Energy is Everything

Energy is life. We are energy beings in a physical body. Below is a clip that helps to explain the world of energy, spirit and the physical. 

 

http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/view/id/229

 

When I first started to understand the world of energy and energy healing, my regular day job as a nurse seemed far away from this fascinating field. How thrilled I was to see this video explain the right and left hemispheres of the brain in terms of our separateness and the consciousness of we are all one. 

So what does this mean when it comes to health care? 

I hold a vision that complementary therapies including energy healing modalities merge with our western health care system.  Many people are already combining complementary therapies with traditional western medicine and western medicine cannot help but notice this trend. The College of Nurses of BC recognizes some energy-based healing modalities as part of nursing practice. This is so fabulous.

 

January  2009

Centering: The Heart of Self Care

Centering: the practice of living from our inner being with an open heart. 

Why? It opens self to Divine Self providing for rich self discovery, wholeness, meaning and guidance.

 

Here are two techniques that I incorporate into my healing practice with my clients and do daily for my own self care. 

 

The first technique begins by making sure that you can feel your whole body. To do this breath in slowly and deeply, allowing your breath to permeate your whole body. As you breathe out allow your body to settle into the moment without judgement of how things may seem to be – simply relax. Take as many breaths as you need to feel your body – at least 3. Maintaining the connection with your body, imagine that you have your own personal space around you that extends a distance that is most comfortable for you. The space can be very close to your body and up to arms length away. Use your breath again to help make this space real to you. Set your intention that this space is your space, it provides protection and peace for you -whatever you set your intention for.

 

When you are ready, maintain your awareness of your body and the space around you and bring your awareness into your heart. You may use your breath again to deepen your sense of your heart space. As you breathe into your heart and your heart begins to open allow the sensation to permeate your whole body and space around you. Rest in this awareness. As you practice it will become easier. You can call on this practice when you need to throughout the day to help you come back to Self and for a quick pick up.

 

During times when I am particularly stressed I use this technique in the following fashion. I think of my little 9 pound, brown poodle that I love so dearly. To help me connect and open my heart I think about and begin to feel the unconditional love that I feel for him. I notice my heart sensations by just bringing my awareness there. I can feel the softening. I then allow this sensation of love and softness to fill my body and energy field. It is lovely to rest in the space that this has created. Now by just thinking of my little dog and taking a few deep breaths I can quickly come back into this centered heart space. It takes practice to remember to do this during busy or stressful times but when I do remember – it sure helps. 

 

The following alignment technique can be done on its own or after doing the above technique. It incorporates connecting to the mother earth, father sky and divine heart. A natural flow of energy develops that connects you to your ground and sky connection as well as the universal heart – oneness. Some of you may recognize it as similar to Drunvelo Melchizedek’s work. 

Connect with a place in nature that you love.

Bring it to the present time and place.

Connect to the earth through the root and grounding channels.

Send love to the mother and receive her love back. 

Without loosing this connection, connect to father sky, send love and receive his love back.

Sit in your heart space in this connection to earth-sky.

Once your awareness is somewhat stable in the heart space, then find the place where the individual heart connects and merges with the universal heart. You can simply experience it as the divine if you want to put a word to it and remain in that place free of distraction- allowing thoughts to dissolve as they arise. 

 

Both of these techniques are very useful meditation techniques. They can be done together or separately and incorporated into stillness practice and walking meditation practice. After a while it becomes easier to come in to any time of day. 

As you practice more, you will notice increasing benefits.

I would love to hear from you and of your experiences with this practice.

I would like to acknowledge my mentors – Claudette Bouchard and Brian Finnie. Without them, I would not be writing the above information.

Catherine

Inspiration

Julie Motz’s book “Hands of Life” has been an inspiration for me. I loved reading her story as it unfolded and about how she incorporated her gifts into the traditional western system of health care. It brought to mind the idea that we all have our gifts to share. Being present for ourselves and the unfolding of our gifts is possible for all of us.

Julie discusses how she works with people in surgery; listening to her patients on very deep levels and responding to the body’s messages to assist in the healing process. The benefits of the work is clear.

This is exactly what I find exciting in my healing practice. My desire to combine energy healing with my nursing practice has deepened. The question of how I could combine my energy healing skills and my nursing practice was never far from my mind – t was only a matter of time.

Her book may also be an inspiration for you, I invite you to read it.

Taken from the website: http://www.spiritsite.com/writing/julmot/ 

Hands of Life by Julie Motz

As one of the first nontraditional healers allowed to work in an operating room, Julie Motz harnesses the body’s own energy to help patients survive risky operations, such as heart transplants and cancer surgery. Now, in Hands of Life she shares remarkable case studies of healing, recovery, and transformation–and gives readers step-by-step guidance on accessing one’s own innate healing energy.

Treating the body and spirit as an interconnected whole, Motz explains her breakthrough form of healing, the ultimate synthesis of Eastern holistic healing and Western medicine. She shows how strong emotion affects our bodies, creating energy imbalances that can lead to illness if unaddressed, and illustrates how we can heal.

Positive Energy

Here is a book you may enjoy. Dr. Judith Orloff’s “Positive Energy” details her positive energy program to claim your energetic power. The book’s title caught my eye because much of the teaching that I do with clients involves the idea of choosing positive energy, thoughts and so on. After reading the introduction and the first chapter, I had my own AHA! moment and was inspired to continue reading.

For those of you who practice optimizing your health through proper diet, exercise and other wellness practices I would like to bring your attention to the third chapter, entitled “The Third Prescription: Design an Energy-Aware Approach to Diet, Fitness, and Health”. 

During her many years of Energy Psychiatry practice Dr. Orloff has found that most people “don’t realize overeating often constitutes and unconscious defense, an attempt to buffer negative energy.” Many of us already have insight into this with first-hand experience. Just the same, I found it interesting to read her descriptions of this habit, and to find simple techniques I could incorporate into my own wellness practices. Dr. Orloff’s motto of ‘eating for energy’ is a great idea to remember when feeling challenged and just about to eat something that will increase negative energy.

When it comes to exercise, are you squeezing in a practice that you really don’t like? If so, Dr. Orloff says that “you’re creating negative energy and burnout.” Take a moment and reflect on this. Is this true for you? Is it time to alter your exercise program  to one that feeds you and builds your energy in a positive way?

And that is only one of the ten chapters. A book well worth reading.

Catherine

To learn more visit the website at www.optimalhealing.ca.

Optimal Healing Website Is Launched!

Catherine Ralphs is pleased to announce the launch of her NEW website!
 
Nursing has been Catherine’s lifework. For the past twenty years she has worked at St. Paul’s Hospital in Vancouver, as a critical care nurse and most recently in the Post-Anesthetic Recovery Unit. A natural leader, she is often assigned to be the nurse-in-charge.
 
She discovered energy healing work eight years ago, driven by the pain of chronic migraines that were brought on by the day-to-day stress of full-time work. When conventional medicine was unable to help her, she turned to complementary energy healing therapies and was astonished to find that her migraines were significantly reduced and that her outlook on life had transformed.
 
Catherine brings optimal health through energy healing to people who require surgery and are uncertain about how to best prepare for their stay in hospital.
 
Facing surgery can generate considerable stress at a time when physical and emotional energies are often quite low. Catherine’s hands-on energy techniques and her insights into the hospital setting are designed to prepare and support you through this challenging time.
 
Catherine uses the gentle techniques of therapeutic touch, integrative energy healing, and cranial sacral therapy in order to release accumulated inner tensions and to balance and align the body’s dynamic energy field.
 
To learn more visit the website at www.optimalhealing.ca.