Your Inner Vibration

So what makes you tick? Have you ever spent time asking yourself any of these life questions: "Who am I, What do I want in Life, Am I Really Happy?"
If so, you are like many of us on the journey towards self discovery. Growing up is over-rated, as you recognize the innocence of your childhood long gone by, now replaced by this often struggling adult who continually questions and analyzes ones life.
The discussion of the above questions is a quest for meaning in our lives. There has to be more than this life, this job, this routine, etc. Then what is there for us?
It is a time to now focus on our internal being, to go within, to be quiet, to listen to the inner guidance that has been somehow suppressed by Ego.
I recommend integrating these five principles into your life:

• Non-Judgement
• Gratitude
• Forgiveness
• Self Love
• Happiness

Take one principle each day and practice for a week. Be kind to yourself, and do it with an open heart and trust. If a moment arises where you forgot your practice, worry not, simply breathe in and start where you left off, with a deeper awareness and a changed perception. 

Only you can answer life's questions. The answers are personal for each and every one of us. Have faith and believe. You will hear them! 

Blessings!

Trust

Often the most difficult lesson for us to learn is that of trust. I am not talking about trusting other people not to steal your stuff, I am talking about trusting your inner divine self. Trusting your intuition, your ability to "know" when the vibration is right for you.
When there is indecisiveness, there is lack of trust. This is an important opportunity for you to take a few slow deep breaths, or to even say "I will think about that." There is no need to make a decision right away, and if there is a need, and you do not have the answer, then it is most likely not meant to be, so let it go.
When you listen to the divine inner self, there is peace, happiness and balance. As a dear friend of mine says, "It is what it is," without hesitation or second thoughts. Meditation always brings me to a space of clarity, of superconsciousness where nothing equals bliss. It brings a constant into my life which allows for clarity, confidence and knowing. When this pattern is altered or changed, re-balancing occurs, and I feel it through indecisiveness. Back to breathing, back to meditation, back to happiness.

Ravensara

Light and medicinal, a hint of eucalyptus aroma, uplifting and energizing, Ravensara (Cinnamomum camphora) is an amazing therapeutic essential oil. Its properties go beyond being anti-viral, anti-bacterial and expectorant, making it an ideal essential oil to be used in the battle against colds, flu and viral infections including sinusitis, bronchitis and whooping cough. It is also widely used for mono, shingles and cold sores.

This oil energizes and uplifts your vibration, enhancing mood and providing a toning effect on the nervous system. Ravensara is ideal for insomnia, depression and physical muscle fatigue. Simply add a drop or two onto your solar plexus and crease of the inner arm to raise spirits and vitalize your essential being. 

Safe to use on all ages, and can sparingly be placed directly on the skin without ill effect. Add to you favourite formulas of cold fighting essential oils to enhance the anti-viral and anti-bacterial effects providing a powerful synergestic combination.  A personal favourite in my house-hold! 

Stretch Away Your Discomforts

If you lead a sedentary lifestyle, that is, without regular exercise, or even if you participate in vigorous activity, then you are in need of a regular stretching regime. 

In my work, I see many hard working desk people, with neck and shoulder tension, low back aches and even numbness in the hands. It is important for these people to take frequent brakes to either stretch at the desk, or get up and go for a walk. All too often, people become bound to the computer, dismiss the urge to eliminate, forget to drink water or even take adequate time to eat a meal. The result is evident when they come for a massage, tired and stiff, with tension headaches and sciatic pains. Shoulders are up to the ears, they are stressed and often forget to take in deep, nourishing breaths of air. 

Then I have the students! The youth of today are in a constant downward, slouching position as they admire their cell phone texts of the day, or sit on the bed with laptop on bent knees, spine curled, neck drooping. The body is ill supported as it waits in anticipation for that up and coming cell phone call as they simultaneously type away to a dozen others on Facebook! 

The resulting aches and pains can easily be prevented, treated and health maintained with regular stretching and proper body positioning. The key focus for today is that of stretching as it allows for greater flexibility, allowing the contracted muscles to release and expand. With improved flexibility comes a greater range of motion, joints are fluid and stiffness is non existent. The body feels comfortable, healthy and strong as blood flow is enhanced and the chance of injury decreased. 

