Ten Natural Wonders To Add To Your Diet To Make You The Healthiest You’ve Ever Been

TEA_MINT_Yulia Kotina

Give your health a boost without the need for synthetic supplements by getting more of these ten all natural, health giving wonders…

Acidophilus

Acidophilus is a great supplement for those prone to stomach issues or yeast infections. Acidophilus is actually a type of good-for-you bacteria that occurs naturally in your intestines along with many other beneficial and harmful strains. The beneficial bacteria in your system can start to die off when it’s exposed to antibiotics, stress, alcohol, animal fats (from meat and dairy), pollution and poisons (like herbicides and pesticides found in non-organic foods). Taking an acidophilus supplement will help the bacteria in your gut find a healthy balance. 

Recommended: Nature’s Bounty Probiotic Acidophilus

Aloe Vera Juice

Aloe Vera Juice has been recommended by traditional medicine practitioners for thousands of years, especially to alleviate constipation and treat inflammatory diseases, such as heartburn and ulcers. Many natural health experts swear by Aloe Vera juice and claim it can help lower cholesterol and strengthen the immune system. An Ayurvedic physician once told me to make sure to always drink the juice made from the inner fillet, as it would help ‘cool overly-active digestive fire.’ Aloe Vera juice isn’t so tasty on its own, so add 2 tablespoons to a tall glass of orange or carrot juice to mask the flavor.

Recommended: Lily of the Desert Organic Aloe Vera Juice

Garlic

Garlic is an essential supplement for cardiac health. It has been used for thousands of years to treat high cholesterol, high blood pressure and several varieties of heart disease. Recent studies have shown that it also may be effective in preventing some of the most dangerous types of cancer, including: breast, prostate, lung, colon and stomach cancer. It is also used for fighting stress, maintaining healthy liver function, supporting the immune system and treating bacterial and fungal infections. With all these benefits, plus its ability to make almost anything delicious –  never skimp on the garlic. Garlic supplements are great for you when taken regularly, but nothing beats fresh garlic, right out of the ground, the way Mother Nature intended.

Bee Pollen

Bee Pollen was used in Ancient Egypt, China and Greece as both a medicine and a natural supplement. It is used worldwide by athletes who use it to increase their energy and endurance. It is loaded with essential vitamins, minerals, enzymes and amino acids; it’s particularly rich in antioxidants and B vitamins. If your body needs it, Bee Pollen likely provides it – plus it has reported to help with improving the immune system, weight loss and even cancer prevention.

Propolis

Propolis is another “super food” provided by honey bees. Propoplis is actually the resin that bees use to seal up their hives, but when humans eat it (or rub it on their skin) it has been shown to soothe inflammation and fight infections. It is also a great supplement for cleansing the blood. It is high in antioxidants and helps eliminate free radicals in the blood stream; it also helps to balance out the oxygen content of your blood, which is essential for healthy blood flow and fighting disease.

Recommended (for #s 4 & 5): A Triple Bee Complex Vitamin, containing Bee Pollen, Royal Jelly and Propolis like this YS Eco Bee Farms Version.

Milk Thistle Extract

Milk Thistle Extract is recommended by natural health experts because of its amazing ability to help the liver heal itself. The liver is your body’s natural filtering system. With all of the abuse it suffers on a daily basis – think pollution, coffee, alcohol, meat and dairy, processed foods, etc. – your liver needs all the support it can get. The active compound in Milk Thistle is called Silymarin, and it has been tested in hundreds of clinical studies that have shown its ability to improve liver function in people with Hepatitis C, HIV and liver disease.

Recommended: Spring Valley Milk Thistle Extract

All-Natural Thyroid Support

All-Natural Thyroid Support isn’t just for people with thyroid problems. The thyroid gland is responsible for regulating several hormones within your body, in fact there are very few bodily functions that aren’t affected in some way by thyroid function.  Having a healthy, well-functioning thyroid gland can aide your immune system, improve your metabolism and increase your overall sense of well-being.

Recommended: Dr. Christopher’s Original Thyroid Maintenance Formula

Grapefruit Seed Extract

Grapefruit Seed Extract is actually made from the seeds, skin and pulp of the grapefruit and has amazing antipathogenic properties. This means that it is a powerhouse of disease prevention! It has been proven effective in fighting infectious diseases and viruses. The extract is also recommended by professionals for people who are embarking on a detox program, as it aids in cleaning out the blood. If you are taking prescription medication, be sure to speak to your doctor about taking this (or any) supplement. Grapefruits or their extract can have interactions with antibiotics and other medications.

