The use of hypnosis as a therapeutic tool is as old as man himself. As far as can be traced back through time, we can find records of hypnosis being used to heal and to make change. Hypnosis has been used under many different names down through the centuries and the use of hypnosis for healing can be traced back to around 3000 BC in Egypt. Both the new and old testaments of the Bible speak of what could be deemed to be hypnosis, and the ancient Greeks and Romans had sleep temples where those seeking healing would be put into a trance like sleep. Their dreams, would be interpreted by the priests. By rhythmic drumming and monotonous chanting together with eye fixation, the Shaman of today can still produce catalepsy of the body and this helps to give the shaman the appearance of having magical powers just as they have done for centuries. Much of what has been done in the past by the village witchdoctor, shaman or wise woman, can be attributed to the fostering of a strong belief, conviction, expectation and imagination in the one being healed, and the chanting and singing often takes the form of what we would term as suggestion. After all, if the most powerful and magic person you know tells you will become well, you are very likely to do just that. Of course in many cases where such an individual administered to a sick person they would have recovered eventually anyway and this intervention just speeded up the healing process. It has long been believed by many healers that body, thoughts and emotions can influence one another. Therefore it is possible to influence a physical sickness by working on and realizing particular emotions and by changing thoughts and behavioural patterns. The Romans said ‘MENS SANA IN CORPORE SANO’, healthy mind in healthy body. This saying seems to confirm that for many centuries it has been believed that physical and emotional well-being have an effect on one another. To put this in perspective, only has to consider how our health declines after periods of stress or as a consequence of radical events. The division between body and mind in medicine is something that only took place around 1750, with the scientific developments from Newton. Since then the mind and spirit have been considered to be under the jurisdiction of the church and the body under the jurisdiction of science. This is also the reason why all other kinds of medicine see the human being as a whole consisting of body, mind and soul. Traumatic experiences are not only stored on an emotional level but also on the physical level. The emotional charge of the different traumas can influence our immune system and health conditions. Through processing old traumas and the emotional charges that are connected to a certain sickness it is possible to find resources inside of us that could help us start the healing process. Modern hypnosis began with Anton Mesmer (1734 – 1815) in the 18th Century. Mesmer was a medical graduate from the famed medical school of Vienna and after studying as a Jesuit priest, he became interested in magnetism. Mesmer became Europe’s foremost expert at magnetic healing, where magnets where passed over the body to effect a healing. His results where fabulous and so he became very famous. Mesmer believed all living things contained a kind of magnetic ‘fluid’ and if a person had enough of this fluid, they would be healthy. This is where the term ‘Animal Magnetism’ comes from. Mesmer forgot his magnets one day and so just made passes over the patient with his hands and was surprised to find that they got better. From there on, he thought he had sufficient magnetic fluid in himself top effect the cures. James Braid (1795-1860) coined the terms ‘hypnotism’ and ‘hypnosis, in 1843. He was a Scottish surgeon working in Manchester. He found that some people could go into a trance if there eyes where fixated on a bright object like a pocket watch for instance. He believed that a neurological process was involved and that the process could be very useful when no organic origin could be found for a persons disorder. James Esdaile (1808-1859) another Scottish surgeon working in India would use ey fixation to prepare a patient for surgery and slow sweeping motions, putting them into a deep hypnotic sleep, causing full amnesia throughout the body. James Braid and James Esdaile where among the first who could be called ‘scientific’ in their research and use of hypnosis. These pioneers removed hypnosis from the realms of ‘mysticism’, and started experimenting with what could really be done with it to help people with their disorders. Other scientific pioneers include, Liebeault, Bernheim, Brewer and Freud. Unfortunately the great man himself, Freud, was responsible for hypnotherapy being shelved by many for some time when he abandoned it’s use. Amongst those individuals who have been fundamental to the current view of hypnosis are: Milton Erikson, Ormond McGill, Charles Tebbetts and Dave Elman. Ormond McGill was, it is true a stage hypnotist, but he preserved the public interest in hypnosis, but then the great Charles Tebbetts was involved in stage hypnosis in the early part of his career, but these where different times to those we live in today and the stage hypnosis would prove to engender a desire to know more about this curious art and therefore bring many of the people who moved the therapeutic use of hypnotherapy forward through the last (20th) century. Dave Elman brought some measure of acceptance to hypnosis from the medical profession in the USA when the Council on Medical health of the American Medical Association accepted the use of hypnotherapy in 1958. Probably the most important contributor to the acceptance of hypnotherapy as both an art and a science, was the grandfather of hypnotherapy – Dr Milton Erikson. Dr Erikson was a psychiatrist and hypnotherapist with outstanding professional credentials and because of his solid medical background he had credibility within the medical profession. Other people worthy of note for their contribution to the advancement of hypnotherapy as a healing art and as a science in the 20th century are: Rosen, Abramson, Menninger, Shenek, Magonet, Wolberg, LeCron, Bordeaux, Wetzenhoffer, Erwin and Simonton, who continues to do amazing things with cancer patients using mental imagery and focusing on beliefs and belief systems amongst other things. What is Hypnotherapy Hypnotherapy is the application of therapy during hypnosis, to change or modify behaviour patterns that we wish to change, such as the compulsion to smoke, gamble, drink etc. It can help in the cure of phobias such as the fear of spiders/insects, fear of flying, fear of thunder and lightning, fear of injections etc. It can help with motivation, confidence building, reducing stress and can be very effective in pain control. Hypnotherapy deals with Psychosomatic problems – that is, problems of the mind that are rooted in and controlled by the subconscious mind. We always do what our subconscious mind tells us even if it goes against reason and logic. Hypnotherapy therefore, bypasses the conscious mind to allow the positive life-affirming suggestions for change, of our own choosing, to be fed to our subconscious mind directly, for us to act upon. Hypnotherapy, and more precisely, hypnotic suggestions, have a cumulative effect, so over time there is a build up of suggestions being reinforced in the subconscious mind that it will act upon, and will do so more rapidly than if you were feeding the suggestions to your conscious mind. For problems where a causal event or events may exist in the past, hypnoanalysis is used initially in order to find the sensitising event or events and release the emotion and motor actions associated with them, thus freeing the individual from the grasp of an outdated and obsolete (possibly never really needed at all) thought pattern and/or conditioning. Following this, healing suggestions and Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) are used to build on the individuals desire for change to strengthen and support forward movement into a positive future. Hypnotherapists do not control your mind! Hypnotherapy empowers you to take control of your mental resources to bring about the changes you want. You are always in control during hypnosis and hypnotherapy, and the therapist cannot make you do anything against your will, or that is not within you as an individual to do. With a little work a good therapist and a good client who wishes to make changes and is motivated to, will be able to achieve success in about 95% of cases. Who can be hypnotised? I would say that virtually everyone can be hypnotised if they have a good therapist and wish to cooperate with them in order to work on the problem with which they are presenting. What does hypnosis feel like? I know how it feels to me, but it feels different to some people than to others. I would explain it as a relaxed easy feeling and a heightened state of awareness. Sometimes you may be prone to drift away for a while just like day-dreaming, and you might just as easily be concentrating on your therapist’s voice. Your good therapist will ensure you get the very best from your hypnotherapy session and will guide you in everything you need to know. Hypnotherapy can help to address many problems including: Fear of FlyingFear of Crowds Lack of ConfidenceStress Issues Low Self EsteemFear of Heights Panic AttacksExam Nerves Driving Test NervesSmoking Weight LossNail Biting Relationship

