lifting off while laden ~

Hey there ~ how's it going for you now that spring is here? Although we've weathered so much over the past year and there is much to be hopeful about I've been thinking how anxiety seems to be constantly lurking. I zeroed in on this when I was typing an email to a friend and with every sentence of exciting news came a disclaimer. I'm looking forward to this but I'm nervous about .... I'm loving this class but I have to do X and I don't know if I can ... My kids are doing this, it's awesome and I'm worried... After I sent the email I was like, what is happening? Am I just becoming more conscious of these lingering fears? The little pokes that happen when I encourage my kids to walk out on the log in the bay, all of a sudden flags me down once they are out there exclaiming- "yikes, come back!" While some anxiety is to be expected this amount is creating distortion and pulling me from being present in the now and flinging me into a worrisome future.

When someone comes into a healing session with something they want to heal, "fix", make peace with, etc we often talk about how energy healing works to wake up the consciousness or conditioning that holds that pattern in place. Sometimes that conditioning is as simple as noticing when it's coming up and sometimes it's more complex like untangling a knotted necklace. In my situation I think I was waking up to see how much anxiety was surrounding me.

I've found what seems to help lift me and allow me and my anxiety any levity is self care. I can hold both the joy of the moment and the fear of the moment and not be consumed by the weight. I sometimes forget what self care even is so I literally have made a list to look at, if you want to check mine out it's here. Sometimes people think self care is selfish or means spending time or money getting pampered, if that is the case for you, I ask that you reexamine what self care can be. Maybe yours is really reading a magazine or turning off devices for an hour before bed or maybe it's singing really loudly to Dolly Parton. One of the ways I enjoy self care is through learning new skills. If you are looking to add some new self care techniques, below is an upcoming training offered at Hara Studio in Crozet.

I have invited Becky Holtzman of Orange Flower Healing to come and teach First Degree Reiki. If you aren't familiar with Reiki it's a type of energy work / healing that uses a light touch. I've found it can bring a sense of relaxation to the energy field. Reiki is something you can practice on yourself or others so it is a valuable tool to calm the system. If you have already taken a Reiki training, she will also be offering a Reiki refresher.

First Degree Reiki

This will be held July 9, 10, and 11, 2021.

Friday 5-8 pm, Saturday 10 am - 5 PM, Sunday 11 am — 2 pm.

$175 / $100 deposit by June 10th to reserve space. *

Space; limited to 6 students.

*Deposit is refundable up to June 10, after that date deposit can be applied to a future class.

To register contact Becky.

Join Becky Holtzman from Orange Flower Healing virtually to get any questions you may have about what first degree Reiki training involves and learn how Reiki can reduce burnout and enhance your self care. $5 suggested donation. For Q & A Zoom link contact Becky.

Reiki Refresher

For students of Reiki who wish to reengage with their hands-on practice. Space; limited to 6 students, Brief interview required at registration. Friday, July 9, 12-3 pm Fee: $50.

To register.

Best ~ Kim

Reopening Protocols During COVID-19

I’m looking forward to seeing you once again in person for a hands on healing. As this pandemic has no plans to leave anytime soon, here are the protocols I’m putting in place to keep us both safe:

Masks are required during session, if you don’t have one, one will be provided to you.

Hard surfaces (doorknobs, light switch,etc) will be wiped down with alcohol disinfectant wipes prior to your arrival.

Hand washing / Sanitizing: prior to session practitioner will wash their hands for a minimum of 20 seconds or use hand sanitizer, client will also wash hands or use provided sanitizer.

Linens: after the client leaves the treatment room, the linens will be stripped and folded in upon themself and be removed from the room to be laundered.

Disinfecting: Hard surfaces (massage table, chairs, etc.) will be wiped down using alcohol based disinfecting wipes. The window will be opened as well as an air purification system will be run.

You will need to complete the following form prior to your appointment.

If you would prefer to receive a healing where you aren’t required to wear a mask, a distance healing would be the best option for you. You can relax in your own home and still receive the same benefits as an in person healing.

Looking forward to connecting with you soon ~ Kim

Seeing Unity

Are you seeing the differences or the connections?

