Recently, I came across some information that gave me a new perspective on Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. I found this information so enlightening, I simply had to share it! I am speaking about German New Medicine and the Self-Devaluation Conflict. This is a rather complex topic, and my friend Emmie and I have done a video series in which we explain what German New Medicine is, why it is such a different approach to healing, and how the Self-Devaluation Conflict plays into the conditions of Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. We have tried our best to simplify this intriguing topic!

I have created a new YouTube channel called Spiritual Healing where I will now share all my healing and nurturing content. I will continue to add new content to my crochet channel, but I wanted to have a separate place for the healing content. I will be adding guided meditations, discuss topics to do with spirituality and healing, and have special guests with whom I discuss various topics. Please come and join me there, subscribe, and hit the notification bell!

At this time, we have created three videos in this series “A New Perspective on Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome”. We plan to do at least one more video in this series and perhaps more…it is unfolding in its own natural course.

Make sure to check out my new YouTube channel “Spiritual Healing” as well as Emmie’s YouTube Channel “Holistic Genie with Emmie”.

Thank you for your interest in this topic on A New Perspective on Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

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In June of this year, I posted a blog and video announcing that for health reasons, I was stepping back from creating so much content on my blog and YouTube channel. You can read about that here if you are interested. At the time, the greatest challenge was the amount of time I was spending on the computer recording, producing, and editing the video tutorials, as well as writing the accompanying patterns in a blog post. It seemed my body was sensitive to this work.

As it turns out, that is quite true, and the less time I spend on technology, the better I feel. The problem is that my creative juices continue to flow! So I will continue to produce a small amount of content, working on the computer for short periods of time.

When I posted that video and blog back in June, I was overwhelmed and touched by how many wonderful and supportive comments I received! There have been (and continue to be) so many kind words and prayers offered from so many wonderful souls. I want to say a warm and loving thank you to anyone who is reading this, and who has sent me such generous blessings!

I was also struck by how many people that reached out to me, who also suffer from some sort of chronic health condition. Many were grateful to find comfort in some of the content I’ve shared. This includes articles on healing, some of my guided meditations, and the crochet tutorials as well. Many have said how my voice is comforting and relaxing, and of course, crochet itself is a very relaxing and healing craft to do. I wrote an article about why this is so and you can read about it here. But I am so glad that some of my offerings are helpful in some ways!

So, I would like to give you an update on how my health is doing now. I did create a video, so you can watch that below. In the video, I mention an interview I watched with Aaron Abke and Dr. Kim D’Eramo that created a shift in my awareness, and this video was so powerful that I wanted to share it here. Even if it helps just one person…it is totally worth it! I also talked about studying A Course in Miracles. I will link to all that content below my video.

The penny that dropped for me in Aaron and Kim’s interview is when they talk about how the body is nearly perfect and whole, even when it has an illness or disease. Even if it is a serious diagnosis like cancer, if we look closely at the trillions of functions the body does in every moment, only a small percentage of the body’s functions are experiencing illness. This was a huge shift in awareness for me!

Now when I am not feeling well, I say, “98% to 99% of my body is perfect and whole.” I also add to that, “and I am 100% perfect and whole.” The I am I refer to is the life force energy within myself, my true nature that can never be imperfect, injured, or finite.

THE INTERVIEWS I REFER TO IN MY VIDEO

And here is the link for Dr. Kim D’Eramo’s Full Interview, “How to Bring About Spontaneous Healing”

If you are interested in A Course in Miracles…read on!

A Course in Miracles (ACIM) is a channeled text that can transform your life! In a nutshell, the teachings are meant to ‘unlearn’ all the conditioning and programming that has left us with a sense of separation from God, the Creator, or our Higher Self (whatever term you choose to use). The teachings help us to see how we identify as our ego (the conditioned self) and live life through its eyes of fear, lack, competition, judgment, and separation.

As this unlearning happens, we begin to realize our True Nature which is unconditional love for ourselves and all living beings. We begin to remember that we are one with the Creator and with all of life. In the same way a photon appears to be a separate form, it is actually connected to rays of light that emanate from the sun. The photon is never separate from the sun or from the ray of light, as we are never separate from our Creator. The ego has falsely convinced us that this is so, and it is in this feeling of separation that all suffering resides.

There are many explanations of how the ego works and why we even have one, and I think Aaron Abke offers the most enlightened explanation in this video.

ACIM is a huge book that consists of three parts: the Text (669 pages), the Daily Lessons (488 pages), and the Manual for Teachers (72 pages). There are another 65 to 70 pages at the back of the book with some clarification of terms, references to psychotherapy, and suggestions about prayer. There are also a few different versions of the text and the one I study is the combined volume by the Foundation for Inner Peace. This is also the version Aaron Abke works from.

The content is written in a type of old English and can be very difficult to understand. It is also written using Christian terms such as God, the Father, the Sonship, the Holy Spirit, sin, atonement, and so forth. Additionally, it is written in a solely masculine tone. This can be a challenge and triggering for some people, but I encourage you to look past the language and give this amazing text a chance to transform your life!

Because the text is so difficult to understand, I recommend introducing yourself to the content in this way:

Read The Gift of Change by Marianne Williamson. This is a soft entry into the teachings of ACIM and a great book.

Then read A Course in Miracles Made Easy by Alan Cohen. This is a great synopsis and guide to the main principles the Course teaches.

If, after reading these books, you feel attracted to the teachings of ACIM, you can get A Course in Miracles, Combined Volume by the Foundation for Inner Peace. I recommend this version because the resources I will be recommending are based on this particular version.

Because the text is so hard to understand, listening to it being read can be very helpful. I found Carol Howe’s version of narrating the text super helpful because of her intonation when she reads the work. You can listen or read along as she narrates…whatever you feel called to do. You can find her version here. She also reads through and explains all the Daily Lessons for free on her YouTube Channel. Here is the entire playlist.

Aaron Abke is an amazing spiritual teacher, and it was his teachings that actually brought me back to my copy of ACIM which had been collecting dust on my bookshelf since 2010! He has a playlist on his YouTube Channel dedicated to the teachings of ACIM and you can find that here.

He also has an AMAZING teaching on forgiveness. There are eight videos all together on a playlist called Forgive 2020 Challenge. If you don’t get anything else from what I have written here, at least check this free teaching on his channel, it is so powerful!

So, that is all I have to share with you today. I am finding deep healing in all the resources I’ve linked to in this blog. They may or may not hold meaning for you, and either way is perfect. I send love and blessings to everyone reading this and all the best in 2023!

Some (but perhaps not all) of the links in this blog are affiliate links to Amazon.com. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. This page contains some affiliate links. Please see my policy page for details. I look for the best possible option for your convenience, however, I encourage you to support your local shops!

If you are interested in the tutorial for the Crocheted Christmas Tree shown in the thumbnail of this blog post, click on the video below!

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If you have a chronic condition, then it is possible that at some point during your illness, you may be put in the position of being a caregiver. This may be especially true if you are not working and are the only one available to help. Or, like in my case, the one in need of care is your spouse, parent, or child.

Recently, my husband experienced a stroke. He is in very good physical shape and health, so this took us by surprise. We were very fortunate to catch it early and get him to the hospital quickly, but the stroke did leave him with partial paralysis on his left side. He was in the hospital for a week and just returned home a few days ago.

He is receiving physio and occupational therapy, but he has to use a walker and needs support with most of his personal needs. A simple shower has turned into an exhausting task. He also has rehabilitation exercises to do several times a day, and I work with him to do that.

I have Central Sensitivity Disorder, and as a result, I experience a myriad of chronic conditions such as fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue, irritable larynx syndrome, and multiple chemical sensitivities. I’ve written an article about this condition here. So, when I was called up to the plate to support my husband during this crisis, my own personal care needs were at risk of being neglected.

This is why I chose to write this article because I can say from experience…this does not need to happen! I realized that in order to be the best support I could be, I had to make sure to take good care of myself. This does not mean that I haven’t experienced extreme fatigue, stress, and anxiety, but I had tools available to me to help support myself during this time. I want to share with you some of this information, so you too can take care of yourself if you are put in the position of caregiving with a chronic condition.

Take good care of yourself!

Use EFT Tapping to manage your stress and anxiety during the situation. I am a certified EFT Practitioner, so I know it well. I am using this tool on a regular basis and it has been a huge support. If you are not familiar with EFT, then I recommend The Tapping Solution, by Nick Ortner.

Practice the Daily Energy Routine by Donna Eden. This has been very supportive of my energy system. Her book, Energy Medicine, is a great resource as well. I’ve been using some energy healing tools on my husband during his rehabilitation. It is also important to practice grounding and I have a good meditation here for that here.

Get good quality sleep, and if that means asking your doctor for a sleep aid, then do it. This will just be temporary. Use guided meditations to help with relaxation, stress, and anxiety. I have a nice one here on my YouTube channel. Check with your doctor or naturopath about taking vitamin B or other supplements to help support your nervous system.

Eat nourishing food. It is so tempting and easy to reach for unhealthy comfort foods, and I did do that on occasion because I was just so exhausted, but to the best of your ability, feed your body well. I found the comfort foods actually made me feel worse, so it wasn’t worth it in the end.

And this one is quite important…don’t take on too much care with your loved one. Allow, and encourage them to do as much as they possibly can, even if it is difficult for them. They need to feel empowered to take care of themselves, and this helps with their rehabilitation.

