Ceremony - a magical ingredient

Here’s a short clip:

“We have a choice in living each day. We can have the perspective and belief that nothing is a miracle or that everything is a miracle.

‘Having long chosen the latter, this perspective is part of who I am (though being human, I can get derailed sometimes). I believe I was born with a little pixie dust in my heart, because little things can get me quite excited. I love to spread joy, because it roots that feeling deeper into my experience and lifts me up – a bit of a win-win for sure.

So where does “ceremony” come into this? And what is the difference between “ceremony” and “celebration”?

Click here to read more

A small river flowing through a forest

I am back and so happy to be sharing my updates with you. It has been a year since I announced my Sabbatical and took some time away from the office and my writing. So much has happened and the biggest lesson I have taken from this past year is to truly – Go with the Flow!

Right after publishing my last blog, we welcomed our first grandchild into the family. A happy little boy who also turns 1 year old today. This was followed by two weddings and the birth of our first granddaughter in October. To say life has changed is an understatement. There is so much joy along with all the crazy. This balance has definitely helped to keep perspective.

I had such expectations that my sabbatical was going to allow for a deep dive into how I might shift my work to be even more impactful in the world. That is would look like a big 360-degree shift in my offering. As I entered into month 3, I was getting quite restless. All my tuning in, meditations, coaching sessions did not seem to be birthing this new program. Some colleagues started to reach out for sessions and it felt right to see them. Slowly, my schedule began to fill up without me making any formal announcement. I noticed that I was very clear on my boundaries. I would work my 4 days a week with specific hours and not get pulled to make time work for everyone else’s schedule.

The big result was – I was different. I was and am bringing a new level of presence and awareness to my days and that has created more joy and gratitude to be doing what I do. This does not mean that new programs will not show up, change is always with us. As my company name suggests – all real change comes from the inside out. It was my mind and programs that were telling me that in order to justify the time off, I had to make a big outward change. It makes me smile with more self-compassion now.

So what are some of the things that have contributed to this inner shift?

  • Daily (almost) meditation
  • Walks in the forest or by the river. Many with a dear friend, some with family or solo, and the dogs.
  • Yoga – self-care
  • A nine-month Enneagram program with Russ Hudson and the Awakened Company.
  • An online community choir called Wonderland Singers with Coco Love Alcorn.
  • Continued North Metro Sweet Adeline’s chorus.
  • Continued Women’s Wellness Circles monthly

Karen standing on a rock

The biggest shift as I mentioned opening this post was an ability to go with the flow. Whether it was last-minute client cancels due to health or life demands, changes in how a day would unfold, the numbers for Circle, changing my teaching schedule for reiki…I was consistently being reminded to let go…to trust…to know that the best outcome will always be supported even if it did not look that way from my initial vantage point. I did not realize how much I planned my time. This was partially engrained in me from upbringing and school and work. In order to be successful, you must employ time management skills. The other part was out of fear. My fear looks like not being able to keep up with all the demands I expect of myself, what I thought others expected of me, to be able to be there for others, to not show weakness that I can not manage whatever comes my way. These are the self-sabotaging patterns that set into motion years ago.

Change only comes about through awareness and practice so my time allowed for more of both of these. I also have incredible support in my colleagues, friends and family to not give up when it got tough to feel my way through.

I am so grateful to be where I am today and know that there is so much more to experience and expand into. Thank you to all my clients who continue to put their trust in me and teach me. Thanks to my family, friends and colleagues and community. We are always stronger together.

As we welcome the December full moon this week and prepare for the Winter Solstice on the 21st and holidays, I wish for you to invite in self-love, curiosity, gratitude, playfulness and big dreams for a world that works for all of us.

See you in the New Year. Blessings to each of you.

Karen - Fall 2021

Sabbatical; a leave from duties and responsibilities in order to reset, research and rejuvenate.

As we approach the full moon partial eclipse on Friday, the impulse that has been bubbling up in me over the past few months can no longer be pushed aside.

