The lotus flower is also a symbol of my favorite personal discovery, that an open heart undefended needs no defense, meaning that when we have healed the wounds which once triggered us, we naturally enjoy a state of peace, strength, beauty and integrity without struggle because we no longer have anything to defend.
I’m a member of the Integrative Medical Alliance (IMA), an organization that works to bridge the gap between mainstream medical science and alternative healing practices.
Secondly, I recommend being really gentle with yourself. No matter where you are starting, allow yourself to accept yourself right where you are. Breathe and know that you are absolutely fine the way you are for when we create anew, we want to create from a place of “all is well.” Even when all isn’t well, you can generate a sense of “all is well for now or all will be well.” Establishing this starting point is key because when we create from a place of struggle, we create more struggles. So, the first step is to be okay (for now) with where you are, and from that place of acceptance, we begin – even if you have to hold several ideas in your awareness at once, for example, “All isn’t well but I trust that it will be well and for now I accept where I am.”
Third, come with an open, willing mind. Your willingness to be present to your own healing is the most important part.
Establish a consistent spiritual practice (if you haven’t already) to honor your connection to who you really are, a spiritual being having a human experience.
Learn tools that will go the distance for you on your personal healing journey.
Discover what is going on in the inner workings of your mind, heart and gut so you can make wiser choices.
Nurture honest-to-goodness self-compassion as you understand how you came to think and act in certain ways that appear to be beyond your control.
Create new reference points for greater receiving.
Advance your communication skills to relate with others in an honest, easy and straightforward way.
There is a reason behind everything that we do. Our work together is to make those reasons conscious so we are free to choose new ways.
Affirmative prayer is praying in the affirmative, claiming something in the here and now as though it already exists. There are five suggested steps to this process to help us experience a sense of “knowing” that what we wish to experience is possible.
1) We recognize that we are part of an abundant, generous and creative Power and Presence that wants the best for us.
2) We unify with this Presence acknowledging that there is no separation between this creative, generous presence and us.
3) We imagine and claim what we wish to have manifested in our experience in colorful detail, allowing ourselves to feel the joy of already having our desires met.
4) We are grateful for this new creation as though it already exists.
5) We release our prayer and expect this, or something better, or whatever is for the highest good for all involved to become true for us, knowing that Life always matches energy-for-energy that which we believe. We completely surrender and trust that we will recognize and be able to receive our good when it shows up.
The idea of a God (or Gods) is a very personal and expansive subject, often associated with religion. The connection across nearly all of these expressions is what I think of as God-energy, and the power of prayer and faith. In that sense, God is at the heart of everything and is central to my own beliefs and to this work. Generally speaking, when I talk about beliefs, I mean the ideas and concepts that you have come to associate with yourself and the world. Religion and ideas of God fall into this category; these beliefs are very personal and sacred, and will be treated with great respect and care, but must be considered in the broader context of healing. If we have any beliefs, about God or otherwise, that degrade us as humans, then these beliefs are worth examining. But in the end, you are the one in charge of your inner work, and are the gatekeeper for what happens during a session.
The Kid, starring Bruce Willis, is a very heart-centered, fun Disney movie that represents the inner child. If you aren’t familiar with the idea of the inner child I highly recommend this movie.