Feeling the burn, yet?

There is a rise in stress related disorders and illnesses. Anxiety, burnout, panic attacks, fear, and sleepless nights plague many people. Technology has been a gift to our civilization as well as being loaded with many unhealthy side effects. We are inundated with social media, emails, texts, PM messages, Voicemails, commercials, and images of people having more apparent fun and epic lives than we seem to be living! In actuality, all across the globe, people everywhere, are STRESSED and ANXIOUS.

Thankfully, at the same time, there has been a commensurate rise in “the solution.” People are more aware of the health benefits of yoga, meditation, eating clean and organic. The power of herbs, elixirs, tonics, and superfoods dominate health conversations these days and self care restorative practices are becoming more and more mainstream!

I am what you might call a “high energy” person. I get things done and done well. I can go all day and wake up for more. I have always had multiple side business ventures in addition to my full time career over the last 30 years and I was an early adopter on the internet when it was only a bunch of “chat rooms” and there was no email or websites! I am fast, efficient, and loyal. Hmmm…what could go wrong, right?

Well, for starters, sleep can elude me and I can randomly wake up at 3am with a full on flood of fear chemistry singing in my veins! I can feel anxious, burnt out, and overwhelmed by life…all by 8am. My immune system gets run down and I catch more colds that cross my path. When this goes on too long, my nervous system starts to get “twitchy.” Meaning, I will get random and odd pains in my body, headaches, a buzzy feeling in my mind/body connection, adrenal exhaustion and burnout are not far behind. I make terrible food choices (sugar, fat, flour) and my ability to RESPOND well to life’s turns becomes next to nothing and reactivity is all I can muster. NOT the ideal way to meet the challenges and choices ahead of me on any given day!

Without much digging around, it is obvious that people are seeking a way to sanity and rest. Some think it will happen when they retire, or move to a tropical island, or just one more workshop will contain the peace we seek. In the second paragraph I mentioned “the solution.” Thankfully, there is a path to restoring our natural defences to work with and hopefully prevent disease, addiction, soul disorder, mental freak out, and illness. In my business, Original Frequency, I have woven the restorative paths that have been of immeasurable benefit to my peace of mind. They are my solution. I also personally create and share, through public events and online courses, the chance to experience firsthand the power of “CHILL OUT!” The answer, that works best for me, lays within the general realm of restorative practices, of which there are many to choose from. Beautiful types of self care below that I have chosen for myself, and then have been called to share to the world at large, have been instrumental in restoring my nervous system and life.

The top 3 paths of stress relief I follow:

1. I have chosen to focus on the healing power of frequency, vibration, and harmonic resonance that can be found in the world of Sound Healing (called Dream Yoga Sound Baths). 
2. I am dedicated to creating and sharing amazing elixirs, tonics, and superfood drinks that are packed with antioxidants, immune boosting properties and help prevent illness.
3. On any given day I am most likely listening to Ambient, meditative, dreamy, and trance music that often has binaural beats. I have created a meditation series called Ambient Dreams Guided Meditations that take the listener in La La Land in the best way possible!

What are 4 things RIGHT NOW you can do to manage overwhelm, stress, and anxiety?

1. Learn to breathe. What? That’s right, the power of breathing is underrated. Studies and personal experience show that we hold our breath multiple times a day. I am not talking 3-4 times. We hold our breath hundreds of times a day. OUCH! A simple way to bring breath awareness into your life is to take a long slow and mindful inhale, say…10 seconds. Then, slowly let it out, relaxing your shoulders and jaw, for another 10 seconds. Practice this MANY times a day. It’s a muscle…use it!
2. The hot water trick. Hmmmm. Hot water, eh? Yep. Find the nearest sink, run hot water over your hands and wrists, close your eyes, and relax. This is a good time to practice your breathing. Hot water really helps to relax the nervous system!
3. Connect your circuits. TCM (traditional chinese medicine) teaches that we have all these energy lines called meridians that run through our bodies. Much like our veins and arteries carry blood, our meridian circuits carry the subtle energy of life force, called chi (cheeee). Take all five fingers and place the tips of each finger against the tips of the fingers of the opposite hand. Now, adjust your fingers so it feels like you are cradling an invisible ball of energy inside your palms. BREATHE.
4. Complete the circuits. The last trick to connecting up your circuits is to take the tip of your tongue and place it just behind your teeth, about 1 inch back. Drop your shoulder and again, breathe! As you practice this, you will feel the “click” when the circuits are connecting and now YOU are the container for your own life force to circulate through your body. Feelings of calm are normal and welcomed. Hold all your fingertips together while placing your tongue in the “secret spot” of the roof of your mouth and hold this for at least 3 full breaths. Enjoy!

BONUS TIP: Trace the labyrinth above with your finger while breathing mindfully..take at least 30 seconds to do this.