The Not Yet Entirely Lost Art Form of Letter Writing

 

 

Decades ago, before he passed, our friend Doug used to write great Christmas letters.  They were not the common parade of achievements or lists of places visited far and wide, but were filled instead with poignant slices of life and his sincere responses, along with a generous sprinkling of humor.  We saved every one of them.

Like a gift, a good letter is something that can be cherished.  It is a testament of friendship and love, and carries with it the depth of our spirit and our true self.

Different from typical electronic communications, letters begin with the word, 'Dear,' followed by a name.  Even business letters have their, 'Dear Sir,' or 'Dear Madam,'.   This is the greeting.  Letters then progress to two or three or more paragraphs, each covering a pertinent or interesting point.  They can begin or finish with a summary or final thoughts  and close with a salutation like 'Gratefully yours,' 'Respectfully,' or 'With love.'  Though all letters deserve to be well crafted, personal letters can and often do take this to a level of being an art form.  They may even sometimes include little sketches, or arrows or even occasionally photographs.

When I sit down to write a personal letter, I give it my full concentration, free from interruptions.  Though the cat may be on my lap or the dog at my feet, as the sentences and flow of ideas arise, they can be lost if interruptions break the silence of my thoughts.  So, I generally sequester myself away somewhere with a nice cup of tea, appropriate paper and a good writing pen.  Just like an artist gathering her pallet and supplies for a painting, or a lyricist sitting down with his guitar, the space of creation is the same: quiet, comfortable and private.  We bring our full presence to the communication and it's fun.  It feels good.  It is satisfying.

So during this time away from ordinary time, perhaps consider giving it a try.  Set aside an hour or two to be creative, to give the gift of your self, of your love for the other and remember to include what has made you smile.  It is guaranteed to bring them a chuckle too.  Tell them something like when you were taking the kids to class the other morning you asked them,"What did the mama buffalo say to her little boy buffalo when she dropped him off at school?"  "Bye son."  (Bison.)  Tee Hee.  Okay.  "What did the zero say to the eight?"  "Nice belt."  I know, go ahead and groan.  I couldn't help but share two of my favorites with you.

 Reading a good handwritten letter can be surprisingly warming for both of your hearts on some of these cold mid-winter nights. 

Enjoy.  With love, from me.

                 

Holiday Gifts ~ How to Make a Simple Healing Salve

 

 

The winter holidays are coming and homemade gifts are so appreciated.  Please enjoy this short video on how to make a lovely herbal salve for nourishing and healing the skin.  Commonly used herbs are: chickweed, cleavers or calendula, but many other skin healing herbs can be used as well, either fresh or dried. This age old recipe is relatively inexpensive, simple and easy to do.

As a Clairvoyant Healer, Spiritual Counselor and Intuition Instructor, I share many tips for leading a healthy and fulfilling life.  Please be advised that I am not a doctor. Nor am I licensed in any healing modality. However, I have had years of experience in alternative and complementary health and healing. All healing programs, including standard western medical protocols in addition to natural therapies, can cause harm rather than the benefit that you may be searching for. After all some people can have a strong reaction to something as seemingly innocent as peanuts or strawberries. Therefore, anything that I may recommend in these blogs and videos could be dangerous for you to try. So, it is important that you Ask Your Doctor First before trying any natural healing protocol. However, most medical doctors have little experience regarding natural healing programs and herbal medicine. So please understand if your doctor is unfamiliar with these ideas.

© 2020 Josephine Laing

Moving Beyond Divisiveness

 

Recently a favorite cousin of mine was pushing hard to have me change my perspective on a topic of contemporary interest.  We found that we were both standing on opposite sides of the issue.  She wanted me to embrace her viewpoint and she was quite fervent and persistent about it.  This was something that I had already suffered for years, in conversations with other close family members, regarding their political views.  I realized that I almost had post-traumatic stress disorder-like symptoms from those continuous attempts at trying to get me to, 'Pray with them at the altar of their beliefs.' 

These earlier conversations were always stressful, trying, and definitely not fun for me.  I was made to feel inferior and was ridiculed.  It got so bad that I chose to no longer speak with them for more than just a few minutes.  Though I do try to always be patient and kind with everyone whom I encounter, in general, I prefer to be with people who are positive and uplifting, rather than allow myself to become bogged down by negative thinking.  This is because I do think that we are able to accomplish our best work in life when we are in a happy and loving environment.  So, with my dear cousin, who I really resonate with on so many other topics, I was inspired to take a different tack and find a way through it, rather than simply avoiding it, as I had done in the past.

It is my belief that everyone is doing the very best that they can, given the experiences and information that they have encountered thus far in life, and that with few exceptions, we are all basically honorable and trying to create a better world.  So, I began by letting my cousin know that I was familiar with the many points of her position.  I explained that though I respected her perspective, I wouldn't be true to myself if I was to agree with her when I really didn't think or believe that way.  I also said that I thought that it was okay for us to have differing points of view.  We live in the world of duality, with light and dark, day and night, up and down.  We humans have lots of opposite beliefs, along with all of the shades of gray in between.  I think that our varying perspectives add color to our lives.  And though I found her differing views of interest, I didn't want to be forced to embrace them and so I asked for what I wanted, which was to continue to meet in harmony on the topics that we both love.  I also shared a few more points with my cousin, all of which seemed to help.

While I was in college, I studied statistics.  I only did so for about a week or two, before I dropped the class.  But the one thing that I learned during my brief time in that course, was that you can statistically prove anything.  Anything.  There will always be the 'facts' to fully back up and support any point of view.  Then, years ago, while gardening, I had a rather astounding epiphany.  I realized that what is right for a cat, may or may not be right for a dog.  And what is right for a dog, may or may not be right for a cat.  This shows that...   Diversity Negates Right and Wrong.  And thank goodness it does.  Furthermore, no two snow flakes are exactly alike, nor are any two roses.  We are all beautifully distinctive individuals, with our own brightness, and we each shine in our own unique way.  

Over the years, I've noticed, that with couples, one may have certain traits that are quite different from the other's.  Their differences are part of the attraction.  He might want to be more spontaneous and she might wish that she could be more organized.  The trouble starts when each trys to make the other behave more like themselves,  unable to understand how their partner could continue to think or be that other way.  When we loose our appreciation for our uniqueness, and no longer see or appreciate the other's shine, we can fall into an adversarial relationship.  And that's not fun for anyone.  

One of my mentors, Peace Pilgrim, used to say, "We are all cells in the body of humanity."  And there are many different types of cells in a body.  Embryology teaches us that after an egg is fertilized, the cells begin to divide.  At first most of the cells look the same, but then some begin to differentiate into the precursor cells for the various organs and parts of the body.  They were once all the same, but then they become differentiated.  There are liver cells, muscle cells, bone cells, etc.  Each one is different, yet every one is precious and all are a part of the same person.    My baby finger is different from my thumb, yet both are a part of my hand.  My nose is different from my ear, each one has different reactions and priorities, yet both are a part of my face.  And all of it is a part of me and they all serve the one, me.  Most all of the world's spiritual traditions teach that "We are all one."  We may be different but we are not separate.  So, learning how to appreciate and accept one another is a good idea.  

