reset

 inner work  ~

I just returned from a backpacking trip in Shenandoah. I feel reset. The trip involved 16 miles of hiking, sleeping in a tent when the temperature was 34 degrees and being with my thoughts, lots of thoughts. I went with a friend who is both great to talk with and probably more important, is great to be silent with. I enjoy backpacking because I love being in nature, food tastes amazing after carrying your pack and it helps me recenter. It gives me space to remember what I want in my life and what I don't. 

During a frigid mountain stream crossing which we had to do barefoot I had the experience of how intense and then temporary discomfort can be. My mind screaming "get out this will never end", and then it did. Reminding me of all the times I think, I won't survive this and I do. And then we got to do it again a 1/2 a mile later. The second time the feeling just as intense but my mind being more elastic and knowing it will be over soon enough.

We also spied the beginnings of the spring emphermels. They always show up right when I'm so weary with winter. 

This year I've tried to schedule these type of resets because my calendar tends to get crowded if I don't. I also have been trying to create resets within my day. Each of these times offers a moment to re-focus, I can bring my attention back to the life I want. I can ask what is my intention for the day, the moment? Here's a few that have worked for me; Reiki self practice in the AM, when I walk the dog (making it a choice not a chore), making a cup of tea mid afternoon. 

If you're looking for some resources to tune into yourself, may I suggest the following; Reiki training (see below), the book Effortless; Make it Easier To Do What Matters Most by Greg McKeown and the song, Best Time of My Life by Cloud Cult and if you want a healing to reset, my schedule can be found here. 

I hope this finds you well and if you have things that have worked well to recenter, please share.

Best ~ Kim

Below is an upcoming event offered at Hara Studio in Crozet.

March

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. 

First Degree Reiki

This will be held March 30th, 31st, April 1st, and 2nd, 2023.

Thursday 5-8 PM, Friday 5-8 PM, Saturday 5 -8 PM, Sunday 9 AM -12 PM. 

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

Space; limited to 6 students.

*Deposit is refundable up to March 20th, after that date deposit can be applied to a future class.

To register contact Becky.

Already taken First Degree and want to dive deeper? Becky will also be offering Second Degree Reiki when she is here, contact her for more information.

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

Self Care List

When is the best time to create a self care list? I don’t know but I do know it’s really hard to create one when you need one! I decided I wanted one on hand when my anxiety wanted to take me out of my zen. I’d love to hear what would be on yours.

Celebrating life as a form of grieving

I spent a decade living in New Mexico and while living there I loved fall the best. Smelling chile roasting outside of grocery stores, having fun dressing up for Halloween with friends and getting to celebrate Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead). I had never heard of Dia de los Muertos until I lived there. This Mexican holiday celebrates those who have died. It is believed that the veil between the living and those who have passed is thinner at this time of year. During this holiday, celebrated on November 1st & 2nd, people decorate cemeteries, build altars to their loved ones by decorating sugar skulls, put out food and drink favored by the deceased, and in general celebrate their loved one’s life. I am particularly fond of this as I feel like it is an active way to grieve.

Often when someone we love dies, we feel like our energy field has a huge rip in it and a common reaction is to shut down or freeze. Having an active way to grieve feels like a way to bring movement back when we have shut down. Although we can communicate and connect in with the deceased any time, this is a way to focus and treasure their impact on us.

This year I’ve decided to host an event for Day of the Dead with an opportunity to decorate a sugar skull for your loved one as well as time to meditate and connect in with a deceased family member or friend. If this sounds like something you’d like to do as a way to honor and celebrate your loved one, more details can be found here.

Circle ~ ongoing energy meetup

Energetic Boundaries ~ November 12th 6:30 - 8 PM

Have you been saying yes to activities or people when later you wonder, what was I thinking? Feeling a bit off track in your life in regards to the direction you want to be heading? Do you know where your energy field begins and ends? Come join with others to explore how to recognize boundaries for your energetic field. We will try different experiments to define how we feel our energy field as well as partake in a healing meditation around solidifying healthy boundaries. To register, click here.