One of the best forms of stretching is Yoga. This ancient art provides a full rounded approach and healing system for the body, mind and spirit. Consulting a personal trainer, following exercise videos or classes facilitate amazing stretching possibilities for the body. 

If you get out of bed and you are stiff, you have not been doing your stretches. Take matters into your own hands, and take the time to stretch at least five to ten minutes a day. You body will feel the difference.

Wendy Morris NHP, B.S.Sc. Recreation & Leisure, EarthlyEssentials www.earthlyessentials.ca 

Rays of Shine

The heat of the sun shines brightly
The sounds of the birds nesting under my deck hum as their mother brings food
The vibrant aqua blue of my pool beckons me as my body browns under the summer sun
Such a quiet river, until the songs of frogs begin, day or night, or the wake of a passing boat stirs the muddy bottom
Missy and Tyger basking in the rays, light breeze to cool at the patio door
The aroma of fresh cut grass and brief scents of the tiger lilies drift through the air
It is mid summer now, time passes much too quickly
Loving every moment of this time of year
As I lay under the rays of shine, browning, making marshmallows and being in the moment
Thank you sun, wind, river, nature. I am home 
Under the rays of shine

Manifesting Your Dreams

Many of us have questioned our present life situations. We daydream about the things we want in our material world, financial situations and relationship with others. How can we change what makes us unhappy? What can we do to finally reach our goals and full potential? How do we manifest our dreams? The answers- although simple, and will be life changing. This article will guide you in life changing skills that will assist you in manifesting your dreams. Clarity of Intent: It is important for you to specify you intent. Be sure you are clear about what it is you want. For example, “I want to be happy” is very general. We can re-word that to “I see myself happy in my personal life or I see myself happy in my career.” Clearly state your goal as seeing yourself with the emotion, the material item or physical feature, staying away from “wants” and “should be.” Change Your Perception: Come from a position of unconditional acceptance. Remove any emotional aspects of feeling that you have less than, that you are undeserving, or that it will never happen to me syndromes. Bring into your heart, acceptance of what you have in the present moment with gratitude and appreciation. State your intention unconditionally, from the heart, and without expectation. It is important for you to come from a higher place and not from ego when manifesting your heart’s desires. Self Healing & Self Awareness: When you change your perception, you are working on healing yourself. Be aware of your weaknesses, your fears, your negative outlooks, your lack of confidence. Change these processes through meditation, spiritual counselling, reading inspirational books, journaling, or even contemplative walks in nature. Be gentle on yourself, you are not to beat yourself up, only be aware and work on accepting the lessons learned from the past that have brought you to this point in your life. Have fun with the release and cleansing processes of healing and self awareness. Take time to balance your mind, body and spirit. This brings you closer to source, and the process of manifesting comes effortlessly and easily. One Thing at A Time: When placing your intentions, we often have excitement in all of the things we see ourselves achieving. Choose one intent and follow through with just the one idea. Start simply, unconditionally and without ego. The universe will hear your request and begin to show you the signs. Without expectation, life unfolds miraculous happenings that you are forever grateful for. Remember, when you manifest out of ego, greed or material gain, it will not last, and there will be lessons to learn in the process. Best to always come from a place of genuine sincerity. A Real Life Dream Come True: After many years of financial struggle, relationship issues and migraines, I saw myself very unhappy. I decided that since I was miserable in all of these areas, I may as well be miserable and happy about my misery by being on my own. So, I put my house up for sale, ended the relationship and started a daily running and fitness routine. I also needed to heal. My head could not solve my issues. I went to water (lakes, quarries, pools) as often as possible to ask Mother Earth to cleanse and heal my emotional body. I asked Father Sky to open my heart, as I was unconditionally accepting my life as it was, and I gave my future to the universe unconditionally. Nightly I wrote in my journal, I paid myself $1000 a night that increased by $1000 each day for 30 days. I wrote down for fun all of the things I wanted to have in a perfect world- a log house, loving husband, schooling for my kids, a black jeep, a successful business, food in the fridge, money in the bank, etc. Then the journal went under the bed, forgotten until the next day, and I slept peacefully without crying. A year later, I was happily married to a loving man, we built a log home by the river, and he gave me a jeep before the wedding. And guess what? The jeep was black.