Agoraphobia is one of the more restricting and depressing conditions related to panic attacks. While some people know it as a fear of open spaces it is actually a fear of a loss of control where the sufferer will panic once they leave a place of control and security which is usually their own home which leads to the misconception about open spaces. So ‘how to overcome agoraphobia’ actually means ‘how to remain calm when not in total control of a situation’ and while most agoraphobia treatments know this they tend to approach it in the wrong way.

While it is natural to feel uneasy when situations are out of your control agoraphobics take this to an unhealthy level having panic attacks whenever they cannot handle the situation, coupled with this is a heightened sense of out of what is controllable and uncontrollable. While most people have no problems being outside or in crowded places because they have a good sense of risk and can handle randomness without being too flustered an agoraphobic cannot maintain this calmness and will break down. This can lead to serious problems with most treatments as most will involve unfamiliarity and uncertainty or no guarantee of success which is again an unknown element.

If we look at the most conventional agoraphobia treatments we can see a list of downsides.Behavior Therapy

This is where the patient gets exposed to situations that would make them panic gradually to harden them against those things. This is problematic as it is very scary for the agoraphobic and if someone else is setting these situations up there is a lack of trust and control over the entire treatment. It may work but it is long and painful and many sufferers quit before they learn to cope.Cognitive Therapy

This is the classic ‘lie on a couch and talk about your problems’ approach which poses many problems for agoraphobics. It is often very hard for them to make appointments to meet therapists, it is long and costly and the presence of the therapist is an uncontrollable factor for a long time until a large amount of trust is gained. The reliance on the therapist can also just transfer the sense of control to the therapist’s room not curing the root causes.Relaxation Techniques

While not harmful and sometimes helpful no amount of breathing techniques can cure the root cause of agoraphobia, it is often used in conjunction with other treatments and helps against the symptoms but is not a cure in its own right.Hypnotherapy

This method allows the therapist to “reprogram” the sufferers thought patterns to a degree and has been shown to work with some phobias however agoraphobics fear of handing over control of themselves are usually horrified of the thought of someone else tinkering with their brains!