As I look at humanity's collective psyche, it seems to me that we are leaving an old paradigm of separation, and moving into one of acceptance with an acknowledgment of our interconnection.  Our former way of being, the way that my closest family members approached me with regard to my different points of view, involved a lot of shame and blame and guilt, predominately directed at me.  (Of course, finger pointers are typically most critical of their own selves.  They are their own worst judge and so to bring themselves some relief, they find fault with others.)  In that paradigm of separation, we find isolation, loneliness, competition along with struggling against life and each other as the norm.  And, when we see ourselves as separate, we can imagine ourselves as better than others.  Herein lie the roots of war.  Our new way of becoming, the way that I was able to bridge the gap with my dear cousin, harbingers a time of allowance, of respect and of love.  Togetherness and collaboration, with each uniquely contributing to the whole, is the way that I think we are headed.  It is how we become when we see ourselves as one.

It is good to remember that we are a relatively young species here on earth.  I've heard it said that if all of life on earth was equivalent to one year, homo sapiens would have only arisen on the scene in the last 15 minutes or so.  We are just starting to learn how to live life and about how life works.  It is like we are barely at the tricycle stage when there are years of beautiful skills and exceptional mountain bikes to come.  We are just beginning to be able to understand how wondrous life can be.

So, how might we navigate the waters to this new end?  Well, we can try to imagine how the world appears from the other's perspective.  We can try on their reality as if it were a coat.  Put it on, look around, take it off and hand it back.  We can be supportive, in each moment, respecting the other and encouraging them to be who they already are.  In situations like these, where someone has a perspective that is different from my own, I often ask myself, "I wonder what it is like to be them?  How does their interaction with me feel?  How can I help them to know that they are seen, loved and respected by me, all the while remaining true to myself?"  Rumi said, "Love is the bridge between you and everything."  That is the key, being kind and compassionate.  And it is love, at this level, that helps us to mid-wife a new human consciousness into being.

My COVID-19 Prevention Routine

Prevention, through a strong immune system, is always our best defense.  Washing hands and keeping our fingers away from our face, we already know.  Helping to mitigate the spread of this virus by minimizing our release of and contact with the droplets from "mouth rain," is also a good idea.  Simple sanitizing sprays or washing items with soap can be beneficial as well.  Hydrogen peroxide, (best to start with 30% as it has no stabilizing additives,) can be diluted to less than 1% and used in a nebulizer.  It creates a steam-like cool mist which can be inhaled.  I use it on days when I may have been exposed to lots of people or possible carriers of the virus, to help clear my sinuses and lungs.  (See Dr. Mercola's website for exact details on healing with h2o2.)  Take good care of yourself and know that if you do, you are going to be safe.  Then you can hold good thoughts and be well.  And, please enjoy this 7 minute video.

Disclaimer:
Please be advised that I am not a doctor.  Nor am I licensed in any healing modality.  However, I have had years of experience in alternative and complementary health and healing.  All healing programs, including standard western medical protocols in addition to natural therapies, can cause harm rather than the benefit that you may be searching for.  After all some people can have a strong reaction to something as seemingly innocent as peanuts or strawberries.  Therefore, anything that I may recommend in these blogs could be dangerous for you to try.  So, it is important that you Ask Your Doctor First before trying any natural healing protocol.  However, because most medical professionals have very little experience regarding natural healing programs that involve foods and herbal medicine, please be understanding if your doctor is unfamiliar with these ideas.

 
© Josephine Laing 2020 

 

 

 

Finding Peace From Within

Several years back a large research study was done on human population responses.  In it the researchers noted that when a significant portion of a population was focused on an aggressive behavior, like a boxing match, the crime rate in that area rose by a notable percent.  Similarly, the results showed that if a certain portion of the population focused on a peaceful event, like a group meditation, the crime rate in that area dropped accordingly.  I find this phenomena quite compelling and worthy of note in these COVID-19 times.  

Fear can be very seductive.  It grabs ahold of our minds and focuses our thoughts there.  So, I'm writing today to ask a favor.  Think good thoughts.  Find a way to calm your mind and open yourself to inner peace.

The thoughts we choose to think are exclusively our own choice.  No one else has the power to decide what goes on inside of our heads.  We alone actively choose what we'd like to focus on.  And whatever we habitually dwell on thickens the neuropathways in our brains, causing us to think that way more frequently.

One might ask, 'How do we change the way we think if we have fallen into a pattern of negative thoughts?'  The movie What the Bleep Do We Know, and it's sequel, What the Bleep Down the Rabbit Hole, both, address this problem very clearly.  To get out of a negative thought pattern, we need to find an alternative inspirational thought, a different way of thinking about things.  This is what helps us to change.  And then we need to practice that new way of thinking.  It is the practice that helps us to lay down and thicken new neural pathways.  And as we change our individual minds, we help to change the group mind, one brain at a time.

There are many tools out there to help us with these changes.  The folks at The Heartmath Institute have meditations where you focus on what you love.  Emotional Freedom Technique, (EFT,) or tapping, offers similar techniques.  Inspirational and motivational speakers help us to think more positively.  So does working with our subconcious mind, like Lee Milteer or Dr. Cathy Collautt do.  Either of these techniques can really help to turn a bad mental jag around. 

I love Louise Hay's work with her stellar book, You Can heal Your Life, and her powerful use of affirmations for healing our minds.  And there is no underestimating the power of good nutrition.  Donuts and a cup of coffee do not make for good thoughts.  But lots of vegetables and fruits in the diet certainly do.  They provide good minerals for good cellular health.  And healthy cells make for good blood, which cleans and feeds our brains.

A walk out in nature and time spent alone, allowing yourself to notice what has your attention and considering additional viewpoints is also helpful.  Resting our attention for a moment or two, while focusing on the beauties of nature around us, can give the deeper parts of our brain a chance to function.  This allows inspirations and creative solutions to arise from within us.  

I love journaling.  It lets me get it all out, and then after that, my mind pauses in quiet reflection.  This lets me come up with new perspectives that serve me better.

For PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome Disorder) related negative mind habits, I've had good luck releasing those thought patterns with skilled counseling.  But in more severe cases, techniques like NLP or EFT can help.  And I understand that MAPS will be coming available in 2021 with it's ground breaking results for healing the more severe cases of PTSD.

Another great tool is simply tuning off the news.  We have a fear-based, violence-addicted media.  Reading or listening to the news every day holds our minds to that style of thinking.  It isn't good for us or for our group mind to have us all be agreeing that things are terrible out there, when actually things are pretty good, right here.  Most of us have homes to live in, food to eat, shoes on our feet and clothes to wear.  Rather than focusing on what we don't have, can't do and catastrophizing everything, it serves us all much better to remember to be grateful for all the many blessings we do have and for what we can do.  And fear not, the news of the day will reach us one way or another.  I always mange to get informed sooner or later.