When the first thought of a sabbatical entered my consciousness in the summer on one of my precious coaching calls, it both excited and scared me. After running my practice for the past 21 years, serving my community in a myriad of ways, it felt like I was being irresponsible to entertain a full break. The difference was, that was the response in my head, not in my heart and body.

I have been honing my skills over the past 2 years to listen more deeply to my body; and so its voice is getting louder. I knew that it was something I was being invited to do, however, I tip-toed into it.

I began to only book clients on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays. It didn’t take long for me to break that and accept an appointment on a Monday or Saturday for those who were requesting alternate options.

I decided it would be good to find a colleague to bring in so that healing was still happening in my sacred space. The right connections were brought into my life within a month of that thought. One step closer but still I hesitated to set a date and announce this big step.  So, as you are reading here, it is time.

Why?  My soul is calling for it.  Over the past 1.5 years, I have felt as though something wants to be birthed through me in a new way.  The issue is, I need to stop what I am doing in order to listen fully for what is coming.

The fall and winter season is a natural time to go within and hibernate.

I also have the joy of anticipating our first grandchild.  What a precious gift to be fully present for.

I have been preparing for this time.  I was part of Laura Foster’s first group program entitled “Roots”.  A beautiful program consisting of 10 modules digging into the foundation of our being and soul that allows for the clarity and strength to rise. It created a stronger connection for me to listen to my heart’s calling.

I also registered for a 9-month program with Russ Hudson and The Awakened Company which runs from October 2021 – June 2022.  Again, a deep dive into a spiritual practice, creating practices that will serve to enlighten me to what is being called of my gifts and service at this time on our planet.

I feel we are at a crucial point in humanity’s awakening. It’s a time to support sustainable practices that will build and not destroy. It is time to bring in creativity and potential into new form.

I will continue to host my monthly Woman’s Wellness Circle on the 4th Thursday of the month.  We have moved back to our Zoom platform beginning this month. My monthly newsletter will provide details for each event.

I will continue to support my Reiki students with some online offerings and those too will be announced as they are scheduled.

To all my cherished clients, I am grateful for what we have shared and for the anticipation of what is coming. Keep looking after yourselves and enjoy the coming season. Remember to schedule things that make your heart smile.

Till the new year, sending all my love.

Karen

I want to expand on my first Intention Word for 2021 shared in my last post. Belly Breath or simply Breath. It is the most automatic instinct we have from birth and therefore one that we don’t typically pay much attention to without cause.

We have so many expressions that include the experience of our breath:

“breath of fresh air”

“under one’s breath”

“hold your breath”

“save your breath”

“take your breath away”

“breath taking”

“catch one’s breath”

“just breathe”

“breathe life into your dreams, desires, intentions etc”

I shared that without my weekly chorus rehearsals where we spend 3 plus hours singing with and without choreography that my natural breath pattern became more shallow. That in turn raises can result in anxious feelings, contraction in my abdomen which impacts my digestion and an overall sense of unease. All it takes it conscious moments throughout the day to take 3 big deep breathes to change my whole physiology. It is also why my daily walks in nature have had such a profound calming and grounding influence on my well being.

As a Reiki Master, it is absolutely one of the most influential aspects of receiving the benefits of a treatment. I start all client sessions with a a gentle invitation to come into presence through our senses and landing with the breath. I watch the breathing patterns of my clients as they are on the table to notice when they change. It provides strong clues as what is happening within and when I might inquire or support differently.

We have so many options available to us to bring awareness to our breath and create healthy breath practices. Breath is the foundation to the following and I know it is not a complete list:

“Yoga, Meditation, Qui Gong, Tai Chi, Vocal expression, Pilates, Reiki, Body Talk, weight training, birthing, sports, good sleep, digestion”

I receive the daily inspiration from Abraham Hicks and as a synchronicity, this is the post that arrived today which fits so perfectly.

“Through our daily process of focusing upon your breathing, you will progressively breathe your resistance away, causing a gradual shift in your Vibrational point of attraction. And then, you will begin to feel a strong resonance with the words that we have been speaking to you. When that occurs, the Vibration of your physical body and that of the Source within you will be at the same Vibrational frequency; and when that occurs, your physical body will benefit.

