The Importance of Daily Emotional Check-ins

One of my latest articles from Lotus Effect:

Feeling out-of-touch with our emotions is an all-to-common ailment among society today. Most of us are too busy fulfilling our obligations, taking care of other people’s needs, and simply surviving, that we forget to stop and listen to our own wants and needs. When we finally do check-in, we realize there is an avalanche of emotions, wounds, resentments, energetic cords attaching us to others, and trauma that has too often been left to fester and infect.

We would never ignore a broken leg or physical wound in the body, but most of us allow our emotional brokenness to go untended for years, and then wonder why we feel crippled. Exploring our own emotional worlds can be scary, yes, but ignoring them can be detrimental. By doing daily emotional check-ins, we can ease our way into the world of our (often confusing) emotions and learn how to become experts in our own self-care.

Daily emotional check-ins should be as natural to us as bushing our teeth.

Here’s how to do to it:

Put a notebook by your bed. Upon waking each morning ask yourself the following questions:

“How do I feel?”

“What do I need?”

Write whatever comes to you. If you can’t access your emotions right away, connect to your body first. What sensations do you feel in your body and where? Can you attach any emotion to those sensations? What might those emotions be connected to? Listen, honor, and respect these emotions. Our emotions are our guidance system. They are our compass to help us see WHERE WE ARE so we know how to get to WHERE WE WANT TO BE.

Once you’ve accessed what you feel (and write it down) ask yourself what you need. It is important to trust your first instinct and do your best to honor the answer you receive. If it’s chocolate, indulge. If it’s a walk, enjoy a stroll. If it’s support, call a friend. If it’s relaxation, take a warm bath. Your Higher Self always knows what you need on an emotional/energetic level, and your body is brilliant at communicating its necessities too. You need only ask. And listen. Your true, Higher Guidance won’t tell you to do things to simply numb or suppress your emotions, but it will always lead you in the direction of healthy relief.

The purpose of writing down your responses is so you can notice any patterns that may emerge. At the end of every week, look through your notebook and notice any consistent themes. Do this also at the end of every month, and even year. Not only will this give you intimate knowledge of your own emotional habits, you’ll also see patterns in specific seasons and times of year and learn to be preemptive for times you can predict you may be energetically or emotionally more vulnerable.

Doing daily emotional maintenance will cause you to be an expert in your own self-care and give you the tools you need to truly thrive.

5 Ways to Align with the Energies of Fall

Empaths, Spirituality

Check-out my latest article from Lotus Effect:

Fall is a perfect time to align our own energy with the earth’s changing season. Here are 5 ways to energetically harmonize with the essence of autumn:

*Count your blessings: Fall is a time of harvest, and a perfect time to count your blessings. Science has proven that the feeling of gratitude produces an incredibly high frequency in our bodies, and when our vibes are high, we attract more goodness into our lives. As the colder months come and the darkness closes in, having gratitude for the abundant harvest is an excellent way to line-up with our highest potential for the fall. Ring in the season with a gratitude journal and make a commitment to write down daily what you are thankful for.

*Balance your chakras in nature: Fall is one of the most beautiful times of year, and with all the lower chakra colors (red, orange, and yellow) in full bloom, it’s a perfect time to balance, clear, and activated your connection to earth and the physical body. Get out in nature and spend time with the vibrancy of the earth’s final blush before her winter slumber. It’s guaranteed to give your body the energy it needs to take on the longer days of darkness.

*Find a balanced routine: As the days get shorter and the access to direct sunlight depletes, it is important to spend our days in balance. Studies have shown that synching our routine with the sun can greatly increase our mental and emotional stability, as well as balance our circadian rhythms. Balancing our routine with the change in weather patterns and sun exposure will do wonders in helping us feel balanced and healthy for the coming of winter.

*Give: Fall is a time of harvest, a time of abundance – a time to reap what we have sown. Energetically, the time is ripe for giving. As we interact with the bright orange colors of fall, the sacral chakra is activated, and with it, our capacity to give and receive. Autumn is the perfect time to practice the art of giving, which gives our sacral chakra the opportunity to release some of its natural receiving energy which is activated in summer. Additionally, giving makes us feel good, which raises our vibration and puts us in a better energetic position to take on the colder months ahead.

*Embrace your shadows: Traditionally, the fall equinox is known as a time of descending into the underworld. Energetically this looks like going deep into our shadows and understanding the thoughts, intentions, and motivations that lurk in our subconscious mind. It’s a time of embracing all that we are and all that we could be. The earth’s energy during the fall season is the perfect time to do shadow integration.

If we use the energy of the season to balance and align our bodies with nature’s changing tides, we are bound to have a more enjoyable transition into the darkness.

Happy fall, everyone!

