STRESS

Stress is a common word used in our society, especially in the workplace! Forget "fight or flight" as the only duo of responses in the face of stress. For women, there's a third response: "befriend." A landmark UCLA study turned five decades of stress research on its head with the revelation that a cascade of brain chemicals gives women a larger behavioural repertoire when confronted with stress. The hormone oxytocin is released as part of the stress response in women. It controls the fight/flight response and, instead, encourages her to tend children and gather with other women.

Accordingly to co-researcher Dr. Laura Cousino Klein, now assistant professor of bio-behavioural health at Penn State, the study suggests that this "tending and befriending" response to oxytocin produces a calming effect. Although it will take new studies to reveal all the ways in which oxytocin encourages women to care for children and band together, it might also explain why women consistently outlive men.

The famed Nurses Health Study from Harvard Medical School found that the more friends people have, they less likely they are to develop physical ailments and the more likely they are to cope better with challenges.

Sadly, today's busy agendas often find women cancelling the most positive and healthy thing they can do: gathering with other women to engage in the kind of "rapport" and "report" talk that hallmark feminine conversations. The corporate women's networks that generate the most return for the time and money investment allow for the nuts-and-bolts training needed for the business while also creating plenty of opportunity for mentoring, problem-solving and the informal sharing of personal issues, which is why I am a member of Athena.  It has broadened my knowledge of how to expand my business and introduced me to many other amazing business women, one of whom is Awele who organises workshops which help women in the workplace. 

  

As well as helping women reach their full potential, in my role as a healer/therapist and teacher of meditation; on 10^th May I have organised a Retreat to Cae Mabon, a magical place near Snowdon in Wales.  It is wonderful to create a gathering of women and stand back. The energy reborn from conversation, caring, compassion, and concern can change lives and move a community, a business, and a nation into a higher place.

CREATING POSITIVE CHANGE

I have just returned from an amazing weekend course with many other Spiritual Response Therapists from various countries.  It felt so good to be with like-,minded people, who were ready to face their fears and do it anyway! 

We focused on self-awareness as it is the first step toward self-management and eventual self-mastery.  We had to identify our values, skills and talents plus our unique qualities.  As we did that, we had a clearer idea of what we need to do to achieve our goals.

Using Spiritual Response Therapy charts and our dowsing crystals we identified blocks to spiritual guidance; to self and spiritual awareness and self-management.  We then identified blocks to learning; blocking beliefs, perceptions and judgments.

We identified our negative habits, negative motivations, fear or guilt.  Also unresolved issues with family, friends and co-workers.  We also identified physical blocks and strategies to turn our life around.

So it feels very exciting  to clear everything out of the way and focus on taking the relevant action steps towards my goal.

So if you have a goal and feel that there are blocks in any shape or form standing in your way, book a Spiritual Response Therapy session with me and clear everything which may be standing in your way.  We must let go of the old dreams, beliefs, thoughts and habits if we are to progress into the new health and personal growth.  I will then help you forward.  We can work on your self-esteem; health/fitness; communication skills; relationships; career/lifework and finances/wealth.

Educators are aware that what children hear and see, they learn; what they learn, they practice; what they practice, they become!  So it is with all of us.  Piano students practice a long time before being able to play a perfect Mozart concert.  How long have you been believing you were worthless?  You probably have that belief down to perfection with an automatic response to anything that is said or done to you.  Now is the time to begin to set in motion new responses - positive responses - that will begin to change the creative outcomes in your life. 

So as many Master Teachers say “Look where you’re going – not where you’ve been”  Remember we can’t drive down the road looking back over our shoulders!

CHILDREN COPING WITH PARENTS NEW PARTNERS

Lately I have been dealing not only with relationship issues in marriage breakdowns or loss from death, but many people have been having problems with the children from their partner’s previous relationship.

Children, of all ages, may not have come to terms with loss by death or divorce and may well have unreasonable expectations of a 'recreated' family. Most experts agree that the answer is to redefine the meaning of 'family' by developing an identity as a group. Focus on shared interests and pursue new ones.

As parents, none of us wants to upset our children.  However, we do have to think about ourselves and do what is best for us.  Not many people choose to be alone and loving someone and being loved in return is what life is all about.