In the same way that a complete understanding of electricity is unnecessary in order to flip the switch and receive the benefit of it, you do not need to understand the complex inner workings of your physical body. You only need to understand the simple process by which you allow your intelligent cells to do their work.

As you find and practice resonance with the Vibration of the Source within you, communication between the cells of your body flourishes, as does your entire physical body. And it all begins with the simple focusing upon your breathing to “flip the switch” of absolute physical well-being.

Excerpted from Getting into the Vortex Guided Meditation CD and User Guide on 11/1/10

Our Love Esther (Abraham and Jerry)

I invite you to bring more awareness to your breathe in the next week and notice the difference that it provides in your overall sense of wellbeing. As always, I encourage feedback and suggestions from readers. As we share we expand.

Until next time.

Last week’s Women’s Wellness Circle featured Shawn Nisbet as our guest presenter with a timely topic for fall; How to Strengthen Your Immune System.  As the allowable numbers for indoor gatherings in our geographic area only permitted a maximum of 10 people, I promised to write a summary of the information shared on the 22nd.  So here is my attempt to share what actually would be a whole book of information and then provide a link for Shawn’s incredible resources.

What is your Immune System?

It is a collection of billions of cells that travel through your body via your bloodstream. The cells move in and out of tissues and organs defending the body against foreign (antigens), such as specific bacteria, viruses and cancerous cells that can make you ill.

The Main Parts of Your Immune System

There are actually twenty-one different kinds of immune cells and each of them have numerous jobs to do to keep us healthy.

How Do We Strengthen Our Immune System?

  • Don’t smoke.
  • Manage your stress.
  • Drink less alcohol.
  • Sleep well.
  • Exercise moderately, preferably outside.
  • Spend more time outdoors, even in winter.
  • Get more Vitamin D.
  • Nourish your gut biome.
  • Eat less sugar.
  • Eat a healthy diet full of fruits, veggies and other plants.
  • Eat less bad fats.
  • Manage your weight.
  • Breathe deep and relaxed through your nose.
  • Stay hydrated.
  • Wash your hands properly.
  • Add important bio-available supplements to your daily diet.

This is a comprehensive list that we discussed in detail with statistics and tips to follow through.  Many that we already know, because we have heard them before and some are common sense.  Some have new findings to support a more thorough understanding which can motivate us to make new choices.

Taking It One Step at a Time

Taking a lot of information in can be intimidating, sometimes deterring us from taking action.  Shawn recommended that we each pick one thing that we are prepared to implement the next day.  Once we felt comfortable with that change, then we could add another step.

It was a fantastic evening and we had active discussions on many topics.  I encourage you to sign up for Shawn’s newsletter or peruse her website for recipes and ideas on health promotion. https://www.nutritionwithshawn.com/

Other incredible resources that I recommend are;

So, let’s keep our dialog going, share your thoughts and let’s take this time to learn more about our brilliant bodies and how much they can support us when we support them. 

To your health and wellbeing,

Karen

Welcome to September…not sure how July and August flashed by so quickly yet here we are. As I shared in my last post, these last six months have provided a fertile ground for us to do a deep dive into our closest relationships.  Limited travel, gatherings and outings have resulted in more time spent with our close family, friends and most importantly; ourselves.  Some of us have always been comfortable in our own company for long periods of time, however for many; this is a very new experience.

I happen to be a very social person; enjoying the opportunity to work with my clients and hosting events that bring the community together. When that was cut off for a few months earlier this year, I too was in my own company for many more hours a day than ever before. It has been a rich ride, some days blissful and some days extremely uncomfortable.  I found I was slowly going down a rabbit hole of seeing all the things in myself I didn’t like.  The crazy thing is, that same outlook was in play as I looked outside of myself too.  I was seeing all the things that had built up over the years with other relationships. As I touched base with others, many were also saying that their buttons were so close to the surface that others could push them without much effort. What were the gifts coming forward in this uncomfortable way?