I've also been learning a lot, about positive thinking and celebrating life, from my cat, lately.  She wakes up in her little bed, wherever that may happen to be and stretches and begins to purr.  She cleans herself, then she goes out and luxuriates in the warm sunshine.  And I do mean luxuriate.  She rubs her chin on the corner of a rock, lies down and makes herself long and rolls in the dust.  Then she jumps in my lap for pets and loving and life becomes bliss for both of us.

So, let's think good thoughts and frequently find and focus on peace from within.  We know from the science of human behavior that it will do us and our world, a world of good.

Preventing Rotator Cuff Re-injury (Part 3 in My Rotator Cuff Series)

In this twelve minute video, Josephine shares the specific exercises that she uses several times a week.  They have allowed her to strengthen her shoulders and prevent the frequent rotator cuff re-injuries which she used to regularly suffer from.  Please enjoy this wonderfully instructive video that may also help you to keep your shoulders nice and strong and injury free.

 

Disclaimer:
As a Clairvoyant Healer, Spiritual Counselor and Intuition Instructor, I share many tips for leading a healthy and fulfilling life.  Please be advised that I am not a doctor. Nor am I licensed in any healing modality. However, I have had years of experience in alternative and complementary health and healing. All healing programs, including standard western medical protocols in addition to natural therapies, can cause harm rather than the benefit that you may be searching for. After all some people can have a strong reaction to something as seemingly innocent as peanuts or strawberries. Therefore, anything that I may recommend in these blogs and videos could be dangerous for you to try. So, it is important that you Ask Your Doctor First before trying any natural healing protocol. However, most medical doctors have little experience regarding natural healing programs and herbal medicine. So please understand if your doctor is unfamiliar with these ideas.

© Josephine Laing 2020

My Experience at IONS with the Exceptional Healers Study Part 2

Part Two: An Overview of My Methods and How You Can Apply Them In Your Own Life

The Institute of Noetic Sciences (IONS) recently asked me to be on a panel webinar discussing some of the results from their Exceptional Healer Study, which I had participated in last June as an energetic healer.  Here are some of the ideas that I shared during the second half of the webinar which was titled: Consciousness & Healing: Energy Medicine — The Intersection of Mind, Body, and Spirit

I was asked to explain the mechanism of how I did my work during the study.  I shared that it was much like how I do my work at home, only it was an abbreviated version.  After having been hooked up to the scientific measuring wires myself, and while the client was being hooked up to their wires and getting settled into their chair, in the big steel box, I proceeded with my usual internal clearing protocol.  This involves using my imagination to ground and center myself.  Then I invite in my higher self, feel my aura, focus on my heart and then reach out into the greater environment.  After this, I ground the room and the earth and call upon protection, along with peace on earth and beyond.  Then I move into my psychology, reminding myself that we are all equally precious, that I stand on my own values, and am fearless in the face of challenges.  I also remind myself that the Universe shares one benevolent consciousness with me and with everyone and that I trust that love. I focus myself in my joy, love myself and always expect the best, free from attachment to outcome, while being centered in the present moment.  Finally, I run my chakras and then focus my awareness on the iridescent white light chakra just above my head.

From there I use my intention to connect with my client and allow our combined higher self to inform me of what is going on in their bodies.  It is a lot like trying on someone else's coat.  These are the techniques that I teach my students, and I often offer parts of them in great details in my podcasts, which are free on my website, stepintomagic.com.  

I then shared how I usually receive an opening image that informs me about the beauty of the soul whom I am having the pleasure of connecting with.  This image often serves as a guiding light for the reading.  And anything that is present in that person that is not in harmony with their true nature then reveals itself for healing.  Sometimes the helpful course of action comes in the form of lifestyle changes, or changes in diet, perhaps with helpful herbs.  Sometimes there can be perceptions and beliefs that the person has which limits them and can prevent their true expression.  As images and sensations arise, I share them and make a few scribbled notes and drawings of them.

The union of our hearts, in the present moment, with full acceptance and love, shows me who they are, their unique part to play, in the vast contextual whole, of that great jigsaw puzzle of life.  It also allows them to open up to the love that they have for themselves, for who they are and for who they would truly love to be, and are, indeed, meant to be.  This helps them to liberate themselves from what ever is blocking their ease.  And herein is where the mind, body, spirit connection lies.  It is the union of: the true purpose, inspired by spirit, held precious and dear by the heart/mind and manifested by the body.  This is where the interaction of energetic healing comes alive.  This is what positively activates our psychoneuroimmunology into a healing mode.

Unfortunately healing techniques of the energetic nature, such as: laying on of hands, shamanic work, medical intuition, calling in the holy spirit or quantum touch are not very commonly accepted in our culture because we have a very left brain dominant view of how life should be conducted.  Now, it is important to say that we absolutely need both halves of our brains in order to function.  We can't walk down the hall and speak without both hemispheres in full operation.  But, we definitely have a tendency to favor the left brain focus when it comes to our cultural emphasis.  

You will recognize the traits and focus of the left brain here.  It is linear, analytic and factual.  It focuses on the past, with what has happened before and it holds concerns about the future.  The left brain also values established routines, it likes what is familiar.  It is responsible for our feeling individuated as a separate self.  And, funnily enough, the left brain tends to be somewhat dismissive of right brain skills and values.  

(As an aside, I think it is our preference for the left brain view that has resulted in a materialistic or mechanistic view of nature and the cosmos.)
 
Our right brain, by contrast is focused on non-conventional approaches to life.  It is spontaneous and is involved in spatially related endeavors like how our bodies move through space, dancing or building sand castles.  The right brain dwells in the present moment and is also where our sensual perceptions arise, including our psychic senses.  The right brain favors new and novel solutions to problems.  It engages the imagination and creativity, often while we are being idle, dwelling in the present moment, not thinking of anything.  It is the right brain that brings forth, to our conscious awareness, insights and inspirations.  This is part of why meditation is so valuable.  It helps to put us in that right brain space of oneness, where we have access to all.  

(I feel that the right brain point of view is more aligned with our Quantum Mechanical view of science.) 

Since our culture is so very left brain dominant, in order for us to achieve greater balance both individually and societally, it benefits us to engage in right brain activities.  These can include: sitting idly or meditating, walking in nature, dancing, singing, and listening to or playing music.  

Children are often still quite balanced in their right and left brains and they tend to exhibit wonderful right brain oriented behaviors.  They play and pretend, using their imaginations.  It would be great for us, as adults, to do some of that too.  And doing anything that involves a sense of humor, laughing or cracking jokes is great, because it involves the sense of surprise.  Telling stories or finding images in clouds, engaging in dream interpretation and drawing are all right brain dominant activities that we can easily cultivate and add into our daily routines.