Lastly if you'd like to read about another energy practitioner's take on energy vampires you can check it out here. Becky Holtzman breaks down this concept and gives some tips for taking care of one's self.

Take care,

Kim

Hey there, beautiful people,

How has your summer been? Mine has been full of learning about acceptance and surrender. While telling a friend what all was happening she replied, “Like it or not, this is your life at the moment.” That simple statement has been a great reminder for me when I’ve received news I didn’t want to hear or had something go differently than I had expected. It’s served to remind me that I always have choices. If you are feeling a bit tight with feelings of uncertainty or unable to catch a full breath here’s my short list:

Spend a few minutes meditating – this, in addition to often calming one down, helps create more energetic fluidity.

Talk to a therapist or friend about what’s going on – the mere act of bringing the words that have been banging about in your mind stateside can release their weight, sometimes reveal their untruth, and / or provide unexpected insight.

Do something to shift your energy field. Get some energy work – healings, acupuncture, Alexander Technique or Kundalini yoga are all great ways to create movement within your field.

Repeat this mantra, “I have choices.”

New Classes

I’ve been asked by clients for help learning more about how they run their energy, what to do with the seemingly random intuition they receive, and the “so what” feeling with this information. We all get intuitive hits or experience knowings: those things that we often don’t listen to or recognize until after the fact, and then go, “Duh! I had a feeling that was going to happen,” or,” I knew something was off.”  We will practice various techniques for how you work with this information and how it enters your energy field. If you would like to expand your intuitive skills, learn more here.

Here’s to our transition into Fall ~

Warmly,

Kim

Breathing while you're struggling

Keeping up with self care when the world feels like it's falling apart

Once again I have been experiencing that feeling that I can't quite catch my breath before the news of the latest tragic event rolls in. Then it seems like my own personal life wants to offer me a cup of tea infused with a beautiful problem. During a difficult time in my life years ago a friend gave me advice that I needed to make a list of how-to-cheer-myself-up when I'm down. Simple things like brush my teeth, go for a walk, buy a magazine and unplug the phone. I haven't used a list like that in a long time but following what has happened in Las Vegas, I think I need to recreate one. A tip for making that list: you can't make it when you're down, as the list tends to be sarcastic. Once again I've called on that friend, Becky Holtzman, to shed some light on self care, with a post about self healing through Reiki. Even if you haven't studied energy healing, you can still send healing energy to yourself just by placing your hands on your body and intending energy to go to that area.
Take care ~ Kim

Becky Holtzman is a Reiki practitioner with Orange Flower Healing and practices Reiki in Bloomington, IN. You can learn more about her practice at www.orangeflowerhealing.com

Reiki and Self-Healing ~ Becky Holtzman
 

The Japanese word Reiki describes both the concept of Universal Life Energy (Rei = Universal, Ki = Life Energy), and the practice of Reiki itself. It is a hands-on healing technique that encourages the body’s healing process by promoting balance and relaxation at the physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual levels.
 
After being initiated or “attuned” in a Reiki I class, the heart of Reiki is a commitment to regular self-practice. A full self-treatment takes about 40 minutes, with hands placed on the head, throat, chest, ribs, belly and pelvis. Reiki passes through the hands and into the body. Since each person is unique, and every day is slightly different, the variety of experiences is wide. In my 4½ years of self-practice, I have noticed physical sensations (warmth, tingling, pulsing), and emotional shifts both profound and subtle. I am still surprised at the quiet power of Reiki.
 
By practicing on ourselves every day, we learn through direct experience how Reiki works for us, as an individual. You might think of it as you would a martial art, yoga, or meditation: the more you do it, the more familiar and confident you become with the process. For me, self-Reiki is a way of continually building a body-memory for relaxation and restoration. When I place my hands over my eyes, at the sides of my head, or at my heart, my entire being immediately understands the invitation to drop into Reiki.
 