Recommended: Nutribiotic Grapefruit Seed Extract

CoQ10 (or Coenzyme Q10)

CoQ10 (or Coenzyme Q10) is so important for health that it should probably be considered an essential vitamin, not a supplement. It occurs naturally in our bodies, but it can be damaged or slowed down by toxins in our food and environment – so supplementation is a good idea for everyone. CoQ10 has been proven to help with cardiac issues (especially high blood pressure), and studies suggest that it can be beneficial in fighting gum disease, migraines, kidney problems and diabetes. There is growing evidence that this micronutrient is also great for neurological function, including in the prevention and/or treatment of serious disorders like Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s.

Recommended:  Melaleuca‘s CoQ10+™ Cellular Energy Support

Omega Fatty Acids

Omega Fatty Acids are important for the healthy function of all of the systems in your body. They have been proven to help your brain, organs, skin, blood and respiratory system function at their best. Most people have heard of Omega-3, found in fatty fist like Salmon and Green Leafy Vegetables, but often forgotten are its cousins Omega-6 and Omega-9. For optimum health, you need all three essential fatty acids in the right proportions.

Recommended:  Melaleuca‘s CardioOmega EPA ™ formula

 

How Meditation Changes The Brain

Metaphorical Soul Geometry

There is an increasing number of studies which are showing that meditation has tangible and measurable effects on the brain. A study led by Sarah Lazar, assistant professor of psychology at Harvard University, found that learning to observe your breath without judgement in fact changes the physical wiring of the brain.

Lazar has conducted a series of studies on yoga and meditation at the Massachusetts General Hospital and found that the effects extended far beyond stress relief. In fact, mediation can change the way in which the brain functions, having much longer-lasting effects. This comes down to the science of neuroplasticity, which explains the way in which the brain reshapes itself in order to grow. Lazar has shown that meditation is not a passive activity. On the contrary, it is highly active practice which can radically alter parts of the brain associated with stress, well-being and “fluid” intelligence. Lazar defines “fluid intelligence” as the neuron-based process that allows different regions of the brain to communicate with one another, which aids our problem-solving abilities. In other words, this is the ability of the different hemispheres of the brain to effectively communicate with each other to overcome complex obstacles.

So how did this study work? Initially Lazar tried to determine whether or not there were differences in the brains of people who had been meditating for a long time and people who didn’t meditate at all. She used MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imagining) and saw that long time meditators were thicker in parts of the cerebral cortex. The thick areas were linked to the brain functions of decision-making, memory and attention. While these studies showed a possible link between meditation and brain functioning, this couldn’t be proved to a certainty.

She went on to improve her experiment by trying to see whether meditation would alter the brains of those who had never meditated before. She used the 8 week Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction programme and chose participants who reported feeling stressed, but who did not suffer from anxiety or depression. They were all in relatively good health and were not on any sort of medication which could effect the brain. The participants had to complete a questionnaire designed to assess their stress levels and general sense of well-being. The questionnaires showed that the participants were all feeling less stressed after the programme, but more interestingly, their brain scans displayed an emotional shift. Their reports of lower stress levels correlated with a reduction in the amygdala which is the brain’s centre of fear and anxiety. It is a well-known fact that the amygdala fluctuates in size, growing smaller with less exposure to stress hormones. There was also a growth in the participant’s brain stem, which is the centre where dopamine and serotonin are produced.

While these studies are far from conclusive, they represent powerful first steps in understanding how meditation and yoga work on the brain. Lazar is currently expanding her study by looking at meditative practices like Tai Chi and more advanced forms of yoga.

As science improves, we begin to have increasingly more concrete proof of the transformational effects of meditation. And if you’re not convinced, try it for yourself. After all, your subjective experience is the only experiment that really matters.

Source:  Silent Journey

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Numerology ~ Why This Valentine’s Day Love Code Will Empower You For Creation & Joy

watercolor heart. Concept - love, relationship, art, painting
Read the entire article here

February is a month of Love… and this year on Valentine’s Day the ultimate Love numerology code is activated!

A weeklong celebration of love kicks off on February 9 – triggering New Beginnings in Love.

In numerology, 6 and 9 are the “love numbers”.

No coincidence they make up the number 69 😉

69 has many layers of meaning. One is that 6+9 adds up to the exquisite number 15, symbolizing spiritual alchemy through Love.