One of the incredible gifts that came forth was a series of online Enneagram classes with The Awakened Company led by Catherine Bell and Russ Hudson. The timing was so perfect to provide very practical understanding on how each type might deal with the pandemic crisis. 

What IS the Enneagram?

For those who are unfamiliar with the Enneagram, it is a personality system that provides incredible insights into nine patterns of thinking, feeling and acting in the world.  We all hold some of each type within us and we all have a dominant personality type that is the base motivation for how we engage in the world with ourselves and others.

My website contains more detailed information and videos describing this system.  I also coach individuals, couples and teams with the Enneagram to bring more ease and effectiveness to their relationships.

Exploring Enneagram Types In-Depth Workshop

Once each year, I hold a public workshop where individuals can witness others who know their type describe how they tend to look at life.  It is one of the most fun and informative days that I lead every year.

This year will have a slightly different atmosphere in a great way!  We will be outside under a huge tent at the Historic Sharon Temple on September 13th. There are a few spots still available.  If this is not an option for you, I encourage you to research the Enneagram. I am happy to work with you or guide you to Russ Hudson, , Ben Saltzman, , and the Awakened Company, to name a few.

May these times bring wisdom, transformation and compassion as we move forward together to create a world that works for everyone.

Until next time,

Karen 

Reiki Energy Healing in Newmarket by Karen Armstrong of Inside Out

Happy July 2020, it’s been quite the ride these past few months and it shows no signs of being any different in the foreseeable future.  As humans, we are natural problem solvers and control freaks, so there is no shortage of opinions and thoughts on how to handle everything.  So who are you listening to?

It has been so natural to look outside of ourselves for so many answers to questions that arise in our lives.  After all; how can we be an expert in everything?  We definitely are not and no one is.  We are an expert on our own body and what is best for us, we have just forgotten how to tune in and listen.

I am no exception. I got myself so busy last year, that even though my body was speaking up loudly with signs of exhaustion, I was on auto pilot.  It didn’t matter how many incredible colleagues I saw to keep me balanced, I was actually just enabling myself to carry on a bit longer and keep piling up my personal expectation list. 

I have shared that at Christmas 2019, I realized that things needed to change.  I began 2020 in a very different way, carving out personal time every morning before heading to the office. I would meditate, journal, do self-reiki, yoga or read.  I also made tough decisions to cut back on some of my extra-curricular commitments.  Instead, I booked a personal retreat, booked a weekend off to visit my son and his partner and was planning some regular “me” days. 

Then the Covid-19 shut down hit.  Well that brought everything to a big halt overnight.  At first it felt fabulous… “ahh, I can just stop without any guilt of letting anyone down”.  But my strong, lifelong patterns of finding value by doing began to surface at the same time as my realization that I truly needed this stop time to rebuild.  Those were two very conflicting inner messages.

I Went on a Search for Assistance

So – who did I look to for support, who could I listen to that knew how to assist me in this tumultuous time?  The process of determining that created the acknowledgement that I had to tune in to me first.  I am not completely new to this, I have built a strong intuitive ability to tune in to myself, however this was taking it to a much deeper level. Of course the universe brings people into our lives at the perfect time.  Besides myself, here is who I have reached out to as I deepen my relationship to self.

Dr. Laura Foster – I have known Dr. Laura Foster for many years, though it has only been the last year that our circle drew much closer. From the incredible health and wellness expo that she and Danielle Warner organized last fall in Newmarket, to the incredible retreat I attended in February, to monthly Inspired Conversation Zoom calls, Laura has been through a similar rebirthing in her life and  is now skilled in assisting others to tune into their inner voice.  https://soulinspiredgurl.com/

Dean Noblett and Rebecca Couch – my reiki masters.  From the start of shut down, Dean and Rebecca stepped up to run daily, and then weekly, meditation evenings to bring our light worker community together.  This has been an incredibly empowering support to remember the big picture, that we signed up to be here as the earth integrates into the 5th dimension and how to stay grounded yet tuned into the higher frequencies coming in. Check out http://www.heartlight.ca/