The third eye or 6th chakra is the chakra that’s located in the middle of our forehead and the one which moves our view from only a micro level to the macro level. Shifting the view from how it impacts my family and me to how it also impacts society. It is through this chakra that we have moved from the pollution of the 1970’s to now where it is standard to recycle and test emissions. At first the implementation of these programs probably seemed like a burden to have to sort what could be recycled versus trash, but the minor inconvenience was worth it for the greater good. There is a parable that is really great at illustrating what I am talking about. Click here if you’d like to read about the farmer’s son: a tale of fortune or misfortune. While I was staying at a resort this summer I kept seeing litter. I first thought, people are so rude, why don’t they put that in the trash or recycling can? (Judgment) First I walked past it, then my 6th chakra chimed in: you can do something about it. So I turned around and picked it up, and you know what? I transmuted that judgment about others into something positive for myself and the greater good. Through this act I was also able to release the judgment. It reminded me again I always have a choice. So, if you see some trash sitting about, I highly recommend picking it – you may be surprised how much better you feel.
 
This chakra is the place where our intuition can come in but also can be blocked when we start to doubt. When you start questioning yourself or going in circles about a decision, often you get even more confused – this is a clear sign that your third eye is closing or not fully open. This is also the place where we are able to recognize the silver linings or gifts that come from illness, death or a painful breakup.
 
When our 6th chakra is balanced and open we can come up with a good idea and are able to recognize the steps required to carry it out. We can use our intuition, wisdom, and judgment to bring things to fruition.
 
A couple months ago a family member said something to me that I took as a criticism and instead of being able to evaluate it, I felt anger and shame. Apparently my 6th chakra was off, because fast forward 3 months and that same family member said that same thing to me and this time I saw they were really saying it as a acknowledgement of all what I do and this time I could take it in as a compliment. A friend of mine often says, “Humans are fascinatingly bizarre creatures.” Yes, we are.

Here's a brief overview of the third eye chakra.
 
Physical level: The 6th chakra governs the eyes and pituitary gland.

Psychological level: When this chakra is balanced we are able to trust our intuition and are able to clearly see things but not be judgmental.
 
Spiritual: This governs our intellectual understanding and clarity.

If your third eye chakra is off you may notice the following:

• Headaches
• Vision problems
• Insomnia
• Sinus issues
• Inability to carry out your ideas
• Inability to feel clear about a decision
• Tendency to be judgmental
• Anxiety
• Hallucinations / paranoia

Some suggestions for opening your 6th chakra and bringing your chakra back into balance:

• Experience indigo light emanating out from your middle of your forehead.
• Massage your forehead.
• Yoga poses: standing forward bend, head to knee pose, dolphin pose and child’s pose.
• Affirmations: I am open to my inner guidance. I trust my feelings. I am full of wisdom.
• Meditate.
• Stop checking your phone or electronic devices 1 hour before bed.
• Essential oils; geranium, lavender, clary sage, grapefruit and sandalwood.

 
If you’re feeling you need some support with this chakra or just to rebalance from the summer shifts click here to schedule a session.


 

Speak up, please

What is it that you haven't said?

Ready to dive into some truth telling? An open fifth chakra is what you need. Mother’s Day was a hard time for many folks I know. They have strained relationships or have experienced abuse from their moms. They don’t want to celebrate with them or be bombarded with the hoopla that surrounds this holiday. I also know many out there who wish to be moms and haven’t been able to conceive or have had many miscarriages and disappointments. I also want to presence the moms who have so so relationships with their kids for whom this day brings feelings of being unappreciated.
 
One of hardest parts of all these possibilities is the feeling that we can’t be open and honest about it. The constricted feeling that if Mother’s Day is miserable for us, we need to isolate or suck it up and be fake, when the most healing thing we can do is to own our feelings about it. Many times well meaning people respond to these feelings with, “But you should be grateful at least you’re here.” Or “Focus on the positive.” As we all know when someone tells us either of those things and we’re not feeling it, we do not feel grateful or happy.
 
What does this have to do with the throat chakra? When our throat chakra is balanced we understand it is our right to feel the way we do and can express our emotions without having to diminish another. The throat chakra is about taking in and assimilating (both food and information), speaking our truth and bringing our full self through our work and sharing that with the outside world. This chakra is also related to listening, being able to hear what others have to say, even if what they have to share with us is that we’ve caused some pain.

When I was in healing school a teacher at the beginning of the year mentioned that all the students needed to speak up, not just the ones who felt comfortable. If we were to not share what we were thinking or feeling we would create a drag on the class as a whole. Each one of us was vital to the energetic field we were creating and a hole would be created by our lack of speaking out. If I'm feeling anxious about expressing something, I often think of this to summon the courage to share. 

Here's a brief overview of the throat chakra.
 
Physical level: The 5th chakra governs the throat area, neck pain, teeth, thyroid, speaking and hearing.

Psychological level: When this chakra is balanced we are able to express emotions and feel we are heard.
 