Aromatherapy for Pain

Aromatherapy for Pain Essential oils are the aromatic product of the distillation of aromatic plants, leaves, flowers, roots. These concentrated essences contain hundreds of molecular chemicals, many of which are valued for their therapeutic benefits. Essential oils of Eucalyptus citriodora (lemon eucalyptus), Ocimum basilicum (basil), Lauris nobilis (bay), Gaultheria procombens (wintergreen) and Mentha x piperita (peppermint) have pain relief properties making them ideal to be used for joint pain and muscle spasms, cramping, or tension. Eucalyptus citriodora, or lemon eucalyptus originating from Vietnam, is known for its anti-inflammatory, anti-rheumatic and antalgic properties. Using a few drops daily on the affected area can assist pain caused from arthritis, tendinitis and even shingles. This essential oil also contains the molecule citronnellol, which can deter mosquitos! Ocimum basilicum (basil) has been used herbally for thousands of years. As an essential oil, it is very anti-inflammatory and antalgic in properties. Safe to use topically, this oil is ideal for painful muscular ailments, including digestive or menstral cramps, muscular tension and tension headaches. Massage 3 drops of basil with organic olive or organic sunflower onto affected site. Lauris nobilis (bay) is an amazing oil. A little more pricy, yet worth every drop. The scent of this oil will vary from season to season, crop to crop. I have often purchased it to find a sweet rum scent-soft, warm, enticing. And yet on occasion, a crop will yield a higher content of the molecule 1.8 cineole, and gives the bay a more eucalyptus-medicinal scent! Regardless, this oil is fabulous for its pain relief properties, being highly anti-spasmodic and energizing. Awesome for arthritis, muscle contractions, bruises, sprains and strains, leg ulcers and even acne. Use a few drops mixed with vegetable oil, several times daily on site. Exercise caution if you have sensitive skin, as this oil could be slightly irritating to the skin with repeated use. Gaultheria procombens or wintergreen reminds me of gum, or candies from grandma. Active molecules (methyl salicylate) from the herb are used in asprin, so avoid if you are allergic to asprin! Otherwise, wintergreen is another fabulous anti-inflammatory, anti-spasmodic and a vasodilator. Its use for rheumatism, inflammatory arthritis, and tendinitis are awesome. This is a warming oil, so mix with vegetable oil for sensitive skin types. Lastly, Mentha x piperita (peppermint) is a great tonic and stimulant. It’s strength is in its cooling effect, making it a powerful pain reliever with anaesthetic properties. A strong anti-inflammatory, it is ideal for migraines, shingles, sciatic pain and inflammatory joints or pain. It is best to dilute this oil, and to avoid use on large surface areas. I also suggest not to use it at night unless you wish to stay awake due to its stimulating properties! A great pain relief rub recipe: Mix the following blend into a 60 ml bottle of organic sesame or sunflower oil. Lemon eucalyptus 5 drops Basil 15 drops Bay 10 drops Wintergreen 15 drops Peppermint 15 drops. Shake well. Keep out of reach of children. Apply to affect area only. Avoid eye contact or contact with mucous membranes. Not for pregnant or breastfeeding mothers. Discontinue use should skin reaction occur. Use therapeutic grade essential oils for best results. This is for information purposes only and does replace the care of a medical practitioner. Wendy Morris is a certified Aromatherapist, and owner of EarthlyEssentials. To book a consultation for a custom formulation or to take any workshops in Aromatherapy, contact her at www.earthlyessentials.ca or 613-443-9635.

