Picking up the Pieces
August 2021
The Never Ending Pandemic
I think we all can agree that our lives have forever been changed because of what we all have been through during the COVID-19 pandemic. Just think about that for a moment. Every single person we know and love was effected and possibly forever changed. So when we think about the amount of growing, change, struggle we all have been through, it can become overwhelming. I personally think back to when the world stopped in March 2020 and then think where I am today. I realize everything about my life is different. I've spent a lot of time digging deep during what I like to call the shift. I definitely got to the point where I just threw my hands in the air and said to the universe "YOU GOT ME!?". But many of the hours spent during quarantine, both in America and England, I spent soul searching. I went looking for ...ME. Who am I? What do I want to be when I grown up? Who do I want to be to my children, my boyfriend, my family? Most of all I thought about how I could love me more and in the end heal.
Where did I begin?
MEDITATION
My first go to for some time now has been meditation. During the pandemic I would sit in my sun room in the early hours each morning and started my day meditating. I was determined that each day would start with a mindful, self loving half hour to an hour.
I know, you've been hearing everyone is turning to meditation to heal even before the pandemic began. I started my journey with meditation back in 2018 when I became very ill. Nobody could figure out what exactly was wrong with me. Even my amazing doctors at Mass Eye and Ear in Boston, MA could not figure out why I was loosing my vision in my right eye. They could physically see what was causing the problem. The question was why was there inflammation in my optic nerve? So I did the only thing I knew to do. I changed my diet and started to dig deep; meditating and using every ounce of my holistic healing knowledge to fix what appeared to be broken. When I went back to the doctors two months after having them scratching their head with no true understanding what was wrong, I explained that one day the light came on and I could see again. over the next month I only continued to improve. To this day I have no idea what was the cause of my vision loss, I only can tell you what I did to heal myself. I dug deep and listened to my body and my healing team. So I am here to tell you, meditation works! Even if you don't feel sick, it's on my top five list of things you can do for self-care.
CRYSTAL LOVE
Oh those beautiful rocks that shimmer and shine in the sun. They're pretty right? They look great sitting on a shelf and adorning your mantel over your fire place. Did you know they can heal? OK, listen, let me break it down for you.
We live on a big ball of energy. We call it earth but its a swirling ball of energy.
This big ball of energy is cradled in this thing called the universe. It's FILLED with energy exploding from every possible sector.
Back to earth, there are living things growing and moving all over it. From the smallest molecule all the way to the ocean, it is FILLED with life. Each and every thing is composed of energy. This includes rocks. They are vibrating at different frequencies just waiting for you to discover how that will effect you.
So through science (not magical, mystical wonder) it has been proven that crystals can effect us, fellow energy filled thing, in positive and negative ways. You just need to know what crystal will vibrate at the frequency you need for any given ailment. Honestly, your body will tell you which ones you need, you just need to listen to your gut/intuition.
Top Crystals for healing and grounding:
Crystal Quartz - this is considered the master healer. This can even heal your plants and help them grow. Stick one in a potted plant and watch the healing begin. This crystal is also good to use on all your chakras (I'll get to the chakra healing soon). I recommend you do not put this crystal in a place where you need to sleep. The energy will keep you awake!
Turquoise - This is an excellent choice (not to mention beautiful) for healing mind, body and soul. This is always a great one to wear and there is amazing pieces jewelry created by some of the most amazing Native American artist.
Amethyst - This is great for healing, purifying and protecting. This I recommend for your bedroom to help you sleep. Its perfect for the crown chakra for connection to the universe and overall divine connection.
Moonstone - This is called the stone of "new beginnings". It assists in inner growth and strengthening from the inside out.
Citrine - This brings joy, wonder and enthusiasm. It also is used for the solar plexus chakra.
Selenite - This is my go to healing crystal. I keep this in my bedroom to help me sleep and have restful dreams. Overall it promotes peace and calm, clarity and promotes connection and camaraderie. It vibrates at a very high frequency - 244 Hz to be exact. It possesses the second highest vibration of any natural substance on earth. Trust me, that's a good thing and why it should be part of anyone's healing rituals.
This is just my top selection for healing crystals but there are hundreds of great stones. You just need to find the ones that speak to you.
CHAKRA HEALING
The number one thing you can do to work on healing your own energy (and keep it healthy) is to align and balance your chakras each day. Chakras originated in India 1500 - 500 BC in the oldest text called the Vedas. Anodea Judith, the American author of Wheels of Life: A User's Guide to the Chakra System, says that the knowledge of the chakra system was passed down through an oral tradition by the Ind-Eurpoean people, also called the Aryan people. The word itself is derived from the Sanskrit cakra, meaning “wheel,” alluding to the vortex of swirling energy believed to reside in each chakra’s location.