Children may be uncomfortable with a parent and new partner and losing a parent is very hard, as is parents who choose to divorce.  Watching a parent make a new life with someone else is also very difficult.

Many children feel that this undermines the memory of the deceased or divorced parent.  Death or divorce is like a grieving process and children may feel that things are happening too soon. 

The best way to deal with children is to be open and honest with them.  They need to hear how much they are loved and the last thing anyone wishes to do is to hurt them.  Everyone deserves a new life and happiness.

Unfortunately, step-families are at greater risk of breaking apart than any other family unit.  60% of partnerships involving children from previous unions will fail - a significantly higher percentage than marriages without stepchildren.

Like conventional biological parenting, there are no set rules and no guarantees for ensuring a contented parent-child relationship.

Instant attachments with step children are rare, and immediate emotional bonding is even rarer. There will be uncertainty and suspicion on both sides, so show respect for their boundaries and expect the same in return.

When difficulties arise, get the family together to talk openly about how they might be resolved. Children of all ages resent the notion that they have no voice and are not being listened to.

New families have no traditions, so work on building a history of shared memories and experiences. Don't ignore old traditions, but don't let them prevent the establishment of new ones.

CHANGE

There may be moments when you may believe that the journey, which is your life, isn't perfect, but that doesn't mean you are not on the perfect journey for you.

Rather than “blaming” others for your circumstances, have you ever worked with yourself on your own beliefs and energy? 

This has been a bit of a theme recently with my meditation groups about working with your own beliefs and energy as we’ve been progressing through our “worry free” theme of our 6-week course.  The results have been truly amazing, as many receive “Ah ha” moments of self-enlightenment!  

We experience what we do in our lives and go through the changes we need to experience.  Whether it be to move towards something or to move away from something, or both.  Change is a constant in life, as is your own growth and evolution. 

How you handle it and how easily you go through it, is up to you.  Not many people relish the thought of change in their lives, so perceive it as difficult and very upsetting.   To shift that to “embracing” it allows one door to close and a better one to open…

Working with Spiritual Response Therapy, the core issue(s) can be identified  and cleared in your Soul Records (Akashic Records), which creates a shift in your life to the positive. 

I believe if change is healthy, progressive, organic, amongst other things, then it will stay.   All that I teach when working with clients  is about how experiences in life are for our soul’s  growth and learning.  It is beneficial to learn about self-sufficiency, self-empowerment, self-awareness, self-responsibility and so on.

Life will happen...and there will be changes...there may be ups and downs...how you navigate this journey and your course will determine how you feel and the degree of happiness and satisfaction you experience... 

There may be moments when the journey isn't perfect, but that doesn't mean you are not on the perfect journey for you...

To book for Spiritual Response Therapy during April, contact me for the special offer of £15 discount.

Crystalhealer7@aol.com

Embracing Life!

INJUSTICE

A client returned for Spiritual Response Therapy this week and the main issue that arose in their life was “injustice”.  It showed itself in their past lives and in the current life regarding their business, as karma.

The therapy is able to clear the “program” of “injustice” in the client’s Soul (Akashic) records, but on a conscious level it is important that the soul is aware of the healing and release that comes with the intention of forgiveness. Although, it’s hard for the ego to understand.

People ask why should they forgive those who hurt, who cause pain, who don’t acknowledge support, love and sacrifices? But this is an emotional perspective and forgiveness is not emotional, it is energetic. While the emotions have their own energy, the process of forgiveness is beyond emotions, feeling, intellect and logic. It is at the level of vibration, resonance and energetic connection and it is a message from the soul that you are now ready to disconnect from karma and move into more harmonious living.

The polarity of karma is harmony, taking you from fear-based energies to a higher vibration of love. Karma demands justice and if you are a victim in this lifetime, you are giving your former victim a chance to avenge wrongs you have done to them, to find justice and to choose forgiveness instead

Forgiveness releases etheric cords created by emotional energies that bind you to your soul group through your shared karma. Without this release, you repeat cycles of judgment and revenge in each lifetime, waiting for someone to choose forgiveness to release you and them.