Spiritual: This governs our ability to express the truth and communicate freely.

If your throat chakra is off you may be:

• Over-talkative
• Unable to express views
• Dogmatic
• Unreliable
• Arrogant
• Experience thyroid issues
• Overeat and never feel satiated
• Feel like no one listens to you

Some suggestions for opening your throat chakra and bringing your chakra back into balance:

• Experience sky blue light emanating out from your neck and throat.
• To open your throat chakra quickly; sing your favorite song out loud – if you’re shy do this in your car with the music turned up.
• Yoga poses: shoulder stand, neck rolls, baby cobra pose, fish pose and plow,
• Affirmations: I speak the truth. I communicate honestly and directly. I always speak from my heart.
• Practice chanting the sound “Om”
• Essential oils; birch, lavender, oregano, chamomile and peppermint.

If you’re feeling you need some support with this chakra, schedule a session, we can see if you need a chakra restructuring or chakra balancing to bring your truth out. Here’s to being you in your most powerful form.

 

Free Energy Healing Clinic

The Sweetness of Life

Want to bring flow back into your life? 

Every year I send out yearly review forms to clients who have come to see me at least a few times. I enjoy looking back and seeing what patterns have been present over the year. This year I was struck by how many folks repeatedly had their 2nd chakra off. The sacral chakra is located below your belly button and is related to sexuality, creativity and life force. This chakra is where we move from the survival of the first chakra to the nourishment and pleasure of life. The chakra that adds the spice and passion to life. Sounds juicy right? This is the chakra you definitely would want to invite to this party called life, so let’s learn about it’s functions and how to bring it back into balance.

 
Here's the breakdown on what the second chakra governs on the physical, psychological and spiritual levels. First though, where to find it - the second chakra is usually located below your belly button, if you follow the crest of your hips over to your midsection you are at your 2nd chakra.
 
Physical level: It governs sexual organs, bladder, lower back, sexual desires and nourishment. Sexuality is life force and when this chakra is open we can feel our own sexual power. This also is about taking up energetic space and not taking up too little or too much.
 
Psychological level: When it is in balance we can ride our emotions and are able to nurture ourselves and others and hold healthy boundaries. We are able to express ourselves creatively, trust and find pleasure in life. This center is where we find our passion for our career and desire for another person. This chakra governs the understanding that in order to grow, we must be open to change.
 
Spiritual: This governs our ability to find everyday pleasures to enjoy. We are able to ride the wave of whatever comes our way. We understand that we can trust things to work out. We can freely give and receive pleasure. We understand that through our desires we expand.
 
If your sacral chakra is off you may experience the following:

• Sexual imbalance
• Infertility 
• Inability to sate oneself 
• Money problems
• Feeling like you don’t belong
• Feeling stuck
• Difficulty being emotionally sensitive to self
• Controlling 
• Feeling guilty for no reason
• Writers block
• Inflexibility

Some suggestions for bringing your sacral chakra back into balance:

• Make out with yourself or someone else - if you don't know what turns you on, it can be difficult to let someone else know
• Yoga poses: pelvic hip rock, leg lifts, pigeon pose, goddess pose
• Swimming
• Taking hot baths
• Alternate nostril breathing
• Affirmations: I create with love, I am open to the world and flow with the changes, I am worthy of love and sexual pleasures, I am creating a life free of stress and full of bliss
• Placing hand on second chakra and visualizing it filling with orange light
• Essential oils; jasmine, rose, sandalwood, rose, wild orange, lemon, tangerine

Here’s an example of a closed second chakra: You see a lovely dessert, it’s calling your name, it happens to be your favorite kind and you decide to indulge in it. You buy it and after you’ve had a few bites you start telling yourself, I shouldn’t be eating this, sugar is bad for me, I’m so overweight as it is, no one wants to be with me…then all of a sudden all the pleasure you initially had has now instantly vanished. You finish the dessert, but do not feel satiated, in fact you stopped the pleasure and now feel guilty. Had you allowed yourself to fully enjoy the experience without the judgment you might not have even needed to eat the whole dessert.
 
Bringing our second chakra into balance will bring the sweetness of life back. Here’s to the flow of creation and healthy 2nd chakras. If you'd like me to teach a class on this, contact me. 

In mid February I'll be offering a weekend of free 30 minute healing sessions for people who are new to my work and curious about what energy healing can offer them. I'll be sending out more details soon.

Take care,

Kim

Energetically Surviving the Holidays

The holiday season seems to get longer every year with parties, family gatherings, and endless other seasonal events. And as a stressful season for so many, we've compiled some tips to help you navigate the season and perhaps find more peace and joy along the way.

