Changing Our Inner Programing

We often find ourselves is a rut of the ‘same old, same old’, the same litany of thoughts, the same negative feelings and the same limiting outlook.  Here are some simple solutions to help us immediately move into a better state of being.

Breathe!

When we get stressed out, our breathing becomes rapid and shallow.  Often people will hold their breath when they tense up.  Taking a few deep and slow breaths can really help us ‘pull out’.  Tibetan nasal breathing can really de-stress us.  Use your right thumb to block your right nostril and just take a few minutes of deep slow breathing. 

Posture

Over time, we take all our issues to the body and lock it in the body.  Pay attention to your posture.  Often just changing position; straightening your spine, or moving and releasing your hips will make a huge change in your thoughts and feelings.  There is actually a trauma defusion technique that uses posture as a key-in.  For example, if you were injured with your body in a certain posture, re-visiting that same posture will key up the trauma.

Bach Flower Essences

A fundamental part of my supply needs when I first started out in private practice in 1989, was a complete set of Bach Essences.  Just as nutrition is for the physical body, Flower Essences are energy remedies to balance and support the emotional body.

Dr. Edward Bach was an M.D. in the 1930’s and 40’s, specializing in bacteriology and endocrinology.  He wanted to, as he put it, “treat the whole person”.  As he listened to his patient’s stories he began to notice re-occurring themes emerging.  He developed his ‘Bach Essences’ in response to these themes.

 

Flower Essences have been an essential part of my services from the very beginning.  What is interesting to me is that after almost 20 years in practice I have had to replace and refill five of the 38 remedies.  This has given me a chance to reflect on what life issues have been the most commonly evident in the last 20 years.

Centuary:  In the negative (or stressed) state, one’s connection with one’s own will is poor.  This is the ‘doormat’ personality, who will tend be overly influenced by stronger personalities or to loose themselves in service to others to the degree of doing themselves harm.

Pine:  In the negative state, pine will tend to cling to feelings of quilt.  This can be conscious or unconscious as well.  This is the person who feels the need to apologize constantly. An example would be growing up knowing you were an ‘unwanted pregnancy’.

Red Chestnut:  In the negative state, these people suffer for those they love.  They easily and excessively tune into other people and situations and are great transmitters as well.  This essence relates to a powerful energy link, or locked energy between two people. 

  

Vervain:  These people experience anticipatory stress; trying to be on call or on time to the point where they are squandering their energies.  Imagine a tennis player running all over the court until the point of exhaustion.  He is knocking himself out, but he’s not centered enough to connect with the ball.

Vine:  These people are natural leaders.  In the extreme negative state, a person is greedy for power, having no respect for the individuality of others.  Bossy vine types wonder why people are so upset with them, saying “it was for their own good”.

 

Walnut relates to new beginnings and unaffected ness.  This is the final step remedy.  All your belongings are in the moving van, and yet there is still a reluctance to let go.  This is that last attachment.  It can be to a place, person, attitude or job.

Star of Bethlehem relates to the qualities of awakening and reorientation.  This is one of the most important remedies in Rescue Remedy.  This is for shocks or trauma whether it be physical emotional or mental.  This remedy restores our self-healing mechanisms.

Willow relates to the qualities of personal responsibility and constructive thought.  This is used when people tend to blame others, hold on to grudges or get lost in self pity.  Disappointments and resentment can be powerfully projected into the outside world.

White Chestnut relates to the qualities of tranquility and discernment. Long after the argument is over, your mind refuses to shut down and relax.  Unwanted thoughts of ‘should have saids’ go around and around like clothes in a dryer. This remedy relieves the constant mental chatter can lead to headaches and unrelenting tension.  Often used when

experiencing insomnia.

Flower essences may also describe the nature of people around us (past or present) that ‘stress us out’.  Often a grown person will say “that sounds just like my mother” or “this isn’t me, it sounds like my husband”.

It is wonderful to find remedies that so gently and sweetly bring a person back to balance.

Which Bach Essences might be helpful for you?  Why?

The most useful approach in regard to self-care is awareness.  Pay attention to the body’s subtle cues. Our bodies are always talking to us.  There is amazing healing potential when we begin to listen.

Have a great summer_
Nelda