I have noticed that individuals with chronic conditions also tend to have something I call ‘Helperitis’, meaning they help others at the expense of their own health. This often leads to burnout and worsening of their symptoms. I wrote an article about that here.

Take some time for yourself each day! Go for a walk, do a bit of yoga, have a nice bath with aromatic bath salts, read a book, or perhaps journal. All these activities are nurturing, and during such a challenging time, it is so important to practice self-care. Caregiving with a chronic condition can be exhausting, so do what you can to rest and refresh yourself.

Ask for help!

Start with family, friends and neighbors. My mom arranged a cleaning lady for us and our neighbors installed a handrail at the front door for my husband. Ask for ready-made meals and help with errands. See what services your community has to offer. Where we live, we have Geriatric Specialty Services and outpatient support services. I am utilizing everything that is available!

Order groceries on-line and use home delivery services. I was very fortunate that we had just filled the freezer with soups and stews, so I have a good supply of ready-made meals.

Talk to just one or two friends or family members and have them communicate with everyone else. You don’t have to tell the story of what happened or update how your loved one is doing to everyone you know. Have one or two contacts only, and let them do that for you.

Delegate any tasks or work you can. This may include hiring help such as a gardener or cleaning person, having the neighbor cut your grass and or water the garden…don’t try to be a hero…ask for help.

And most importantly, traumatic events can create so much stress, anxiety, and fear. The emotional toll can be significant, so make sure to seek emotional support if needed. Even if this is just a friend’s shoulder to cry on or seeing a therapist…ask for help!

Aside from those resources I’ve offered above, I have created a guided meditation and visualization for stroke recovery to help my husband with his healing process. I knew from studying the work of Dr. Joe Dispenza, that visualization can be a powerful tool to help build new neuropathways, so while he was immobile, this was something he could do. This meditation would be beneficial to anyone dealing with a stroke injury, so I did upload it to my YouTube channel even though this doesn’t directly support you as a caregiver. Maybe you know someone who would benefit from it!

Check out my Guided Meditation Playlist on YouTube for an assortment of guided meditations. You may find other meditations that can support you in your life. Caregiving with a chronic condition can pose a variety of challenges and I have several articles on my blog related to healing and self-care, so you can check that out.

My husband is doing well and is recovering more quickly than expected. His health care team is quite impressed with his improvement. I believe his underlying good health, our healthy lifestyle, our knowledge about alternative healing modalities, our faith, and his state of mind, have all been contributing factors. He calls his walker ‘Johnny Walker’ and pretends to do ‘wheelies’ with it. We laugh a lot and are so very grateful for every moment we have together. The sound of him moving about in his walker while I’m having a relaxing bath makes my heart flutter. Life is good!

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If you are not familiar with the highly sensitive temperament, essentially, this is a trait that occurs in fifteen to twenty percent of the population. It means that HSP’s are highly perceptive of subtleties in their environment…they notice everything, whether they are aware of it or not. As a result, HSP’s can easily become overwhelmed in ‘normal’ environments such as classrooms, restaurants, stores, movie theaters, parties, and so forth.

This is a normal trait and is essential to the survival of our species. Unfortunately, it is a trait that is all too often ostracized, and HSP’s are left feeling as though there is something wrong with them. This can be very distressing and harmful to HSP’s resulting in physical and mental health issues.

It is important to note that not all HSP’s are created equal, and there is certainly a spectrum of sensitivity within this population. The level of sensitivity can range from being mildly sensitive, and as a result, high functioning, to extremely sensitive which can be debilitating. Many, but not all HSP’s can also be empaths, which can range from being empathic to being overly empathetic.

The difference between the two is that an empath can feel what others are experiencing, while those who are overly empathetic, actually absorb the energy of others. Empaths often have a desire to work in the healing and helping field, but the overly empathetic individual will often suffer from burnout and complete overwhelm.

Often HSP’s and empaths are not even aware they have these traits, and then try to live in the same way everyone else does. This can result in feeling as though you don’t fit in or belong, that there is something wrong with you, or that you can’t do the things you want to. It can also lead to mental and physical health issues. It is so important for HSP’s and empaths to honor and nurture themselves in ways to support this precious temperament.

To start, determine if you have this trait by taking the free quiz offered by Elaine Aron. Then, learn as much as possible about this personality type. Elaine Aron first identified the highly sensitive personality type. She has written several books including The Highly Sensitive Person, which is a must-read if you are an HSP.

Secondly, determine if you are an empath. Judith Orloff, the author of The Empaths Survival Guide, has a quiz on her website that can help you determine this. She also has a wealth of resources to help support you if you are an empath! Wendy De Rosa is another expert in this field and she offers courses, videos as well as a new book, Becoming an Empowered Empath. It will be available on April 9, 2021, and I know it will be a great resource. I’ve worked with Wendy and she is an amazing teacher!

Some (but perhaps not all) of the links in this blog are affiliate links to Amazon.com. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. This page contains some affiliate links. Please see my policy page for details. I look for the best possible option for your convenience, however, I encourage you to support your local shops!

Once you have a clear picture of what it is to be highly sensitive and also determined if you are an empath as well, then you can begin to design your life to embrace and support yourself! Here are some ideas…

One: Give yourself permission to decline invitations to events that you know are overwhelming. Often, we feel obligated to accept invitations because we don’t want to hurt people’s feelings, even at the expense of our own health and well-being. This can be a difficult choice to make, but it will benefit your sensitive nature greatly!

If you do have to attend events, then allow yourself time before to prepare and time after to unwind. You can do this by grounding and protecting yourself. I created a ‘Golden Light Visualization Guided Meditation’ that is perfect for this. The video is 5:30 in length, but the actual visualization is only about 3:30 minutes, and once you know this practice, you can do it anywhere at any time.

Two: Give yourself some alone time each and every day! It is essential for sensitives to have some quiet time for themselves to be free from sensory input. This can be as simple as taking a few minutes in your car or the bathroom with your eyes closed. We take in approximately 80% of our sensory information through the eyes, so if you can simply close your eyes for a few minutes, this can give your system a wonderful rest.

It is even better to strive for at least 30 to 60 minutes each day as ‘downtime.’ This can be a walk in the park or in nature, some time alone reading or journal writing, perhaps doing some creative work, listening to an audiobook or doing a guided meditation…anything that is nurturing to you. I have a wonderful guided meditation especially for HSP’s and Empaths here. I don’t recommend watching television or spending time on social media. This can actually be quite overstimulating.

Three: Practice grounding and earthing. If you are not familiar with either of these, grounding is where you focus on grounding your energy and your body to the earth. Earthing, on the other hand, is a practice of connecting directly to the earth, free from the barriers of our shoes, our homes, and furniture. It is about taking off your shoes and walking in the grass, or laying on a blanket on the ground and just absorbing the energy of the earth.

There are also grounding products available like mats and shoes. We have become very separate from the earth in modern times, and rubber-soled shoes are one of the biggest barriers! If you want to learn more, I recommend Earthing, by Ober, Sinatra, and Zucker.

Four: Practice the Daily Energy Routine by Donna Eden. HSP’s and empaths can have a lot of issues with their energy bodies. There can be energy blocks, scrambled energy patterns, and more. The Daily Energy Routine can help balance the energy system, and energy medicine can be very beneficial for the sensitive nervous system. You can see the daily routine here and learn more about energy medicine in the book Energy Medicine by Donna Eden.

Five: Work on releasing trapped energy and emotions in your body with EFT Tapping or The Emotion Code. Trapped energy, which will almost always be trapped emotions, can cause all sorts of incoherence in the body. Energy can become trapped from physical trauma as well, such as surgery and physical injuries.

Both EFT Tapping and The Emotion Code are efficient and powerful energy healing tools that you can use yourself. The Tapping Solution, by Nick Ortner, is a great resource for EFT Tapping, and The Emotion Code, by Dr. Bradley Nelson teaches you everything you need to know about the emotion code technique.

I don’t want to offer too much information, because that can be overwhelming, but if you are doing ok with what I have offered so far, there is one more resource that can help support you in your life. This would be the work of Dr. Joe Dispenza.

He has written several books and offers online courses as well as live events. Basically, he teaches how to let go of old conditioned patterns and habits (that are likely causing limitations in your life) and learn how to create your life with intention. I would start with Breaking the Habit of Being Yourself, then move on to You Are the Placebo and then Becoming Supernatural.

I hope you find this Highly Sensitive Person (HSP) Survival Guide supportive in your life. There is a lot of information here, but as HSP’s and empaths, certain offerings will speak to you more than others, and that is where you want to start. Come back to this post from time to time and see if something new speaks to you.

I have several guided meditations on my YouTube channel, and I’ve shared a couple of them above, but I have recently created a new meditation that I absolutely love! You can check it out if you like.

If you like this blog post, then you may also like:

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I started doing these meditations for myself because, quite honestly, I had a difficult time finding meditations I liked. The most common issues I found were that many guided meditations have the background music too loud, or they use irritating binaural beats. The latter is a form of sound wave therapy that is supposed to be beneficial.

While I am sure this sound effect is helpful to many people, I actually find most binaural beats irritating to my system. I also found the narration of many meditations unpleasant. The voices were either too commanding, loud, irritating, and in some cases, just downright creepy!