The River is High

I live on the edge of a small local river known as the Castor River. At this time of year, the ice has not quite melted at our end, the water is deep, the ice having been thick through the winter. Further up stream, in the village, the water's depth is much less, and the water is flowing quickly. As a result, my backyard becomes a cold, watery area, and as my yellow canoe sits purched up in a tree, and our dock strapped to yet another tree, we wait for the melt, and for the river to go down. I sit inside my house, the wind is blowing, the sun is shining on the river water,and my cup of tea brews to the mumbling sounds of what to write in my brain. Thoughts are like the river, each turns into an action, and travels downstream. Meditation is like the ice. It sits still and contemplates, allowing the sun to slowly penetrate its surface and transform a single ice crystal into a drop of water. When enough crystals melt in a single area, it becomes one with the flowing river, and continues its journey downstream. The quiet of the meditation merges with thought, and becomes action. When you become one with thought, one with the universe, then you merge with the flow of life and travel on your journey downstream. Meditation is the stillness between breaths. The ice before transformation. A quiet moment surrounded by many flowing thoughts of water.

Psychic Senses

You are a soulful being having a human experience. With that knowledge, accept that you have not only five human senses (touch, sight, taste, smell, hear), but that you also have five psychic senses! Clairsentience for sensing, Clairvoyance for seeing, Clairaudience for hearing, Clairallience for smelling and Claireambiance for tasting. Some people have several dominant senses, some have only one. It is key for you to recognize your abilities, be aware and accept them just as you would the human senses. By tuning into your "Clair" senses, you are working more with the energies of the universe, and thus becoming more in balance with the earth around you. Pay attention, tune in, allow. From there, practice and fine tune your sensory development. You have the ability! Once tuned in, your life becomes a magical, spiritual journey accompanied by amazing miracles, deep healing and spiritual growth. Have fun!

Believe

Each day of life is a new page in my book. I have 44 years times 365 days of pages in my book. That book has been written in time, and not yet on paper. Bits and pieces of the story are found here in my Blog. Today, I share with you the power of belief. Every day that I have belief in an idea, a relationship, a career, finances, the laws of the universe support this belief and magic happens. Like most people, we all have a story or series of stories. It makes us who we are today. So let me back-track to a few yesterdays ago... I was 22, pregnant, going to university, working part time, doing volunteer work,and living with an addict. No matter what was said, what was done, the addiction did not change. There was a battle of dealing with lies, poverty and anger. Naive, young and full of love, (or maybe blindness lol), the power of belief in the goodness of this man, lead us to counselling and and a year of make-believe happiness followed with a new born. Shortly after the birth, six months to be exact, another child was conceived. This time I made a pact with myself and the universe, that if the situation regressed, it would be dicontinued, and all of my energy would be devoted to educating myself, being employed and providing in full for my two babies. Sure enough, with second baby six months old, the relationship disolved, and life opened up in abundance. Fast track a year or two, I take a Reiki healing course and meet the father of my third child. She is born with a pink birth mark of a perfect five pointed star on her third eye, lasting six months. My partner gets a full time job, we buy a home, I learn so many spirtual lessons and awakenings. I start a holistic practice on top of adding many learning certificates to my wall. Yet there is a block in my being, the relationship disolves, I am a single parent, struggling to make ends meet. I think the solution is to stop working for myself, and to find full time employment with benifits. Unfortunately, it is the wrong choice, I make less money, have to sell my home, uproot my children, find a new partner (who ironically is also an addict), and find myself in a struggle for six long years. During that time, I have challenging ups and downs. My children are my life, I work very hard to re-establish my career with my holistic practice. It grows, I grow, the kids grow. The relationship disolves, I heal in the waters of the lakes and local quarry. I give all of my sorrows to the water, to the sky, to the earth, to the universe. I cry until the tears are molded with the wet of the water that carries my body in gentle waves. I meditate each day, I exercise and run. I run and run and run. I was miserable in the situation, and chose to be happy in my misery on my own instead. I ventured to BC where I found my running pace. I fell in love with the ocean and the huge trees, eagles and mountains. I found my peace. I found myself. I let go of the past while maintaining the lessons so hard learned. I prepare to sell my house, to move my family to BC and start fresh, with nature all around. I believe that all is well.I believe that anything and everything is possible. I believe that we are taken care of by the universe, by the powers that be. I let go of all expecations, worries, resentments, grievences. I am happy. I am at peace. The house is prepared for the putting up for sale. My family is supportive and ever so helpful. Then one day, without warning, without wishing, looking or asking, a man comes into my life. He is whole. He is kind. He is strong, independant. He is without addictions. He changes my life and the life of my children. He marries me. He loves me and loves my children unconditionally. We build a home, and we build a wellness centre for my business.The universe smiled upon me because I gave up all of the worries to the heavens. I am whole. I am at peace. I am completely and utterly happy. Just last fall, I took a course in Angel Tarot Card Reading. We were taught to ask the angels for help and guidance to do our readings, and to assist us in daily life. We were reminded to believe that we are not alone, and that all we need to do is ask for help from the divine when we need it. A great reminder, as through all of those previous years, I felt that I was doing it all alone. What took me in what seems a life time of learning, I was reminded of again in a short period. So every day, I ask for guidance. I ask that the divine be the healing source in my work with healing others. Everyday I ask in full faith, in full Belief that all is and will be well. And everyday there is a miracle, big or small, a miracle. And every day I awake in gratitude and of course with Belief. All is well. And today is a new page.