When it comes to how we can help ourselves to become more perceptive in terms of our own health and healing and what might be needed there, I shared that letting go of the cultural model of being the tough farm boy type, who keeps on working even though he has injured himself, would be a good place to start.  It brings great benefit when we allow ourselves to be more sensitive.  If something is wrong, all we need to do is to take a few breaths and ask ourselves what we can do to help make things right again.  There is an unending wealth of inner knowing available to all of us if we simply take the time to ask and then listen from within.  And to begin to do this with others, we just need to center ourselves in our hearts, free from any preconceived agenda.

Dr. Garret Yount then spoke to how we might be able to use a scientific model to demonstrate how energetic healing work takes place and he shared three possible ideas.  The first was by some sort of energy or chi that is transmitted from the healer to the patient.  Thus the term "Energy Healing."  The second possibility is through the subconscious where we share and exchange knowledge but are unaware of it.  The third involved the use of telepathy sent from the mind of the healer to the client with the intention of restoring balance.  But it seemed to me that the third model was better postulated through the heart to heart connection, with a genuine sense of love happening between the two, going both ways, as if we were one.  We both liked that idea.

I feel that the heart is were the real power lies.  It is where we harmonize with our interconnected oneness, in the present moment, in that vast sea of the acceptance of our true nature as infinite beings.

At that point, Helané asked me if I might have a practice that I could recommend for our listeners.  And I did.  It is an open eyed meditation, that I love to do, focusing on the present moment. 

Here it is now:
Using your five senses, one at a time, starting with hearing, see if you can hear something in your environment, right now.  Perhaps you can hear a bird song, or the sound of the wind in the trees.  Give yourself a moment to listen.
You may have noticed that you didn't have any thoughts while you were listening.

Now, vision.  Let your eyes settle on something right in front of you.  Notice its color and texture and how the light bounces off of it.  Now, while still looking at the object straight ahesd, see if you can notice, with your peripheral vision something just to the left of it.  What does that look like?  Notice the colors and textures that you can see.
Again, you may have noticed that you didn't have any thoughts while you were looking.

Moving on to our sense of touch.  Can you feel the fabric of your clothes touching your body anywhere?  How about your hands, where are they resting, what does the surface they are on feel like?
If you are focusing here and now, there are no thoughts.

Taste.  Perhaps there is something lingering in your mouth, the residue of a cookie or a cup of coffee.  I'll sometimes lick my hand to see if it has a taste.
Again, more time without any thoughts.

Smell.  Can you smell anything in your environment.  Maybe there is something blooming in the garden.  I sometimes smell my skin.

We can do this meditation for just a moment or two for each sense, or we can really soak in it and take ten or more minutes on each of our senses.  It does offer a refreshing break from all of the constant chatter of our thinking mind, which, by the way, always takes place in the left brain.  The whole time that we were doing this meditation together, we were definitely more in our right brains than our left brains.  And, then later, once we have become familiar with this meditation, we can then begin to use our imaginations at the start, and allow ourselves to open up to perceiving with our psychic senses: clairvoyance, clairaudience, clairsentience, etc.

Practice brings it closer and closer.

I then explained that I also like to give homework, but perhaps it is better described as homeplay, because it really is quite lovely.  It's sort of like the game of pretend that we all played as children, using our imaginations.  This is another great right brain exercise.  It helps us to begin to enter into oneness.

Here it is:
Take some time, a couple of times this week, for just a moment or two, to think of one of your loved ones, someone that you are near to or spending some time with, a family member or a friend, and try to imagine what it is like to be them.  Just for a second.  Let yourself try them on, like a coat, and allow yourself to connect heart to heart with them.  Perhaps they are with you in the kitchen before dinner and are opening up a bottle of wine or maybe they are across town, playing volleyball or walking their dog.  What might it feel like to be in their body, just for half a minute.  What might they be thinking or feeling in that moment.  This can increase our compassion for each other and it open us up to our sense of oneness. 

This is how we can open ourselves to animal communication or plant communication, as well.  Whoever it was who came up with the term, "anthropomorphizing" did a lot for promoting the left brain dominant view of the world by making it seem like a silly thing to think that animals or plants could possibly be sentient beings with intelligences and characteristics not too unlike our own.  And, of course, now we know that various researchers have shown that both animals and plants not only feel, they communicate, they care for their young, look for food, find comfort and use tools, differently from us, indeed, but really, just like we do.

I was asked if I felt that people can do energy healing remotely and I responded that remote healing is exclusively what I do and that my clients call me back for more, so it must be working otherwise, why would they.  I was also asked if this is a skill that any one can do.  My feeling on this is that yes, everyone can do it.  People do seem to have natural tendencies and skills.  Families that focus on economics, with a father who is a banker and a mother who is a mortgage broker will likely have children who are good with numbers.  I think natural propensities can be both inherited and learned.  But, as I like to say, everyone of us can learn to play the piano.  If we sit down and practice, long enough, we'll get there.  The same holds true for psychic ability.  I happen to have psychic skills in several close relatives on either side of my family line.  I also happen to have a number of relatives with a scientific bent.  And both of those come easy for me.  Mathematics, not so much.  But if I really work at it, I can do it.  So, yes, I do feel that we can all learn any psychic skill.  

I also feel that we all do already have, typically, some degree of natural psychic ability.  We commonly speak of our gut reactions, or déjà vu, some even have been touched in one way or another by a deceased loved one.  We have lucky socks or watches and we trust our dream impressions.  We already believe and culturally accept these lower level examples of psychic skills without question.  We are just on the verge of stretching ourselves a little bit farther into an arena that will expand our consciousness into a whole 'nother realm, embracing telepathy, premonitions and energetic remote healing.

In closing I'd like to thank the Emerald Gate Foundation, who was inspired to fund this study, and thereby help to open the eyes of humanity to our greater potentiality, and for the benefit of us all.  Their support will continue to not only give genuine scientific credibility to energy healing modalities, but it will also help us to free our selves from the limiting thoughts and beliefs, of our left brain dominant culture, that are not only holding us back socially, but also potentially harming us and the world around us gravely, through preventing us from seeing the depth of beauty and healing that is readily available, all around us, permeating our shared consciousness, and uniting us all, in love.

© Josephine Laing 2020

My Experience at IONS with the Exceptional Healers Study: Part 1

Part One:  The Scope and Breadth of the Project

The Institute of Noetic Sciences (IONS) recently invited me to be a part of a three person panel, webinar on Zoom, discussing the early results from their Exceptional Healer Study, conducted last June.  Nearly a thousand listeners joined us on-line, from around the world, some just before tucking into their beds in Europe, others with their very early morning cup of tea, down under, in Australia. 