By now you can probably see a pattern emerging. All of these require heavy outside influence and often harsh methods that will scare off many sufferers. What is needed is an Agoraphobia treatment that gives the power and control to the individual with the condition. Only when the agoraphobic can feel in control as they progress further along their treatment can they keep motivated and learn to ease themselves into a more healthy state of mind. While the goal is to remove the need for total control one needs a great measure of control of their destiny to start along the path so they can eventually learn they can handle the unexpected and unusual. How to overcome agoraphobia is not about other people beating a new reality into the agoraphobic’s brain but about the agoraphobic taking control of his own life and knowing that control of his own self will make him stand strong against those things that are out of his control!

In this article on the powers of positive thinking, we take a closer look at the various tools, role-play strategies and top techniques of harnessing positive thoughts so that they yield consistently good results for a better life.
For example, if someone has a fear of flying, they need to introspect and get to the bottom of where this fear originated from (bad experience, an adult scaring them off, witnessing a horrifying accident etc.) and use the power of suggestive talking to the self to control and suppress the fear and let positive self-talk take over their thinking process. This works to re-program the brain and change perceptions if one allows positive thoughts to filter through such as getting to their destination faster, via a comfortable mode of travel that also provides an opportunity for shopping at duty free shops.
Positive thinking is a goal that can be achieved through the technique of suggestibility, which is utilized through self-talk that can be both fun and liberating if used properly in a peaceful environment that makes the individual feel safe and open to making changes.
All possible positive aspects of overcoming a certain fear, be it air travel, rejection, making a fool of oneself in front of a crowd while addressing a gathering etc. can be emphasized upon to people suffering from these phobias so they focus on the fear being a debilitating factor and work to remove it from their lives, through various techniques propounded by the theory.
In certain cases, it is imperative to mental health to confront the fear while in other less severe cases one can break up the therapy into different stages and slowly work to overcome it. Employing positive self-talk techniques is typically putting to practice the process of starting self-conditioning, including self-hypnosis to arrive at positive goals that should ideally be reinforced through healthy rewards.
One can make use of several readily available tapes, CDs and VCDs/DVDs containing motivational speech therapy material to suggest to oneself the answer to their fears and inadequacies lies within them and work to unlock these hidden truths about their selves during these programs. These help one come out of a comfort zone but in a time span that is comfortable to them as too much too soon can make one resist the idea of change and deter them from confronting their fears, which needs to be done for conducting regular sessions of self-talk.
The misconception that self-talk is an indication of madness must also be addressed as it is not true; self-talk is a proven method of brainstorming, promoting introspection, leading to re-affirmation of positive character traits and admirable qualities of an individual that work to help them explore the inner precincts of their mind so as to find a clue, an idea to guide them towards possible, positive solutions for a seemingly difficult situation they face. So, be it relationship problems, wanting to quit a bad habit, take up a new hobby or career, confronting mistakes – all of these can be done with looking for solutions from within after gaining self-knowledge that helps one learn more about oneself and the best way to visualize problems fading away.
Not dwelling on the negatives, staying away from negative people and suppressing bad vibes that sap one of positive energies is another way to allow the power of suggestibility to come shining through in the most pressing life situations and this is why the liberating nature of laughter therapy is given so much importance .

Let me start with a famous quote by Delmore Schwartz “Only the past is immortal”. Not only our ancient scriptures, sages and infinite souls like Yogeshwar Krishna, Mahavira and Buddha knew about past lives, reincarnation, soul memory and advocate these but fairly astonishing developments are coming out of the research conducted by modern day physicians and physiatrists of the West.

Past life regression (PLR) gives a means of contacting the memories of the lives prior to this one. By using PLR, the lessons for this life can be reaffirmed, issues that occur across several lives revisited and identified, and see the true form of the soul through its journeys which remain buried deeply in our memories or sub consciousness. PLR is a kind of revolution in consciousness. By experiencing near death experiences, out of body journeys, astral travels, age regression, accessing to akashic records, apparitions of the deceased, activating the subconscious mind and a host of other remarkable phenomena of the spiritual world, one can not only remember its own past life but can also understand the soul purpose of life. Each experience is unique and these lives are so different and the experiences so varied, that recalling them is difficult when we are already immersed within this life. PLR takes place in stages, guiding first to the altered state of sub conscious mind, then into the gallery of windows/doors to past lives, then into 3 past lives, astral world and finally back to the physical world. People from all walks of life, in all the countries of the world belonging to all the possible religions, explore past lives for a wide variety of reasons. Such as to remove the Past Life ‘chains’ that tie to poverty, modern-life physical ailments or ill-health, fears, phobias and emotional problems. To develop hidden talents, end the struggle of current life, spiritual understanding, and much, much more including Relationships, Dreams, Addictions, Personal Problems and so on. PLR is based on the Universal concept of Law of Karma. Alike any other science it has its own understanding, technique, belief, evidences, conceptions, contra and non contra indications and scope of application.What is Past Life regression Therapy (PLRT)? A new age holistic approach of healing in which you are guided to a time before birth in the present life, that is, into another life, to uncover and heal the causes of problems and difficulties that have arisen in the present life. PLRT works on the body, mind, emotions and spirit. Its object is to make life easier, better and more fulfilling, in this present moment. What is the basis of PLRT? Past life therapy is based on the principle of cause and effect (also known as KARMA). What has been set in motion at some time in the past creates an effect on a person’s physical, mental or spiritual well being now. Taken simply it means that for every action there is a consequence. This cause may be a desire, thought, feeling, emotion, vow, promise, decision, evasion or traumatic experience, amongst others. It teaches that sufferings are not because of BAD KARMA or punishment, it is our soul choice to learn higher lessons.