The Human Body

As I looked at the discetion of the foot, I suddenly felt a whirl of emotions, energy. I had to take a step away for a moment. I looked again, the whirling came again, i saw the toe nails, I felt the smooth texture of the skin, old skin, an old lady perhaps. I felt fatigue of life, tired, letting go. I shook my head away from the vision to focus on the disection before my eyes in real time. I left the vision, the emotions, the feelings and gave my full attention to the bright young woman before me who passionately and intellectually expained the various muscles, tendons, attachments and associated movements of these parts. It was about five months ago, or was it last spring? My daughter called to tell me that she would be starting her Advanced Anatomy class at University. She was hesitant and worried about seeing a real dead body and having to dissect it. Not really being attached to the situation, I offered the suggestion to pray in advance, to send appreciation and respect to the room and to the people. I mentioned that these people were no longer in their body, that their souls have simply moved on, and that these bodies were left to learn from. "Take a few deep breaths. Be respectful" That is really all I could say. Months later, she is excelling, studying very hard, obtaining excellent grades, and now, she stands before us and teaches. Being a spiritual being, this process threw me for a bit of a loop. I was torn between the worlds, so to speak. I felt anxious, and nervous, the aroma of preservatives in the air. Parents, siblings, family members and friends are so proudly gathered with their University children to experience an Open House for the Program. With pride and support for my daughter, I suddenly felt similar to when she called in despair. Slowly we walk in, I see parts. Yes, parts on tables. Delicately and respectfully placed on table covers. Neatly arranged. Neatly tagged. Certain parts are so carefully covered so as not to expose them. I am grateful for this. My initial response is one of awe, slight terror, slight sadness, then gratitude, respect, deep love. I switch the emotional button off, I have too, for self preservation, and also to not absorb any residual emotions that may be deep in the tissues so delicately laying on the tables. So, I am in education mode now, and my daughter dives into the demonstration, she casually picks up a pair of lungs and begins to give a professional education lecture on the anatomy and physiology of the organs. Having taken countless classes myself way back in the day, I stand in awe, I am learning new things, I am seeing the organs in real life. I am seeing the real thing! All fo the text book information is suddenly there, and looking straight at me in real time. My mom (a retired nurse) is fascinated, you can see sparkles in her eyes, she gentley handles the organs with her blue-gloved hands. My daughter encourages us to touch, to feel the textures, to appreciate the beauty and percision of the dissection. She is so very respectful, as she pulls open the lobes with the hands of a skilled scientist, and we look. The Advanced Anatomy program at Guelph allows forth year undergrads to have hands on experience, to learn, to teach and to share their knowledge. It is a fascinating program, one that offers students such an amazing opportunity to expand their horizons, and to establish a bsse of for their educational needs and careers. Many of the students will continue on to pursue medicine, sports therapy, sugery, neuroscience, biomedicine. It is an incredible experience that is usually reserved only for medical students. It is a life changing program for the undergrads. The department holds a Celebration of Life event yearly, which is for the family members of the doners, in appreciation and respect. What a marvellous event. The program encorporates learning, respect, and teaching with humility, compassion and dedication. We had our lunch with several students and families. We were all in awe of the process. We were all so impressed by the knowledge, the expertise and the care that our children (now adults) shared wtih us. It was a privilege to be a part of such a wonderful learning environment and process. I am so grateful to my daughter, her mentors, the University and to the donors. The closing remarks were of gratitude and pride from the Dean. He was humble, sincere and caring. Qualities in a school, that make learning a part of life, a part of the heart as well as the intellect. He closed with an invite to share our experiences with the school and to be grateful to the donors that so lovingly dedicated the human body of themselves in passing. My daughter shared many stories of the donors. Many people attend the Celebration of Life to educate themselves on the process. After seeing the care, respect and learning, many finalize arrangements to donate their body when their spirit leaves. Many parents of the students with terminal illnesses have made the same decision. Crying, I listen. How selfless. How remarkable that we as humans consciously choose to give such a gift for the benifit of others. This process really makes one think of what is really important in life. And after life.