As a result, I started creating my own guided meditations, with the background music at a comfortable volume. I found licensed background music with either no binaural beats or what I felt were comfortable sounds. I write my own scripts (with the exception of the Water Rising Meditation) and narrate the meditations myself. I use these meditations all the time and have found them very relaxing and healing.

My meditations are as short as 7 minutes and as long as 45 minutes. There is a nice collection of guided meditations to choose from and I will share some of them with you now and include a bit of a description.

The first meditation I will share with you is called The Inner Body Guided Meditation. This is based on the work of Eckhart Tolle and was inspired by his book, The Power of Now. He talks about focusing on the inner body as a present moment awareness practice and to use this as a portal to your ‘true self’. I was trying to do this on my own, but would easily become distracted, so I created this meditation. It is 15 minutes in length.

Some (but perhaps not all) of the links in this blog are affiliate links to Amazon.com. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. This page contains some affiliate links. Please see my policy page for details. I look for the best possible option for your convenience, however, I encourage you to support your local shops!

The second meditation I have here is called The Water Rising Meditation. This one is based on the guided mediation of the same name by Dr. Joe Dispensa. I loved the script of this meditation, but Dr. Joe’s version drove me crazy! I reworked the script slightly and reduced the time from 70 minutes to 42 minutes, using my own voice and licensed background music.

This meditation is meant to go along with the workbook in his book, Breaking the Habit of Being Yourself. If you are not familiar with Dr. Joe’s work, then this meditation would not be of any benefit, however, his work is certainly worth checking out and I can’t recommend his teachings enough! Please see the AIR-USE COPYRIGHT DISCLAIMER in the description box below the video.

On the subject of Dr. Joe, I created my own version of another one of his meditations. It is called The Blessing of the Energy Centers and is one of the meditations recommended in his book, Becoming Supernatural. I actually don’t mind his version, but I wanted one that spent time specifically clearing the energy centers (also known as chakras). So I created my own script and called it ‘The Clearing and Blessing of the Chakra Centers’ and it is 30 minutes long.

The next meditation I want to share with you is called Guided Meditation for HSP’s and Empaths. I am both a highly sensitive person (HSP) and an Empath, and I created this meditation to help me with grounding, clearing, and self-protection. I first learned that I was an HSP when Elaine Aron’s book, The Highly Sensitive Person, literally fell off a bookshelf onto my foot! It was truly enlightening, and it helped me accept what I thought were quirks and personality problems, as gifts in myself. I wrote a blog post about highly sensitive people here.

I created the next meditation shortly after Covid 19 came into our lives. It was very evident that many people were experiencing a lot of fear and anxiety due to the many circumstances created by this virus. I am a certified EFT Practitioner (although I am not currently practicing), and I felt compelled to create a simple and easy guided meditation/tapping script to help people deal with their stress. It is just 14 minutes long and if you have not heard of EFT Tapping, it is a wonderful energy healing tool that can help deal with all sorts of negative emotions and experiences.

I have another guided meditation that is short but effective called The 10 Minute Relaxing Body Scan Meditation. This one is super helpful to help you shift the autonomic nervous system from the sympathetic state (the stress response) to the parasympathetic state (the relaxation response) in just 10 minutes.

Another short but powerful guided meditation is my 7 Minute Guided Meditation for Anxiety. This meditation uses body awareness and acupressure points to quickly release the anxiety that may result from any number of issues or circumstances.

The last meditation I am sharing with you here is the first meditation I uploaded on my YouTube channel. It is 31 minutes in duration and takes you through a body awareness and grounding process that includes the chakra system. It is very relaxing and grounding!

I have shared many of my guided meditations with you here, but I do have more on my YouTube channel. If you are interested, you can check my entire collection of guided meditations on this YouTube playlist. I hope you find a meditation (or two) that supports you in some way. Meditation is a powerful healing tool, however, it can be a challenge to commit to a regular practice. I wrote a blog post about why that is here. Enjoy!!!

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It sounds quite simple, doesn’t it? Dr. Joe Dispenza has hundreds of testimonials on his YouTube channel of people overcoming all sorts of serious health issues, from cancerous tumors dissolving, chronic pain disappearing, frozen shoulders releasing, serious allergies disappearing, and so much more. It all seems so possible.

But here I am, admitting that I have not found this easy at all! I have been wanting to write this post for some time now, but I just couldn’t bring myself to admit that I haven’t found much relief from doing all this work. And by work…what do I mean?

I have read all three books by Dr. Joe Dispenza. These include Breaking the Habit of Being Yourself (twice), You are the Placebo (one and a half times), and Becoming Supernatural. I have taken his online courses, the Four Week Intensive Workshop, and the Nine Week Progressive Workshop (twice). Since February, I have been meditating at least once a day, in the evening before bed, and sometimes up to three times a day if I wake in the middle of the night, and then again before I get up in the morning.

I am doing the work and I have been very committed, but as I say, I have had only marginal success and changes. I am still very exhausted all the time, have brain fog, have body pain, and get overwhelmed easily. I have found it incredibly challenging to keep up my blog posts and YouTube videos. I did just launch my new online shop, Fentie Designs, but I worked on that for over a year.

So back to the question in the title of this post…is it even possible to overcome a chronic condition? You might expect me to say no after what I have just written. But I am here to say that I still believe that it is totally possible! “How can you say that?” you might ask. Well, just because I haven’t had a breakthrough yet, doesn’t mean that it won’t happen.

I have found a few (very few) testimonials of individuals who have done this work for years…yes…years before they had a breakthrough. Some of those individuals also meditated for several hours a day (like this fellow). There also seems to be a common thread amongst those who provide testimonials on Dr. Joe’s YouTube channel…they are all at one of his group events. There is something about coming together in a large group of people, who all have the same intention of overcoming themselves, which somehow increases the frequency to the point that many people finally have a breakthrough.

I did experience this once at a Soul Sisters Gathering I attended in Portland, Oregon. I came together with fifty other beautiful souls and had the most amazing heart-opening ever! I left there a changed person, and it was that event that propelled me to do more creative work.

In working through this process, I have also identified some personal issues that I think are creating blocks that I haven’t been able to overcome yet. The first is that I think this illness is protecting me in certain ways, and I won’t go into why this is. But to counter this possibility, I have opted to ‘radically accept’ how I feel in each and every moment. I am not always successful in holding this acceptance, and I do fall back into frustration and even a victim mindset. But, I do catch myself and bring myself back into acceptance as best as I can.

The other issue I have is that I have a hard time feeling elevated emotions. This is a really important part of Dr. Joe’s work, and I have a constant struggle in finding the positive emotions of joy, gratitude, and contentment. I have lived with chronic pain and fatigue for so many years now (over 42) and this has lead to low-grade depression, anxiety, stress, and worry. As a result, I don’t have a lot of experience with these positive feelings.

I have a course called ‘Gratishift’ that I got a couple of months ago, which is about helping one find that permanent feeling of gratitude. Unfortunately, I keep putting it off…because my energy level is so low, and by the time I get my work done, I just want to nap!

There is a third factor that is contributing to my pain and fatigue, and that is the current state of the world. Between the global pandemic, the deeper exposure of systemic racism, the US political situation, child sex trafficking, mass starvation due to the pandemic, massive wildfires, other global warming issues, and more… there is a tremendous amount of negative energy and shifting going on right now.

It is huge! And as a highly sensitive empath, I know this intense energy is affecting me…and many other people too! It is even affecting people who don’t have that sensitive nature…so this is very challenging.

Some of you may wonder why I would be so transparent? Well, quite honestly, I just don’t want to be fake…I don’t want to pretend that I am doing this healing work and have this creative on-line business and everything is all just peachy keen. I also want to share my experience because it may help others who are in a similar situation.

I have struggled with chronic health conditions and depression since I was a child, and I have worked for years to find some sort of relief…some sort of healing. I have found bits and pieces here and there, and I do believe that had I not done all this work, I would be in much worse shape than I am now.

I have shed layer upon layer of false identities and beliefs about myself. I have become more authentic and have come to honor myself for all my beautiful gifts. I have learned to find moments of stillness and to quiet my mind (especially at night). I have become more calm overall and I do feel much less stress and anxiety.

But in spite of this progress, my body still holds the patterns of pain and fatigue. So I carry on…doing the work. And I do this because I know one thing for sure…if I stop, I will never have a breakthrough, but if I carry on, there is the distinct possibility that I will breakthrough…it just may take a little more time.

If you like this article, you may also like:

• Anxiety and the Highly Sensitive Person
• Why Old Habits are Hard to Break
• Why Crochet is so Good for You

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I generally don’t like to talk about this condition because I don’t want to focus on being unwell, but overcoming a chronic condition is a huge challenge. I have worked at healing my health issues for many years, with little success, and I felt compelled to write about it today because I finally figured out why I have never been able to overcome this chronic condition.

I suspect that many others may experience the same challenge, and I hope this reaches some people as a testament of understanding, of compassion, (both of self and of others), of transparency, and of inspiration. I have written another blog post called ‘Why Old Habits are Hard to Break’, that explains how we have an ‘inner protector’ whose job it is to keep us safe, and that inner protector doesn’t care if we experience discomfort, its only concern is to protect us from danger.