Andrea Mathieson – a long time spiritual mentor, Andrea works with plant medicine and Gaia to bring in a deeper listening from the wisdom of Mother Nature.  She offered a 2 part Creating your Own Flower Essence Workshop online which was wonderful and has now expanded into a 4 part Communing with Nature.  This calls a different aspect of intuitive listening for me that I know will serve me in many ways. https://www.ravenessences.com/

Meadow Eagleweed used to make my flower essence.

The Awakened Company – Catherine Bell and Russ Hudson have teamed up to offer weekly classes on the Enneagram, a system of our human nature that I have studied and worked with since 1996. The richness of these classes has been great during these times as we witness the polarities of our personality rise with the ever present fear. You are not too late to jump in and learn from these wise souls: https://awakenedcompany.com/enneagram-courses-awakened-company/

There are countless others bringing their wisdom and gifts to the forefront now and many who have other agendas. We are living in a very rich time of shifting old paradigms and rebirthing the world in a more sustainable, compassionate and inclusive way that will be better for all.  All lives matter no matter what colour our skin, the animals, the vegetation, our water and earth. We are one eco system that relies on each other to bring our own light and gifts to the whole.  May we listen with an intention to bring about a kinder world.

I would love to hear from you, who are your favourite peeps at this shifting time?

inner critic

As we enter week 11 of being more house bound and adhering to social distancing, old patterns are arising, and our inner critic is getting very loud. We can find ourselves in a reactive mode not only with outside issues; the more detrimental tendency is that we tend to attack ourselves first.

Why am I heading to the fridge again?

Why can’t I get myself motivated to do my “To Do” list?

How can I let anyone see me with this hair?

How can I stop my worrying?

My thinking is scattered.

How Fear Effects Our Reasoning Mind

We are in an unprecedented territory of change worldwide and yet, we put expectations on ourselves that are running from old patterns. We have the skill set to move into a responsive mode, yet we are out to lunch 98% of our day. Not consciously, our unconscious patterns and learned behaviours are in the driver’s seat, especially with the heightened level of fear coming at us from every angle. Fear by its nature limits our immune system, our reasoning mind and creativity.

Breaking the Cycle

inner critic

So, how do we break the cycle? The simple answer is presence. I hear your rebuttal – oh right, not so simple. The reality is that presence can be tough work. So, how do we approach tough work? Through simple steps repeated with consistency. It comes through our breathe and our body – our body communicates through sensation.

Breathe and Body

When we take the steps to welcome in our breathe and body sensations, new messages can come to the surface. This is where the work comes in. We typically get to this front door and then leave because it is not always confortable. It requires a deeper letting go and flow than we are used to. There is a vulnerability to be in the moment and trust. ..

Here’s an invitation for you. As you move through your day or week, stop periodically to breathe and feel into your own goodness. To acknowledge the sacredness of this new space and the journey we are on at this time. We can remember that we are our own custodian and caretaker. We can also notice the habits by which we give ourselves a hard time. We can notice if there are recurrent themes. Write these messages down and read them from a place of kindness. We might see the untruth of them. 

We are never wasting time by working on our inner critic. It is freeing.

Until next time,

Karen

support, virtual services

Welcome to May 2020. We are still under social distancing guidelines in Southern Ontario, so I wish to update you on the services still available with Inside Out.

It has been a time of great polar opposites. Feelings of gratitude that we have more time to look after ourselves, family, nature and community as well as fear, uncertainty and mixed emotions on what is really happening. Of course, the big question is – what will it look like on the other side of quarantine? I am excited to be taking some time to be very conscious of what I want to co-create in our world. We have been talking about how we are living in an unsustainable way for our planet’s well-being and noticing how the stress and pace is being expressed in record high levels of anxiety and depression for all ages.