Now that I've gotten all the nerdy stuff out of the way, I will simply explain what a Chakra is, what it looks like, what are the attributes associated with it and signs that a chakra is out of balance. Most of all, I want you to understand how you hold the power to heal yourself.
Seven Chakras (there are more but for beginners this is where you start)
ROOT - this is located at the base of your spine. The color of this chakra is red. This chakra is all about being grounded. If you feel like you might float or feel insecure about things like finances or your basic needs like well-being you need to work on this chakra. If you are having issues with arthritis, bowel issues, lower back pain, or sciatica pain the legs - you may need to work on this chakra.
SACRAL - located below the navel and is all about sexual and creative energies. The color of this chakra is orange. If you have any issues with your sexual organs, withholding intimacy, emotional isolation or you are lacking creativity, you may need to work on this chakra.
SOLAR PLEXUS - located below the chest area right were your rib cage comes together. This chakra is yellow and represents self-esteem, will-power and personal responsibility. Some signs that you need to work on this chakra include low self-esteem, control issues, manipulative tendencies, or your measure of power is skewed. If you have stomach problem or weight issues, this is also a sign you need to work on this chakra.
HEART - This is located at the center of your chest but a bit off to the left side. This chakra is green or sometimes pink. I often see it as a combination of both. It may seem obvious but this chakra is related to love, self-love and assists with relationships. If you have issues with depression, difficulty with relationships or self-discipline, you need to work on this chakra. If you have chest pain, heart palpitations, heart issues these are also signs you need to balance your heart chakra. I must point out, PLEASE if you have symptoms of a heart attack, please call 911 before you do anything else. ALL of my recommendations are not a replacement to modern medicine, they are to be used in conjunction with modern medicine.
THROAT - This is located at the center of your neck and is light blue. This area is all about your voice and how you use it. If you find it hard to speak in public places, to an audience and to be clear and concise, then you need to balance this chakra. If you have thyroid issues, swollen throat glands, you lose your voice, have congestion of any kind in your throat with no obvious cause, this chakra is out of balance.
THIRD EYE - Located at the center of your forehead and is the color indigo blue. This chakra represents intuition, foresight and is driven by openness and imagination. If you get headaches or migraines, buzzing in the ears or hearing loss you should work on this area.
CROWN - This is located on the top of your head and is the color purple. This is the area where a state of higher consciousness and a divine connection stems from. Imbalance attributes include cynicism, disregard for what is sacred, close mindedness and disconnected with spirit. If you have headaches, migraines or find yourself dizzy this chakra needs to be balanced.
IMPORTANT NOTE: Anything you read in this blog is intended to be used along side modern medicine. You should not forgo talking to a doctor while using holistic healing/medicine.
Journaling
One of the best things you can do for your mental health is journaling. Take time each day to write down your thoughts, wishes, dreams and hopes. Draw pictures! There really are no rules you need to follow because it's yours and yours alone. It's so cathartic and you can look back and see how far you come over a long period of time. Since the start of the pandemic I have been writing down everything. I hope some day my grandchildren will look back and see it as an example of the journey some of us took during this pandemic.
Final Thoughts
I will have a follow-up to this post with ones that discuss a single chakra in more detail. You will find out in each post how to set your chakra to the right size as well as how to get it spinning in the correct direction. I will also go over which crystal will aid in healing and balancing each chakra. While you are waiting for those post - if you feel you might be having any kind of issue with your chakras I recommend reaching out to a Reiki practitioner near you. As a Reiki healer we have been trained, by Masters of energy healing, to use ancient wisdom to align your chakras and heal your energy so you can live a fulfilled healthy life. If you wish to become a Reiki practitioner (which is much more than working on your chakras), I recommend that you reach out to a reliable Master and not attempt to take an online course. Please do not waste your money on something that will not give you accurate information and will send you down the wrong path to enlightenment and health.
The key to moving forward during and after this current pandemic is to heal your mind, body and soul. I'm here to help you begin or continue on your journey. Please keep an eye out for like posts describing each chakra, crystals to use with each and how to heal yourself from the inside out.
Sending you all PEACE, LOVE and LIGHT. Be well and I hope to see you again soon.
RESOURCES:
Meditation Pillow
Meditation Cushion
Meditation Music
Josephine Wall: Mer Fairy (Foiled Journal)
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