Here are some of the parameters and findings that were shared during the first half of the webinar which was titled: Consciousness & Healing: Energy Medicine — The Intersection of Mind, Body, and Spirit  

 Dr. Helané Wahbeh, Director of Research, and the major organizer of this entire project, started us off with a brief explanation of psychoneuroimmunology, which is a very long word indicating how our glandular system can affect our nervous system, which in turn can affect our immune system and visa versa, with each one potentially affecting the others.  This was given as a model for how energy healing might work.  A healer could potentially positively affect one or more aspects of a client's psychoneuroimmunology and then the client could potentially feel better.  

Dr. Garret Yount described the design of the study.  He said that the primary goal of this study was to see if energy healing could reduce levels of pain.  Carpal tunnel syndrome was the disease condition that was chosen for the study.  The study involved having clients, who were suffering from carpal tunnel syndrome, come to the IONS campus and allow measurements of their heart rate, brain waves, nervous system conductivity and many other physical tests.  They also answered an extensive questionaire, which in part revealed if they believed energy healing could be effective.  The clients would then have a healing session, with their healer, in a big steel box, ten foot square, which had additional measuring devices, some of which they were hooked up to, like the electrocardiogram or EKG.  Immediately after the healing session the same measurements were taken again to find if there would be a before and after affect.  And then the clients came back to IONS three weeks later to have the tests run a third time, to see if any of the potential changes were lasting.

Dr. Yount also gave us a glimpse into the scope of this research project, which was extensive.  All of the seven full-time scientists at IONS were put to work overseeing various aspects of the task.  A number of research assistants were hired to help.  Statisticians and a project manager jumped into the fray along with a number of additional support people and volunteers.  Then, there were the seventeen energetic healers, representing a variety of healing modalities, all of whom had global acclaim and testimonials for their excellence.  In addition, there were the one hundred and eighty-seven clients, each with carpal tunnel syndrome, hoping to improve their levels of pain. 

During the webinar, I explained that I felt these volunteer clients were very courageous to come up a long twisty road, get poked and prodded by a bunch of scientists in white lab coats, and then go into a steel box that was just like a bank vault, feeling not unlike a cage, with all sorts of gizmos and machines that were recording, who knows what, all while being hooked up to wires and sitting with a couple of people that they have never met before.  I think that takes some bravery.  And they did this not only for themselves, for their possible reduction of pain and avoidance of surgery, but also, for the benefit of us all, showing that energy medicine is not some fake "Woo woo" thing, but that it is real and as the results have thus far demonstrated, very effective as well. 

I was amazed by how many scientific measuring devices were in that little steel room.  There were four magnets in each of the corners of the ceiling and four more in the corners of the floor, plus one discretely tucked under a lovely reclining chair, which was placed in the middle of the room, for the client. I had my little chair and folding writing table, and our "seer," a clairvoyant and sensitive, had her chair as well.  She sat quietly in the corner, writing notes and drawing pictures of her perceptions, during the healing sessions, recording what she perceived was going on energetically.  A thermometer hung on the lamp pole and there was a low cabinet with a dark curtain hanging down in front of it.  On it's shelves were several computers and interesting looking recording devices.  These included the EKG's or heart monitors, one for my heart and one for the client's heart.  There was also a random number generator and several other machines that I couldn't identify.  

One of the machines was designed by Loren Carpenter, one of the IONS scientists and founder of Pixar.  He is an internationally acclaimed scientist in the field of computer graphics.  I called his device 'the pileoerection machine' because it had a host of short electrical wires poking up from the back of it, looking not unlike goosebumps or hairs standing on end.  It was apparently able to record the vibes in the room.  Extraordinary!  Near the end of the week, he casually approached me and showed me what looked like a little tiny black piece of plastic.  He mentioned that the entire amount of data collected from all of the machines, during the previous six weeks of observations, was stored there.  Amazing!

Dr. Yount had said that the primary goal of this study was to reduce levels of pain.  He showed us that the pain levels, on average, went down from: before the healing session at around a four, (out of a scale using one as minimal pain and ten as maximal pain,) to around a two immediately following the healing session.  And that they had only risen to around a two and a half, three weeks later, after the healing sessions.  These are very good results and Dr. Yount explained that they were on par with the effects that would be expected with a successful pharmeceutical drug intended for use for pain.  He also explained that in the case of using a pharmeceutical drug, the medication would need to be taken daily, whereas these results, from this study, came with only one twenty minute long session with an energetic healer.  So these were very good results indeed.   

Lots of other measures were taken, besides the levels of pain.  These were referred to as secondary measures.  IONS wanted to see if there would be improvements in psychological responses.  One example was 'pain interference,' where pain interferes in one's life.   For instance, would the pain cause the inability to pick up a grandchild, therefore adversely affecting feelings of connectedness.  And there were positive results there as well.  Another area of secondary measures was environmental.  IONS wanted to see if things like the bonds of water were affected, since our bodies are made mostly of water.  And the chemical bonds in water were affected.  A third area of secondary measures was physiological, looking at changes that might happen in the bodies of the clients, things like genes and heart rates.  And indeed, positive changes occurred.  

One very revealing observation that was made involved the "expectancy and beliefs" of the clients, which was inquired about, with their questionaire, both before and after their healing session.  Interestingly enough, if there was a placebo effect, the results would have shown a correlation between what participants expected and believed would happen prior to their healing session and what did actually happen after their healing session.  Instead, the results showed that there was no correlation between expectancy and beliefs of the client and the results of the client's pain relief.  So, what the client expected and believed might happen, had no affect on the outcome.  Thus, "the placebo" was not in effect for this study.

Then, Dr. Wahbeh asked me to explain how I do what I do.  I shared that my psychic skill spontaneously arose within me.  When it first started, I was in my early thirty's and thought I was going crazy.  If I was standing in line at the grocery store, I would begin to feel something like kidney pain or really sharp back pain.  I might see the person standing in front of me put their hand on their back and wince a little.  So, I'd change lanes and the pain would go away.  But then someone else might get in line behind me and they would be scowling and rubbing their forehead and suddenly I'd start to feel a severe headache coming on.  If I changed lanes again, it too would go away.  I felt like a human sponge, like I was taking on everyone else's aches and pains.  It was scary and terrible and I thought I was loosing it, mentally. 

Fortunately, I went to see a chiropractor, who had helped me to heal from some injuries and other problems.  He was a kindly, elderly gentleman and he essentially came to my rescue because he was open minded and familiar with Edgar Cayce's work.  Dr. Cayce was a clairvoyant healer, who reached great acclaim for his many successes while practicing in the earlier part of the last century.  My chiropractor friend recognized my perceptual ability as being very similar to Edgar Cayce's and helped me to not be afraid and to instead hone my skills. 

This changed the course of my life, and my psychic ability, which started out as one of my biggest challenges soon became one of my greatest blessings.  In the crucible of my chiropractor's office, during his off hours, and using only a patient intake card, I was able to help him identify a given patient's problems, by using my psychic perceptual abilities.  To our mutual delight, it was very effective and helped him to heal his clients.  This taught me the importance of doing what we love.  Almost nothing brought me more joy than working in this way.  It thrilled us both and we absolutely loved it.  It was a very wonderful and productive time.  