The Power of Authenticity

Empaths, Features, Spirituality

This is my latest article for modbod. Thought it relevant:

“Live true. Be you.” It’s the motto here at modbod. But it’s meant to be so much more than an inspirational motivation. We believe being your authentic self is a life-changing prescription.

The power of authenticity cannot be overstated. So many of us spend far too much energy worrying about what people think, our image, and the expectations of others, that we sacrifice our own internal truths, desires, and callings. We give away our power in hopes that others will give our lives meaning. We sacrifice our emotional and mental health and expect society to tell us our worth at our heart’s expense. It never works.

Our world is starving for authenticity. We expect our president, our spouses, and our church leaders to be honest about who they are and what their agendas entail, yet we refuse to be honest with ourselves. We live by the expectations of our friends, family, and society, while rejecting the silent promptings and unique call of our own hearts. We sacrifice our personal truths for the truths of others and pretend to be happy about it. Meanwhile, everyone wants out, but nobody dares disrupt the “peace.”

The truth is, we’ve been taught from childhood that the most important mechanism for survival in this world is to fit in. Being liked is more valued than being true to ourselves, and therefore we’ve learned to see our true self as something to be suspicious of. We believe expressing our inner truth might ruin our relationships.

We couldn’t have it more backward.

When we ignore and suppress who we truly are, we die inside. It’s a slow and painful death, yet in the time we spend mastering our own denial we fail to foresee the day we wake up and resent everyone and everything around us – including ourselves. This is what causes relationships to suddenly end, families to split apart, and people to walk away from their lives to drink themselves into oblivion.

Those of us who don’t go off the deep-end slowly allow bitterness to overtake our joy, and life becomes a duty — an obligation. It’s no longer about living our passions, dreams, and desires, but simply about surviving and doing what we can to keep up an appearance of perfection. Well lie to everyone around us, including ourselves. We may be living, but we feel as though we might as well be dead.

The only way to break this heart-deadening cycle to turn inward — to our spirits, and listen to the calling of our hearts. The sooner we decide to be true to ourselves, the less painful and shocking it will be for those around us. We don’t have to wait until we become so unsatisfied with life that we walk away from it all. Every day we can listen. Every day we can choose to bring our truth to life’s table. Every day we can do something that brings us joy. Every day we can choose authenticity over facades. When we live true, we give those around us permission to do the same, and everyone is better for it. This is how we change the world.

Don’t succumb to the pressures of your culture, family, or society to “fit in.” Celebrate the uniqueness of you. You are the only one that can express your individual divinity. Do it with pride. It is only through authenticity that you will be set free. Live true. Be you.

What to Expect During An Ayahuasca Ceremony

Body Work, Features, Health Products, Spirituality, Websites

Those of you who follow my blog know I have an avid interest in the use of certain medicinal plants for expansion purposes. While ayahuasca is certainly not for everyone, I do like to provide information for those who are interested in exploring what plants have to offer us on our soul’s journey.

Mindbodygreen recently published this article on what to expect during an ayahusca ceremony and I wanted to pass it along. Enjoy!

What to Expect During An Ayahuasca Ceremony

It would appear from recent articles in Marie Claire and The New York Times, and a few documentaries I’ve seen, that there has been a rise in the number people attending Ayahuasca ceremonies.

For those of you who have not heard of Ayahuasca, it’s an ancientmedicinal plant with origins in the Amazon, namely Peru. It’s a thick brown tea derived from Caapi, a vine that only grows in the rainforest. The Caapi vine is blended with plant leaves that contain hallucinogenic properties to create Ayahuasca.

An Ayahuasca ceremony involves drinking the hallucinatory plant/vine tea blend under the guidance of a respected Shaman, for a long night spent in deep connection to a higher intelligence and an understanding of one’s true self. Ayahuasca is indigenous to the Amazon and is legal there, where retreats and ceremonies are held and authorized, but not in the U.S., where the scene is still underground and secretive.

If you are considering partaking in such a journey, prepare to encounter the divine, the infinite, the mystery — whatever you choose to call it — that which is beyond the limited perspective of your mind.

You must also be willing to accept that the divine/infinite/mystery cannot be experienced in a way that will make sense to your brain; the infinite is infinite — duh; while your brain is still finite.

Be wary that you might not necessarily like the information that the divine/infinite/mystery chooses to share with you either.

In the documentary Vine of the Soul: Encounters with Ayahuasca, one user reported that the horror she experienced was truly indescribable and that she thought she was going to die.

But another participant in the ceremony said that Ayahuasca opened her heart in a way it had never been opened before.

Ayahuasca is always referred to in the feminine, because users have said that the voice of higher intelligence that they’ll hear while during the ceremony is female. She (meaning the plant) speaks to you directly and tells you what you need to work on in your life.