Forgiving means making a conscious decision to let go of old hurts. Asking your higher consciousness (High Self) to clear your energies is only temporarily effective if you continue to dwell on past problems and build new energy

One thing that forgiveness does not do is erase memories. If it did erase memories, we would have to start learning the lessons over again. So once the energy is released through forgiveness, and the memory of a challenge comes up again, it is vital that the memory not be charged with more energy. It is only a memory, so let it go and move on. No one can live in the past and be fully free and productive now.

PANIC ATTACKS

It was nearly 30 years ago that I experienced my first panic attack – something that one in ten of us will experience at some point, according to the Royal College of Psychiatrists.

At that time in my life I was under a lot of emotional stress, what with building work and decorating our new home; leaving my childhood home and the security of my parents; the preparations for our wedding and honeymoon.  Plus I was working full time in a pressurised role.  It all took its toll.

I was sitting down in my boss’s office just about to take shorthand when a wave of panic washed over me.  I felt faint, my heart was racing and my hands were clammy and thought I was going to die.  Then it passed and I began to worry if it would happen again and I’d work myself up into such anxiety, which brought on more attacks!

The day before my wedding, I had to be taken to see a psychotherapist as I didn’t understand what was happening to me!

He explained that these experiences were panic attacks and the overwhelming events of me leaving the security of my parents nest, plus working full time and the prospect of having to run my own home were just too much for me.  Also, add on the excitement and anticipation of the wedding and honeymoon and voila a “panic attack”!

Although very nervous, I managed to cope with the wedding and with that out of the way, enjoyed our honeymoon.  On return I went to the library to learn more about these attacks and how to deal with them.  Although it’s not known why some people suffer, experts believe attacks are the result of a “fight or flight” response when the body is flooded with the stress hormone adrenaline “out of context”.

Adrenaline increases the heart rate and blood pressure.  They can also be a symptom of anxiety, overwhelming feelings of tension, uncertainty and fear. This is where I first realised the importance of correct breathing; meditation/relaxation and an affirmation of “I am safe and this feeling is passing”.

During my time as a therapist I have met many, many clients who have suffered with panic attacks and I can truly emphasise with what they’re experiencing and help them deal with it and prevent them from happening.

Monday 19 March

Monday 19 March

The sun is shining, the sky is blue and the daffodils are in full bloom.  How beautiful!  This week is the Equinox; the Sun moving into the sign of Aries and nature’s birthing of a new season.  Spring gives us such a “spring in our step” as it’s a time of new growth and opportunities, and preparing for new beginnings.

This Equinox follows last week’s grand trine in earth signs and I received a phone call urging me to look at the sky to see Venus and Jupiter shining brightly together. Unfortunately, due to cloud I didn’t see them! But it was enough to be reminded that they were there!  These are the planets that bring us beauty and blessings.  Blessings sometimes come in unusual packages and we’re all being blessed with new beginnings, which always follow endings. Something has to end before something else can begin.
With the Equinox on March 22 we have a balance of daylight and darkness, and ongoing retrogrades of Mercury, Mars and Saturn. Life is all about creating “balance”. 

So, ask yourself -:
Where you can create balance in your life.
What is out of balance, out of alignment or just not working for you?
Is someone being frustrating, annoying or not honoring you?
How can you re-focus your energetic expression to create joy in your life?

Then bless wherever you are stuck because this is showing you how you can restore balance and move into joy.

It may feel unpleasant, especially with regard to relationships, but until you let go of what is not working and “shut that door”; then a new door of opportunity can open.  You are always only in control of your own life and it is important to be in “integrity” – to be true to yourself.  Bless the other person and know that they are on their own unique learning path. 

Make this the first day of your happy, powerful, joyful and joy-filled  new year.

Archangel Chamuel

The Archangel of Love and Self-Esteem.

“I give and receive love unconditionally"

Each week at my two meditation classes, the participants choose a card at the end of the evening for guidance for the rest of their week.  I have often picked a card from Chrissie Astell’s Angel Cards of Archangel Chamuel, the angel of Adoration, whose name (pronounced Kam-u-el) translated means "He who sees God".

Chamuel holds and represents the qualities of love, tolerance and gratitude. So I began to work on loving myself (learning to accept and love myself fully), practised being tolerant and mindfully focused on being grateful for everything in my life.  