What can PLRT do? Past life therapy can be helpful in many different areas: stress, anxiety, phobias, and irrational fears, health problems, removing fear of death, understanding disorders, family dysfunction, addictions, sexual difficulties, hard luck and jinxes, financial problems, marital and relationship problems.  It defuses negative patterns, find reason for present life problem and difficulties, and set positive change in motion.  What is the benefit of PLRT? PLRT helps to develop your potential, unlock latent talent, create better understanding of others and life situations, reveal your life purpose and reason for incarnating, and initiate new patterns of response. You can rewrite your LIFE SCRIPT, release all previous unwanted conditionings, blockages and emotions which you don’t require and attune to the ultimate source of knowledge or consciousness.

Is there a difference between reliving past life and having past life therapy? Definitely. Therapy means healing. Therapy shifts your focus from “Who was I” approach to “Aha, so that’s why…” The therapeutic work involves freeing something which has become stuck in the past, the burden of which has been carried forward into the present. You remain no longer a spectator, but take charge of your life with the real knowledge of the higher self. How is PLRT done? Through hypnosis, guided meditation and other non hypnotic techniques, the subject is taken gradually from the present moment to childhood memories, womb life and then to concerned significant past lives and finally to life between life state. The participant firstly integrates, then disintegrates and finally transforms the issues under the series of guidance by the therapist.  In the safe environment and process the subject relive the old live and release the patterns which are not conducive for the present life. Subject continues to be in a state whereby simultaneously he remains conscious of present moment and past lives both. Subject remains in the state whereby he remembers each and every insight of the session.

Are you someone who fears parties and social events? Do you shiver when you go on the stage inspite of being a good speaker? Does public speaking seem like a monster to you? Is your childhood coming in the way of your bright future? Are you at a position in your life where you cannot decide which road to take, as all of them seem to be equally good? Is career change at this moment the right thing for you? Do you ever feel that life could have been better? Are you willing to take a fresh look at life? Inspite of your excellence, do you crave to improve? Do you wish you could gain maximum profit in your business but do not know how to do it? Are you a company who wishes that its talented employees were a little more productive? If these and many more questions are hounding you, welcome to LIFE COACHING! Do not misunderstand, as life coaches are not here to teach you to eat the cake but to tell you to enjoy eating the cake in the right way! Life coaching finds its origin in USA but has today become a widely accepted method of improving lives throughout the world.

Life coaching is for those people who do not fear change and are willing to go that extra mile to lead a harmonious life. The client should be ready to learn from the past and accept it. Denial has never, and will never, work for anyone. One should be flexible enough to change ones lifestyle if the current one is not producing any worthwhile results. Life needs to be looked at as something precious and to be worked upon, to bear fruitful results. Only clients with such an attitude can take full advantage of life coaching.

All this brings us to that all-important question-What do I look for in a life coach? To find a good coach the client needs to be very instinctive, as all the information put on the Internet or made available to the client, though it’s a lot, isn’t enough. You can schedule an appointment with a coach and then judge for yourself whether you will be comfortable with the them or not. Look for a coach who is able to connect with you, who listens to you without passing judgements, to whom you feel like letting your heart out, and someone you feel will not let you down. This works for the coaches too, for they too enjoy working when the client is comfortable and only then can they extract the best out of them. Of course word of mouth about a particular coach will give you a personal opinion about the coach.

There are several coaches who believe in focussing only on the problem areas and try to work on them. But there are the others who strongly believe that the overall personality of an individual gives rise to the fears and inhibitions they have. For example, a person who is unable to achieve more despite being capable must be having deeper and less-obvious insecurities. Like, maybe the person does not get motivated easily, is scared of success, or is simply lazy. For this, just dealing with the problem brought up by the client is not enough. It requires dedicated penetration into the client’s general behavior on part of the coach. At the same time the client should be willing to give his/her 100% to the coach and understand that the coach is trying to improve his/her life. Hence the client must be sincere in whatever he/she is told to do. This holistic approach not only does away with ones weaknesses but also reinforces the strengths. The client then stands to achieve a lot more than what they did before.