Returning ceremonial participants should also be aware that each time you experience the divine/infinite/mystery, it will be different — each experience is akin to just a small drop in the ocean.

The experience will be ineffable, beyond language, and you will likely find that trying to put it into words after the ceremony has ended will be daunting if not impossible.

“Ten years of therapy downloaded in a night,” seems to be a fairly universal analogy to convey the possible takeaway from a ceremony. A typical Ayahuasca ceremony is a full night — the trip can last up to five hours. You may wish to take this into consideration before you make plans to attend a barbecue or any other form of social activity, the following day.

The icaros, sung by a Shaman, are an integral part of the ceremony. It is through these songs that your mareación (the visionary effects of Ayahuasca) is enhanced. It is also quite likely that you will likely gain a greater appreciation of the power of music through the icaros.

If you do not adhere to the recommended dieta (diet) before the ceremony, then the plants will assist your body in ridding itself of the chemicals — salt, sugar, alcohol, caffeine, etc., by fleshing out the toxins and impurities that you have crammed into it over the years. This is commonly known as purging, which translates to literally just that. You’ll probably vomit profusely but purge buckets will be provided. But fear not, if your body (including the subtle energy body) is clean, then there will be nothing to purge.

Another possible outcome of an Ayahuasca ceremony is that you will realize that everything perceived through your five senses and assimilated by your mind is contrived or false.

It is possible that plant medicine allows one to open The Doors of Perception, as Aldous Huxley described in his detailed account of taking mescaline. The subjective self is temporarily shed and a merging with the infinite “other,” is realized. After a ceremonial night of purging, you might find that you gain a fresh new outlook on what was once a seemingly mundane reality.

You should also be quite certain that your Shaman is bonafide, as you will be entrusting him or her with your psychological and emotional well-being. Be prepared to experience your mind deconstruct first-hand, and then reconstruct itself back together.

Once your mind is shattered or “broken open” as the psychedelia author Daniel Pinchbeck calls it, you may encounter what feels like schizophrenia, which can be frightening. Therefore it is imperative to do your research on your Shaman and the ceremony itself — whether it’s a retreat center in the middle of the Peruvian jungle or a loft space in Brooklyn — so that you can ensure you are in good hands and feel safe.

It is not a coincidence that seekers interested in yoga and meditation would gravitate towards plant medicine, for yoga and meditation were originally designed to guide practitioners beyond their rational thinking minds and experience the divine/infinite/mystery.

Much like yoga and meditation retreats, the Ayahuasca ceremonial retreat has found a home right here in the wellness world, and even amongst celebrities like Tori Amos, Sting and Paul Simon. Some are even calling it, “the new juice cleanse.”

Feeling Crazy? Join the Party! (Lotus Effect)

Body Work, Empaths, Features, Spirituality, Uncategorized

Because it’s relevant not only to my own life, but so many of the clients I’ve been working with, I thought I’d share another article I wrote for Lotus Effect (just to remind you you’re not alone!).

Feel Crazy? Join the Party!

Feeling more emotional or drained than usual? Don’t fret. The planetary vibrations have been intense; from solar flares and super moons to mercury retrogrades, the energies of our world are at an all-time high.

Not only are astrological events affecting our emotional worlds, cell phone radiation and technological interference in our earth’s electromagnetic field affect how we think and feel. Not to mention, as the consciousness of the planet continues rise, all unhealed past trauma and negative patterns in our lives are coming to the surface. Past survival mechanisms/coping methods no longer work, and many people feel their emotional lives have become too difficult to manage.

Here is a list of 10 common symptoms people experience with the planet’s current energy flux:

Sudden and unexpected bursts of emotion
Constantly feeling on the verge of tears
Past memories/trauma resurfacing
Relationships falling apart or under extreme pressure (more than usual)
Headaches
Unexplained thyroid and adrenal issues that cannot be healed
Restless sleep
Feeling overly tired and fatigued
A sense of time standing still, speeding up, or not existing at all
Feeling detached/disassociated from your body

For those who make the choice to line-up with these energies and allow their consciousness to shift, let go of outdated belief systems, and heal old wounds, the shift has proved to be not only bearable, but beneficial. Choosing the path of expansion is not always pleasant, but it’s necessary for survival.

If you’re having any of the above experiences, it’s important to own up to how you feel. The Universal energies are calling us all out – there is no more room to pretend, bypass, or suppress. It’s time to take care of our individual energy imprint on this planet and do the work to be healthy/balanced people. We are all responsible for what’s happening in our world because everything we think, feel, and do affects everyone.

