Hi there, sorry for the delay in updating the noticeboard.  I've finally sat down and made some time.

As a result of taking the courses, many of you have gone on to help not only your family and friends but set up a profitable business.  As I mentioned on the Welcome Page I am happy to advertise free of charge any students' business and add a link to their website or include details of their premises and prices etc.

Also, I thought it would be a great idea for you to tell people who may be thinking of learning Reiki about your experiences.  Write up a piece about how Reiki has changed your life and I will include them on the site as well.   How and what brought your interest to Reiki and has it made a positive difference to you?

Your input is invaluable and as you know, I love hearing from you!

I look forward to speaking with you again soon

Mel x

Anxiety attacks can range from mild to debilitating and demonstrate themselves in numerous symptoms. For the most part, an anxiety or panic attack brings on an intense feeling of anxiety of worry that causes feelings of fear, physical illness, and discomfort. In some cases there is an event that triggers such an attack, but it is also possible that the trigger is unknown. The episodes can be random and come on instantly.

During the attack the body produces extra hormones to prepare the body for its "fight or flight" action, which is what causes the symptoms to become more profound. A person who suffers from anxiety attacks will tell you that he/she feels like they are having a heart attack or cannot breathe, thus giving them the feeling that they are going to die. It may cause them to try to flee from the area in order to try to escape the feelings of anxiety or panic.

The most common symptoms of such an attack include increased blood pressure and heart rate, which often causes flushing of the skin, chest tightness or pain, profuse sweating, a feeling that you are sick to your stomach or that you may throw up, and a feeling of lightheadedness. In the majority of sufferers, the feeling of chest tightness precipitates an attack, which leads them to think they need to call emergency services.

There are different triggers and causes of anxiety attacks. Heredity plays a part in this and studies have found that panic attacks tend to run in families. At the same time, people with no family history also develop such attacks, so the cause cannot be based on heredity alone. Many panic attacks have been attributed to deficiencies in the diet, such as a deficiency in Vitamin B. Phobias result from anxiety attacks when a person is exposed to a real threat over a long period of time. 

The use of caffeine can lead to such attacks, especially during the withdrawal process. Doctors have also found that thyroid problems and anemia lead to feelings of anxiety that can develop into full blown attacks the longer the condition goes undiagnosed and untreated. There are many people who perceive a threat in their everyday life and can actually talk themselves into an anxiety attack when they worry excessively about what might happen if an event occurs.

Traumatic experiences in one’s life can also be a trigger for such an attack. Although those who suffer from anxiety attacks feel as if they are going to die, these feelings are the body’s ways of preventing this from happening. When a trigger occurs, the body starts producing extra adrenaline to prepare it for strenuous physical activity, such as running, which may be needed to ward off the threat. This, in turn, increases the heart rate and breathing rate and increases the amount of perspiration.

When no physical activity occurs or is needed, then these increases in the body cause hyperventilation as the levels of carbon dioxide increase in the heart and lungs. This increase in carbon dioxide is the cause of the feelings of dizziness, nausea, and sensations of numbness in the limbs. Breathing into a paper bag can help alleviate anxiety attacks, although many experts say it can be dangerous.  Taking deep breaths from the abdomen helps to slow down the heart rate and bring the blood pressure back to acceptable levels, thus reducing the intensity of the attack.

Breathing exercises become essential as you get older because age does reduce the level of oxygen in your lungs. When you only take shallow breaths, as you do in normal breathing, you will eventually notice stiffness in your rib cage as the muscles surrounding the diaphragm start to lose their elasticity. This causes stale air to build up in your lungs that is composed mostly of carbon dioxide.

Rapid shallow breathing also leads to heart disease after a number of years or excessive feelings of tiredness. Breathing exercises to cleanse the stale air in your lungs should be practiced on a daily basis. You do not need to set aside a long period of time for this – five to ten minutes is sufficient. You can do the exercises when you wake in the morning or just before you go to sleep at night.
 
