Sunshine

It's difficult not to feel good when the sun is shining. Spring is here. Temperatures are rising with the stock market. Make the most of the season by taking time for yourself. Get some sunshine! Spending time in the sun every day (WITHOUT sunscreen) will not only provide much needed vitamin D but will allow you to absorb the primary benefit of sunshine which is life energy. We get it indirectly from food and water but, that is less efficient. Rather than relying on plants which have absorbed energy from the sun, why not leave out the middleman (middleplant?) and take the energy in directly from the source? I don't mean you should traumatize your skin by getting burned. Use common sense and be moderate. Research shows that receiving daily, direct sunlight will lower your chances of getting just about every type of cancer (including skin cancer) and a host of other degenerative diseases. If you think about it (and forget the propaganda from the sunscreen makers), it's just reasonable.
It feels good too.
Randall

Pain

Isn't it interesting how everything we are accustomed to seems normal and reasonable? Our bodies seem normal as long as they feel consistently familiar. A friend told me that she once thought that everyone's neck hurt when they turned their heads. She believed it to be normal until she received bodywork that eliminated the pain. Clients arrive with various levels of tension, pain and imbalance thinking they are treating themselves but, not realizing that the treatment is much more of a necessity than a luxury. They feel pretty healthy! "Aren't shoulders or hips supposed to be asymmetrical?", they ask. "Isn't every one tense?" "Isn't some degree of pain normal?" I don't know. If the front tires of your car pointed in slightly different directions, would that be normal? If your house leaned to one side, would that be normal? If alarms are going off in your house or red lights blinking on your dashboard, is that normal? Pain is one of those alarms. Pain is the red light that says. "HELLO! SOMETHING NEEDS ATTENTION HERE!" Pain is our friend. It protects us more effectively than any other sense that we have. Despite what the pharmaceutical companies and their medical associates tell you, drugs are not the answer. Taking pills for pain is like cutting the wire under the dashboard so that annoying red light stops blinking. I know there could be an occasional short in the car's electrical system that requires cutting the wire but, most of the time, that would not be an intelligent strategy. Let's step away from the TV, put down the Tylenol and think about what is causing the pain. You are the only one who really knows why you are in pain and how to fix it. No one has a magic pill that will heal you. Few doctors have the time to explore your life and discover the underlying issues, the real reasons for your pain. Touch Therapy (massage, craniosacral, energy medicine) can support you and speed up the process. It may even help you get some insight about the problem but, it's your body. It's your job to heal it. If you ignore the warning signs and just hope the problems will go away, well...good luck with that. Hope your car gets better too.
Randall

Super Saturday Seminars

I scheduled three seminars today. These are what I call Super Saturday seminars. They are designed to be shorter and less expensive than weekend seminars and are not necessarily aimed at health professionals. "Energetic Keys to Total Health" (June 6) is a Saturday afternoon class created especially for my clients. It provides strategies for self-healing and for maximizing the effectiveness of bodywork. It teaches fundamental concepts about energy, health and healing and lists resources where you can learn even more. Anyone who is in the process of healing can benefit from this class. The other two seminars are for people who want to deepen their understanding of energy medicine and learn some basic healing skills which could be used for themselves or others. "Energy Healing" is a full day offered April 25. "Meridians for Body workers" (just what it sounds like) is scheduled for October. A weekend class called "Touch For Health Kinesiology" (scheduled in late June) is another one I believe non-professionals would receive great benefits from. I hope many of you take advantage of these classes because knowledge is key to getting well and staying well. You can find my complete seminar calendar on my website.
Keep Learning!
Randall

Full Moon

What do you think about full moons? I know research says that it doesn't affect crime rates and such but, it does affect me. I often find myself fatigued and even depressed during a full moon. It isn't suggestion. Many times I don't even know it is a full moon until it is eventually pointed out to me. However badly I am feeling, once I can attribute the cause to the full moon, I feel almost immediately better. That's because I know it is only temporary. Nothing seems quite as bad when we know it won't last much longer. It's even better when we can blame it on something outside ourselves. What's that? I said there is NOTHING outside ourselves? Well, give me a break...and stop listening to everything I say! I enjoy a good illusion as much as the next guy. I'm NOT grumpy. It's the moon.
Randall

Vaccinations

Vaccinations are a concern for nearly everyone. If you don't have children, you may be considering flu shots or some other inoculation for yourself or a loved one. We have been told that vaccinations are safe and even essential. Pharmaceutical companies saturate the media with this message and they use their money and influence to press for legislative action in order to force their products on our children. There is an alternative view which says vaccinations are neither safe nor beneficial. I just want to provide some resources for your own research. Dr. Mercola recently published an article in his excellent, free electronic newsletter which provides a good start for your journey. My website also includes links to several resources you may find helpful. I know this is one of those difficult issues where you have to wade through misinformation in order to find the truth. This kind of quest requires that you be willing to question authority and stand up for your right to choose how to care for yourself and your family. It requires you to refuse to make a decision based upon fear and intimidation. It demands some time and effort to uncover the evidence and it requires courage but, you won't be travelling alone. I wish you all the best.
Randall

Connection

I've noticed a change in my bodywork skills over the last few days. It's more accurately a change in consciousness. I was performing shiatsu to a client's back recently when I noticed that I was tuning into much more information than ever before. Pressing some points I suddenly felt the client's entire energy system. I sensed the ebb and flow of current through the area where my thumbs were pressing and I held until the sensation seemed balanced and harmonious. On other points, I tuned into the tissue. I allowed my thumbs to surf the micro movements, slightly adjusting pressure and direction according to the body's invitation while maintaining static pressure on the acupuncture points. I felt totally melded with the client even though part of my attention always remained on the connection between my two thumbs. The client sunk into a deep sleep. I've had similar experiences but, never so clear or sustained. It reminded me of the power and responsibility inherent in bodywork and healing. It reminded me of why I chose this path and all that I've gained from it. I have so much to be grateful for. What about you?
Randall

Illusion

Life is starting to get more interesting. Many people talk about peace, work for peace, fight for peace and even eat for peace. I find that as I heal the wars inside, the internal conflicts, my world becomes more peaceful. In the movie "The Leap" there is a repeated emphasis that the world is fine. The economy is fine. Nothing needs to be changed and no one needs to be rescued. Global warming does not need to be stopped. All is illusion. I have always known this and never really known it. The dream of life on Earth is so seductive and the feelings so powerful, it is hard to wake up. Spiritual films are valuable tools to remind ourselves of what is true and what is important. When we remember who we are and what we are, we tend to be happy. When we forget, soooo much needs to be done.
Remember.
Randall