If you're looking for an energetic reboot or just want to set yourself up for a successful and enjoyable holiday season, sessions are available over the Thanksgiving weekend. And as always, if you're traveling, remember that distance does not mean you can't have your session when you need it. Please click through for details on scheduling with me and with Elizabeth.

Elizabeth is leading a healing experience focusing on letting go of old patterns and creating and supporting new patterns. Please see the details below and click through to register. 
~ Group Healing, by phone, Tuesday, November 29, from 7-7:45 PM details here.

Physically:
Be aware of your physical body and listen to it. Are your shoulders tensing up? Are you folding in on yourself? Are you full? Our physical bodies are constantly giving us information that we often ignore. One of the simplest ways to respond to the body moving into holding patterns is to breathe and move. If this means stepping into the bathroom for a few minutes of belly breathing with your eyes closed, go for it. If this means standing up, rolling your shoulders and/or your head around, taking a brisk down the driveway and back (or even down the hall and back), do it. Sometimes this is best for you to do alone, but sometimes it’s nice to invite someone to join you. Listen and feel what is right for you in the moment.
 
Emotionally:
Be aware of your emotional self. If you notice some sadness or an old pattern pushing in on you, remember you are not your emotions. You can feel them and let them go without engaging. If this feels hard or is so unfamiliar that you’re not sure how to go about it, just breathe and notice the emotions as they move through you. Notice how your physical body responds to the emotions. And as you continue breathing steady, belly breathing, keep track of whether the emotions lift off or not. You can breathe imagining a soft pink light filling you up with each inhalation and all that does not serve you exiting with each exhalation. 
 
Mentally:
Be aware of your thoughts. If your thoughts are scattered, racing or sinking into patterns that are not helping you in the moment, you might picture a gentle rain shower moving through, washing your mind free, and allowing you some space to just be. Sometimes a mantra or prayer can be a way to keep the mind focused. Choosing something as simple as “Thank you for this breath/day/moment’” can help you get through a rough spot. 
 
Energetically:
Be aware of your energetic boundaries and your energy levels. The more you check in with your whole self, the easier it becomes to know when something popping up isn’t even your stuff. To shore up your boundaries and help maintain your energy levels:

Be sure to get plenty of sleep
Keep up your water intake
Move your body
Get outside for even just 5 minutes a day
Check in with yourself during the day
Say no when you need to

Energy Vampires

Kim's Thoughts

Energy vampires sucking you dry? Here are some tips to help keep you protected when around those hungry folks. To begin with, who am I talking about? When I refer to energy vampires, I’m referring to folks who leave you feeling either depressed, wiped out, or angry after spending time with them. They may be your coworker, a parent or acquaintance, they could even be someone whose company you used to enjoy. 

 Most people pull energy from others via the third chakra. To keep folks from doing this, you can place your hand over the third chakra; it’s the chakra that governs your self-will and personal power and is located just below where your ribs open up.  You have seen this done in situations where people go into a defensive stance by placing their arms across their chest. This is similar, but there are more subtle ways to do this. One is by resting your hand on your third chakra, another is by setting your intention that no one can drain you from this chakra, and a third way is to place essential oil on this chakra prior to having interactions with the energy sucker. I’d recommend cedarwood or ginger essential oils for protection.

 Another way to keep from getting drained is by setting a strong energetic boundary prior to your interaction.  Envision white light encompassing your entire body in an oval / egg shape. If white light is not your thing, envision that the clothes you are putting on are like Teflon, things just bounce off you and cannot take. Or another is to envision you are surrounded by a circle of pink bubble gum, nothing can get through this. Say the mantra “ I only take on what’s mine.”

If you are in the situation and all of a sudden recognize you’re feeling a little blurred on what is yours and what is theirs – take a bathroom break. Once in the restroom, take 5 deep breaths to remember your rhythm and set an energetic boundary for when you go back into the situation.

Cleanse your field afterward if you do feel like you’ve taken on someone’s stuff that’s not yours. This can be done with a shower, an espom salt bath or by smudging yourself.

If it is a coworker that’s got you down, place things on your desk or office that help ground you and refresh you. Maybe it’s a picture of the forest, or a crystal to clear negative energy or a healthy plant.

If possible decrease the amount of time you spend with them or start a conversation with them about how much time you are comfortable spending with them. 

