...but they sure are for me. I love Mondays - a day to take charge and get into full swing for the week. I hope it's a beautiful day for you too but, if you find that your energy is being drained by others around you that aren't having such a great Monday, try the Celtic Weave energy exercise. It will strengthen your personal energy bubble and ward off any of those "energy zappers".

Have fun!! Happy Monday!!

Peace,
Shanti

Shanti Douglas
Mindfulness & Stress Management Coach
Eden Energy Medicine Certified Practitioner
8 limbs Holistic Health, LLC

     It's Monday morning, one of my favorite days of the week (yes, I did say that!). My Task Master gets all juiced up and ready to go for another fabulous week ahead. How about for you? Whatever you do, don't let Monday drag you down. Keep going with your Daily Energy Routine (DER) and keep those energies high!
     To add to the DER short version, today we're looking at the Crown Pull. It's perfect for when we can't stop the "chatting" in our head, realize we've been going in the wrong mental direction with lots of negativity, or for those tension headaches that creep up after a stressful day. Along with the Wayne Cook, the Crown Pull is also perfect for when we have trouble concentrating and remembering things. Staring at the computer all day will surely numb our intellectual capacities and an overload of meetings can be draining so bring the Crown Pull along for some instant relief. It will have your mind and brain feeling refreshed and connect you to your higher inspirations.

Enjoy!!

Peace and LOTS of joy in Being.
Shanti

Shanti Douglas
Mindfulness & Stress Management Coach
Eden Energy Medicine Certified Practitioner
8 limbs Holistic Health, LLC

     Thank you so much for keeping up with these Daily Energy Routine exercises. I hope you've been able to incorporate them easily into your regular self care routine. Don't forget that you can pick and just do one or two whenever you might need it.     
     This week we're looking at crossing our energies, an important part of having a steady flow of resources in our body and mind. We all know about the coordination between the brain and body - the right side of the brain controls the left side of the body and the left side of the brain controls the right side of the body. This same crossover energy is everywhere, even within the structure of DNA. It's a necessity so that all systems can be functional, strong, and balanced.
     If our energies are not crossing over, we might feel uncoordinated or clumsy, mentally or emotionally out of sorts, exhausted for no real reason, unable to think clearly or stay focused on task, or even depressed. Things just aren't lining up right.
     How do we get that way? There are several things in our daily life that can create this energetic imbalance which Donna Eden calls being homolateral, i.e. one way. Wearing a heavy bag on one shoulder cuts our crossover energy off. Looking at vertical lines, like striped wallpaper or the white lines on the road as we drive, can put our energies into homolateral. In your office or home, perhaps you have vertical blinds. If so, open or close them fully versus having them hang down like separated lines.
     There are several ways we can strengthen our crossed energies. In the two videos, I offer one version of the Cross Crawl as well as the Crossover Shoulder Pull. The first one may give you a little bit of a workout but feel free to take it as slow as you need. If you're really tired, try it in the morning while you are still laying in bed. The second one is perfect for when you are in a meeting or some other noticeable social situation. Nobody needs to know that you are connecting your energies but they'll be happy you did! Enjoy!!

Peace,
Shanti

Shanti Douglas
Mindfulness & Stress Management Coach
Eden Energy Medicine Certified Practitioner
8 limbs Holistic Health, LLC

     Just checking in... How's your energy body feeling with these energy exercises? I've heard from so many of you that you are loving the videos and that they're helping to integrate into your day. Fantastic!
     Today we are going to look at the neurolymphatic reflex points, important places on the surface of the body that are connected to the lymphatic system. Our lymphatic system is part of the circulatory system and a vital part of the immune system. It's a network of tissues and organs that help rid the body of toxins, waste and other unwanted materials by transporting lymph, a fluid containing infection-fighting white blood cells, throughout the body. Activating this natural detoxifier is important for keeping our bodily systems clean, clear, and vital.
     There are over 90 neurolymphatic reflex points, housed in many locations throughout the body (see pic below). Unlike the bloodstream which has the heart to pump it, lymph does not have a built-in pump. Years ago when we used our body throughout the day, adequate pumping came from our frequent movement. Our more sedentary lifestyle has impacted that, however, so it's now more important to support our health with purposeful pumping. No to worry, though. We can do this pretty easily by rubbing our neurolymphatic reflex points with our hands. Besides clearing stagnated energies (including emotional energy) and creating space for things to flow, it will leave you feeling energized and alive!! Plus touch is SO important so feel your body and rub away.
     As you begin, go slowly and with medium intensity of pressure. If you find any tender spots, don't avoid them. This indicates energy blockage or stagnation so rub this area for 30-45 seconds or until you want to stop. It's also neat to check the chart to see what area of your body is needing attention. Make sure to breathe and also hydrate to flush toxins. And most of all, enjoy!!
     Until next week, stay well and peaceful. Connect with me for any questions.