Here are three important things you can do to start leveling up with the Universe:

Consider how your current habits make you feel. Pay close attention to what you put in and around your body. What kind of music do you listen to? What is the quality of the food you eat? How do you spend your time? Everything you put in your body (and your mind) affects you and everyone around you. It is important to take good care of yourself and get in touch with what you truly need to be healthy.
Do an emotional detox. Commit to healing any and all old energy patterns that continually repeat themselves. Pay attention to how you feel and allow old emotions to surface. Once they emerge, ask yourself what you need to heal and listen to what your intuition tells you. Distracting yourself and stuffing down emotions only gets the energy stuck in your body (which then manifests in physical ailments and disease). Plus, suppressing just doesn’t work anymore. It’s time to face how you feel and deal with it. You’ll feel better when you do.
Do a physical detox. An herbal or juice cleanse works wonders at clearing out old energy stored in our bodies. Even giving your body a break from over stimulating food can be healing. Listen to your body and do whatever feels right to you, but commit to self-care. Your body works hard at keeping you healthy, and with the intense energies on the planet right now, it’s important to give it an extra boost.

Whatever you choose to do with this information, just remember, you’re not alone.

To Hell With Self-Improvement!

Bits and Pieces, Empaths, Spirituality

WARNING: Adult language ahead!

I shocked myself this morning. After a walk, some sungazing, yoga in the park, I was feeling pretty good about myself. Being as I started my day off in the “right” way (I was proud), I thought I would attempt to journal.

You see, I’ve been trying to tap into my creativity for awhile (not only with writing, but with my career as well) and I’ve felt blocked. Majorly blocked. This has been going on for years. I always feel as if I’m operating at about 5% of what I’m actually capable of. But for some reason every time I try to force myself to do better, I shut down. I feel even worse. What’s resulted from this inner struggle is a constant and ever-present feeling of failure. I never feel good enough.

As one who prides myself on my ability to face my own shadow (and embrace my negative emotions), I thought I would go into this feeling and see if I could coax my inner self out — to let her know I love her and it’s okay for her to shine — to heal the negative emotional imprint so I can finally do what I’m “meant” to do.

I decided to write my inner self a letter (my “human” self). I wanted to talk to the part of me that wasn’t allowing success. The part holding me back from my full potential.

But she wasn’t having it.

I couldn’t type the first sentence before I realized it was my human-self who wanted a word with me. And she wasn’t happy:

“Why do you insist I prove my worth to you? Fuck you and your self-Improvement! I don’t want to be improved upon. Fuck you for treating me like I’m your problem to fix — a fundamental flaw in your system. You’ve adopted your dad’s way about you – the critical way. Unaccepting. Unattainable perfection. You chose the path of ‘improvement’ because you hate me.

Fuck your belittling ways; you’re trying to coax me out to do your bidding – to make you look good for others – to earn their love and approval. I’m not interested in improvement. I’m interested in doing nothing but existing in peace without your fucking judgments. I don’t want a war. But a war is what you will get if you try to force my hand.

You always want to prove, prove, prove. Fuck you. I don’t have anything to prove. Your validation is just not that important to me.

I want to be loved simply because I exist. I’m not good. I’m not bad. I just am. Fuck your ‘enlightenment’ bullshit. Perfection doesn’t interest me.

I REFUSE to prove myself to you. The sooner you accept that, the sooner we can go in peace. You cannot force me to do what you want by withholding your love from me. Fuck that. I am not your slave. I am not your constellation prize. I am not your whore. Fuck you!”

It poured out of me like a volcano eruption. I couldn’t hold it back. I was literally shaking. I realize I wasn’t only talking to “me” — I was talking to everything (and everyone) in my life that reflected that judgment — including my false perception of God.

Like whoa.

#shadowwork #shitjustgotreal

Join the Empowering Empaths Online Community

Empaths, Spirituality, Starseed Corner

For empaths seeking a community of support and encouragement, I have created a free, private online Facebook group.

Much like the online classes I’ve taught in the past, this group will be a place where I share videos about healing and understanding empathic abilities, as well as excerpts from my upcoming book, Empathic Healing.

Members can join for free, invite others to the group, share experiences, ask any questions, and even post their own videos too! All are welcome, but only members can see what’s posted.

My intention is for empaths to have a safe place where they feel empowered and supported. All videos/info I post will only be available through this private group, so as to attract only those who are interested in the topic of empathic abilities and want to connect with like minds.

To join, simply request to be added on the Facebook forum.

I look forward to connecting with you!

3 Tips for Being in the NOW!

Body Work, Empaths, Spirituality, The Heart Chakra

So many of us are disconnected from the present moment. We regret the past and worry about the future. We spend way too much time in feared and imagined possibilities and potentials that we cease to see what is manifested right before us. I wrote about this a couple weeks back for LOTUS EFFECT and I thought I’d share it today for all of my readers on CHAKRA CENTER.