Maybe you’re reading this and saying – what, no one can make you feel depressed if you’re not already depressed, but this has to do with field entanglement. What we do influences others, it is how when I do a healing, you experience an energetic shift. Here’s an interesting podcast talking about physics and how interconnected we are- Entanglement.

Wondering why people suck energy from others? Usually it’s unconscious and they are not aware they are even doing it. When they get filled by sucking energy from others, they are not actually satisfied and then they need more, it creates a vicious cycle.

We are ultimately responsible for our own happiness, so instead of demanding the energy vampire to shift, shifting yourself can bring you more satisfaction.  The situation may also be an opportunity for you to learn how to hold better boundaries or that a situation is not working. If you have other suggestions on how to protect yourself from energy vampires, please share. 

Elizabeth's Thoughts

As everything is energy, there is a constant flow of energy in and out of our beings. We both give and receive energy in many forms. When we are in a balance point (ongoing, I know) we are receiving as much as we are giving. This sounds like a simple mathematical process, but real life is far from simple. One big energy draining concept to be aware of is energy vampires. Often these are people, but they can also be groups or intangibles like your work or an organization of some sort. I’m sure you know some: those who are needy and take, take, take; people who or situations that leave you exhausted even when you didn’t seem to do much.~ Read more

Disconnect from Work

Our energy bodies take on and carry around stuff that's not helpful to us and get pulled or pushed out of center just like physically our bodies take on and hold many of the tensions of day to day life. This is one of the reasons why you might consider regular energy healing. As a way of maintaining clear and aligned energies, instead of waiting until there's so much gunk and everything's so off kilter, you will be a brighter you all the time. A change of seasons is a great marker for you to schedule some energy healing especially since the energies of the seasons change, too.

We'd also like to welcome you to our 2nd Community Healing, this one is focusing on Grief and Loss. Wednesday, November 2nd from 6:30 PM - 8:00 PM at Ix Art Park. More details here.

Kim's Thoughts  

Ever had one of those experiences where you’re supposed to be doing something fun with someone, maybe going to hike, out to eat, seeing a show and they can’t seem to stop checking their phone or maybe you can’t? I was recently talking to a friend about how to disconnect from work and then be present for our families. Here’s what I’ve come up with from an energetic perspective. 

Five ways to shift your energy from work to play

1) Change your clothes. This may seem like it’s not a big deal, but if you come home from work and change your clothes, instead of starting to make dinner or diving into other tasks, you will experience a difference. I challenge you to try it to see what you think. I did this when I worked a very stressful job and energetically could feel like I was shifting from work persona to weekend persona.

2) Clear your field. You can do this with water either by stopping in the restroom before you leave work and washing your hands – envision an egg shape around you and filling it with white light. If you work in a very stressful environment or feel like you pick up other people’s energy or stress, I’d recommend taking a shower or a bath when you get home. You will be intending the water to be clearing your field, if taking a bath also throw in some Epsom salt. If you work from home, putting away your work items and clearing the space with a chime or bell can prepare it for the next day. You can also use essential oils to clear your field or to signify a shift from working to relaxing. If you want to invigorate or uplift your field, I’d recommend peppermint or orange. Put a few drops in a spray bottle and use in your office or car. You will be using the scents to signify the shift.  

3) Clear your desk – when I was working in HIV Case Management we had a co-worker we jokingly called “Boundaries Gone Bad” because she had very rigid boundaries about almost everything. Joking aside, one of her boundaries that I found to be very helpful was that at 4:45 PM on the dot, she would begin to clear off her desk, put her files away, get what she needed for the next day in order. She would not start an intake or a yearly assessment or make a call to social security; she would clean up so that she would be able to walk away from her desk exactly at 5 PM. I encourage you to enforce a rigid boundary whenever your workday ends. 

4) Clear your mind. This can be done through meditating, drawing, stepping outside and walking or taking a yoga class on your lunch break. Do something to engage both sides of your brain. At the start of the week 

take 15 minutes and do a mind dump. This is basically where you write down everything you need to do for your job, family, house, etc. Then you know all your to do’s are down on paper and can be addressed accordingly. It frees up more space for your brain to be creative. 

5) Work less. There has been research done about how folks who work less hours and have more time for their hobbies are actually more productive. Check out this interesting article about what happened when a owner moved his company to a 5 hour workday. 

Elizabeth's Thoughts

Work comes in such a wide variety of shapes and sizes and textures. Some of my work is hands on bodies. Some of my work is by phone from the comfort of my home desk. I love that I get to connect and explore with amazing beings of all sorts. But no matter how much I love my work, I do need some separation between work and the rest of my life. So how exactly do I do that?  ~ Read more