This extreme world situation definitely carries many casualties that are brutally difficult to see and on the polar opposite, it is showing us without a doubt, that our human activity is having a detrimental effect on the environment. There are countless entries sharing how nature is bouncing back.

“If there’s something good to come from this worldwide pandemic, it might be the way Earth is given a chance to breathe a bit. Scientists have already seen how quickly the climate, and nature far and wide, is already revitalizing and recovering from human climate change damage.  https://eponline.com/articles/2020/03/24/covid19-and-climate-change-the-unexpected-pairing.aspx

So, with this pause that many of us are experiencing, we have a brilliant opportunity to think about what we want our world to look like. Our thoughts are energy and where thoughts go, energy follows. Our actions will be influenced by our thoughts, which have a ripple effect on our circle of influence.

I am appreciating this pause to do just that. I have not come to a full picture of how I want to show up when things go back to allowing interaction of physical, but ideas are percolating.

In the meantime, I am definitely available to support my clients in the following ways:

Distant Reiki Healing

This involves connecting by phone, Zoom, FT or Skype to have a conversation about where you are at and what is coming up. Then we either stay connected or hang up and I will send a reiki healing treatment to you as though you were with me.

Enneagram Relationship Coaching

Using the enneagram personality system as the focal point, we will discuss whatever blocks or challenges may be coming up at this time relating to yourself or others. Great insights reveal themselves and new steps forward are determined with more clarity.

General Support

My experience over these past 20 years has provided a strong platform to listen, question and provide a fresh perspective on what may be going on in your life wherever you need support.

Women’s Wellness Circle

This wonderful monthly connection has moved to a virtual platform until we can gather together. It takes place the 4th Thursday of each month and I feature a different presenter and topic. This month will be focused on our relationship to food. Watch for details on my newsletter and on my FB Business page.

New to my Website

New to my website is an online shop to purchase the few items that my clients have come to love. I am covering ½ the shipping costs during shutdown or free delivery to East Gwillimbury, Newmarket and Aurora.

My new online scheduling system will be up and running this week making it easier to book at your own convenience.

I am forever grateful for the support of my long-time clients and students. Many of you are now friends. I have never looked back from my call to serve in this way. May these challenging times provide a place of deep reflection on the world we want to co-create for ourselves, our children, grandchildren and the planet we call home.

Until next time,

Karen

Enneagram

The Enneagram is a brilliant personality system that provides insight into our everyday personal and business relationships. That’s great news because, “A great relationship is about two things, first find out the similarities and second, respect the differences.” – Unknown

What is the Enneagram?

The Enneagram provides the road map to understand the natural similarities and differences while providing the scope for everyone to be their unique individual ever changing selves. In my experience, the Enneagram does not place us in a box, we look after that one fine all by ourselves. It does provide the framework for us to stretch outside our own boxes and open up our perspective.

I have written a number of blogs on the Enneagram and have a couple of videos on my website for those interested in learning the basic premise of the system. From a basic understanding, the Enneagram states that there are nine ways of thinking, feeling and acting in our human world. We all have one of those 9 ways of thinking that becomes the basis for how we look at and respond to the world.

I am forever grateful for the introduction to this system many years ago when our three sons were very young. As parents, it is a natural to parent our children from our own point of view and not from theirs. Not only can that be tricky, each parent typically is a different type, so you are already juggling two different parenting styles before even acknowledging the child. It became a question of “do we want to be right, or do we want a specific result?”. If it was the later, then it was much more effective to know what the underlying motivation of the child is.  That actually works for everyone.

Enneagram Panels Day

Communication always begins with understanding ourselves, so the first step in putting the wisdom of the Enneagram to work is to know our own inherent type. There are books, podcasts, videos and many opportunities around the world to attend in person events. If you are in the York Region area of Ontario, then a great opportunity is available in April. I am running my annual Enneagram panels day, where people who know their type provide an ideal vantage point to understand each of the nine personality types.

Keep an eye on my IG and FB pages to watch short videos from last year’s event.  You can learn details and register on my website at: https://in-side-out.com/enneagram-workshops/

Relationships are the fertile ground for understanding who we are and what’s important in our lives. Let’s all take time to bring more peace and understanding to our similarities and respect to our differences.