I have had success in overcoming some limiting and negative aspects of my personality using the advice I offer in that blog post, but I have not had success in overcoming the CSS. What I have come to realize, from doing the work of Dr. Joe Dispenza, is that this condition is a culmination of a series of unconscious habits and behaviors that add up to my ‘personality’, and what I have to overcome is…my whole personality, or as Dr. Joe would say…my personal reality.

In most of my blog posts related to healing, I recommend the work of Dr. Joe Dispenza. He has written several books including Breaking the Habit of Being Yourself, You Are the Placebo, and Becoming Supernatural. I have studied his work for a long time, but I wasn’t’ doing the work’ as seriously as I could have been.

Some (but perhaps not all) of the links in this blog are affiliate links to Amazon.com. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. This page contains some affiliate links. Please see my policy page for details. I look for the best possible option for your convenience, however, I encourage you to support your local shops!

However, for the last several months, I have been doing the work, studying every day, and sitting in meditation at least twice a day. Practicing in this way is going against one of the suggestions I wrote about in my own blog post on ‘Breaking Old Habits’, which is to sneak up on the inner protector and make gradual changes.

The work of Dr. Joe is not gradual at all! I have come up against this fierce inner protector, and I have been in a full-on battle! I generally don’t use language like this, but ‘breaking the habit of being myself’ and overcoming my personality, (which is the self that created this chronic health condition), has been a fierce battle indeed.

Dr. Joe uses a couple of different analogies of what happens when people begin this work. He talks about entering the ‘river of change’ which is the void between the old self and the new self. Most people (myself included) will turn back when they begin to feel the discomfort of the unknown.

Another analogy is that of trying to get on an untamed horse, which is the conditioned version of the self that has become the personality(or the personal reality). As the person tries to get on this wild horse as the new self…the horse will simply buck them off. They may try several times to get on the horse, but never manage to stay on. So again…they return to the old self, a little battered and bruised, but at least they are familiar and safe.

I have done this so many times in my life, I have turned back. And I think the reason is that taming the horse, or swimming across the river while navigating boulders and swift currents, is the equivalent of a hero’s or heroin’s journey. There are countless stories of rites of passage or spiritual quests, all of which include overcoming some monumental challenge or adversity…often repeatedly (The Wizard of Oz, Moana, Star Wars, Harry Potter, The Matrix and so forth).

As I mentioned earlier, I have been doing this work very seriously for some time now, and I have stepped into that river of change…I have been taming the wild horse. It has been incredibly difficult and exhausting. I have been tempted to turn back and give up, but this time is different. I just can’t go back…no matter how challenging, exhausting, and painful it is…I simply cannot give up. I am determined to break the habit of being myself!

I know it is possible, I know this in my heart and in my soul, but I feel like this is truly my own personal heroin’s journey, and I want to focus all my energy on this quest. So, for the next couple of months, during July and August, I will not be publishing any creative content on my blog or YouTube. I am taking a break to focus on ‘the work’ as Dr. Joe calls it. I have already been through one dark night of the soul, and trying to keep up with my blog and videos during such a challenging time is simply unkind to myself.

I do have a great library of creative content both here on my Blog and on YouTube. I also have some other resources on my Offerings Page and in my Shop, so there is a great selection of creative inspiration here if you want to explore.

I will be back in September sometime…wish me luck!

If you found this post helpful, you may also like:

• Creativity and Healing
• Help-er-i-tis: The Act of Helping too Much
• The Sound of Silence: Teaching and Meditation
• Why it Can be a Challenge to Meditate: Especially for Women

The post Overcoming a Chronic Condition ~ Being Transparent appeared first on Create and Crochet.

We learn in many ways…through observation, through reading and studying, and through experience. We build an ‘inventory’ of knowledge and then we form our personality based on that. If some of those experiences happen to be negative, an emotional reaction and memory will always be connected to it, and this often creates limiting beliefs and negative states of mind. By the time we are thirty-five years old, we have memorized countless patterns and behaviors (mostly unconscious) and are living a very conditioned and predictable life.   

We only use 5% to 10% of our conscious awareness to make choices and decisions in our life…the rest of the time, we are running on automatic and conditioned programs. And, furthermore, 90% of our daily thoughts are the same thoughts that we had the day before (and the day before that…and the day before that…) As a result, most of our day is spent doing everything we already know…and 90% to 95% of those actions are unconscious!

You don’t have to think about how to brush your teeth, wash your face, drive your car, do the housework, or countless tasks you do throughout the day. This is by design because it would simply be too overwhelming to have to think through each and every task and action we do. So, essentially, we live by a set of memorized experiences…all of which we have learned in the past.

But have you ever considered that perhaps, some of those memorized experiences, behaviors, and emotions, are not in alignment with who you really are? Have you ever considered that you may have memorized limiting beliefs, negative emotions, and patterns that might not even be yours, and these are dictating your life experience? Have you ever considered that you have become a servant to all your unconscious thoughts, actions, and behaviors?

Unfortunately, this is how most people live their lives, making one unconscious decision after another, not realizing that they can (through some effort), become the master of their own thoughts and actions…and create their lives with intention. Most people end up just sitting back and letting life happen to them, living a very limited and conditioned life because they simply don’t know any better!

Well, I am here to tell you that you can create your life with intention! You can become the master of your own thoughts and emotions. You can choose to live the life you want because it is possible to reprogram unconscious negative patterns, behaviors, and emotions into conscious positive patterns, behaviors, and elevated emotions.

This is a huge subject, and I am not going to dive into it too deeply, other than to introduce the idea that it is possible to transform your life into any life you want!

I will also say right up front…it is not easy! The conditioned parts of yourself have been running on autopilot for your entire life, and the patterns and programs are well established. You will know this from trying to make positive changes in your life…times when you’ve gone on a diet, or tried to implement a new exercise program, or tried to give up an addiction or habit such as sugar or smoking…and failed.

The patterns don’t want you to change, they don’t want you to overcome them…they want to remain in control and to be the master of your life. They want things to remain safe and therefore remain the same. They are very cunning and will say things like, “you can start tomorrow”, or “maybe just one treat…you have been so good”, or “this is too hard, you can’t do it”. I wrote an article about why this is and you can read it here.

The work then is to become greater than your conditioned self! The work is to become aware of the unconscious programs and patterns that have been running your life…and to become the master of them. The work is to overcome these programs and patterns and then, with intention, replace them with elevated emotions and create the life that you want!

So how do you do this you may ask? Well, there are countless paths and possibilities that can lead you through this process, and I’ve written about some of them before. EFT Tapping, Eden Energy Medicine, and the work of Dr. Joe Dispenza are the top three healing paths that I always recommend.

Today, however, it is the work of Dr. Joe Dispenza that I am recommending, as I believe this is the most powerful and effective tool to help you transform your life. The other two modalities can be used in conjunction with this work, but Dr. Joe has created a formula specifically designed to help break the patterns of your old self in order to create a whole new self! His work is truly transformational and I can’t recommend it enough.

He has a treasure trove of offerings…so much so, that it can be hard to know where to begin! I struggled with this in the beginning, and I even turned away from the work for a few years because I didn’t like the first meditations I got from him. I do regret this now, but I’m grateful that I came back to this work.  

Here are my recommendations:

First of all, start by watching some of his testimonials on Youtube. He has hundreds of them on his channel, and if these stories don’t show you what is possible for yourself…then I don’t know what else could inspire you!

Some (but perhaps not all) of the links in this blog are affiliate links to Amazon.com. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. This page contains some affiliate links. Please see my policy page for details. I look for the best possible option for your convenience, however, I encourage you to support your local shops!

If you are new to this whole concept, then I recommend starting with his book, Breaking the Habit of Being Yourself. There is an audiobook as well. The last six chapters of this book consist of a four-week program designed to help you begin your journey of transformation. He has written out some suggested meditations, so you don’t need to buy any of his meditations, but if you do, I would start with the Morning and Evening Meditations.

The most important piece of Dr. Joe’s ‘formula’ is the meditations. They help you identify the negative patterns and emotions, and then guide you through the process of reprogramming and creating new possibilities. Here is the secret…it takes commitment and repetition! Some of the most amazing healing stories have occurred because the person doing the work was extremely diligent with their daily meditations. This is still one of the most inspiring testimonials I’ve seen.

If you are familiar with the idea that your thoughts create your reality, but have not had much success in applying it in your life…or if you are dealing with any sort of health issue or chronic condition, then I recommend You Are the Placebo. There is a written script for the Changing Beliefs and Perceptions meditation at the back of the book, but he has the guided meditation available as well.

This is the one I didn’t like when I first found his work, so I’ve recorded this script myself and added some background music. My husband, on the other hand, likes Joe’s version. Each to their own! Another meditation I would recommend once you’ve started the work is The Blessing of the Energy Centers. I actually like Dr. Joe’s version of this meditation (available on his website)

If you have a lot of experience in energy healing and you’ve been on a spiritual journey for some time, but have not been able to access a deeper level of awakening, then you may want to read Becoming Supernatural. This book also offers some tools and techniques that you can apply in your life. There are meditations available to go along with this book, and I recommend the Blessing of the Energy Centers and the Walking Meditation. You can find some of his meditations on Youtube as well.

Last but not least, if you are ready to dive deep into Dr. Joe’s work, he offers an online Intensive and Progressive Workshop on his website. All of his books and meditations are available there too. While I am an affiliate with Amazon, I am not affiliated with Dr. Joe Dispenza and his website in any way. I just want to provide easy access to all his content.