3 Tips for Being in the Now

The power of now is unlimited potential. In this moment you get to choose. What perspective do you want to have about your life? Where do you want to direct your focus? What you choose to do with your now will shape and direct your entire future. Now is the only thing that truly exist.

Dragging the past into the present drains the now of its power. Past pain, disappointments, fears, patterns, all of them are simply our journey of growth and expansion. They only have the power to affect the now if we allow them to. Our past doesn’t belong now. The now is for the NEW.

What if you left the past in the past and allowed your now to be a clean slate? Doing this does not require you to bypass your emotions, ignore trauma or wounds, or even deny the way the past has lent itself to your current situation. Being in the now simply gives you the freedom to have a new perspective. What meaning are you giving the past? Is that meaning true?

The now invites you to release your judgments and comparisons about the past and realize the gift of the moment. Every moment is new. The now is where you hold all your power and that power is perspective. You can ALWAYS choose how you will see the world – what meaning you will give to each passing moment.

If you have trouble keeping the past in the past, here are 3 tips to help change your perspective:

Acknowlege and validate all past wounds and traumas. Often those who bring their past in the future have never actually validated their pain, but hold on like hell to their story and conclusion about it. This is what a “victim mentality” truly is. If we can’t validate and accept our wounds, we will always be a victim to them.

Question your beliefs about wounds. If a child is sexually abused, they may form a belief about themselves because of the trauma. Maybe they believe they deserved it or they are not worthy of love. Perhaps they conclude they are dirty or defiled. Although the pain that caused these beliefs is very real, the beliefs themselves don’t have to be. Is what you believe about yourself true? Can you gain another perspective? You must be brave enough to question everything about your current belief system if you want to utilize the full power of the “now.” Beliefs and judgments only serve as limitations. The beliefs around our wounds are what cause the true damage.

Get a new perspective. Now it’s time to tell a new story. Yes we’ve been wounded. Yes it matters. Yes we need time to heal. But we get to choose how we will define our pain. We can choose to allow it to make us stronger. What will your new perspective on life be? How do you want to see the world?

The past can hurt us, yes, but it does not have to rob us of our present. It does not need to define our now. Allow your NOW to be a new definition of your power. Let the power of your now shift your perspective and expand your beliefs about what is possible. Utilize its abundant potential. Now is all there is. Use it wisely.

Giveaway: Win an Intuitive Reading, Barnes & Noble Gift Card, and More!

Empaths, Features, Giveaways, Spirituality

It’s been awhile since I’ve done a giveaway at Chakra Center, so to celebrate the fabulous, sunny month of JUNE, I’m giving away some fun surprises (today only!):

*Entire “Empowering Empathic Abilities” online course (part 1 and 2) — $55 value!

One Free Intuitive Reading!

*One $20 Barnes and Noble gift card!

To enter, simply like Chakra Center on FACEBOOK and share our post with your Facebook friends! Also, be sure to comment on the status and let me know which prize you’re most interested in.

Winners will be selected randomly

Happy June!

Free Newsletter: Click here to sign-up for special offers, giveaways, and exclusive information available only through the newsletter!

Activate and Harmonize the Desires of Your Heart

Body Work, Chakra Centers, Empaths, Meditation, Spirituality, The Third Eye Chakra, The Throat Chakra, Uncategorized

The picture below is activated with pranic healing energy. I found it online and felt a jolt throughout my entire heart chakra. Because of its powerful template, I used it to also encode my own intentions/magic.

It contains the vibration of inner harmony within the heart chakra when connected and activated fully with the sarcal chakra. It also balances/integrates all seven chakras.

When you look at it, breathe in deeply and notice how the energy is moving through your body. Ask yourself what you feel, and what you need. Listen closely to how your body gives you the answer. Write it down if helpful.

Notice how your desires are stirred and moved into your heart to be activated and settled into their most harmonic path. Allow yourself at least a solid 3 minutes looking at it, and receive the activations that are encoded.

It’s pretty epic! Feel free to share your experience~!

How to Open and Clear the Chakras

Body Work, Chakra Centers, EmBody Bliss, Empaths, Features, Spirituality, The Crown Chakra, The Heart Chakra, The Root Chakra, The Sacral Chakra, The Solar Plexus Chakra, The Third Eye Chakra, The Throat Chakra, Websites

As many of my blog followers know, I also write content for the amazingly brilliant, conscious fashion company, Lotus Effect.

Today’s article is all about understanding, opening, and clearing the chakras, and since this is Chakra Center after all, I felt it would be an appropriate blog share for today!

Enjoy!

Believed to be the centers for spiritual energy, the 7 Chakras are a crucial system for understanding the flow of personal life force. Not only do these center points hold specific energy in the body, they also flow back and forth between each other and represent a vital aspect of our physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being.