As my service took hold, and I further developed my preparatory protocol of meditating and clearing myself and using my intention to hold to the highest good for all, over time, that sponge like quality gradually went away.  And, while I was working, sensing on another's behalf, I found that I could ask to simply know, rather than feel, what was going on in someone else's body.

I explained that only a few short years before, I had earned a degree in horticulture and had planned on spending my life doing something along those lines.  But, clearly the universe had a different idea in mind for me because, pretty soon, word got out and people started calling, requesting my help.  One person would tell another and before I knew it, I had served thousands of people from all over the world, using my skills, doing remote healing work, over the telephone.  Isn't that amazing?  And I've never done any advertising; it has all been through 'word of mouth.'

With that, I'll leave the rest of the story, about the actual mechanism of my psychic skill and how with practice, you could learn how to do it too, for Part Two, which I will post for you, sometime in the middle of next month.

© Josephine Laing 2020

A Few Thoughts on COVID-19

 

This is a challenging time.  We've experienced nothing like it in modern history.  But, big challenges can come with big opportunities for positive change.  And we all know that positive change is what is dearly needed right now.  We can benefit from and direct that change toward desired outcomes through training our brains.   Some of you may want to visit the feature length film, "What the Bleep Do We Know," for further guidance on how to do this.  And, for more information on the importance of time spent idly, please read, Do Less, Be More by Susan Pearce and Martina Sheehan.  My gratitude goes to both of these authors for reminding us how vital time spent quietly can be.  In closing I'd like to say,
May the promise, that this season of spring brings with its new life, be a reminder of the possibilities that lie ahead of us, waiting to unfold.  And with that in mind, in our heart-minds, let's direct our thoughts and our imagination toward those of the best possible outcomes and the Highest Good for all.

 

 Disclaimer:
As a Clairvoyant Healer, Spiritual Counselor and Intuition Instructor, I share many tips for leading a healthy and fulfilling life.  Please be advised that I am not a doctor. Nor am I licensed in any healing modality. However, I have had years of experience in alternative and complementary health and healing. All healing programs, including standard western medical protocols in addition to natural therapies, can cause harm rather than the benefit that you may be searching for. After all some people can have a strong reaction to something as seemingly innocent as peanuts or strawberries. Therefore, anything that I may recommend in these blogs and videos could be dangerous for you to try. So, it is important that you Ask Your Doctor First before trying any natural healing protocol. However, most medical doctors have little experience regarding natural healing programs and herbal medicine. So please understand if your doctor is unfamiliar with these ideas.

 
© Josephine Laing 2020

Colds & Flu: A Strong Offense Is Your Best Defense

As they say in football, "A strong offense is your best defense." I feel the same holds true for colds and flu.  The coronavirus is not an influenza virus.  There are many different types of viruses.  The herpes virus, which is similar to the chicken pox virus is another example of a non-influenza virus.  But for just about any disease condition, building your immune system with vitamins and herbs while getting good nutrition and steering clear of junk foods is a great way to protect yourself. 

One thing is for certain, we do need good nutrition to build strong and healthy bodies.  Our bodies rebuild themselves every day.  All of our cells, our bones, our skin, our muscle cells are all being replaced constantly and we literally create ourselves anew from what we eat.  So it is important to choose carefully.  A wide variety of fruits and vegetables, consumed as the majority of one's diet, provide the basis for the good nutrition that we need.  And during the cold and flu season, preparing your foods at home avoids the dangers of having others accidentally cough or sneeze on your food or eating utensils.  Good clean nutrition is a great place to start when growing a strong immune system.  And being sure to drink lots of water, and get plenty of good quality sleep, builds on that strong foundation as well.

That being said, I'd like to also share with you the various tools that I use to boost my immunity.  (Please see my disclaimer below.)  These tools help me to successfully keep myself healthy and strong all year long, especially during the cold and flu seasons.

Everyone is different and I don't do all of these immune boosting suggestions at once.  I always listen within to see what is going to serve me best and then I do that.  You can do the same.  Let your eyes or your fingers run over the list and see what resonates with you.  But, do pay special attention to this first one.  It is perhaps the most important for keeping ourselves healthy.  It can also be the most difficult because herein lies the problem of addiction.  



#1.  Avoid all refined sugars and junk foods.  Sugar dips the immune system, dramatically, for several hours, after even one bite.  So, don't do it.  If there is anything to say, "No!" to, it is sugar.  And too often, it is hiding in everything: sauces, snack foods, most of your processed or pre-prepared foods, including restaurant cuisine and breads.  Refined grain products, like flours, along with artificial sweeteners are a close second and third.  These denuded or fake foods not only dip your immune system, they also fill you up with empty calories so you don't get your much needed nutrition.  The same holds true for caffeinated beverages and soda pops or fizzy drinks, etc.  So, just say, "No."  These are all aptly named, "Junk Foods," because they really aren't foods at all.


#2.  "Garlic is as good as good as ten mothers."  And so is ginger.  I often take two cloves of garlic in the morning in the blender with a banana and two tablespoons of good quality olive oil, a cup of just squeezed orange juice (not frozen, pasteurized or store bought) and an inch of ginger.  This is a great liver cleanse and it will help your liver to clean itself out so it can process the toxins of the day while boosting your immunity.  Raw garlic helps to kill many types of viruses and bacteria.  I always choose organic because I don't like to put poisons in when I'm busy trying to get them out.  I also like to take 'Milk Thistle Seed' for liver support.  Gaia herbs is my favorite.  I get the 650 mg. capsules and take them as needed.



#3.  Vitamin C.  Organic citrus fruits will do the trick, but when I really want to power down the Vitamin C, I use NutriBiotic's 'Ascorbic Acid with Bioflavonoids.'  It is a food based supplement made from lemons.  I'll take one teaspoon, which is equivalent to five grams, and put it in a jar of filtered water and shake it well and then sip it all day.  You may want to take a little less than that.  You will know when you have too much as your stools will become very loose.

#4.  Echinacea, Astragalus and Golden Seal.  For my equinacea, again, I like Gaia Organics, 'Echinacea Supreme.'  It is very strong and should be diluted in water or some other beverage.  (It will make your swallow reflexes really go to town if taken full strength and this can be uncomfortable or even scary for some, but it can also be helpful in very small amounts for cases of people with swallowing difficulties.)  Echinacea engages the immune system.  Astragalus builds it.  I take them for alternating weeks during the cold and flu season.  Two weeks of one, then switch and take the other for two weeks.  To use a war metaphor, you want to build up the number of your troops first, (with the astragalus,) then you send them out to do battle, (with the echinacea.)  I make my astragalus at home using the dried shredded root covered in strong brandy for two weeks, then I decant off the liquid for medicine.  But you can purchase astragalus extract at your healthy food store, ready-made.  Golden Seal is another excellent herb for boosting immunity and healing the body.  I always keep it on hand and use it whenever I feel the need.