I want you to realize that you do not have to be a victim of your life circumstances and that you have within yourself the potential to create the life you want!

Also, I have created a guided meditation based on Dr. Joe’s meditation, Blessing of the Energy Centers. It is different in that I guide you through the process of cleansing each chakra center before moving on to bless that center.

I also have a Giveaway Contest going right now on Youtube…make sure to enter to win one of three lovely prizes! The contest ends Thursday, May 14th at 10 am PST and the winner will be announced the same day.

Have you had any transformational experiences? Are there any other teachers or work you would recommend? Leave a comment below…I’d love to hear from you!

Sharing is caring! Click on the social share button and choose one of the images above to share.

If you like this post, you may also like:

• The Power of Walking Meditations
• The Kerplunk Analogy to Spiritual Awakening
• The Sound of Silence Teaching and Meditation

The post You Can Create the Life You Want! appeared first on Create and Crochet.

Unfortunately, modern life has become quite stressful, and many people are already living in a state of chronic stress, anxiety, and tension.

This has resulted in an ever-increasing number of people living with chronic health conditions such as heart disease, arthritis, chronic pain and a myriad of ‘syndromes’.

Cancer rates have continually increased over the years, and it is well known that there is a direct correlation between stress and increased chances that the immune system can become compromised. We know this can lead to health problems.

So it has never been more important to implement strategies to reduce stress and take care of your body. And this is not just the physical body…the emotional and spiritual bodies also need to be addressed. This can be done in two ways; first by reducing your exposure to stress, and second, by boosting your immune system with a variety of self-care practices.

To reduce stress in your life, it is important to sensor information. While it is important to stay informed, it is more important to avoid a constant barrage of negative news and information. Go on a minimalist diet of media, and this includes television and social media. There is a lot of misinformation on social media, so don’t hesitate to block ‘friends’ who share fear-based content. Choose a reliable source of media information and view that just once a day.

If finances are a source of stress, then this can be a good time to look at spending habits and see if there are ways to simplify your life and become more creative with the resources you do have.

There is a lot of information on the internet and I really like this YouTube channel ‘Living on a Dime to Grow Rich.’

Another possibility is to look for new creative ways to make money online. Sara from Wholesale Ted has a lot of great ideas on how to do this and she even has a video on how to supplement your income in some innovative ways.

Take an inventory of stressors in your life and see if you can make some changes to negate some of them. Many people spread themselves too thin with obligations and commitments and sometimes you just have to ask, “what is more important, this obligation or my health?”

EFT Tapping can be a powerful tool to help reduce stress in your life. This is an energy technique that uses tapping on certain meridian points on the body while acknowledging the problem and then using calming affirmations.

I have directions and a diagram on my website here, but I’ve also created a guided tapping script on Youtube that you can follow along with, that addresses fear specifically. Check it out below.

If you want to learn more, you can check out EMO Free with Gary Craig and EFT Universe with Dawson Church. These are rich resources! The Tapping Solution by Nick Ortner is also a great resource.

Some (but perhaps not all) of the links in this blog are affiliate links to Amazon.com. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. This page contains some affiliate links. Please see my policy page for details. I look for the best possible option for your convenience, however, I encourage you to support your local shops!

Now, this is a bit of a touchy subject, and if you have a lot of stress in your life, you may not like to hear this. But…many people actually become addicted to stress and negative emotions. This can be a very unconscious behavior and it can be hard to detect it in oneself. A big clue is if your life seems to be a never-ending barrage of problems, illness, drama, and stress.

Dr. Joe Dispenza’s book, Breaking the Habit of Being Yourself, explains how this happens and offers ways to overcome negative patterns in your life. His work is very powerful and can transform your life in ways you can’t even imagine!

Energy medicine is also a great resource to help support your physical and emotional body during stressful times. The Daily Energy Routine by Donna Eden is wonderful for supporting the physical health of your body. She has also done a couple of videos specifically on helping to boost the immune system. If you are interested in Donna’s work, her book, Energy Medicine, is an encyclopedia of valuable knowledge.

Good self-care includes nurturing all three bodies. Taking care of the physical body with good nutrition and exercise is a must to build a strong and protective immune system. If you are experiencing a lot of stress in your life, then this is not the time to reach for comfort foods and stay in your pajamas all day!

Your body needs to be nurtured and fed with great care to keep it in the best possible health. Make healthy food choices and avoid processed, high fat, high sugar foods.

I’m not a nutritionist, so I can’t recommend a healthy diet, but all-natural, whole foods are the best choice.

I have a great recipe for Persian Noodle Soup, which I think must be one of the healthiest soups ever! I also have a recipe for Keto Pizza and Cream of Broccoli and Cheese Soup.

There is a lot of information out there, but a healthy diet can be very simple…just eat real food and listen to your body! Not all people can be vegan or vegetarian, and some people can only be vegan or vegetarian. Do what is right for you, not what may be ‘socially acceptable.’

Exercise is essential! If you can, get out for at least a half-hour walk a day…more if possible. If you can’t get outside, then check out Youtube for some fun cardio workouts or some yoga practices…there is so much available! I have a guided walking meditation that could be practiced in the house as well as outside. Just get moving! Dancing is also a great idea because it not only gives you a great cardio workout, but it lifts your mood as well!

Nurture yourself with a nice relaxing herbal-salt bath while reading a book or listening to some gentle music.

Meditation can be very helpful as well because it can help to calm your mind and break negative thought patterns which can help to boost your immune system.

I have a few guided meditations on my Youtube channel including this Body Scan Meditation. It is 30 minutes in duration and very relaxing.

I also have this 7 Minute Meditation for Anxiety which is great to help reduce stress in the moment.

Your mental health is so important, especially during stressful times. This is why taking an inventory of stressors can be helpful. But in addition to that, you can support your mental health by choosing activities that raise your mood. Watch funny shows, do some creative projects, read inspiring books, do some journal writing, or watch inspiring shows. All of these activities can help raise your mood. Also, reach out to friends for a phone or online chat, and if needed, seek emotional support from a trained professional.

If you don’t have a spiritual practice, now may be the time to consider exploring what life really is about. Is there perhaps a deeper meaning to life? There are countless books worth exploring and some of my favorites are, A New Earth by Eckhart Tolle, Wherever You Go There You Are by Jon Kabat-Zin, Loving What Is by Byron Katie, and Everything is Here to Help You by Matt Kahn.

Good quality sleep helps your body repair and restore, so having good sleep hygiene is very important. Reduce screen time and turn the lights in your home down two hours before bedtime. This allows the natural chemistry of your body to work for you by producing melatonin. This recipe for a relaxing bedtime herbal tea is wonderful to have before bedtime.

This may sound odd, but don’t keep your phone by your bed…ever! Leave it in another room and better yet, turn it off. Some people are sensitive to wifi and electromagnetic fields, and in that case, it could be helpful to turn all devices off at night and even the router.

I have a lot of creative tutorials such as Dot Painting for Beginners, How to Make a Wire Wrapped Pendant, How to Crochet a Granny Square Blanket for Beginners and so many more! Take a little walk through my website to see what inspires you!

My intention with Create~Nurture~Heal is to provide inspiration and resources to live a balanced, creative, and healthy life. So I have a lot of resources to support you in all these ways.

What is most important, however, is that you take control of your own life, your own emotions and your own health! Don’t allow your environment to control you! You don’t have to be at the mercy of ‘what is happening in your life.’ You can choose to be the creator of your life by taking care of your physical health, your emotional health, and your spiritual health.

Live your life not from fear…but from fearlessness!

Blessings to you all!

This information can be so supportive to others…so please share this post on FB or Pinterest! Click on the social share icon and pick an image from below. Thank you!!

The post Keep Your Immune System Healthy & Strong! appeared first on Create and Crochet.

The percentage of sensitives mentioned above is true amongst all species, and it is the sensitives in the wild who first hear or smell approaching danger. The sensitive animals within a herd will be the first to lift their head and assess the situation. Then, if needed, they will be the first to run…..and the rest of the herd will follow!

In our society, highly sensitive people tend to try and hide their sensitive nature because it is considered weak. HSPs are encouraged ‘to fit in’, and in order to do so, they often try to override their sensitivity. This is a real shame because sensitives are highly gifted and creative individuals.

Highly sensitive people are the inventors, painters, writers, photographers, and visionaries. Many individuals with this nature have the wonderful gift of being able to easily tap into the Source of Creation and express their ideas in beautiful ways. Being sensitive is an innate and wonderful quality once you understand more about it.

HSPs are often ridiculed by others with comments like “you’re so sensitive, just suck it up, don’t be such a wimp”, or “aren’t you a delicate thing.” These comments are very hurtful to sensitives because they also tend to worry about what people say or think about them.

Sensitives often, but not always, have an empathetic nature. The difference between an HSP and an empath is that empaths can actually sense and feel the energy and emotions of others. But empaths don’t necessarily have a sensitive nervous system. A good example of this is Mother Teresa. She was the epitome of an empath, but she was not a highly sensitive person. She was tough and lived in very difficult environments.

Empaths can also be extroverts, whereas sensitives are almost always introverts. Within the empathetic spectrum, some individuals can fall into the ‘overly empathetic’ category. In this case, rather than just sensing, knowing and feeling the energy of others, these empaths actually absorb the energy of others. This can cause a lot of discomforts and even illness within the body.