Peace,
Shanti

Shanti Douglas
Mindfulness & Stress Management Coach
Eden Energy Medicine Certified Practitioner
8 limbs Holistic Health, LLC

     Wow! Has this been an amazing summer or what?? A host of fantastic weather (less the serious heat in New England the past few days) has made playing outside lots of fun and I'm really happy to be back enjoying it. It feels great to be out and about, staying strong with my exercise routine...and my energy routine.
     One of the recent events I had was an all day workshop Eden Energy Medicine 101 - Vitality is Yours! Besides learning lots of other things, we reviewed the basics of Eden Energy Medicine (EEM) and dove into practices that folks could use on a daily basis to increase their own health and support that of their family and friends. It was a huge success and I think it's safe to say that vitality was achieved!! As one participant said, "You should have taken our before and after pictures to see the amazing change!"  What a great idea and I think I will on the next class which, by the way, is set for Saturday Sept 12.
     A foundational tenet of EEM is the Daily Energy Routine (DER), a routine that energizes and harmonizes the nine energy systems that get touched with EEM. It's a hugely stabilizing routine and sets the tone for a grounded and self-empowered day. And the best part of it (besides it being fun to do) is that the whole thing only takes about 8 minutes. Pretty good return on investment, wouldn't you say?
     Since there's so many of you that haven't had the chance to attend the workshop (again, really recommend it), I thought it would be fun to begin sharing the DER via video. We get into much more in class but this is a good beginning. Over the coming weeks I'll share all the pieces of the DER, ending with a final version of it all put together. And not to worry - individually the pieces are good to know as each has valuable benefits and can be done on their own. And if you lose track, you can catch them on my YouTube channel. So let's get started!!
     The DER begins with 4 Thumps. In this segment, we'll talk about the first two: stomach/under eye and K27.
      For the first Thump, with your pointer and middle finger, begin by tapping on the cheekbones underneath the eyes. Tap with a medium strength: not so light that it's irritating but not so hard enough that it hurts. Tapping here activates the stomach meridian, an energy pathway that begins inside the bottom eyelid and zig-zags all the way down the front of the body and off the second toe. Do this for 30-45 seconds to help get you grounded and release worry - a lovely way to start the day!! And don't forget to breathe while you are tapping.
     The second Thump is K27, the end of the Kidney meridian. The Kidney meridian begins at the bottom of the foot at what Chinese Medicine calls "The Wellspring of Life". It's our deepest connecting point to the Earth's energy. I've described in the video how to find K27, an important point in helping all the energies of the body run forward. So if you feel like your energies are running backwards, that you're not getting to where you want to go, doing things with no effect, or can't concentrate, tapping or rubbing your K27s can help. For me, it also gives me a caffeine boost without the caffeine - perfect for the late afternoon drowsies or when I'm stuck in my car driving and feeling lethargic. K27 is great anytime you need a boost of clean energy.
     One thing to watch for as you tap or rub these points is if the area is sore or tender. This would indicate a blockage / stagnation of energy. Releasing that stuck energy with the Thumps will help to de-congest your passageways and make you feel great so go ahead and rub away!!
     Look for the other two Thumps in an upcoming newsletter. In the meantime, give yourself a boost of clean energy with these two.

Peace,
Shanti

Shanti Douglas
Mindfulness & Stress Management Coach
Eden Energy Medicine Certified Practitioner
8 limbs Holistic Health, LLC