In fact, if you engage in these exercises when you go to bed, they will help your muscles relax making it a lot easier for you to fall asleep and get a good night’s rest. You should lie flat on your back to do breathing exercises. Make yourself as comfortable as possible. If you need to, place some small pillows under your neck and knees so that you spine is straight. As you breathe naturally, take notice of the rise and fall of your chest and abdomen.

 Lay your hands on your stomach, just below your rib cage where your diaphragm is located. The lungs do extend down to this point. Take in a deep breath until you feel your lungs reaching down to this point. A helpful tip to let you know when the lungs extend to this point is to place your hands so that the tips of your middle fingers are slightly touching each other.
 
As you take a deep breath and your lungs expand, your fingers will start to move apart. In true breathing exercises let the muscles of your stomach relax and feel it filling with air. Once you feel as if your belly is full, let the air expand your chest and lungs. As you let the breath out slowly, you will feel your stomach start to pull inwards forcing out the last bit of air.

You can also do humming breathing exercises in which you make a humming sound as you exhale slowly. By concentrating on your breathing and humming each time you exhale, you will experience a feeling of relaxation in all parts of your body. Chinese breathing exercises involve taking short breaths. To do this exercise you take three short breaths in through your nose without exhaling between them.
 
For the first inhalation, lift your arms out from your sides so that they stand out in front of you at shoulder height. On the third inhalation, open your arms out to your sides, still keeping them at the same height. When you take in the third inhalation, lift your arms up over your head. Then as you exhale, you bring your arms back to the starting position by your sides.
 
You should not take more than twelve breaths in this exercise because it can cause you to feel lightheaded. One caution about this form of breathing exercise is that you should only engage in this exercise when you are in a sitting position. It could cause you to hyperventilate if you are standing or lying down.

Hi everyone, a few changes will be taking place on the website over the next week or so.  I'm adding the new courses and also have lots of new information and literature for you.  Some of the links may not work to start off with so please come back in a few days and check again.

If you have any suggestions or would like to see anything particular on the website, please let me know. You know I love hearing from you and value your input.

Sending you all many sunny blessings!

Meditate on a lone cloud on a hill, floating effortlessly through space and time. Imagine you are that cloud and with every inhale and exhale, you are blowing yourself gracefully across the heavens, forgetting all sorrow, pain and worry of the hills below…

The art of meditation takes many forms and titles. Meditation has been practiced for over 5,000 years mainly in eastern religious traditions such as Buddhism and Hinduism. Other religions that have used forms of meditation include Janism, Sikhism, New Age, Taoism and Islam. Christianity and Judaism have forms of meditation as well that are very different from eastern religions but still create relaxation and peace in the body.

Techniques are used not only for spiritual purposes, but also health purposes such as yoga meditation and secular meditation which fight against anxiety, stress and chronic physical pain.

By clearing the mind, relaxing the muscles and focusing on deep breathing, circulation, posture and concentration are improved. Yoga is deeply tied to eastern religions and its goal is to improve health and well-being and reaching Moksha which is the release from the cycle of life, death and rebirth and all the suffering attached to it.

There are many different types of meditation techniques including: Mantra, Trakata, Chakra, Vispanna, Raj Yoga, Zazen, and Nada Yoga. All of them include focusing on breathing, entering into an alternate state of consciousness and focusing on a strong sense of self. Beyond being conscious of one’s breathing, there is a wide variety of techniques that help with reaching the developmental goal that the person is aiming for which include:

“Upward” which acts to reverse the pull of gravity on the consciousness by lifting the consciousness out of the body, “Mind-centered” in which the mind is a blank slate, “Monastic” which involves exploring death’s mystery, “Observer” where you watch your thoughts and emotions as they happen from an outside perspective, “Passive” where the mind makes no judgment similar to daydreaming or sleep, “Fantasy-based” where the person goes to an alternate place in his/her mind, “Trance” which included rhythmic chanting, “Denial” or “Dualistic” where divisions in the universe are realized and questioned, and “Religious” where one thinks about an inspiring religious leader.