Of course, there is a wide range of personality types within the sensitive-empath spectrum, and not one will be the same! On the positive side, people with any combination of these traits will be the creators, helpers, and healers. They are the problem-solvers, peacemakers, and mediators of the world. They have the ability to see both sides of a situation and can help others come to a place of understanding and agreement.

On the negative side, these same people are more likely to suffer from anxiety, stress, depression, physical pain, and fatigue. This is because they ‘feel’ everything. They are easily overwhelmed by other people’s energy, by noise, light, odors, chemicals, heat, cold—everything! They are literally modern day “canaries in the coal mine”. Because of this, highly sensitive people and/or empaths may avoid exposure to various stimulants and social situations as a protective measure. People who don’t understand this may become frustrated or judgmental of them.

If you know anyone who has these traits, then recognize their gifts and support them in any way you can! If you are someone with these traits, then honor these gifts and bring them forth into the world in your own unique way. This may be in the form of creative work, supporting others, or by simply holding a quiet presence in the world. Most importantly, be kind to yourself, love your unique qualities and don’t conform to what you “think you should be”. We need the sensitives of the world now more than ever!

If you want to learn more about being highly sensitive, then I would recommend ‘The Highly Sensitive Person’ by Elaine Aron. It would be a wonderful gift for your highly sensitive self or for a loved one.

If you want to learn more about being an empath, then I recommend ‘The Empaths Survival Guide’ and ‘Thriving as an Empath’ by Judith Orloff. Another interesting read is ‘Quiet’ by Susan Cain. This book is about introverts and how they are silent but powerful contributors to society.

Some (but perhaps not all) of the links in this blog are affiliate links to Amazon.com. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. This page contains some affiliate links. Please see my policy page for details. I look for the best possible option for your convenience, however, I encourage you to support your local shops!

I have also created a guided meditation that is designed to help individuals become more grounded, to cleanse their energy field of unwanted energy, and to provide protection.

If you liked this article, then you may also like:

• Helperitis~The Act of Helping Too Much
• Anxiety and The Highly Sensitive Person
• The Evolution of Creativity

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The post Understanding Highly Sensitive People appeared first on Create and Crochet.

I know from my own personal experience that creativity, of any kind, makes me feel good. I learned to crochet when I was ten years old, but stopped when I was about sixteen. I didn’t pick it up again until the fall of 2018 and I fell in love! I had forgotten how relaxing crocheting was. I had forgotten how wonderful it felt to have the yarn move through my hands and to work the crochet hook in a repetitive and meditative motion. I had forgotten how wonderful it felt to complete a beautiful piece of work that I had created!

I joined some crochet groups on Facebook and soon found that many people commented on a regular basis about how crochet had helped them with stress, anxiety, depression, getting over the loss of loved ones or the loss of health, relationships or a job. I have a few of these comments below.

“I have started crocheting recently, following the death of my son. It helps me to relieve my anxiety.”

“Crocheting is a great stress reliever and helps to get through the bad days.”

“I am new to crocheting. I stumbled upon this hobby in the fall, while desperately looking for a means to relax after sadly stepping away from a career that nearly gave me a heart attack due to stress, at age 36! Crocheting was the key! What a blessing! It’s more than “just yarn” it’s making something from the heart. Each stitch is a step in a beautiful journey!”

“I mourn the death of my daughter. Crocheting helps me to focus on reading patterns. I really don’t think I could have managed this past year without the distraction of crochet.”

I decided to look further into anecdotal comments like this to see if there was any research to support what seemed to be a very healing craft. The evidence was overwhelming, and quite honestly, I had a hard time sorting through everything to bring together something that wasn’t too long-winded.

I came across this video from the Craft Yarn Council which offers various findings from studies done by Harvard, the Mayo Clinic, and more. Some of the research found that 60% of the total surface of the brain is dedicated to the hands. Hobbies that use both hands, such as crochet and knitting, stimulate both sides of the brain and is considered ‘preventative medicine’. Other research has found that needlework lowers the heart rate, lowers blood pressure and reduces stress.

While the video refers mostly to knitting, the benefits of crochet and any other type of needlework are the same…it reduces stress and anxiety, increases self-esteem, gives a sense of accomplishment, and in the case of crochet and knitting groups, it provides social support.

The most quoted study on the healing effects of crochet was done by Pippa Burns and Rosemary Van Der Meer with the University of Wollongong in Australia. I wasn’t able to access the research directly, as you need to be a student or alumni member, but the summaries provided by other writers had a general consensus. Up to 90% of people surveyed agreed that crochet helped them feel calmer, over 80% reported that it made them feel happier and over 70% said that crochet helped to improve their memory and concentration.

These statistics are mind-boggling, and I can say from experience (I worked as a pharmacy technician for 25 years), that the pharmaceutical industry has never brought a drug onto the market that could make these sorts of claims. If they did, the drug would be declared a miracle drug and would probably cost a fortune!

This report by the American Counseling Association clearly found that crocheting is not only beneficial to patients with dementia but that it helps to reduced depression and anxiety. It also helps with insomnia, builds self-esteem, reduces irritability and restlessness, builds community, and more.

The Craft Yarn Council published this report in 2014, and it found that 83% of knitters and crocheters reported this hobby reduced stress. Another 68% said it improved their mood and 56% said it improved their self-confidence.

I have heard people claim that crocheting saved their lives. That is a powerful claim! Kathryn Vercillo is once such person and she wrote a book about her experience simply called Crochet Saved My Life. I have not read this book myself and I don’t normally recommend books if I haven’t read them, but the reviews are very positive and encouraging.

Some (but perhaps not all) of the links in this blog are affiliate links to Amazon.com. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. This page contains some affiliate links. Please see my policy page for details. I look for the best possible option for your convenience, however, I encourage you to support your local shops!

Nadia Faud also has a heartwarming testimonial of how crochet saved her life. She has gone on to create a Youtube Channel and website dedicated to crochet.

For myself, crocheting is giving me the means to begin to create an income to support myself. I have a chronic condition called Central Sensitivity Syndrome (CSS) which has prevented me from working at a regular job. I create blog post tutorials and videos on a variety of creative projects, including crochet. And I will admit…crochet is by far, my favorite craft for all the reasons demonstrated in this post!

The nature of CSS is that my body is in a chronic state of stress, so crocheting helps to bring me into a relaxed state and the benefits last for some time after. While I’m not surprised that there is evidence to support the healing benefits of crochet and other needlecrafts, I am surprised by just how much evidence there is!

I am a big fan of doing creative work as a means to find healing and balance in our lives. My book, Healing Through Creative Expression, uses intuitive painting, writing, and storytelling as a healing process. I truly believe that if I didn’t have creative time, that my health issues would be more debilitating. I manage to balance my well being through my creative work as well as other self-nurturing practices. And for that…I am very grateful!

If you like this article, you may also like:

• Creativity and Healing
• Why Old Habits are Hard to Break
• Intuitive Healing Painting Tutorial

Click here to see all my FREE crochet tutorials!

And this is my crochet playlist on Youtube.

I hope you enjoyed this article and find the information helpful. Feel free to leave a comment below…perhaps to share any benefits you’ve found from crocheting. Click on the social share buttons at the top or bottom of this post and choose a pin from above to share! Thank you

The post Why Crochet is so Good for You! appeared first on Create and Crochet.

If you are not familiar with hand-blended incense, I wrote a blog post about it here. This form of loose incense is made with aromatic resins and plant materials and is most commonly burned on charcoal discs. Burning incense in this way is very powerful and is wonderful to use for cleansing and ceremonial purposes.

Some people, however, are sensitive to the smoke emitted from the burning incense (eh-hem…like me). Using an oil burner is a perfect solution for this. You can line the bowl of the burner with a layer or two of tin foil and place the incense blend on the foil. The heat from a tea light gently releases the aroma from the fragrant plants and emits a beautiful, natural scent into the room. I love burning incense in this way!

I do have a video on how to burn incense on a charcoal disc as well as on an oil burner. This is the first video I ever made (about 5 years ago), so please forgive the imperfections! It offers great information, however, which is why I’ve kept it. You can check it out here. It is important to know how to do this properly because the charcoal discs are more flammable than incense sticks.

I have also created a video for this tutorial which is at the bottom of the post.

The supplies you will need for this project are:

• 3 parts Frankincense Resin
• 2 parts Sweet Myrrh Resin
• 1 part Copal Resin
  • Here is a sampler with a few different resins including the ones above.
• 2 parts Lavender Flowers
• 1.5 parts Chamomile Flowers
• 1 part Anise Seeds (check your pantry!)
• 1 part Red Sandalwood Powder
• 1/2 to 1 part Liquid Honey (also…check your pantry!)
• Three Kings Charcoal Discs or Bamboo Charcoal
• Morter and Pestle
• Incense Burner
• Oil Burner (these are a perfect size)
• Surgical Gloves (optional)

Some (but perhaps not all) of the links in this blog are affiliate links to Amazon.com. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. This page contains some affiliate links. Please see my policy page for details. I look for the best possible option for your convenience, however, I encourage you to support your local shops!

You can make any quantity you like, as I have given the recipe in ‘parts’. For this demonstration, I am using one teaspoon (5 ml) as one part. I will first give the instructions on how to blend the ingredients together for this meditation blend. I have also written about some of the healing and spiritual properties of all the ingredients for this blend below.