Do not think that consulting a life coach will let the world know that you cannot solve your own problems or be so rigid to think that you can set all things right in your life all by yourself. We assure you that once you experience the changes that you can make to your life, you will realize its worth and not hesitate in recommending life coaching to others; for, who does not wish to lead a good life?

What is a lifestyle business?

 

A lifestyle business is one where you call the shots. Your lifestyle business has the systems and supports in place to achieve your financial goals while maintaining your quality of life. Every physical therapy clinic owner wants this, but only a very few know how to achieve it. Too many clinic owners reach for the same goals, year after year, make the same mistakes, and get stuck in the same place. I am told time and again by physical therapy clinic owners that their lives and businesses today differ significantly from what they had originally dreamed.

 

I will lead you through a step by step process to help you to clarify what is important to you. Then, I’ll help you to create your ideal lifestyle business.

 

Four Step Guide to Creating Your Ideal Lifestyle Business

 

Step #1 Know Yourself

 

Did you know that to be successful in providing quality professional services, you first need to have a solid understanding of yourself, your passions, strengths, skills and traits?  Without this knowledge, it is difficult for you be an effective leader of your staff, to select the right people to work with you and to support your business development, and also to offer quality services to your clients. 

 

Spend some time now getting to know yourself:

 

–      Create a list of your personal passions. What do you love doing? What makes you truly happy? Think of three times in your life when you were truly feeling passionate. Find a common thread. Were you learning, teaching, risk taking, helping others, having fun, problem-solving?

 

–      What are your unique skills and talents? What is it that people always say you are good at? Take a moment to write down two things you absolutely know you are good at and enjoy doing best.

 

–      Make a list of your personal traits – optimistic, open-minded, curious, determined, team-oriented, spiritual.

 

Now think about what you have just noted about yourself, and plan your life and business around your passions and your unique skills and talents.

 

Step 2:  Identify why you are a business owner, what your reasons are for being a physical therapy clinic owner. What is the BIG WHY that will keep you walking the path of being a clinic owner, even when overwhelmed?

 

This exercise may be difficult for you; perhaps you haven’t thought about this for some time. When I ask physical therapy clinic owners this question, I often get a pause, a sign, and shoulder shrug.

 

It is so very important for you to be clear about why you chose to be a clinic owner in the first place. It is also important to be aware of your personal motivations and drivers. I help clinic owners determine the big ‘whys’ by asking them the questions below. Use these questions now to help you identify your reasons for being a clinic owner.

 

Is it freedom? Freedom from working for others?

Is it satisfaction? What do you find most interesting and stimulating in your profession?

Is it recognition? For many people being an expert or authority in a particular field is important. Recognition for your quality of work or for your expertise?

Is it flexibility? Consider how important flexibility is to you.

Is it responsibility? Do you enjoy the responsibility of owning your own business?

Is it professional growth? For many people, the chance to build something of their own, according to their own vision, drives them to start a business. Is this you?

Benefits and security: are these critical to achieving your goals, or are you entrepreneurial in spirit and open to risk?

 

Take a few thoughtful moments now to write down your reasons for being a physical therapy clinic owner today. This awareness will draw you forward even on days when your confidence flags!

 

 

Step 3   Assess how satisfied you are in your business today.

 

A great starting place for making change is to determine where you are today. Wherever you are is just fine. Once you’re clear about your level of satisfaction in your business today, you can then begin to define where you want to go.  Answer these questions honestly now. 

 

Are you completely satisfied with how your business is doing?

Are you as successful as you want to be, however you define success?

Are you confident about the future?

Are you making enough money?

Do you have a determined focus on your long-term goals and what you do every day?

Are you living a rich, full, balanced life, or are you a servant to your business?

 

Step 4:  Define your ideal lifestyle business

 

Now it is time for the most exciting exercise. After you answer these questions, you will be able to describe your ideal lifestyle business.

 

–      How would an ideal lifestyle look to you?

–      Why is this important to you?

–      How many vacation weeks a year would you like to take to realize a fulfilling and balanced life?

–      Describe your ideal work schedule (day a week, hours a day).

–      What are the top 5 things you like to do outside of your business, for fun?

–      What are the top 3 things you do for self-care weekly?

–      What are your 5 year financial goals?

–      What would you do if you had some time off, not related to your business?

–      What do you do to re-energize and renew yourself?

–      What kind of support team do you have in place to help you achieve your ideal lifestyle?

–      What is holding you back from creating your ideal lifestyle business?

World’s oldest and most well known energy healing method is “Reiki.” It is believed to have started in India over 4000 years ago It uses subtle energy as a method to deliver the Reiki healings. Quantum physics proves that energy movement, thoughts, focus, prayer, and intent can change the physical reality.