What’s really beautiful about the Love Code is that we see it throughout 2015, along with 8 and 15 (wealth and spiritual alchemy) ensuring that love and wealth creation walk hand in hand.

Valentine’s Day this year is more special than ever! Here’s why:

heart1 Valentine’s Day occurs on 2.14.2015, a Universal Date that adds up to 15(2+1+4+2+0+1+5 = 15)

⤞ 2015 is the 15th year of our century.

How beautiful that in 2015, on the one day the whole world celebrates Love and Lovers, we will be immersed in the ACTUAL numerology code of Love!

When you can play and love and laugh all at once – be playful and loving with another – nothing is more sacred, more eternal.

When you are IN LOVE, you are fearless. You are drunk with joy and blissfully merged with another.

(Click on the above image to read the entire article.)

 

Mercury Direct Station February 11, 2015

Grandtrines's avatarGrandtrines

No doubt some of you are wondering about the details of the Mercury Direct Station of February 11, 2015.  We have much to say about it because a number of patterns are in play, and the maps are interesting.  This will be one of our longer entries, and we will be developing it over the course of Feb 9 / 10.  We start with twin yods that tell us that each of us, both collectively and individually, have TWO distinctly different decisions facing us as Mercury turns direct.  Here is that chart:

2015-02-Mercury-Direct-Yods (Basic)

[Click Image to Enlarge]

In astrology, “two” sometimes means “two or more.”  So, you may have a series of important decisions.  One of these focuses on trust issues, and may focus on your spouse, partner, or another important significant other (Juno at apex).  The other decision involves health and healthcare (Hygeia at apex).  While these two COULD be…

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Just For Today

Open Door 2_0

 

OPEN A DOOR FOR ANOTHER

It is a small gesture, but it is a most powerful act. Actually, opening a door is more than a physical act. It’s about putting yourself out there, getting to know people, making them feel comfortable and making them feel welcome.

As I’ve observed the decades pass, I note that we as a society have lost something special by insisting we open our own doors. We’ve closed off the ability to make connections. And with the advent of electronic devices, we’ve disconnected, insulated, or rather isolated, ourselves in ways that are harmful. Harmful? Yes, because we are fundamentally social by nature, and the doors we’ve created separate, isolate. In our isolation, we’ve become despondent, distrustful, secretive and dark. And as the years whiz by, I’ve come to realize that doors don’t always revolve around me. Allowing another to open the door for me says much more about who I am and where my heart resonates. It’s also something more. It’s making a statement. It’s overcoming judgments, stereotypes, profiling based on appearances. It’s a declaration to the world that you are not invisible, that your presence matters in our world, that it’s okay to look into another’s eyes and acknowledge that they are present, too.

Big changes come about from a series of small moves. Just as a small pebble causes ripples when thrown into placid water, a small gesture, such as opening a door, sets into motion a ripple that can transform our world into a place we all want to be a part of. So, next time you’re out and about your business, BE present with those around you. It’s not a definitive answer to every situation, but it is a good start.

Peace be with you … have a great week.  Aloha Ke Akua

Health ~ Best Morning Detox Drinks

best-morning-detox-drinks

Poor dietary habits and lifestyle choices are the root cause of toxic buildups in the organism. In this article we give you the healthiest detox drinks, and it is up to you to choose the one that works best for you.

These drinks are packed with vitamins and minerals, and they will help you lose weight naturally.

Warm Lemon Water

It is one of the best detox drinks. It tastes same as lemonade, and it will take you just a couple of minutes to make it. Juice half a lemon and add it to a glass of warm water. Drink warm lemon water every morning, before you eat or drink anything. Eat your regular meals, but carefully choose the ingredients.

Mango And Pineapple Juice

The combination of mango and pineapple juice is the best way to start your day. Its thick texture is packed with vitamins and minerals, essential for proper function of your bodily systems. These fruits stimulate the elimination of toxins in the organism, especially the digestive system, and they reduce the harmful effect of free radicals.

Watermelon Juice

It is easy to make, and its high content of nutrients will help you eliminate toxic buildups in your organism. It is super-fresh, which makes it excellent for the hot summer days. A few simple ingredients will help you improve your health and cleanse your organism. Use 2 cucumbers, a few watermelon pieces, mint leaves, and cold filtered water, and always make sure you use organic products.

Green Tea And Citrus Juice

When it is tea time, people prefer green tea, as it is considered to be the healthiest kind on the planet. It is even more powerful when combined with citrus juice. This combination is ideal for those who like having a drink or two more than they should. It will boost your metabolism and provide enough fiber and potassium, necessary for your overall health.