A Sustainable Community

I was born in the country, raised in the city, then had my family in the country. I cannot express how much I love the country, how it has the energy of peace and tranquility, how it nutures and fullfills needs of life. Nature, food, friends, family, work. A job that I held as a youth, was working in the local IGA in Orleans. There, my mom was a supervisor, and I believe that the owners were grooming me at the age of 15, as I was denied every teens request to be a cashier. Instead I started as a "pack-boy", where my boss strictly looked over my shoulder, "not too heavy, bananas and bread on top, double bag the cans." I was later moved to bottles, where I out worked the boys, stacking pallets with bottle returns, issuing credit memos, and even loading the stacks and pushing them to the back (which the boys hated to see me do successfully!). I mastered the plant department, the bakery, the fish department (where I put lobsters to sleep for the customers then effectively cooked them), snack bar and then I quit. Ha, the store supervisors did many things to try to get me to stay, however, I left to be a lifeguard/swim instructor instead. With this experience in a grocery store, I saw how people ate through their shopping. Everyone sought nourishment from the store. It was the source of all needs. Well, life in the country is so the contrary. Alough I love my local grocery for basic toiletries, and other things, I appreciate more the local produce that my community provides. My children were fed around the seasons by local farmers. We picked local berries every June,and blueberries and raspberries every August just down our street. We so looked forward to finding the open sign hung up, and then the neighbour and I, our 5 kids between us, would rush over daily in case the season was short! To this day the kids talk about the days where they ate more berries than they picked. September brought the bike out, I would treck 5-6 km south with my youngest daughter and neice in the carrier to pick apples at the orchard. I was even haggled for a few seasons by the owner to work as a witch for his spooky wagon ride! A parent from school sold me her fresh farm eggs and chickens which so happily lived in her back barn. I would venture into the village to several farmers stands, where I would gleefully purchase daily picked fresh corn, peppers, tomatos, beets, lettuce, zuccini, carrots and potatoes, filling 5 bags for $25 or less. Fall harvest brought cooking, canning, freezing. Stocking up with soups, breads, muffins, jams, salsas, stews for the winter. All fresh, all local. Tummies happy. Our freezers and cupboards were full until at least early spring! Well, now the kids are grown and gone. My yearly happy time is attending the Living Locally in one of our bedroom towns, where there are all kinds of us who create, bake, cook, raise, grow and sell our hard work and passion. There is grass fed beef that live at the four corners, where we watch the young feed with their mom each spring, organicly raised veggies and fruit, apple orchards, berries, bakers, organic chicken, pork, lamb, goat. We have cheese makers, flour grinders, cranberry farmers, and soapmakers, crafts people. 100 of us gather yearly, to promote our buisnesses,to educate our community about our healthy, locally grown food and products. How many city folk can atest to where the food on their plate came from? We can, and we do. My family has loved it and grown up on it. My collegue came with me to this great event, and lovingly laughed at me. "So, do you all wonder around, and make money to spend on each others stuff?" Of course, yes we do, and others follow! She joined in! So, when you see those brilliant yellow signs on the road reading "Farmers Feed Cities", it is so very true. Our towns, villages and cities should rely more on our locally produced foods, it is fresh, you know the source, how it was grown or raised, you see it alive and flourishing, then deliciously onto your plate and into your belly. You KNOW what you are eating, and that it was grown with love and care, and sold honestly to you first hand. That is life. That is a sustainable community. For this, I am so very grateful.