Reiki healing is a natural holistic therapy that gently balances life energies promoting health and well-being to the recipient. It supports spiritual growth and emotional clearings. Reiki will do no harm. Reiki practitioners are taught to focus only on the well-being of their clients.

Thoughts are things (thoughts are the building blocks of our reality.) Positive thoughts are uplifting while negative thoughts are downers. We all know that’s the way it works!

Reiki is not New Age. The word “Reiki” is just a word meaning energy healing in Japanese. Its teachings and methods of healing the body predate Buddhism, Christianity and many other known religions. It hasn’t always been called Reiki but its methods have been around a long time.

Reiki healing is thought to be thousands of years old, known by many names (chi, ki, holy spirit, etc.) and its healing complements both Eastern and Western medicine. Everybody can benefit from it and everybody can do it, even small children.

Reiki is a method of application for flowing healing energy. The healing treatment is performed by the focused intent. Laying on-of-hands, touch of the hands, healing touch, quantum touch and/or just holding the hands over the client, are ways the Life Force Energy is transferred. The Reiki practitioner allows the flow of the energy from a limitless source(God Force) through his or her hands to the client. The client’s job is to desire a healing and be open to receive.

There Are Formal Studies To Teach You Reiki Healing

You become Reiki by taking a class from a Reiki Master where the activating symbols are passed into your energy field. (It’s like putting software into a computer.) Everyone naturally flows this healing energy as part of their spiritual make up but to flow it in the large quantities necessary, one must go through formal training and be attuned to this extra energy.

There are Reiki Masters in most every country of the world. Reiki is an extremely powerful, yet gentle energy that can be easily flowed to yourself and others, just by thinking Reiki and thinking that your intention is to flow the healing energy.

Reiki healing is truly a system of attaining and promoting wellness and wholeness of mind, body and spirit. This simple, non-invasive healing system works with the Higher Self of the practitioner to promote health and well-being of the entire physical, emotional, spiritual, and psychic body.

The Reiki Healing Health Benefits:
1. Releases depression, anxiety, stress, and tension
2. Creates deep relaxation and a feeling of inner peace
3. Dissolves energy blockages
4. Accelerates healing ability
5. Aids restful sleep
6. Helps release the cause and habit of addictions
7. Relieves headaches, back pain, leg pain, bursitis, etc.
8. Brings about a higher state of consciousness

The greatest Reiki healing health benefits are said to be the release of anxiety, stress, and tension. The Reiki treatments promote relaxation, peace and harmony, which trigger the body’s natural healing abilities, and improves/maintains health and well-being.

The amygdala, situated equally in both brain hemispheres, is an almond-shaped (“amygdala” is derived from the Greek for “almond-like”) grouping of nuclei approximately one-inch long, located just a few inches from each ear, inward and in a direction toward the forehead. It’s considered to be the most primitive component of the brain’s basal ganglia; a grouping of nuclei deep within the brain associated with movement, motivation, emotion, reward, and addiction.

The amygdala moves into vigorous motion in response to threatening sensory input, real or perceived. And don’t ever forget those last three words. Indeed, as the amygdala is stimulated electronically in the laboratory animals respond with aggression. Taking it to the extreme, if the amygdala is removed an animal’s rage response to agitating stimuli falls by the wayside. Fear and sexual responses go out the door as well. And how ‘bout this factoid? The amygdala has the most structural variance between the genders of any brain structure. And, oh by the way, the amygdala shrinks by some 30% when a male animal is castrated. Ouch.  

The amygdala is a card-carrying member of the brain’s limbic system. The word “limbic” is derived from the Latin, “limbis,” meaning a border, edge, or fringe of an object. The term “limbic system” was coined by 19th Century French anatomist, Dr. Paul Broca, who used the term in reference to the tissue he found surrounding the brain stem and beneath a piece of brain anatomy known as the neocortal mantle. The limbic system is all about the memory and motivation components of emotion; and its star players, for our immediate purposes, are, indeed, the amygdala, the hippocampus, and the hypothalamus.

It’s fascinating that the limbic system impacts memory formation by merging assorted present emotional states with stored memories of previous experiences. As it swings into action the limbic system influences our endocrine system (hormone secreting ductless glands) and, of particular note, the autonomic nervous system (ANS); composed of two parts, the sympathetic nervous system and the parasympathetic nervous system. It also impacts the prefrontal cortex, the executive functioning/decision-making portion of the brain.

Let’s finish our journey through the limbic system by taking a look at the hippocampus; a crescent-shaped bit of anatomy that in cross-section resembles a seahorse, and curves in an upward direction toward the back of the brain from the amygdala. The word, “hippocampus,” coined by 16th century anatomist Julius Caesar Aranzi, is derived from the Greek, “hippos,” meaning horse, and “kampi,” meaning curve. The hippocampus is assigned the task of forming event-induced memories, converting them to long-term memories. Don’t ever downplay the role of the hippocampus as it relates to memory and emotional reaction because remembering threatening events, people, etc. gives us a huge leg-up on responding to future threats from the same or similar sources. Indeed, that’s memory’s foundational purpose.