Each individual chakra has a specific purpose in the body, and can be blocked by unhealed emotions and trauma. When one of these energy centers is blocked, it messes with the balance of our entire system. Blocked chakras can lead to illness, as well as spiritual and emotional unrest. Understanding how to clear and balance the chakras is crucial for our overall health.

Knowing where these energy center points are located in the body, as well as their emotional components, is an important step in learning how to be in-tune with the body’s life force.

Here is a basic overview:

Root Chakra – Located at the base of the spine, the root chakra is where the body carries its survival energy. Issues of money, food, and stability are associated with this chakra. When opened and clear one feels grounded and at peace. The emotion that blocks this chakra is fear.

If you carry fear for your basic survival (this can include financial stress or eating disorders), it is important to work on healing your root chakra. The key to healing this chakra is surrendering to your fears and allowing them to flow through you (rather than resisting and suppressing them).

Color associated with the root chakra: Red

Sacral Chakra – Located about 2 inches below the navel and 2 inches in, is the sacral chakra. Related to the ability to give and receive, as well as sexual and creative energy, this chakra deals with pleasure, and is blocked by guilt. Because of social and religious programming, most people have blocks in their sacral chakra.

Feeling guilt related to receiving pleasure (of any form), creativity, or sexuality – or carrying emotional trauma related to sexuality, is an indication the sacral chakra needs to be healed and cleared.

Look at the things you feel guilty about in your life. Accept the reality of the events, and learn to forgive yourself. It is impossible for this chakra to be opened and balanced without self-forgiveness and acceptance.

Color associated with the sacral chakra: Orange

Solar Plexus Chakra – Located in the abdomen/stomach area, the solar plexus chakra deals with one’s sense of personal power and self-control, and is blocked by shame. Feelings of self-worth, self-confidence, and self-esteem are tied to this chakra.

In order to open and clear the solar plexus, it is essential to love and accept all aspects of yourself, including your mistakes.

Color associated with the solar plexus chakra: Yellow

Heart Chakra – Located in the center of the chest, just above the heart, the heart chakra deals with our joy, inner peace, and ability to love. This chakra is blocked by grief.

To clear and release the heart chakra, it is important to acknowledge, validate, and release all loss. Allow yourself to feel the pain of grief. Do not hold and suppress the sadness — let your emotions flow.

Color associated with the heart chakra: Green

Throat Chakra – Located in the throat, the throat chakra deals with the ability to communicate truth, and is blocked by lies – especially the lies we tell ourselves.

To heal and open the throat chakra, it is important to release all self-denial and lies – even when those lies are functioning as a coping mechanism. We cannot lie about our own nature. It is impossible to be able to communicate in a powerful way when one holds onto self-deluded lies.

Color associated with the throat chakra: Blue

Third Eye Chakra – Located on the forehead between the eyes, the third eye deals with the ability to focus on and see the big picture (as well as psychic vision and insight). This chakra is blocked by illusion. The greatest illusion of this world is the illusion of separation.

In order to heal and clear this chakra, it is crucial to release all illusion within ourselves and understand we are connected to all things. There is no separation. Things we think are separate and different, are actually one and the same.

Color associated with the thrid eye chakra: Indigo

Crown Chakra – Located at the very top of the head, this highest chakra represents the ability to be fully connected spiritually. It deals with pure, cosmic energy, and is blocked by earthly attachment.

Healing and opening the crown chakra requires us to let go of the things we hold on to most desperately, trusting the love and flow of the Universe/Source within us to be our ultimate fulfillment and bliss.

Opening the crown chakra is not about denying our desires or connection to the earth, it is simply about letting go of our grasp and surrendering to Universal cosmic energy (or God).

Color associated with the crown chakra: Violet

Opening and healing the chakras is about walking the spiritual path of self-awareness. It is not something that is done in one mediation, but rather a daily practice on the inward journey. By tuning into our emotional blockages and needs, we allow ourselves to expand, trust, and ultimately be set free.

Why Sex Should Be Treated As A Spiritual Practice

Body Work, Features, Spirituality

MindBodyGreen is a frequent feature here at Chakra Center. And the following article is a shinning example of why. The connection between sexuality and spirituality is one I have been exploring in depth, and quite frankly am astonished at how little information/conversation is going on about it. Because exploration like this is rare, I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to share this blog as a guest post. I’d love to hear your thoughts/opinions below.

Why Sex Should Be Treated As A Spiritual Practice

by Robert Peng

Mention the word sex and eyes widen and ears perk up. The strong reaction the subject arouses reflects the spicy nature of sexual energy. We may be at the gym feeling tired and depleted, but if someone we find attractive starts working out next to us, our energy level is suddenly boosted. That energetic intensification represents the activation of our Lower Dantian (energy center below the navel), which holds our sexual energy in reserve.