#5.  'Super tonic.'  I learned this recipe from our great contemporary herbologist Dr. Richard Schulze.  This wonderful tonic is available through his American Botanical Pharmacy at www.herbdoc.com.  Or you can make it yourself.  Using entirely fresh, raw, organic ingredients, and blending them in about one or two cups of 'Bragg's Raw Apple Cider Vinegar,' (add more vinegar, if needed, to make it move in the blender,) take one big-double-handful of each, coarsely chopped: horseradish root, really hot chili peppers, peeled garlic and hot white onion, also peeled.   This is like a really hot salsa and is fine to enjoy as such.  But for your Super tonic, let the concoction sit, in a big glass jar, covered, for a few days in the refrigerator, stirring occasionally.  Then strain it through some cheese cloth.  Save the liquid.  That is your Super tonic.  (You can also save the plant material to dehydrate until nice and dry, then grind it into powder to make a kickingly hot immune building spice mix, which you can add to other dishes.) To the 'Super tonic' liquid, you can add a few ounces of good strong echinacea extract.  Store this in a dark glass bottle, in a cool dark place, like a kitchen cupboard.  For use, during cold and flu season, I take a few ounces of 'Super tonic' and add one cup of orange juice, again fresh raw, just squeezed, and three cups of water.  Sip on it all day.  This is the recipe that has saved many a college student in our neighborhood when finals week comes around coupled with the first symptoms of an on-coming cold or flu.  That, plus stopping all sugar, usually kicks it right away.  (I'm sure that I don't even need to mention avoiding cigarettes or alcohol. Almost nothing is worse for our health than smoking.  And alcohol seriously depletes our bodies store of nutrients.)


#6.  Vitamin D, Vitamin E, Iodine, Selenium and Zinc.  These are old standards for helping to prevent or speed the healing from a flu.  I like Nature's Life, 'Drop of Sunshine' for my Vitamin D-3.  I take five drops for 5,000 IU.  Most any Vitamin E will do.  'Iodoral' is my favorite for iodine.  Selenium deficiency increases one's chances of contracting the flu.  I'll usually take 200mcg. daily during flu season.  And then there is zinc; I like 'zinc picolinate' at 30mg.  It is not a bad idea to have your blood levels checked to be sure you are not deficient in these nutrients before flu season gets underway.


#7.  We have a book in our library titled, Alkalize or Die.  It is a somewhat dramatic title, but the point is a good one.  Almost no disease condition can exist in an alkalized system.  Baking soda, or bicarbonate of soda, is a strong alkalizer and taking 1/2 teaspoon in a glass of cool water daily, is known to help prevent colds and flus.  To shorten the duration of a cold or flu, increase the dosage to several times a day.  Raw apple cider vinegar is another good pH balancer.  One teaspoon in a glass of water is an old standard for helping to alkalize the body and clear up a myriad of health problems.  We also alkalize our systems when we eat lots and lots and lots of fresh, raw, organic fruits and vegetables.


#8.  Magnesium chloride has a long history of being used to combat bacteria and viruses.  It was used with success against polio and diphtheria.  A few grams of magnesium chloride, taken two or three times a day is reported to clear most flus within a couple of days.    


#9.  Heat is very effective at knocking back the numbers of problematic viruses in a body.  That is why, when we get sick, we produce a temperature, to kill off rising populations of viruses.  Allowing a carefully monitored fever to rise, taking frequent long hot baths or using Far Infrared devices, like a Biomat, can all be helpful in this regard.


#10.  One of my favorite, 'go to herbs' for any exposure is Dr. Shen's Chinese herbal preparation known as 'Gan Mao Ling.'  Two of these per person can protect a whole room full of folks who have been exposed to something quite virulent.  Commonly, one tablet morning and night will fend off most microbes.  And if one does contract something, then Dr. Shen's Zong Gan Ling can help to shorten the duration, allowing healing to progress more quickly.


#11.  In addition, when I've gotten a scare and am really trying to prevent a cold or flu, like when someone has just given me a big hug and then told me how terribly sick they are, I'll come right home and take one or all of these supplements:  'Adrographis extract' 400mg, 'Monolaurin' 500mg, 'SuperLysine' by Quantum Health, 'Mushrooms and Herbs' by Gaia Herbs or any reputable mushroom supplement like Host Defense, 'DefensePlus' by Nutribiotic and 'Propolis 1000' by Y.S. Eco Bee Farms.  I'll also take these after being near someone who has been coughing, even if they swear that they are all better now and absolutely not contagious.  This is because viruses and bacteria travel in the little tiny, nearly invisible droplets of spittle that can be released even when someone is just talking, but especially when they are coughing.  And a person who has recently overcome a bacteria or virus, has a microbe that is desperately seeking to find a new host, and I don't want it to be me.  So, I boost my immunity with these supplements, just to be sure.  I'll also take them before and after a day of travel.  As one last precaution, that night, while in bed, just before drifting off to sleep, I'll place two capsules of 'Healthy Trinity' by Natren in my cheeks and let them sit there all night, slowly dissolving, keeping a steady stream of healthy and balanced probiotics minutely flowing down my throat.  This keeps my mucus membranes bathed and balanced and more able to combat any microbes that are trying to set up housekeeping near my tonsils or in the folds of my voice box.


#12.  Whenever I need to attend to a loved one or someone who is really ill, I take all precautions.  I use one quarter ounce of good quality lavender essential oil diluted in 1-2 cups of water as a spray  for door handles and to clear the air that I will be breathing in the sick room.  Or I'll burn a dried smudge of sage as the essential oil, which is released in the smoke, will also help to clear the air.  In addition, I really like Dr. Richard Schulze's 'Air Detox,' for this same reason.  It will completely freshen up a sick room, which is very helpful for the person who is ill, as well.  This is because the essential oils help to knock back the microbial populations residing in their lungs.  The Essential Oil recipe, known as Thieves Oil, got it's name because it protected people who were robbing the bodies of the dead during the Great Plague of London in the mid-seventeenth century.  It is made with drops of clove, lemon, cinnamon, eucalyptus and rosemary essential oils diluted in a base of a carrier oil like a good quality olive oil.  This can also be very helpful for prevention by placing a drop or two under the nose to breathe and to use for sterilizing the hands.  But for a more seriously contagious patient, in the sick room, I would want to fully suit up, like health care professionals are currently doing.  But right now, protective clothing and equipment are in short supply and need to be saved for our first responders.  The one change I would make to what they are currently wearing is that I would probably prefer to use a vapor cartridge respirator instead of a mask, with goggles along with a full set of disposable coveralls, gloves, booties, etc.