Source:
www.healthcareaboveall.com

Paradigm Shift ~ The Six Grand Illusions That Keep Us Enslaved to “The Matrix”

Read the article here
Read the article here

“In prison, illusions can offer comfort.” – Nelson Mandela

For a magician to fool his audience his deceit must go unseen, and to this end he crafts an illusion to avert attention from reality. While the audience is entranced, the deceptive act is committed, and for the fool, reality then becomes inexplicably built upon on a lie. That is, until the fool wakes up and recognizes the truth in the fact that he has been duped.

Maintaining the suspension of disbelief in the illusion, however, is often more comforting than acknowledging the magician’s secrets.

We live in a world of illusion. So many of the concerns that occupy the mind and the tasks that fill the calendar arise from planted impulses to become someone or something that we are not. This is no accident. As we are indoctrinated into this authoritarian-corporate-consumer culture that now dominates the human race, we are trained that certain aspects of our society are untouchable truths, and that particular ways of being and behaving are preferred.

(To read the rest of this fascinating article, click on the image, above.)

Hele of February 7, 2015

Grandtrines's avatarGrandtrines

A Hele dominates the sky, continuing to be a polarizing influence, over the course of February 7, 8, & 9.  Expect some squabbles during this time, and people becoming intractable in their positions.  Here is the chart for the beginning of the Hele:

Hele 2015-02-07 (Start, Beginners)

[Click Image to Enlarge]

Here is an animation of the Hele during this period (SF8 with “Horary” page):

After the Hele, on February 10th, a Square Key comes on board (the day before Mercury turns Direct):

Square Key of 2015-02-10 (Start, Beginners Page)

[Click Image to Enlarge]

We expect “things” to become interesting after the Mercury Direct Station, and even more so after the New Moon of February 2015.

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Recipe ~ Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Brownies!

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These will send you to another planet!

INGREDIENTS:

[Brownie Layer]
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups bittersweet chocolate chips
1 cup granulated white sugar
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
4 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup all-purpose flour

[Cookie Dough]
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature or almost melted
3/4 cup granulated white sugar
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons milk or cream
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup miniature chocolate chips
additional miniature chocolate chips, if desired (to garnish the top)

 

DIRECTIONS:

Prepare the brownie layer-
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 9×9-inch pan with nonstick spray, then line with a strip of parchment paper so that it covers the bottom and comes up two sides of the pan. Spray the parchment with nonstick spray too.

2. In a microwave safe bowl (or in the top of a double boiler or pan set on top of a pan of simmering water), microwave in 30 second bursts to melt butter and chocolate chips together until all is melted and smooth. Whisk in the sugars, then whisk in the eggs, vanilla and salt. Sift flour into the bowl and stir that in too. Scrape the brownie batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the brownie layer is cooked through (toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean). Place the pan of brownies in the refrigerator to speed up the cooling process (or cool at room temperature and add the cookie dough layer later).

Prepare the cookie dough layer:
3. In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to combine the butter, sugars and salt until soft and creamy (1 to 2 minutes). Mix in the milk and vanilla. Sprinkle in the flour and mix in until combined. Stir in the 1 cup of chocolate chips. Scoop the cookie dough onto the top of the brownies and spread onto the brownie layer. I find that it’s easiest to do this if the brownie layer is chilled and firm. Wet your hands or spray them with nonstick spray and pat the cookie dough on top in a even layer. Sprinkle additional chocolate chips on top to create a nicer, visual appearance. For easy, clean cutting, chill the brownies (wrap the brownies with plastic wrap and chill until firm- 1 to 2 hours or up to 2 days).

4. Cut the brownies: Run a knife along the sides of the brownie pan and then use the parchment paper to lift the brownies from the pan and onto a cutting board. Slice the brownies with a sharp knife, wiping the knife with a paper towel between cuts. If you’d like all of your slices of brownies to look clean-cut without edges, use the knife to cut the sides of the brownies off before cutting pieces. Keep brownies slices covered and chilled until ready to serve.