What I always feel after a self-treatment is better, even if I was feeling perfectly fine before. I’ve also noticed that I have an easier time choosing my yeses, noes, or maybes in decisions both important and minor. If I feel uncertain, cranky, or upset, I give myself a few minutes of Reiki. When I am happily surprised, or delighted, I’ve noticed that I spontaneously place my hand at my chest and feel Reiki start to flow. Like the Tao, as described in Lao-Tzu’s Tao te Ching, Reiki “is always present within you. You can use it any way you want.”
 
Reiki never goes away. Once you’ve got it, you can always return to it. Even if you haven’t practiced for years, when you place your hands on yourself and invite Reiki to flow, it will. It might feel erratic at first—think of a how a rarely used faucet spits and chugs when it’s finally turned on—but patience and practice will strengthen that flow. Invite Reiki to teach you. Notice what happens, and how you feel.
 
There is so much that is out of our control in the world, but with self-Reiki we are always able to comfort ourselves, support our own ability to heal, and listen for our deepest truths. That self-care will naturally spill out into the rest of our lives, to the benefit of everything we care about: partners, kids, pets, gardens, work, and our communities, both local and global. When we make time to care for ourselves, things shift, perhaps subtly, sometimes notably. Either way, everything around that initial shift moves a bit, too. A process has begun.

The Fire Within

Who are you?

This is the question the third chakra often prompts us to answer. The third chakra, also known as the solar plexus, is about our relationship with our self - who we are in the universe, our belief in our self and our personal will in the outside world. It is where we take any criticism that comes our way and evaluate it. It is why we use the expression, "punched in the gut."  It is also where we come to really feel powerful in the choices we make and have confidence that we know what is right for ourselves. If we have a breakup or move houses or switch jobs, we will often find this chakra off. Or if we are even contemplating any of these changes we may find our third chakra off balance. The third chakra is also where all social movements start, many people have found with the change in presidency that their third chakra is activated. They feel fired up to stand up for what they believe it. The element associated with this chakra is fire.

Here's the breakdown on what the third chakra governs on the physical, psychological and spiritual levels. First though, where to find it - the third chakra is usually located below where your rib cage opens up.
 
Physical level: It governs the digestive system, pancreas, liver, gallbladder, adrenals and immune system. 
 
Psychological level: When it is in balance we are not easily manipulated or swayed to other's ways unless it aligns with our own. While outside approval is nice, when our third chakra is in balance, it is not necessary for us to act, we feel strong enough on our own. We are able to come from a place of strength and integrity.
 
Spiritual: This governs our ability to face life's obstacles with integrity. We know we can take risks and handle any situation we are faced with. When our solar plexus is open and in balance we can clearly hear intuitive information and act on it. 
 
If your solar plexus chakra is off you may experience the following:

• Difficulty feeling feelings
• Extreme highs and lows of emotions
• Low self worth 
• Workaholic tendencies
• Desire to control
• Addictive personality 
• Stomach ulcers
• Digestive problems
• Judgmental
• Need constant reassurance
• Overly concerned about what others think

Some suggestions for bringing your solar plexus back into balance:

• Visualize yellow light / fire coming out from your third chakra
• Yoga poses: plank, warrior III, bow, child's pose and cobra pose
• Breath of fire
• Affirmations: I determine to treat myself with respect and honor. I am my own person. I am open to receiving all life's good things. 
• Place hand on third chakra envision any criticisms bouncing off
• Essential oils; bergamont, ginger, black pepper, lemon, clove and wintergreen.

A friend shared this video with me and I felt like it's such a brilliant example of a healthy solar plexus ~ hope you enjoy this video and also can feel "Soy Yo" or "I'm me". 
 
Bringing our third chakra into balance will bring the sense of knowing who you are. 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