Before I begin, I like to smudge my tools and bowls with sage as a way to energetically cleanse everything. This is totally up to you!

Start by breaking down some of the larger pieces of resin in the mortar and pestle. Be gentle, as the resin can easily turn into power. Perhaps you like this, and that is perfectly fine, but I like to keep some of the resin in small pieces. I find this is very nice when burning incense on the charcoal. A finer consistency is nice when using the oil burner, and you can easily grind the finished incense before using it on a burner.

Once you are happy with the size of the resin pieces, blend all the ingredients (except the honey) into a bowl.

I recommend wearing a surgical glove when blending in the honey. Add about a ‘half part’ of honey and blend it into the dry mixture with your hand. You want to sort of ‘knead’ and roll the mixture between your fingers. Add a little more honey as needed until the red sandalwood powder is nicely blended in. The mixture should be soft but crumbly (the video shows this nicely).

Place the incense blend on a flat surface and leave uncovered to cure for about two weeks. It is nice if you can have it in some direct sunlight for a period of time to infuse the blend with the energy of the sun. Once it has cured, store the incense in an airtight container.

I like to bless my incense after I have blended it all together. This is totally up to you and you can offer any type of blessing you like. I use the following blessing:

“I offer my deepest thanks and gratitude to the Creator and Mother Earth for these beautiful and sacred offerings. May the spiritual and healing properties of these plants support myself and anyone who uses them in deepening the experience in our meditation practice. Thank you, thank you, thank you.“

The spiritual and healing properties of the ingredients used in this blend are:

Frankincense Resin: Increases oxygen to the brain by up to 30 percent, improves concentration, relaxes the mind and stimulates the immune system.

Myrrh Resin: Improves negative states of mind, enhances the feeling of spiritual connection and is very grounding.

Copal Resin: Enhances intuition, receptivity, and inspiration.

Lavender Flowers: Increases a sense of well-being, reduces cortisol levels, is mildly sedating and very relaxing.

Chamomile Flowers: Helps with relaxation and to become more centered in meditation.

Anise Seed: Helps to improve negativity, invokes blessings and deepens your insight and psychic powers.

Red Sandalwood: Also known as ‘false sandalwood’, this variety is more sustainable than white sandalwood, which has become endangered. Red sandalwood is not quite as potent as the white, however, it still has many of the same properties. Red sandalwood stimulates the seventh chakra, removes negative energy and relaxes the mind.

I hope this post inspires you to make your own hand-blended incense. This really is a beautiful art, and there are countless blends that you can create! If you want to learn more about this, I recommend these following books:

I also have a few other blog posts that may be of interest:

• Why it Can be a Challenge to Meditate, Especially for Women
• Relaxing Bedtime Herbal Tea Recipe
• DIY Bath Salts

The post Hand-Blended Incense-Meditation Recipe appeared first on Create and Crochet.

This is because the concept of Central Sensitization (CS) is a relatively new field of research. What this area of science suggests, is that most chronic pain and autoimmune disorders may fall under the umbrella of Central Sensitization Syndrome (CSS).

Central Sensitization is when the body has a hyperactive response to any type of sensation. This could be pain, light, sound, smell, chemicals and so forth. Even positive sensations such as excitement, massage therapy or acupuncture can cause a hyperactive response. It is a dysfunction in the brain and seems to be triggered by some sort of trauma such as an accident, surgery, a virus, or a devastating loss of some sort. It doesn’t matter whether this is physical or emotional trauma.

For reasons unknown to the scientific community, the sensory alert signal in the brain becomes amplified, and the switch that normally turns sensory signals off, once the trigger has passed, doesn’t work. As a result, the amplified signals continue to send warning messages to the central nervous system.

In time, the signals become more amplified and more intense, and that can lead to Central Sensitization Syndrome. This is a term used to classify a group of overlapping chronic conditions such as Fibromyalgia, Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Irritable Larynx Syndrome, Multiple Chemical Sensitivities, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and so forth.

I was diagnosed with FM and CFS in 1990 and there was very little support at that time. Then in 2014, I was simultaneously diagnosed with Irritable Larynx Syndrome and CSS. My specialist only offered some neck exercises at the time, and I must say, I was actually miffed to be diagnosed with CSS because I thought, “great, now they are making the fact that I am highly sensitive a disorder!”

For many years, there has been very little support and understanding of this umbrella of complex disorders from the medical community and the public in general. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been told to “suck it up”. I’ve also been shamed and treated as if I am crazy and this is all in my head.

It is true that CSS and any other chronic health issues are very complicated, however, I am glad to say that now, there is much more supportive information that can help deal with these sorts of conditions. Earlier this year, I came across this article on CS, and it totally changed how I looked at my diagnosis. It now made total sense, and I started to look at different ways to deal with this condition, and I’ve come across some great information.

If you are interested in learning more about CSS, this video gives an overview of the condition. I also found this video, and at 7:20 point, Dr. Sletten from The Mayo Clinic explains that CSS is not a psychological disorder, but a brain dysfunction! If you or anyone you know suffers from any chronic condition, you need to hear this.

I would also recommend this article by B.C. Women’s Hospital as well as the book by Amy Titani called Central Sensitization and Sensitivity Syndromes. They both offer very helpful resources.

Some (but perhaps not all) of the links in this blog are affiliate links to Amazon.com. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. This page contains some affiliate links. Please see my policy page for details. I look for the best possible option for your convenience, however, I encourage you to support your local shops!

Because this condition is so complex, the conventional medical establishments don’t seem to have any definitive methods to change this dysregulation in the brain. They offer processes to help reduce the symptoms, but there doesn’t seem to be a cure for this condition.

Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) seems to be helpful, but I think there could be more focus on Energy Medicine to help change these well-established patterns in the brain and central nervous system.

It would make sense that the key to resolving this ‘dysregulation’ of the central nervous system would be to find a way to settle down the persistent state of heightened reactivity. The chronic nature of the condition means a pattern has become established, and it is this pattern that needs to be changed.

The field of neuroplasticity is offering powerful evidence that the brain can be changed. Energy techniques such as Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT), Neuro-linguistic Programming (NLP) and Eden Energy Medicine (EEM) are just some of the processes that could help change the patterns in the brain. (see resources below)

There are forward-thinking professionals who are exploring the idea of combining therapies such as CBT with energy techniques such as EFT Tapping. Gary Craig, the creator of EFT Tapping shares a letter from the psychologist, Dr. Galina, who writes about how he does this very thing.

While this is a complicated condition, and it is advisable to work with a trained health care professional, there are some practices one can do on their own, that would cause no harm and may be very beneficial!

The first would be to understand neuroplasticity; the brain’s ability to change itself, and for that, I would recommend the work of Dr. Joe Dispenza. His books Breaking the Habit of Being Yourself and You Are the Placebo are a great place to start. His premise is basically that we can change any patterns we like, but it takes time, dedication and practice, practice, practice!

One of the main problems with changing unwanted patterns is that we are not patient or persistent enough. I know I am guilty of this for sure!

Here is a story of Yerlin, a woman who overcame astounding injuries and trauma by practicing the work of Dr. Dizpenza. I think the key to her success was, in her own words, “all I had was time…I was in bed, I couldn’t move, so I thought I would see if all the things I learned (from Dr. Joe) would work.” She was diligent in her practice, and she baffled everyone with how fully and quickly she recovered. You have to listen to her story, it is really amazing!

The second recommendation I have is to look at the work of Donna Eden and Energy Medicine. This area of medicine deals with balancing the body’s energy system. If Central Sensitization is a case of the central nervous system being ‘dysregulated’, then it would make sense that balancing the energy system through a daily practice could be beneficial.

I have been doing the Daily Energy Routine (DER) for several months now and I definitely notice subtle improvements and changes. This is where patience and persistence are important. My system has been dysregulated for over 40 years, it will take some time to change these very deeply engrained patterns.

My third recommendation is EFT Tapping. This technique is fabulous for changing unwanted patterns, but again, one must be persistent if dealing with very old and deeply engrained patterns. I have a video tutorial on how to do basic EFT HERE. This is an unlisted video, so you will have to save the link. I also want to apologize for the quality of this video, I made this a few years ago and wasn’t so tech-savvy! The wooshing sound was actually rain falling on the roof.

Tapping works best if you can find a specific event, like an accident, the break up of a relationship, the loss of someone or something significant…situations like that. But those are often ‘big T traumas’ and need to be processed with a trained professional. This is where you sometimes see ‘one-minute wonders’, where a practitioner finds a specific event and then releases the energy of that event with the tapping.

You may know of specific events and can tap through those, so long as they are not traumatic events. In Tapping, there is an acronym called UDIN. This asks the questions, was the event Unexpected, Dramatic, Isolating and with No resources? If any of these apply, then you want to seek help with that event.

You can use Tapping more globally for yourself, but it will take dedication and more time. For example, you could tap on “this tightness and tension in my body”, or “this constant pain in my hip and knee”. If you’re dealing with a very old and ingrained pattern, you may have to tap on the issue every day or even a few times a day for a few months before you start to see results…but it does work!

If you want to learn more about EFT Tapping, I recommend EFT For Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue, as well as EFT for the Highly Sensitive Temperament. You can also check out EFT Universe which has a tonne of free information.