I understood that working on myself would then enable me to love others completely, unconditionally and without judgement. Archangel Chamuel helps us to find love, compassion, creativity and beauty in our surrounding environment as well as recognise these qualities in others. Chamuel also helps bringing real Love into your life.

I kept a rose quartz in my study where I work and one next to my bed.  It enhances the effect of working with this loving energy.

My intention this year is for real love which is strong and supportive.  Meaning loving without the need to control others, allowing them to be free, it is nurturing without smothering.  To love and be loved in return.

So you may ask, did it work?  I’m delighted to tell you that there is a person now in my life who I thank Archangel Chamuel for and I am so grateful.  He is a true angel and even has the name of one of my favourite Archangels.  That is all I can share for now but will keep you posted!

If you too are seeking true love, just ask Archangel Chamuel to help you and know that he will.
I wish you blessings in abundance.
With love and peace,
Heather x

March

Monday, March 05, 2012

Here we are in March which has a number of powerful events, including the Equinox, a continuing Mars and Saturn retrograde and Mercury retrograde.

Mercury retro (Feb 27 – Apr 23) is a great time to slow down, catch up on stuff and review if we are spending our time and energy on doing things that bring us happiness.   

March is the time to begin the integration of all of the learning we have experienced in the last fifteen or more years.

So it’s a good idea to ask yourself a few questions:

What do you want in your life? I know that I set the intention to experience true love.  As George Benson says in “Nature Boy” - To love and be loved in return.

How do you want to feel?  I set out the intention to feel joy, happiness, love, respected, pampered, adored and abundant. 

Who do you want to interact with?  Personally, I wish to interact with positive people whose cup is half full and they have a great attitude about living life to the full.

What kinds of experiences do you want to have? Personally, my intention is for being a successful author and having fun, laughter & travelling to different places, experiencing various cultures!

Who is hurt by your choices? Hopefully, no-one. But I have no control over that; there may be damage but we have to remember that what others choose to feel about our choices is not our responsibility. It’s time for all of us to live through our vision.   

There is a powerful Full Moon on March 8 that connects with Mars and a New Moon the day after the Equinox that aligns with Uranus and Pluto. Anything that isn’t nailed down with your intention for joy may just go flying out of the window this month, whether you think you are ready or not. Or you may find that someone’s truly outrageous behavior (which you may have tolerated last month) becomes the last straw for you.
Have a wonderfully happy month.         

  Heather xx

LOVE

Love

Love is an energy.  Many of us have been experiencing the ending of relationships in 2011 allowing old or negative  love patterns to die so new ones can take their place. We can do this when we remember that love, like a flower, is an energy and it follows a cycle of death and rebirth.

In autumn trees and flowers lose their leaves and die back so they can re-generate in the spring. It’s all part of natures natural cycle. Love follows the same kind of cycle. Old patterns of love and loving, such as the ones that are needy, demanding, or controlling, cannot co-exist with new, higher vibrations of unconditional love that expand love into acceptance, self control, worthiness and value. So in order to make room for this shift in love, we enter into a love cycle.

To begin the cycle, we recognise the old love pattern for what it truly is. Then we have to release what is not positive for us. As we let go of what’s not working, we create an energetic space for the new pattern, thereby releasing the old person or situation and a new one enters our energetic space, at the new and higher vibration. But what often happens is we try to make the old pattern fit the new paradigm and we try to hold on to the familiar relationship even though we know it doesn’t “feel” right as we’re trying to make the past fit into the present moment.

That energy can transform but only when there is something for it to transform into, and it is willing to do that. This is an either/or possibility, either the old love pattern will shift into a new vibration or a new love will present itself to us, in response to our intention for love. But we have to be willing to allow the shift to happen, be open to a new love energy that matches our intention and know that our intention always manifests, in one way or another. Fear that there's something deeply wrong with us is what keeps so many of us women from attracting and connecting to a good man who will love us - forever. You ARE capable - you're more than capable. You CAN have a relationship that meets and exceeds your wildest expectations.

So if you are wishing for new love to enter your life, set an intention for new love, allow the love cycle play itself out and know that when one love pattern ends, it is a brilliant opening for new unconditional love to manifest in your life. Isn't it beautiful that your heart is the biggest muscle in your body?

Me in Glastonbury