Recipe ~ Vegan Popcorn Chicken

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Recipe adapted from eCurry

 

Serves: 2 cups fried popcorn “chicken”, serves 3-4
Ingredients
  • – 2 cups dried soy chunks (TVP chunks work too)
  • – 3 cups vegetable broth
  • – 2 cloves of garlic, mashed
  • – 1 tsp salt
  • – 1 inch cube of ginger, grated
  • – ½ cup flour
  • – ¾ cup vegetable broth (use what you had soaked from the TVP)
  • – ½ cup cornstarch
  • – 1 cup bread crumbs
  • – 1 tbsp garlic powder
  • – 1 tbsp lemon pepper
  • – ½ tsp salt
  • – For the dip:
  • – 1 tbsp chopped fresh dill
  • – ⅓ cup sour cream (use soy sour cream to keep it vegan)
  • – dash of salt and pepper
Instructions
  1. In a large bowl, combine soy chunks, mashed garlic, ginger, 1 tsp salt and fill the bowl with vegetable broth until it covers the soy chunks. Soak for about 20 minutes or until the chunks are soft.
  2. Heat a pot with about an inch of oil on medium high heat.
  3. Mix together ½ cup flour and ¾ cup vegetable broth from the soaking soy chunks and whisk until no lumps remain. Divide between two bowls.
  4. Once the chunks are soft and soaked, gently squeeze the excess liquid from the soy chunks and coat in one of the bowls of flour mixture.
  5. Transfer the chunks to a ziploc bag with ½ cup cornstarch. Shake until coated, then transfer to the second bowl of flour mixture, coat, then transfer to another ziploc bag that has the garlic powder, bread crumbs, lemon pepper, and salt.
  6. Fry the chunks in oil in batches until golden. You may need to push them around to fry all sides because they tend to like to float in one way.
  7. Remove and drain on a paper towel.
  8. In a food processor, blend the dill, sour cream, salt and pepper to make the dip.
  9. Serve the fried chunks with dip and enjoy!
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Mudras: The Healing Power in your Hands

hand-mudras

“In this respect, Kundalini Yoga assumes that every area of the hand forms a reflex zone for an associated part of the body and the brain. In this way, we can consider the hands to be a mirror for our body and our mind” -Lothar Rüdiger Lütge, Kundalini yoga expert Practiced since antiquity in combination with pranayama, asanas and meditation, Mudras or Hand Gestures is a practice to improve your physical, mental and spiritual well-being. Our hands define our karma and fingers being the power points, are a link between individual Pranic force and universal cosmic energy. The subtle hand and finger movements make important connections in the nervous system and stimulate specific energy pathways or nadis. Human body is an amalgamation of 5 elements of nature – Earth, Air, Water, Space and Fire & each finger acts as a representative of one element. Yogis believed if one wants to cure any disease, they can tap into the energy of the elements and rectify the imbalance with the practice of suitable mudras. Starting from the thumb, the fingers represent Fire, Air, Space, Earth and Water, as depicted in the image. Mudras redirect the energy flow to the upper Chakras, and gradually establish a link between all the Koshas (layers) of the body. Let’s look at 7 mudras, its benefits and duration for improving our mental, spiritual and physical health.

Read more at:  http://fractalenlightenment.com/33385/spirituality/mudras-the-healing-power-in-your-hands

Ghandi’s Anti-Vaccine Views Ring True A Century Later

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Read the entire article here.

 

Almost one century ago, Gandhi published a book where he deconstructed the dangers and lack of effectiveness of vaccines and the agendas surrounding them.  His voice rings true now more than ever.

The internet meme below has been subject of a good bit of controversy. Not only is Gandhi taking what many today consider an extreme ‘anti-vaxxer’ stance, but some have questioned whether or not he ever made this statement, or statements like it.

The truth is that this quote only scratches the surface of Gandhi’s biting critique of the dangers, inefficacy, and malfeasance associated with the vaccination campaigns of his time. Gandhi, of course, is history’s most celebrated anti-imperialist, having almost single-handedly set into motion India’s independence from British colonial rule. He was extremely sensitive to Western forms of control and oppression, and was able to apply his intellect to the manner in which the Western medical establishment was coercing millions of Indians to succumb to the unhealthy practice of smallpox and plague vaccination.