Though the amygdala and our fear circuitry remain mega-mysterious, it’s commonly accepted that what we perceive as fear is produced by a very sophisticated two-way input system. And here’s how it works. Sensory input passes through a gateway in the brain, a messenger hub if you will, called the thalamus. It sits right above the amygdala in the center of the brain. The main function of the thalamus is to transmit its received sensory data to the higher-centers of the brain for reasoned response. The primary recipients of these messages are the thought and logic centers of the cerebral cortex. However, as you’re about to learn, the thalamus has other communication partners.

When environmental input from our senses of sight, sound, taste, and touch reaches the thalamus, and very specific cues are analyzed, there looms a fork in the road. One bit of pavement leads directly to the amygdala, while the other takes its sweet time and heads toward the cerebral cortex. And each of these destinations generates very different and very unique responses. You may have noticed I left out our sense of smell from the first sentence of the paragraph. That’s because input from our sense of smell forgoes all the thalamus formality and shoots straight into the amygdala, though the amygdala doesn’t facilitate perception. Now, when the amygdala receives a message it’s engineered to react by launching an intense physical response generated by activation of the HPA axis, which, as we know, leads to the secretion of cortisol and norepinephrine. So this is the actual physical manifestation of fear that panic sufferers know all to well. See, the amygdala doesn’t care if it’s right or wrong, justified or not; it receives input and fires. By the way, the amygdala also sends messages to the brainstem to facilitate required adjustments in heart rate and respiration in response to fear and stress.  

Well, after the initial onslaught of environmental boom hits home the slower sensory messages from the thalamus finally hit the cerebral cortex; specifically the prefrontal cortex, the area at the very front of the brain responsible for executive functioning – the mental ability to receive and interpret information and formulate decisions. As this occurs, conscious and rational thought regarding the events at hand is generated. Yes, it’s in the prefrontal cortex that the fear stimuli are logically analyzed in great detail, the final assessment being sent to the amygdala. The prefrontal cortex must remain on high-alert and do its best to ensure assessment accuracy because of its communication with the areas of the brain associated with pain, pleasure, anger, aggression, and panic. Indeed, there’s a lot at stake. And when it’s all said and done the amygdala ultimately takes its version of appropriate action, which if sufficiently convinced can include restoration of calm. 

Think about what a miraculous system this is. I mean, the amygdala, the entire limbic system for that matter, has its fear message and is prepping the body for immediate action. It’s taking no chances as it elects to err on the side of caution. And as you consider these dynamics, always keep in mind that evolution brought us a genetic make-up that leans toward the anxious. Well, after the amygdala sends its message the prefrontal cortex takes the time to calculate the exact nature of the threat. If sufficient evidence exists that there is no threat, the amygdala is told to chill-out.

Again, what an incredible mechanism this truly is; however, as it applies to panic there’s a major drawback. In the face of fear, the amygdala is the dominant of the two structures. And once the amygdala starts beating the drums it’s really tough for the prefrontal cortex to convince it to knock it off. And without practiced intervention it really doesn’t stand much of a chance. That‘s what paves the way for misinterpretation of sensory input, leading to overreaction to truly harmless stimuli.

And that’s at the very foundation of panic.

Emotional Freedom Techniques (or EFT as it is known) is a stress and emotional healing technique, which is based on a revolutionary discovery that violates most of the beliefs of conventional psychology. It contends that the cause of all negative emotions is a disruption in the body’s energy system.
Essentially, EFT is a form of “psychological acupressure” – except that we don’t use needles. The approach relieves symptoms by tapping on various body locations. This tapping balances energy meridians that become disrupted when we think about or experience an emotionally disturbing circumstance. Once balanced, the upset is usually resolved – the memory stays but the emotional charge is gone. Typically the result is lasting and is also accompanied by positive changes in thinking. The technique is easy to learn and ideal for self-help
Emotional Freedom Techniques evolved from Thought Field Therapy, which was created by US clinical psychologist Roger Callahan. Callahan discovered that stimulating acupressure / energy points lead to psychological relief for an anxious client, and through experimentation was able to discover a series of useful points.
Gary Craig, who studied with Callahan, identified a comprehensive set of “all purpose” energy points that could be applied to treat any emotional problem. He called this Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT), and achieved excellent results with this approach on a wide range of emotional as well as physical problems.
EFT has been successfully applied to treat a wide range of emotional problems and issues, including anxiety, fears, phobias, trauma, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, grief, anger, guilt, etc. It has also been applied to enhance performance and improve relationships. In relationships, EFT can help us by reducing the emotional upsets towards our partner, many of which have their origins in our past. Using EFT, couples can overcome many of the barriers to friendship and closeness.
Perhaps the most exciting thing about EFT is that anyone can learn this approach and use it to help themselves. While some problems require persistence with the technique over a period of time, and some will require the intervention of a skilled therapist, many ordinary people can learn EFT and apply it successfully to the general problems and stresses of living
The reason I am writing about it is because I used it personally to get rid of my public speaking fears a few years ago and they have never come back. I had to do about three rounds of tapping altogether on different levels of the issue but then it was fine. I went on to speak successfully and still do on a regular basis. As a tool for stress management it is unsurpassed in my view and I continue to use it with my clients everyday in my therapy practice for many issues where other methods just havent worked.