Lastly, I recommend trying, to the best of your ability, to redirect the focus of the pain and discomfort you may be experiencing. I know from personal experience that this can be a huge challenge! How do you not notice the feeling of a sharp knife poking you in various parts of your body? How do you not notice that you don’t have enough energy to make a meal, to do errands or to see friends? How do you not notice that your words get scrambled or your speech is slurred at times? (which some of you may notice in my Youtube videos)

Just do your best! Try to think more positive thoughts, maybe watch some funny shows and do anything that evokes a good feeling…whatever that may be! Have a daily gratitude practice and make time to do things you enjoy. I’m a big fan of doing creative work, which is why I started blogging about all things creative, nurturing and healing!

Meditation can also be very helpful and I have a few guided meditations. The Guided Chakra Meditation below, in particular, is very good because it guides you through the chakras in the direction of a figure eight, or the infinity symbol. This video is 22 minutes long and goes through three sequences of the chakras. I also have a shorter version which is 11 minutes long and goes through just one sequence.

If you read the work of Donna Eden, you will see that she recommends incorporating any movements in the direction of a figure eight because the energy in our body moves in this cross over pattern. Often, when we are dealing with health issues, the body’s energy system moves into a homolateral pattern, meaning the energy isn’t crossing over.

Dealing with any sort of chronic pain or autoimmune disorder can be very challenging. Again, I do recommend working with a health care provider to get a proper diagnosis and guidance. The practices I have recommended here can be beneficial and empowering, so there is no harm in trying them!

More Guided Meditations:

• Ten Minute Full Body Scan Meditation
• The Sound of Silence~Teaching and Meditation
• Guided Body Scan and Chakra Meditation (30 Minutes)

These are just some of my guided meditations, you can check out my Youtube Channel for more.

If you liked this article, you may also like:

• Creativity and Healing
• Why Old Habits are Hard to Break
• Anxiety and The Highly Sensitive Person

The post FM/CFS or Central Sensitization? appeared first on Create and Crochet.

I never achieved higher than a C+ in art class and didn’t consider myself overly creative. I’ve always enjoyed making things and thought I was ‘just crafty’. Over the last few years, however, I have moved from making various craft projects to being a working artist. I have self-published one book, and I have developed a style of painting that is vibrant, mystical, and emanates a certain spiritual voice.

I’ve also rediscovered crochet, which I loved to do when I was young, but now I experience this craft in a deeply creative way. I can never follow a pattern without changing it in some way, and mostly, I just come up with new ways of combining basic stitches to create something completely new.

I actually started this blog as a way to share all my creative ideas, because quite honestly, I have so many ideas, and I wanted some way to be able to bring all this creative energy forth in a way that had some purpose to it.

This intensity of creativity is not by accident, it has coincided with my dedication to spiritual practice. For years, my practice has released layer upon layer of negative self-impressions, limiting beliefs, negative thought patterns, and so forth. In doing so, I am more receptive to this creative energy that is in all of us.

I’ve come to realize that we are all creative souls. Each and every one of us has within, the seed of creativity—because we are the manifestation of Creation itself. Unfortunately, most people (even artists) don’t recognize this truth. I learned by chance that you can’t ‘try’ to be creative because that will only lead to frustration and bad art. What needs to happen is one has to become ‘receptive’ to the Creative Source. How do you do this? Well, it’s simple but not easy.

Connecting to your Creative Self is a spiritual quest. It is a practice of letting go of countless layers of delusions in the forms of negative beliefs, fears, emotional blocks, and conditioned patterns. The layers of delusion act as barriers between what you desire and what you are…Creation itself.

And here is the thing…Creation is always evolving, that is the fundamental purpose of Creation. If this were not true, then we would still be living as hunter-gathers, rather than in the technologically advanced society that we live in now. Some people may believe some of this technology has a negative impact on the planet and our society (like the invention of the internal combustion engine), but we have to see beyond that.

The planet is over four billion years old and humans have only been here for about two hundred thousand years. The first life on earth emerged billions of years ago as simple single-celled organisms. We have evolved from a single cell organism! That is truly amazing! Evolution is a creative process…it’s that simple.

So, how does this apply to our own creative work? Creativity invites us to learn new things, new techniques, and new ways of doing things, and as a result, we evolve and become better at whatever we are working on. This is especially true when we make mistakes. If we don’t give up, and choose instead to work through the mistake, we actually push our creative envelope by trying to find a solution. Problem-solving is one of the most creative processes ever!

Creating the poncho below is a good example of this. I was teaching myself how to do Irish Freeform crochet. I’d never done this before and I wasn’t following a pattern. I had an idea of what I wanted to make but didn’t really know what I was doing. The image below on the left was one side of the first ‘pattern’. I realized after the fact that it would be too big, so I had to figure out how to modify it.

I put everything under the bed for about a month and allowed myself to wait for possible solutions. I didn’t try to force it, I just waited. Various ideas flowed in and out of my awareness and then one day I realized I could fold the two outer sides into the center and create a smaller panel for the other side, as shown in the center image. It was tricky, and I wasn’t even sure if it would work, but I trusted the process. And as you can see in the last picture…it worked out beautifully!

This leads to an important point…creativity is not just doing artwork or making fun projects…creativity weaves itself through every single task we do each day. Everything from sorting the laundry to doing complex mathematical equations is a creative process!

So, if we can find ways to allow this innate creative energy to flow more easily without self-criticism and conditioned limiting beliefs, then we can find ourselves more in alignment with our True and Creative Selves! That my dear friends…is a huge blessing!

This is a big topic and I’ve only touched the surface, but I hoped it’s left you with something to ponder. I also hope it inspires you to explore your own creative nature and to rethink the possible benefits of making mistakes!

Recommended Reading

• Healing Through Creative Expression by me!
• A New Earth by Eckhart Tolle
• The War of Art by Steven Pressfield
• Breaking the Habit of Being Yourself by Dr. Joe Dispenza
• Brave Intuitive Painting by Flora Bowely (she has another book called Creative Revolution that looks really good, but I’ve not read it myself…it is in my wish list though!)
• Taking Flight by Kelly Rae Roberts

Some (but perhaps not all) of the links in this blog are affiliate links to Amazon.com. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. This page contains some affiliate links. Please see my policy page for details. I look for the best possible option for your convenience, however, I encourage you to support your local shops!

If you liked this blog you may also like:

• Creativity and Healing
• Dot Painting for Beginners
• How to Crochet a Granny Square Blanket for Beginners
• Intuitive Healing Painting

The post The Evolution of Creativity appeared first on Create and Crochet.

Some (but perhaps not all) of the links in this blog are affiliate links to Amazon.com. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. This page contains some affiliate links. Please see my policy page for details. I look for the best possible option for your convenience, however, I encourage you to support your local shops!

However, before I begin, I have a little story to share with you.

I had the great fortune of experiencing pure silence in 2005. I was backpacking on my own through England and Scotland, visiting sacred sites. This trip was inspired by the tragic and sudden death of my cousin. Her death was a great shock and I realized that I, like her, had lived a very responsible life, working hard and doing all the things I ‘should’ do.

I had also been reading a book at the time called Crossing to Avalon by Jean Shinoda Bolen. It was about the authors’ spiritual journey to sacred sites in England and Scotland. I decided to take a few months off work and travel to some of these same places, and also explore the homeland of my ancestors.

During this trip, I went caving at the Cheddar Gorge, which is in the Glastonbury area. I was guided into the Cheddar cave system by an experienced guide. We were deep within these caves when he turned off the lights, and we sat in complete silence and darkness. All I could hear was the sound of my own heart beating and the movements of my own body. It was amazing!

The whole journey was awesome and I found my time in Glastonbury very enlightening. I am so grateful that I gave myself this wonderful experience. I did another caving trip to the Horn Lake Caves on Vancouver Island a few years later. There were several people in this guided tour, and the silence wasn’t as supreme as it was in the Cheddar Caves.

Since then, I have wondered if I could experience that same level of silence in a world that is just so noisy. It was the teachings of Buddhism, Eckhart Tolle, and others, that helped me find this place. You see…silence is everywhere! We just don’t pay attention to it!

You may think this silence can only be found deep in the forest or in unpopulated areas, but wherever there is sound, there is always the end of that sound. And it is in that space…that gap when the sound ends where silence lies.

Life is busy and our thoughts are on many things, but if you stop and notice…you can find silence in the pause between words. You can find it as the chime of a bell disappears into nothingness, you can find it as a car drives by and then the sound of it disappears into the distance.

You can find silence just after a leaf falls to the ground, as the wind stops blowing the leaves in the trees, or as a drop of water dances and then disappears into a pond or puddle. Silence is in between each breath, in between each thought and at the end of every noticeable sound. Wherever there is sound…there is silence.

There may be background sound, and often we can be distracted by that. But if you choose to just notice the background without judgment and then focus on a sound that comes to an end, such as the examples above, you will experience the silence that follows. Even if it is just for a split second…for a very small moment…the silence is there.

When you begin to notice this silence in-between sounds, you are practicing present moment awareness. Your mind is quiet as you focus on the silence. Now you are experiencing inner silence!

This can be a very powerful practice and it can lead to a more calm and peaceful state of mind. I have created an exercise to help you practice this way of listening to find silence.

If you like this article, you may also like The Power of Walking Meditation or Why it Can Be a Challenge to Meditate, Especially for Women.

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