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Morning Meditation (9 mins.) ~ Mul Mantra, by Snatum Kaur

Ek Ong Kar
Sat Nam
Kartaa Purkh Nirbhao Nirvair

Akaal Moorat
Ajoonee, Saibhang, Gur Prasaad Jap

Aad Sach, Jugaad Sach
Hai Bhee Sach, Nanak Hosee Bhee Sach
Nanak Hosee Bhee Sach

Ek Ong Kar
Sat Nam
Kartaa Purkh Nirbhao Nirvair

Akaal Moorat
Ajoonee, Saibhang Gur Prasaad

Aad Sach, Jugaad Sach
Hai Bhee Sach, Nanak Hosee Bhee Sach
Nanak Hosee Bhee Sach

Translation:
One Creator. Truth is His name. Doer of everything. Fearless, Revengeless, Undying, Unborn, Self illumined, The Guru’s gift, Meditate! True in the beginning. True through all the ages. True even now. Oh Nanak it is forever true

More Information:
The Mul Mantra translates as the root mantra from which a spiritual foundation is built. The Siri Guru Granth Sahib is based upon the concepts of the Mul Mantra.
Yogi Bhajan says on chanting the Mul Mantra

“The Mul Mantra is a fate killer. It removes the fate and changes the destiny to complete prosperity.”

Language: Gurmukhi

Yoga ~ Vinyasa Flow ~ Detoxifying Sequence (60 mins.)

One of Blisstree.com’s all-time favorite workouts!

Yoga is a very relaxing and detoxifying process that you make you feel your best. When you detox the right way it can be the most rewarding experience ever, are you detoxing the right way?

Yoga is a physical, mental, and spiritual practice that denotes a variety of schools, practices, and schools of Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism. Yoga has dated back pre-Vedic Indian tradition, but it most likely developed around the 5th and 6th centuries. Yoga became popular as a system of physical exercise in the 1980’s.

Yoga physiology describes humans as 3 bodies (physical, subtle, and causal) and 5 sheets (food sheet, pranabreath, mind sheet, intellect and bliss) which covers the energy flowing through the energy channels and concentrated chakras.

This video lasts about one hour and consists of the vinyasa flow that focuses on twists that detoxifies the body and clears anything that is not useful to the body. The video starts with two rounds of kapalbhati which translates to the breath of fire.  So, start this video and begin your detoxification process.

Silence, by Eckhart Tolle

lake_portal

To listen to the silence, wherever you are, is an easy and direct way of becoming present. The transformation of human consciousness is a shift from time to presence, from thinking to pure consciousness. Presence is needed to become aware of the beauty, the majesty, the sacredness of nature – the mind needs to be still.  ~ Eckhart Tolle

 

Ho’okupu: A Distinction Between Free vs. Freely

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As a Healer, I’ve often been asked, “Hey, you heal for free??” … Wow, folks. No; nothing of value is ever “for free”. Everything is energy, therefore, ho’okupu … the energy exchange that sparks positive results to sprout and grow … is always required. However, what I am able to give, I give freely. What’s the difference, you say? HUGE. Read on.

“Freely vs. Free,” by Thuy Nguyen

Today, after receiving acupuncture during my donation based shift, a patient asked me why I was “giving away” such amazing treatments for free. Don’t you value your skills? She asked. Don’t you want to demand that others value your skills too? Don’t you want them to show you respect by paying you what you are worth? Then she saw my perplexed expression and then added, oh, I see you are trying to fix the world. You are trying to help people in need because they are lacking. That is good of you. She waited for a response but I was speechless. There was so much off in what she said to me that I didn’t know where to start, so instead, I tipped my head slightly as to nod. She smiled, deposited $5 into our money box and left. I’ve been thinking about what she said ever since.

I do what I do and there is no amount of money that anyone could give me to make me feel that it is an adequate match to what I have to offer. Not $5, not $5000. Because what I have to offer is not quantifiable. What I have to offer is myself and it not only reflects in my practice of Chinese Medicine but how I run my business. It is what has evolved over my 16 years of thinking about medicine and health and how I would like to affect and be affected by the world I live in. It is a reflection of my understanding of health and our connections with one another.

My practice reflects my faith in abundance, trust, and connection that is possible in the world that we live in and my faith in the profound healing capabilities of Chinese Medicine. I am taken by its simplicity, its gentleness, its humbleness, its accessibility, its profound depth, its quiet healing. I am heartened (especially in this day and age) to be able provide an environment where 5 complete strangers can lie down side by side to nap, relax and heal together, no strings attached. And I am amazed that day after day, people do come to do just that. That is trust. That is healing.

From this understanding, value and worth take on very different perspectives. It is only because of my understanding of the profound value of what I do that I offer it up freely. Not for free, freely. I am not doing this to fix a broken world or to give to people in need. The world is not broken, what people may or may not need is beyond my comprehension. I am simply doing this because it is the most natural expression of who I’ve become and of who I am.