Transcendental Meditation was introduced in 1957 by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, disciple of the Indian spiritual leader, Swami Brahmananda Saraswati. Yogi developed programs and initiatives to promote transcendental meditation and spent time touring the world teaching what he had learned. The technique involves sitting with one’s eyes closed for twenty minutes, twice a day and not contemplating but setting up a framework for the mind to move inwardly instead of being flooded with different ideas and feelings.

Music is a tool that is not only used for entertainment but for healing as well. Certain tones and chords can stimulate brainwaves, produce deep relaxation, increase the ability to learn, relieve stress, and even heal the body as a result of listening and feeling the music. Almost everyone has experienced deep feelings from a song a favorite artist plays or an experience at a concert.

Music can increase self-growth and fulfillment in certain areas of one’s life. Meditation music is one of many forms of music that can accomplish this. It acts to correspond with meditation practices to promote self awareness and relaxation as well as deep connection. It is also used in spas during massages to help the patient relax fully.

While there are many different types of meditation, there are two general classifications: concentrative and mindfulness.  In concentrative meditation, you focus on clearing your mind to provide you with greater concentration, awareness and clarity. In mindfulness meditation, you open your mind to become more aware of the things around you, such as scents, sounds and thoughts.
 
The easiest way to engage in concentrative meditation is to sit quietly and focus on your breathing.  Relax and count your breaths as you breathe through your nose. Take deep breaths, hold them and let them out slowly. This helps you to get oxygen into the lowest portions of your lungs.
 
There are times when you mind may wander, but you refocus on your breathing to get rid of your thoughts. You can also focus on an object when meditating or you may want to repeat a phrase or a word. This is called mantra meditation in which you can choose to repeat the word or phrase aloud or silently in your head.
If you are agitated or worried about something, your breathing will be short and fast when you first start this type of meditation. As you start to relax, your breathing will slow down and become regulated.  As you focus on your breathing or on an object, your mind will become absorbed with the regulation of your breathing and all other thoughts will vanish from your mind.
 
Zen meditation is one type of concentrative meditation in which you concentrate on the functioning of the heart.  There are three main aims in this form:

*  to develop the power of concentration

*  to awaken your inner sense of wisdom

*  to recognize the action of the Supreme Being on your inner self

The idea is that once you are able to rid yourself of the thoughts of everyday life, you can reach that inner sense of peace that exists in everyone. It helps to calm the mind and body to give you insight into the nature of your existence. You must be patient and persistent in meditating in order for your mind to become clear.
 
Raja Yoga Meditation is another type of concentrative meditation.  This form of meditation helps you to gain control of your mind to enable to you to develop a sense of peace. The life force of your body moves through the spine so that awareness is able to move into the “Third Eye” which is a point between your eyebrows.
 
Your mind is not passive and there can be many thoughts racing through it. You try to free yourself of these mindless thoughts and focus on the real meaning of meditating to achieve a pleasant feeling throughout the body.
 
Mindfulness meditation involves a passing parade of thoughts, emotions and images through your mind. You sit in a meditating position and instead of trying to banish the thoughts from your mind, you allow them to enter. You do acknowledge that they are present but you don’t concentrate on them. This allows you to develop a calm approach to your problems so that you don’t react quickly.
 
Instead of focusing on one individual thought or scene, you allow each though to become part of the bigger picture. It trains your mind to meditate on things in your life over which you have no control so that you have a heightened sense of inner peace that will enable you to go on with your life in spite or extreme difficulties.