Musophobia, the fear of mice or rats, is one of the most common phobias in North America. Aside from the irrational fear of rodents, there is also legitimate concern over the effects that mice can have on a home. Mice and rats can spread disease to homeowners by contaminating food with their urine, droppings, shed hair, and by biting. They can also spread murine typhus and plague via fleas that feed off the rats and then bite people. If mice get into a person’s food or water supply, he or she can be infected with Salmonella, develop tapeworms, contract infectious jaundice or Lymphocytic choriomeningitis. Mites found on mice can also cause problems such as house mouse mite dermatitis, or Rickettsial pox.The notion of mice running across the kitchen counter or getting into cereal boxes and leaving behind hair, urine and feces is unpleasant to say the least. It’s also dangerous to people’s health, and must be stopped quickly. Mice can also cause extensive damage to homes through their habitual gnawing. Because rodent’s front teeth never stop growing, they must gnaw on items to keep their length manageable. Mice will gnaw on things like cardboard, wood, electrical wiring, and insulation. Rats are even able to gnaw through tough materials such as lead and aluminum sheeting. The damages to property, in addition to the costs of throwing out contaminated food, can add up to be a very expensive—and gross—problem. How can you tell if you have a mouse problem? For starters, you’ll probably notice droppings in corners, under furniture, and in other protected spots. You may also find remnants of gnawed materials like shredded cardboard or paper. If the mice have been in the house for a while, there’ll be an odor in the home. If you’re still unsure whether you have a mouse, you can try using a black light. Rodent urine has a fluorescent glow, so a black light can be used to spot their ‘trail’. If you do have mice, you must get rid of any food products that may have been tampered with. Open cereal boxes, potatoes left on the counter, etc. may have been contaminated, and should be thrown out. You must then put all of your dry goods in sealed glass containers (or heavy-duty plastic) in order to prevent mice from getting into it. Just closing the cupboard doors is not enough because rodents have an exceptional ability to squeeze into small openings. You should also seal any pet food or bird seed that you have in the home. Removing the food supply is the most important step to take in preventing future rodent problems. It’s also critical however, to block all openings to the house. This is a daunting task considering how small of an area they can get into. A rat for instance, can enter openings as small as 13mm. Place screens on all windows and exterior doors, and fill any cracks or holes in the foundation. Check interior spaces for openings, especially around pipes and cupboards, and use steel wool to fill in gaps.Now you’ve eliminated their entry points and their motivation for staying. If the mice don’t leave of their own accord, you’ll need to consider ways to remove them from the home. One way to repel mice is to place cotton balls doused with peppermint essential oil in places where the mice are believed to frequent. The scent is too overpowering for them, and will cause them to avoid those areas. In addition to using scent to get rid of mice, you may also have to use a trapping device to make sure you get your mouse. There are the old-fashioned snap traps, as well as glue traps, poison, and live traps to choose from. Poisons and glue traps are considered by many to be terribly inhumane, as they cause slow, painful deaths. Snap traps can kill quickly, though it’s important to purchase the right sized trap. If you have large rats, you’re likely to just injure them with a mousetrap, and dealing with an injured rat can be traumatic for both predator and prey. To entice the mouse to your trap, place sticky bait like peanut butter or melted chocolate on the trap, or else fasten hard baits like cheese or cotton balls to the trap so that it can’t be removed. You may want to put fresh bait on the trap for a few days so that the mice get used to this free lunch program. Then, when you feel you’ve gained their trust, set the trap to go off.If you’re uncomfortable with the idea of killing a mouse (and many people are), there are live traps you can purchase. They’re intended to capture mice that you’ll later release at a distant location. There’s no blood, no bodies, and no guilty conscience, but these traps require patience and persistence. It’s important to check your live traps every day, or you could end up with a mouse stuck in the trap, dying from dehydration and starvation. You also need to take the mouse VERY far away from your home to ensure that it doesn’t return. Rodents have incredible homing abilities, so drop them off several miles away. One thing to note is that many house mice cannot survive out in the wild. This means that when you release your mice outside, they still face almost certain death. This is why some experts suggest that snap traps are the most humane option when it comes to rodent removal, as their deaths are quick. On the other hand, you may sleep better knowing you gave the mouse a chance by using a live trap.