#13.  Also, as we've been advised of late, whenever attending the sick or being out and about in public places, where people are likely to be carrying communicable diseases, it is essential to practice good hygiene by washing your hands regularly and very thoroughly.  It is also a really good idea to avoid touching your mucus membranes like your nose, eyes or mouth unless your hands are nice and freshly cleaned.  I also keep a little pump spray bottle of 3% hydrogen peroxide in the car, during the cold and flu season, to use on the steering wheel and other places where my hands touch regularly, just for a little extra precaution.  And, if someone is feeling unwell, it's best if they stay home and don't get near other people.  Staying clear of others with self isolation helps to prevent the spread of disease.  And if a person is coughing, I like for them to do more than just cover their cough with an elbow or their hand, I ask them to use a good sized cloth, like twenty inches square, and really catch that cough, using their whole hand, with fingers spread widely, over that cloth and over their mouth, to catch as many of those minute and mostly invisible spittle droplets as is possible.  Those little air-borne drops are all carrying microbes that are busy looking for a new host.


#14.  Additionally, I carry in my purse, the glove box of the car and have on my bedside table, a little pump spray of an herbal immune booster, again, I like the one made by the great Dr. Richard Schulze's American Botanical Pharmacy called, 'Throat and Tonsil.'  A few squirts of this, from time to time, aimed at the back of the throat, can stop most any little tickle before it gets started.  A few similar products that will also help are 'Kick-it Immune Activator' by Wishgarden, 'Propolis & Herbs' by Y.S. Eco Bee Farms, and 'Immune Season' by Herb Pharm. These and many similar immune boosters should be widely available at your local healthy food store.  Dr. Schulze also has an excellent one ounce herbal preparation called, 'Cold and Flu Shot.' This can be taken orally, like an herbal shot, and it can help to prevent something before it gets started, or knock it back sooner once symptoms have presented.


#15.  I have a dentist friend who sees children regularly and they are often sick with various colds and flus.  Upon coming home every evening, even before saying hello to his wife, he changes his clothes and uses a neti pot.  This keeps him healthy and he doesn't risk infecting his family either.  I sometimes do this, but I don't usually bother with the neti pot.  I take a handful of warm salt water, using my good Celtic Sea Salt, (non-iodized) from the healthy food store, one half teaspoon dissolved in a cup of filtered water.  I place my nose down in the water, in my hand, over the sink and while pinching one nostril, with one finger, I snort it up my nose into my sinus and repeat several times until the salty water comes out of my mouth and nose.  Then I blow my nose in a nice soft tea towel and switch sides, repeating the process, on both sides, several times.  Some like to add a little baking soda into the water.  Some like to boil the salt water to sterilize it.  This treatment is sort of like what happens when you go swimming in the ocean and get salt water up your nose.  It gives your sinuses a good cleaning out and most microbes dry right up and die in the presence of salt.
 
#16.  Sipping on liquids all day long, like hot tea, (my favorite is 'Throat Coat' by Traditional Medicinals,) or even plain water, can really help to prevent most infections by regularly rinsing your throat.  This prevents microbes from settling in and growing little populations in those warm moist conditions.  Most of them can not survive in the harsh environment of your stomach acids.  So, wash them down. 
 
#17.  Prevention is always best.  But paying close attention and going after something aggressively, at the first thought or hint of an imbalance in your sense of wellness, can go a long way to keeping you and your family healthy and strong during any cold and flu season.  If you are feeling tired, excuse yourself to take a nap.  If you are feeling chilled, go and find a way to get really warm.  If someone has been sick around you, go take some of your preventatives and get to bed early that night.  Noticing how you are doing, and acting accordingly is a really good idea.  

#18.  If you are feeling good, get some exercise.  Movement is life.  We keep ourselves happy and healthy by moving.  So, put on a record and dance.  Get out into your garden and plant some vegetables.  Take a walk with the dog.  It feels great and that's how we want to feel.

#19.  Watch out for stress.  Just as good healthy foods and herbs can boost our immune systems, stress can wear it down.  So, try to take it easy.  As they say, "Don't sweat the small stuff and it's all small stuff."  I consciously work on my internal climate by making a practice of choosing love in my thoughts, words and actions.  My mother used to say, "If you can't think of something nice to say, don't say anything at all."  Similarily, if I find myself thinking negative thoughts, I change my mental habit and think of some good ones instead.  We really do reduce our stress levels by, looking for the bright side in every situation.  Some of the nations and families that are in quarantine from the coronavirus right now are finding that the quieter pace of life is actually quite nice.  One friend of mine was sharing with me over the phone yesterday that she and her family are really enjoying spending more time together.  They are playing games and visiting a lot more than usual.  My husband has been reading some of the news to me of late and the other day he read to me an article about how the quarantined residents of Italy were serenading each other from their balconies and apartment windows on their instruments and also applauding and expressing their appreciation for their health care workers, doctors and nurses who are all working so hard to help overcome this pandemic.  Isn't that great.

#20.  And remember, if and when the going gets really tough, like in times of natural disasters, we humans tend to help each other.  We band together.  Yesterday, two of our young college-aged neighbors were going around to all of the homes where older folks live in our neighborhood.  They stood a respectful distance away from the door and asked if we needed anything.  They wanted to see if they could be of any help.  Did we need our dog walked?  Would we like them to pick up any groceries for us?  When times get tough, we let go of our usual boundaries to lend a hand and in the process, we find the very best in being human. 

© Josephine Laing 2020 
 
Disclaimer:
Please be advised that I am not a doctor.  Nor am I licensed in any healing modality.  However, I have had years of experience in alternative and complementary health and healing.  All healing programs, including standard western medical protocols in addition to natural therapies, can cause harm rather than the benefit that you may be searching for.  After all some people can have a strong reaction to something as seemingly innocent as peanuts or strawberries.  Therefore, anything that I may recommend in these blogs could be dangerous for you to try.  So, it is important that you Ask Your Doctor First before trying any natural healing protocol.  However, because most medical professionals have very little experience regarding natural healing programs that involve foods and herbal medicine, please be understanding if your doctor is unfamiliar with these ideas.

The Healthy Spirit

Does spirituality truly affect our well-being?  How does it fit into our overall health?  Does our connection with spirit influence our body's ability to either heal or prolong an illness?  Helping our minds to gain a better understanding of these connections can potentially lead us towards optimal health.  Please enjoy this hour long exploration into the topic of how our mind, body and spirit can interact for our greater good.

 

 Disclaimer:
As a Clairvoyant Healer, Spiritual Counselor and Intuition Instructor, I share many tips for leading a healthy and fulfilling life.  Please be advised that I am not a doctor. Nor am I licensed in any healing modality. However, I have had years of experience in alternative and complementary health and healing. All healing programs, including standard western medical protocols in addition to natural therapies, can cause harm rather than the benefit that you may be searching for. After all some people can have a strong reaction to something as seemingly innocent as peanuts or strawberries. Therefore, anything that I may recommend in these blogs and videos could be dangerous for you to try. So, it is important that you Ask Your Doctor First before trying any natural healing protocol. However, most medical doctors have little experience regarding natural healing programs and herbal medicine. So please understand if your doctor is unfamiliar with these ideas.

© Josephine Laing 2020