Pure sexual energy is as unstable as dynamite and just as explosive. It can transport us to sublime states of bliss and delight, or cast us into the darkest pits of anguish, terror, and depravity. The volatile and wild nature of sexual energy convinced some religious traditions to view it as an impediment to spiritual development, and to some degree this belief still continues to perpetuate in the popular imagination because of the confusion, heartache, and pain that sexual intimacy can cause.

To demonstrate this, rank the following three words from the most to the least spiritual: wisdom, love, sex. If we took a poll, the top position might be a tossup between wisdom and love, but without a doubt sex would rank last on the list. No one questions the connection between spirituality and love or spirituality and wisdom. But the link between spirituality and sexuality is a harder sell.

From the Qigong perspective, however, the notion that sexuality and spirituality are antithetical is misguided, because sexual energy forms one of the cornerstones of happiness. If we ever hope to secure long-lasting happiness in a loving relationship, we must heal our socially conditioned distortions about sexuality. We must erase the invisible line we draw with our minds around our beltlines, above which lies the greater part of human nature and below which lies the lesser. In essence, we must spiritualize sex.

But how do we redeem sexuality and elevate it to the spiritual status it deserves? How do we reconcile the square of sex with the circle of spirit when sexual pleasure is often responsible for so much shame, trauma, and pain? One place to begin searching for an answer to these questions lies in identifying the fundamental, seemingly irreconcilable differences between male and female sexuality. Those differences swiftly become apparent in the bedroom.

Stereotypically, male sexual energy flares up and is exhausted quickly, like a match, while female sexual energy boils slowly and remains hot for a long time, like a pot of boiling water. These different tempos are a source of shame for men who climax too fast and frustration for women who may not climax at all. This problem is then compounded by the notorious fact that when male sexual energy is activated men often become emotionally unavailable, and the other notorious fact that the female sexual experience is often laden with sentimentalism that men normally can’t relate to.

Obviously, we can’t alter our sexual instincts. What we can do, however, is use spiritual practice to overcome the limitations imposed by nature on our sexuality. In fact, we can transform the inherent mismatch between male and female sexuality into an incredible opportunity for spiritual growth.

Let’s begin by considering the way Qigong can help a man harness his sexual energy. When male sexual energy is aroused, it intensifies locally around the genitals and quickly flows out of the body. That is the natural pattern of male sexual energy. But men can learn to reverse that flow and direct their sexual essence upward, toward the Middle Dantian (energy center at located at the heart level). By doing so, a man accomplishes two goals. First, he diminishes the urge to ejaculate, and second, as sexual energy rises to his heart, passion blends with love and tenderness. A man who masters this skill is able to prolong intercourse indefinitely and deepen his emotional connection during lovemaking.

When female sexual energy is aroused, it naturally flows inward and upward from the genitals toward the heart. Stimulation of the breasts further activates the Middle Dantian (energy center at located at the heart level) and reinforces an emotional response. Unlike men, women don’t need to practice Qigong to integrate their sexual vitality with their love. These qualities mingle naturally, and in this respect, female sexuality is inherently more integrated.

But through spiritual practice both women and men can learn to integrate their sexual energy to even higher levels. Sexual vitality can be directed upward from the heart to the top of the head, where it becomes infused with the blissful quality of sacredness. And from there, sexual vitality can be circulated through the Central Meridian Meridian (the energy channel that unifies the three main energy centers — the Dantians) into the sky, where it is experienced as heavenly ecstasy.

Sexuality that centers on the genitals and the Lower Dantian (energy center below the navel) corresponds to passionate sex. Sexuality that integrates the sexual vitality of the Lower Dantian with the heart-centered energy of the Middle Dantian corresponds to intense lovemaking. Sexuality that integrates all three dantians corresponds to blissful sacred love. And sexuality that integrates the all three dantians and the Central Meridian corresponds to cosmic ecstasy.

Cosmic ecstasy is vastly more intense, pleasurable, and meaningful than even the most passionate sex. Comparing the two is like contrasting a bathtub with the ocean.

There is no surer way to bring long-lasting happiness into an intimate relationship than to ground it in enduring bliss.

Empowering Empathic Abilities Part Two: Online Class

Body Work, Online Classes/Retreats, Uncategorized

In part 1 of the “Empowering Empathic Abilities” online class, we covered the basics of empathic healing, understanding the link between empathic abilities and low self-esteem, and learned how to heal and transmute energy. In part two we will be using some specific quantum energy and vibrational translation techniques to:

Read and translate emotional vibrational through our chakra energy points

Change our reality through empathic shapeshifting

Master our energetic hygiene through daily energy pulses and exercises

Keep our auras bright and shiny through specific energy point techniques

Use personal body work (self-massage, movement, and pulse-point release) to move blocked energy out of our body

Entrain with the vibrational frequencies of crystals

Everyone who signs up for the class will receive a bracelet bearing raw, rainbow titanium and clear crystal quartz. A large part of the class will be learning to use the subtle energy frequencies of these crystals to balance, heal, and transmute energetic residue in our auric field.