Check out last year’s Enneagram panels below!

Till next time,

Karen

circle
intention words Karen Armstrong inside out aurora

Welcome to 2019. Those who have followed me for a while know that instead of determining New Year’s Resolutions, I like to create my Intention Words that guide me for the year ahead. These are words that will inspire my decisions, creativity and my beingness for the year ahead. They have always provided results in the most miraculous ways, and so the motivation for me to continue this practice is very high.

I usually take the few weeks leading up to the New Year to go through the process of choosing three intention words; this time was an exception though. My first two words came to me very quickly. And though I knew there was another word pending, it did not present itself. Not until my last reiki session. It took a deep inner process for my third intention word to surface. So here they are:

Pace

This beautiful word comes from the Brain Gym training I did back in the early 90’s. I know I’m not alone when I say, time feels as though

it’s speeding up. There is a direct correlation between what I expect to get done in a given amount of time, and the end result of those expectations as they combine with the realities of each day.

I truly love what I do, and I want to accomplish as much as possible. However, I am paying a price for the Pace I’ve been keeping. My whole being is communicating with me. Trying to get the message through to me that a gentler Pace would serve me much better than my current one. To assist me in setting a more conscious pace I began to incorporate the Five Minute Journal into my daily routine, and have already seen positive results from this simple step.

Nourish

This fits right in line with my body’s desire for a gentler PACE. I am craving a higher level nourishment for my mind, body and spirit. This has been a consistent journey over my awakening consciousness path. I have come a long way from only focusing my energy outward, towards serving others, and not on serving myself. I actually had no idea how to do that at first.

It started with giving myself permission to book regular massage, osteopath and pedicure appointments. From there I began to scheduled days off to do what I wanted, like registering for courses that educate me to nourish myself better. This year, I’ve moving back to basics. I plan to nourish myself each day with my thoughts, by setting a realistic pace, spending time outdoors, gathering fresh flowers, drinking tea, taking walks with friends and reading good books. And I look forward to learning more nourishing tips along the way.

Fearless Love

This was the one that showed up last week. Last year held many shifts for my clients and within my family. I’ve always believed that love can conquer all, change all and shine through in the end. I have trusted in that. There is a visceral reaction within me when I say fearless love. As though I’m ready to put all my belief in this inner power to the test and see where it takes me. That’s it… I cannot even expand on it right now, other than to say I know it will lead me in a greater way.

Do you have any stories to share about your new year practices? I find hearing others ideas and stories very inspiring so please share them.

I wish many joy-filled moments for all of you this year, ones that create memories that you’ll feel good about when you look back on them.

You can connect with me by email or telephone, or click the contact tab at the bottom of the screen if you are reading this post on the website. Don’t forget to join in the conversation on Facebook too!

Until next time,

Karen

inside out healing karen armstrong change your focus york region

Happy fall! It is my favourite time of year. As I reflect on the activities of the past summer, I am reminded of one great morning at church where our minister decided to show a movie entitled, “Celebrate What is Right in the World” by Dewitt Jones. It was so rich in inspiration, both visually and literally, as Dewitt told stories from his life and work at the National Geographic Magazine.

I absolutely encourage you to watch the Tedx Talk at this link:

I would also love to share some of my take aways from this video.

I’m not sure how many of you are, like me, hesitant to take in too much mainstream media because it focuses so much on what is wrong in the world. I find that the news I need to hear comes into my awareness anyway. And I can always look into any headline that I may want to learn more about.

Dewitt’s message spoke to me because as an energy worker I know that, where thoughts go, energy follows. In his career life, he was a photographer for the National Geographic Magazine. One of his opening lines was, “Vision controls perception and perception becomes our reality”. He didn’t realize until well into his career how powerfully the focus of his work for the National Geographic helped to reframe his perception. He began to notice how the world of media operates, from a Fear – Scarcity – Competition focus, instead of a “What’s possible or what is here to celebrate,“ focus.

