because once it begins, no one can ever be really sure when it will end, how far it will go or even if the direction will remain the same. Religious institutions profit from that uncertainty by offering reassurance. I believe it is often worth the price. From an energy medicine perspective, physical change occurs AFTER energetic change occurs. An energy field shifts to a different vibratory rate. Frequencies increase or decrease and matter rearranges itself as atoms, molecules and cells dance to the beat of a different drummer. Change occurs first on a subtle level. Then, the physical universe begins to shift. Our bodies are part of that physical universe and they eventually respond to the energetic environment. This is the real story of health and illness, joy and depression. That physical (and emotional) shift can be very unpleasant. So, who controls the energetic environment? I don't know that I can answer that completely. I do know who controls the choice of food that I take into my body, the quality of water that I drink, the development of my muscles and other tissues through exercise, the people that I spend time with and, most important of all, the thoughts that I focus on. I may not have complete control of my personal energy field and the many fields which surround and permeate it but, I have a hell of an influence. I know that I can make those transitions much more tolerable...sometimes even exciting.

Good and Bad

I'm very sensitive to caffeine so coffee is bad. Alcohol stresses the liver so, alcohol is bad. Organically grown meat contains lots of protein, minerals and vitamins so, meat is good...unless you're a vegetarian. In that case, meat is bad. We seem to be culturally or maybe even genetically programmed to judge. Instead of good or bad, right or wrong, what if we thought in terms of balance? Sometimes my entire system feels depressed and a cup of coffee brings everything into balance. I feel instantly better and I know it was a wise thing to do. Sometimes a glass of wine is just the right aid for relieving stress. Other times, meditation or exercise may work better. If I don't know ahead of time which is the best choice, I can at least pay attention to how I feel afterward. Then I learn something. The key, I think, is paying attention. That leads to knowing (or feeling) when I need a particular food, supplement, activity or therapy. When I am in touch with my body, I can follow my own inner guidance. When I'm not in "touch", I have to rely on the advice of someone else. Sometimes I even internalize the advice (beliefs, rules, laws) of other people because they are "experts". We all have developed or adopted ideas and judgments about diet or certain foods. Could those beliefs be keeping us from healing or from reaching our full potential for health?

Welcome

Welcome to my blog!
Most of us are caught up with holiday commitments so, for now, only an intimate few will be reading this (possibly only me) and postings will probably be less frequent until after Christmas. I hope that I can share some of what I've learned and what I am still constantly learning through this rather unique form of communication. Please share with me your comments, questions, insights and experiences with health, bodywork, and life. What topic is not relevant to energy medicine and healing? From relationships and personal healing to finances, we can find a lot to talk about. I only insist that we maintain a somewhat civil (if not loving and forgiving) approach to other individuals. Enjoy the energy of the season!