Things aren't lost; they are misplaced.

Our days are so intense in the modern day with smart phones and emails and work and daily living, it's know wonder we seem to always be losing 'stuff': wallet, keys, the remote, a sweatshirt you know you have..

Imagine our ancestors’ lives, a bit simpler, perhaps slower, with less advancements in the ways of technology and communication.  To top if that, we have more stuff today then humans have had or processed in the past ever.

This is simply insight into the lifestyle we are currently enjoying.

Herein lies the reasons for our silly discombobulatedness .

Sometimes its simple, like, you can’t find your keys.  You start searching with a bit of panic.  You look in your coat, your purse, you sweep your eyes around the house and ..NO KEYS.  If we slow down our reaction….the keys are not in my sight.  And calm down our minds, we can be more clear about our intent to find them.  With intention, anything is possible.  With Reiki and distance Reiki, I can help you get to this slower pace.  If you lose something and are struggling to find it, contact me healingwithpeace@gmail.com and I may be able to help you location that missing item.

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Chakra Art

I have always been moved by color.  While taking a graduate counseling course at the University of Vermont titled "Mindfulness, Happiness, and Health", I was introduced to a self-healing exercise used to bring calm to the soul and stillness to the mind, while creating beauty.  Above you'll see my first two pieces of art.  I call them: CHAKRA ART!

Oh, the beauty they bring to a room.  I currently have a piece in my kitchen and one in my entertainment room (shown above). The theme with these pieces is a connection to the chakras. 

Part of the gift of my art is the visible reminder of the chakras lending itself to an opportuinty to stop for a moment from our busy modern lives and remind us each of the amazing color scheme within.  I often pause when I see my chakra art and absorb the beads' beauty, looking at each color- while connecting to each beautiful energy orb inside of me.  It is an awesome experience.

I'm looking forward to making more pieces of this type of art and will continue to share them on my blog.  At a certain point I will be willing to custom make chakra art for anyone interested and may eventually sell my own pieces (once I am ready to part with them.)

Your SOLAR PLEXUS Chakra

Pictured above is a depiction of the symbol for our SOLAR PLEXUS CHAKRA.  Some also refer to this chakra as the Navel, based on location.  

  Our SOLAR PLEXUS chakra is your center for POWER and WILL.

This energy's color representation is YELLOW.

The SOLAR PLEXUS chakra is ruled by the element: FIRE.

It is typically developed between the ages of 18 months and 4 years old, but can still be strewngthened today.  

This energy center is located on your body, between the ribcage and the navel, below the diaphram.  Based on location, this chakra interacts with the upper abdomen, stomach, liver, gall bladder, pancreas, intestine, and spleen. This is connected to the endocrine gland. 

Archetypes of those with strong SOLAR PLEXUS chakra energy are emitting self-esteem, self-confidence, self-respect, self-love and strong will with a sense of empowerment.  They intend to attain an achieved state of: Being. 

Some stones may bring strength, a balance, and a reminder of this chakra: amber, topaz, citrine.

Essential oils to use are: juniper, lavender, bergamot, and rosemary.

If you have a Balanced and Open SOLAR PLEXUS Chakra: You see yourself clearly and know who you are in this body and in this universe.

If your SOLAR PLEXUS Chakra is unbalanced: You perceive others, not how they are, but how you perceive them to be.  An unbalanced SOLAR PLEXUS chakra will have the ego in control.

REMEMBER it is important to care for all of your chakras or energy centers.  Your SOLAR PLEXUS CHAKRA has a number of ways for us to care for it.  First, know that the musical note of this energy center is the note E.

Use this note as an entrance and exit of your mediation.  Hum this note throughout your day to recenter your SOLAR PLEXUS energy.  

The mantra I suggest for your SOLAR PLEXUS CHAKRA is: 

I ACT

You may create your own mantras or find others that may suit you better.  Whatever you choose, allow it to reconnect the SOLAR PLEXUS as center of your will and power.  Make the spiritual connection to accept your place in this life stream.  This chakra's power is WILL.  

A chant may also be used to engage the energy center through vocal and auditory connections.  The chant for the NAVEL is: RAM and/or DA

As you chant, hold your hands in front of your stomach, slightly below your solar plexus.  Join your fingers at the tops and have them all pointing away from you (an outward prayer position).  Cross your thumbs and keep your fingers straight.  Concentrate on your navel.  Chant in the key of E three times while taking large breaths.

The SOLAR PLEXUS Chakra is needs foods to feed self-esteem and self-love.  These include 3 types:

granola and grains: pastas, breads, cereals, seeds, rice; DAIRY: milk, cheese, yogurt; SPICES; ginger, mints, chamomile, turmeric, cumin, fennel  

This last exercise is a physical grounding activity. 

A daily practice to love and honor this part of your being is to hug yourself as tightly as possible.  As you do this, INHALE puff you your chest as far as you can.  Twist to the right and hold for 5 counts.  Then, exhale as you come back to center.  Again, inhale and puff your chest.  This time twist to the left and hold for five counts.  Come back to center and slowly release your arms.  Repeat 3x.