Focusing on the Negative

It’s so easy to fall into an unconscious pattern of sharing stories with friends and co-workers on what is troubling, because let’s face it – life can be really tough!!  We like to have company along for the struggles in our journey. By talking about our difficulties, we can always find an understanding ear, but this point of view can rob us of the joys in life.

Over time, we always get what we focus on. And I have noticed how many people are getting very tired of going down the path of negativity our society has developed. It feels heavy, like it’s dragging you down. That is true!

A New Perspective

If we instead find ways to appreciate special moments each day, we will begin to retrain the focus of our attention. The more we do this the more we will notice how many moments in our day we can actually enjoy and be inspired by.

Like Dewitt, I have been labelled as a Pollyanna in my life. Though I never did understand how that was a negative thing. Even with a naturally positive outlook, I can find myself spiraling down the negativity path occasionally. There are lots of reasons, but typically it is because I’m tired, and not looking after my own self-care needs. But, if I can take time to walk, meditate, journal or share with a wise friend, even when things are a bit rough, it is possible to shift my perspective and create new possibilities.

Dewitt’s message reminds us to connect to the energy of passion every day. To look for what is here in our world to celebrate… to fall in love with. And to remember that every day we get to choose which lens we will look at the world with.

Change your Lens – Change your Life!

At our recent Women’s Wellness Circle, we created Vision Boards.  They represent a focus of attention that we want to invite into our lives. The collage of words and images should be placed somewhere we will see them every day. This subconsciously programs our perception to watch for ways to bring these visions into reality. We begin to align our energetic vibration to become a match for what we want.

Fall Equinox can be a powerful time to refocus and inspire new intentions. What do you want to invite into your life at this time?  Brainstorm, clarify and begin the baby steps to celebrate your journey of life!

You can connect with me by email or telephone, or click the contact tab at the bottom of the screen if you are reading this post on the website. Don’t forget to join in the conversation on Facebook too!

Until next time, enjoy our beautiful fall,

Karen

 

 

Exploring-Vibrational-Medicine-9781591792581

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I would like to continue on with the energy theme for this post and give some insight and understanding into the “energetic healing work” that I focus on in my practice. To assist with the definitions and overview I will incorporate some of the material from Richard Gerber M.D., and his book entitled “A Practical Guide to Vibrational Medicine”.

“During the early part of the twentieth century, Albert Einstein came to the conclusion that matter and energy were actually interconvertible and interchangeable.  He said that matter and energy were, in fact, two different forms of the same thing. If this is so, then all the atoms and subatomic particles making up the human body are also a kind of frozen energy as well. Since all energy vibrates and oscillates at different rates, then, at least at the atomic level, the human body is really composed of different kinds of vibrating energy.  The term, “vibrational medicine”, comes from this fact. By using a vibrational-medicine approach, it is possible to diagnose different types of illnesses based on knowledge of the different frequencies of energy that can be measured coming from the human body. For example, many doctors routinely order electrocardiagrams (EKG’s) on patients as part of their yearly exams. The electrical energy coming from the heart can give doctors information about whether the heart is functioning properly.”

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Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit. Aenean commodo ligula eget dolor. Aenean massa. Cum sociis natoque penatibus.

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit. Aenean commodo ligula eget dolor. Aenean massa. Cum sociis natoque penatibus et magnis dis parturient montes, nascetur ridiculus mus.

Donec quam felis, ultricies nec, pellentesque eu, pretium quis, sem. Nulla consequat massa quis enim. Donec pede justo, fringilla vel, aliquet nec, vulputate eget, arcu. In enim justo, rhoncus ut, imperdiet a, venenatis vitae, justo. Nullam dictum felis eu pede mollis pretium. Integer tincidunt. Cras dapibus. Vivamus elementum semper nisi.

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Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit. Aenean commodo ligula eget dolor. Aenean massa. Cum sociis natoque penatibus et magnis dis parturient montes, nascetur ridiculus mus.

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