Some of the healing I send is to people that have been suffering emotional turmoil. When we lose a loved one either through bereavement or separation the pain that remains is a physical ache that can be debilitating to one’s whole being.  When people create bonds through love the ethereal body, the layers that exist outside our physical bodies, creates silken gold ties between the them, these are strengthened and entwine with our physical selves. It is these ties, for example, that allow us to sense how a person is even though they are miles away.  It is said to be the bond between twins and mother and child and these are there from birth. When we chose our partners or loved ones the ties are created and strengthened through our love.  These emotional ties affect our whole well being and when these ties are unexpectedly severed the result is a physical and emotional pain, as they are effectively cut and the body is unprepared.  We have all heard of a person literally dying of a broken heart.

Healing can help as it works on these layers, restoring balance. The physical pain can be reduced and the body can resume its equilibrium.  When you work on the outside- in one’s whole being benefits, mentally, physically and emotionally.  Thus, ultimately, allowing the person to hold the memories of the love without experiencing the physical pain of separation.

Much secrecy surrounds the passing on of attunements as in the case of Reiki. The process is so simple that many teachers include many other aspects to their teachings to bolt on and these have nothing to do with the essence of Reiki. It is big business these days as more and more people look to empower themselves and turn to healing. It is often outrageously expensive to receive attunements.

The passing on of attunements is effectively a ritual or initiation. A process of acceptance by the person receiving the attunement that they wish to be reawakened or work with the life force within them and utilise this natural ability with love and healing. In the case of Reiki and other similar healing practices, sacred symbols are passed on with the attunements and these are used when performing healing.

A train of thought is that the symbols become more potent as collective energy use the same symbols throughout the world for the same cause, therefore, making the alignment to the energy effective.

It is worth remembering we all have the ability within us as the Life Force is in all living things. It is not an ability someone can give to you as you already possess it. As in any ritual or initiation it is the person acknowledging or issuing their intention using a particular method.

I'm not diminishing the efficiency of attunements, quite the opposite, I'm saying it's an ability we all have and can tap into easily, with the right guidance.  How empowering is that? It's not some mystery that only gurus can master after days of fasting and you don't need to undertake some rigorous routine. 

If you would like to learn more, please visit the other pages within the holistic and therapies category.

We spend our lives working in jobs we do not like wishing the time away until the weekend comes.

Look at the statement above and how true is this in your life? When was the last time you sprang out of bed looking forward to the week ahead knowing that you are spending your time in a fulfilling and self empowering environment? You are probably saying “Give over, empowering? Fulfilling? I go to work to pay the bills and keep a roof over my head. I don’t particularly enjoy it.”

The sad truth in the Western world today is many humans spend their lives subscribed to a lifestyle they do not need, want or find will bring them a deep lasting sense of achievement. Why is this? Is it because we want to fit in? We are told that if we are successful we must be seen to live a certain way. Every now and again we try to break out and expose our personal potential, to show there is more to us but this feeling of optimism is often extinguished by lack of confidence, fear of rejection and self doubt.   Instead you look at other successful people and say “I wish”. What makes them succeed and not you?

It is perhaps because we have lost our self worth we find ourselves where we are.   If your education limits your academic achievements we feel other people have the right to pigeon hole our capabilities. This in turn gives them power over our decisions and affects our personal standing and feeling of self worth. Governments, for example, dictate how we should be thinking, acting and living our lives. We have given our personal power to a separate entity and let them control us. We do so unquestioningly. We find ourselves adhering to laws we do not agree with, often do not approve of or see the point of. The power these establishments now wield have rendered generations after generations impotent. If we disobey a law more often than not we are fined. What is the point in that? Where is the personal understanding that certain acts are obviously unacceptable. Where is our deep seated sense of right and wrong? By putting our trust in a separate entity we can disassociate ourselves from our behaviour. We blame everyone else for a failure in life. Whether it be upbringing, schooling, financial security or family.

Think of someone you see as successful. What is it about them that makes you feel that they have got everything sorted? Is it the nice car, big house or decent clothes? Strip these off and do you still see them as successful? Do they have a nasty temper, appear a bit rude or have a string of failed relationships behind them? I expect there are attributes you dislike about this person but the material wealth has raised their status in your mind.