*You do not need to have taken Part One to sign-up for this course. But for those who are interested, the class videos/materials are still available for purchase (it just won’t be live). If interested in part one, click here

TO REGISTER for the class, fill out the form below and complete your purchase through Paypal. The entirety of the class will be held in a private Facebook forum. I will post weekly videos/workshop content, as well as be available daily to answer any questions you may have. The forum format also gives participants the opportunity to interact with each other, have personal access to me, and even post video responses to the material (should you wish to do so).

*Please make sure to register with the email you have associated to Facebook so I can add you to the forum.

Class begins May 11th – May 31st, 2014.

This three week course is only $55.

*Your spot will not be reserved until payment is received.

Name(required)

Facebook Email(required)

Intention for this Class(required)

Address (to mail crystal braclet)

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Monday’s Magic Spell: Deleting Damaging Programs

Body Work, EmBody Bliss, Empaths, Magic Mondays, Meditation, Meditation Monday, The Sacral Chakra

Vibrational awareness is the key to change. But one of the oldest (and thickest) programs we’ve been told as a human race is that things cannot change. We’ve believed for so long the external world is in control of us, that we’re victims, and what we think/feel/experience is inconsequential at best, evil at worst.

Of course, we all know now that it couldn’t be further from the truth. Yet, we’ve lived with these programs for so long that we’ve somehow come to believe the residue left behind is WHO WE ARE (rather than simply effects of the system).

The old paradigm of aggressor/victim/savior can only survive if we continue playing those roles. The great news is, we don’t have to agree to that game anymore. We can play a new game. We can have new roles. What would the game look like if we were ALL self-empowered?!

One of the keys to activating the new paradigm in your own life is by healing and balancing your lower chakas. The lower chakras have been so demonized by culture and religion (and even some New Age teachers), that we’ve become confused as to why we even have them. They are associated with our “human nature” — an aspect we’re told we need to destroy. If we can keep the “human” enslaved and controlled, we can have order.

The old paradigm wants to keep you a slave to your feelings/emotions because that’s the only way you can be controlled. As long as you stay out of the power of your lower chakras, you will not be a threat.

How convenient for the old system that one of the programs put in place in our Sacral Chakras is a sort of built-in guilt about our innate power, about receiving, and about pleasure.We’re not allowed to enjoy the world, feel pleasure, or receive without some sort of repercussion, and even attempting to change things sets off triggers of guilt, shame, and fear. We even go so far as to “slay” it, and by exiling the “shade” aspects of ourselves we’ve created our own monsters that we continue to fear.

The fear is just a program. The only truth it holds is the truth we give it. The only power it has is fueled by the emotional convictions we put behind it. And the program itself is one of duality, one that causes the energies of our lower charkas to get out of balance.It’s a game we’re all tired of, yet we continue to victimize ourselves and each other by agreeing with the rules of that paradigm. And the vicious cycle of aggressor/victim/savior continues.

In order for this program to survive, the aggressor needs a victim to terrorize, the victim needs a savior, and the savior who jumps in to rescue needs both (otherwise its role would be void).

What role have you been playing? We all typically slide into one of these roles quite comfortably, or vacillate between all three. And ironically, none of them are empowering.

Ultimately, when you embrace the power of your inner Shade, you are released from the program. It is impossible to be in your power and in the program of aggressor/victim/savior at the same time.

Healing (especially from trauma) takes time, and we need to allow ourselves the freedom to take as long as we need to soothe and comfort wounds caused from the program. But we DO NOT need to keep the program.

So for today’s magic spell, take a long, luxurious look at what the empowered version of you would feel like. See the you that has integrated both light and darkness (in balance) and is free from the aggressor/victim/savior paradigm.

What does the empowered YOU look like/feel like?

How does he/she create?

How does he/she luxuriate?

How does he/she look at people?

How does he/she walk?

How does he/she dress?

How does he/she interact with the energy around her/within her?

Simply spend some time playing around with the energy. If it’s too hard to put yourself in that role (due to the program still having too much persuasion on your thoughts) imagine you are writing a character that DOES own her power. One who is graceful and powerful and knows how to give and receive in abundance and with true, unconditional love.

Write that character. Indulge in the emotions of what she would FEEL like. Emotions are what drive the creations we bring forth into the world, and transforming/healing your sacral chakra will ultimately be fueled by how you feel.

The intensity of the pain/trauma you’ve experienced in the past does not have to rule you for the rest of your life. Start experimenting with what it would FEEL like to experience something different. You might be amazed at what you find.