Your Root Chakra

Root chakra

     

Meaning: “root support”, The Root chakra is the foundation of your chakra system.

Color: red

Element: earth

Archetype: mother earth

Location: base of spine

Associated endocrine gland: adrenal medulla

Musical note: C

Mantra: I AM HERE

Chant: LAM

Power: gravity

Foods: proteins, root vegetables

Balanced root chakra: You feel grounded, centered, and able to live life NOW.

Unbalanced Root chakra: You may have a weak root chakra if:  you feel threatened or unsafe in this world, if you tend to be fearful or nervous, often feeling disconnected or alienated.

GROUNDING: Use this exercise to strengthen your root chakra and your connection to the ground.
Stand up straight and relaxed.
Put your feet shoulder width apart.
Slightly bend your knees.
Put your pelvis somewhat forward.
Keep your body balanced, so that your weight is evenly distributed over the soles of your feet.
Sink your weight downward.
Keep in this position for several minutes.

Your Sacral Chakra

Pictured above is a depiction of the symbol for our SACRAL CHAKRA.  They are many graphic varieties of the symbol.  However all variations represent the same idea:

  Our sacral chakra is where we harbor our feelings and sexuality energy.   We consider this space the "sacral home of self" and hub of creative potential.

This energy's color representation is ORANGE.

The sacral chakra is ruled by the element: WATER.  

This energy center is located in your sacrum and lower abdomen.  For obvious location reasons, this energy is involved with the testes and ovaries.  Additional involvement occurs with the adrenal glands, prostrate gland, reproductive system, spleen and bladder.

Archetypes of those with strong sacral chakra energy are those that represent or model an emperor/empress or sovereign personality.  

If you have a Balanced and Open Sacral Chakra: Your feelings flow freely.  You can express yourself without being overly emotional.  You are intimate and have passion and a zest for life.

If your Sacral Chakra is unbalanced: You may feel stiff and unemotional.  Some are considered to wear a "poker face".  You are typicalyl not very open to people.

REMEMBER it is important to care for all of your chakras or energy centers.  Your SACRAL CHAKRA has a number of ways for us to care for it.  First, know that the muscial note of this energy center is the note D.

Use this note as an entrance and exit of your mediation.  Hum this note throughout your day to recenter your sacral energy.  You can also engage this energy center using a mantra.  A mantra, as described by wikipdeia.com, can be a sound, syllable, word, or as in this case, a group of words that are capable of creating some sort of transformation.  The mantra is originated from the vedic tradition of India.  It is indeed a traditional practice in Hinduism, Buddhism, and other similar spiritual movements.  

The mantra I suggest for your SACRAL CHAKRA is: 

I FEEL

You may create your own mantras or find others that may suit you better.  Whatever you choose, allow it to reconnect the SACRAL as emotional center and grounding you to open your feelings and creativity.  This chakra's power is MAGNETISM and attraction to others.  

A chant may also be use to engage the energy center through vocal and auditory connections.  The chant for the ROOT is: VAM and/or MA

As you chant, place your hands on your lap, face up on top of each other, left hand below, with thumbs lightly touching.  Concentrate and make a connection to the area in your lower abdomen.

Some examples of the crystals and stones that hold similar energies to the sacral chakra are: amber, carnelian, moonstone, orange calcite, and turquoise.  Use them to strengthen the Sacral Chakra in your system.

The Sacral Chakra is well-balanced needs foods that nourish the sexual and creativity center of your body.  

orange fruits & vegetables: providing beta-carotene and other carotenoids.

seeds:  rich in healthy fats, especially flax seed because of its ability to influence estrogen activity in the body and thought to reduce certain cancers (breast, prostrate, and colon) (www.newconnexion.net, Dr. Deanna Minich. 2011)

spices: cinnamon, vanilla, carob, sweet paprika, sesame seeds, caraway seeds.

nuts: Cashews for excellent; they cashews great, rich in a buttery taste and shaped like the crescent moon.  Walnuts are important and are brain-shaped and ironically high in brain boasting omega-3 fatty acids.  Include other nuts like almonds too!

This last exercise is a physical grounding activity. 

Sit comfortably with your legs criss-crossed in front of you.  Inhale  deeply and push the tip of your spine backward.  This is assist in opening the front of your sacrum while expanding and filling your lower belly.  Imagine that the air you inhale expand the area between your hips and makes that space wide.  Exhale and move your sacrum in the opposite directions, this time pushing your navel back toward your spine.  Repeat this inhale and exhale exercise and continue to expand and contract the space between your hips; you can increase the speed as you go.  Connect with the fluidity of your pelvic area and let that flow up your spine.

Investigating Chakras

In this new series, we will discover all there is to know about the chakra system.  The chakra concept originates from Hindu and Buddhist traditions.  The word chakra is derived from the Sanskrit word for “wheel’.  Just like wheels, chakras are wheel-like vortices believed to exist at the surface of all living beings.  The idea is that the chakras are energy centers and are focal points for energy transmission and receptions.  (source: wikipedia.com)

Let’s begin by taking a chakra test: http://www.eclecticenergies.com/chakras/chakratest.php

http://www.thundervisionrecords.com/chakra.html