When all the material trappings are removed what are you left with? Think of some of the most “successful” stars. Either actors or singers. They have all the wealth they could wish for but many take toxic substances, drink or binge eat. Rehabilitation Centres are booming. Why is this? Their personal power and energy are not equipped to deal with this lifestyle. Humans were not made for this kind of life.

To find true happiness this sort of success is irrelevant.

Apathy

The most underlying trend in this day and age is apathy. A pervading state of mind saying how can I possibly change the way things are.  The world is truly in a desperate state at present and just acknowledging this is not enough. Think of it like this; We are all grains of sand on the same beach. Some of the grains are going one direction and some the other. If enough of the grains of sand go one way the weight will shift the whole sand dune. It is a collective force. Instead of sand we are pure energy and if enough of this life energy links up it can be focussed in a measured and pure power. Think of the butterfly mind we spoke of earlier. If the energy is scattered it is diminished. So you can make a change and the sooner the better.

The shift towards spirituality has been prevalent over recent years as people are seeking to know more about the bigger picture. People interested in spirituality say this is a result of cause and effect. There is so much destruction in the world that pure love is needed to redress the balance.

Procrastination. I’ll do that later

Now procrastination is not only a tricky word to spell it is also the death knell to all good ideas. A tricky word full stop! It’s all very well adjusting yourself to a more positive mindset but this energy will drift off into the ether unless followed up with a positive action. All good thoughts should be followed up with good deeds.  Think how in control and pleased with yourself you will feel if you come up with a good idea then act on it. You will be in the minority, that’s for sure! Do not leave time for self doubt and fear of rejection to creep in.

Break away from the pack

We all set limits on ourselves thus limiting our potential.  We either think we are not clever enough, quick enough, good looking enough… basically not up to scratch enough.  Think about it though, if you put these limits on yourself how are you ever going to be truly happy and fulfilled in your life. You are back window shopping.  You will not receive the rewards you seek in life if you limit your options.  Think for a moment of this instance. A woman has had her hair the same way for twenty years, never changing it’s style. Then some new hairdresser can see straight way a style that will knock years off her and flatter her more. The lady is reticent – she is out of her comfort zone, but he is the expert so she trusts him. Once her hair is done she overjoyed and all her friends comment how great she looks. She feels great and cannot believe she did not do it years ago.  The point to this story?  Get out of your comfort zone.  The familiar is not always fitting for this time in your life. Sometimes you out grow friends, relationships and lifestyles.  Do not feel guilty about this and hang on to the past. Be confident and have a fresh approach to life even if it feels odd to start with.

I am in control

You are in control of your life. Where you are today is as a result of every decision you have ever made. A path you chose to take on that particular day. So, if you are dissatisfied with your lot there’s one place to start. You. The career you are on, your choice of partner, where you live are all decisions you have made. If you want to change any aspects of your life then you are the one to do this. It is your life and you are in control.

Focus your energy in a productive way and your decisions will have more clarity.

Energy. A force to be reckoned with

Energy is precious and should be treated as such. Energy used in a fragmented way never achieves success.  Think about how you rush around with a butterfly mind, doing a bit of this and that, not feeling like you are achieving anything. Pulled here, there and everywhere.  It’s tiring and unfulfilling.

Focus your mind and energy and it becomes more powerful. The picture becomes clearer and solutions can be found to any problems in your life.

Choose what should concern you. The little things are the butterfly mind at work and we discussed earlier that is destructive. Focus on sorting out the bigger problems in your life and the little things you can kick under the carpet. Focus in a positive way to bring about this change. Break down your real issues and consider how you can realistically deal with them.  Dealing with problems in a focussed, head-on manner puts you back in control and they feel less threatening.

When you look at some people they seem so serene. Now think about those people and how you think they live their lives. Do you imagine them running around hither and dither, happy one minute then having a screaming fit the next? Life spiralling out of control. No you don’t, you imagine them taking all that life has to offer in their stride and dealing with things in a calm, confident and measured fashion.

A life less ordinary