Have you noticed a trend in the energy lately? Maybe it's seeing it in your own self-reflection or maybe it's seeing it in other people's behavior, but there is some deep healing around expression going on right now. 

Think about this, how many times have you bit your tongue, refrained from saying how you feel, from speaking your truth in order to keep someone else's idea of peace, or allowing someone else's idea of truth speak for you?

In this time of self-reflection and self-expression, we are learning to speak up, speak out, own our voice and use it. This is a time for growing pains, shedding the energies that don't truly align with you. Shifts and change often mean our circle of friends ebb and flow to match your vibrational level. The more you step into your authentic self, the more the world around you begins to change. 

To help you through this shift, practice meditating and connecting to Mother Earth. Allow yourself to become more grounded, more centered and focused. This opens you to claim your sovereignty. Own your space, who you are and what you stand for. This is the energy that is being pulled up for expression. The better you can be grounded in who you are, the easier it becomes to witness those times others try to manipulate or silence you to take that space over. 

Think about that for a moment. Yes, there are absolutely people that consciously choose to manipulate you, your feelings and try to stuff you down and make you small. As you step into your power you will no longer tolerate such things. You will begin to witness the energy play and see through their manipulation tactics and be able to hold your space and your truth. There's also people that are unaware that they are doing anything wrong, oblivious to the energy at play. They aren't knowingly trying to silence you or keep you small, but they tend to not understand their own behavior. This tends to happen a lot in friend circles. As you continue your self-growth and evolution, not all those around you continue on that same growth pattern. It's like having a conversation but speaking two different languages. This begins to show you who is truly your friend, who sees your heart and is really rooting for you in this lifetime. Those that choose to not respect you or celebrate your growth, well, that's a good sign that it's time to move on and open space up for those that resonate with your new level of being. 

Evolution is a natural part of our soul work. Keep moving forward, keep shining and keep making magic happen. The more you step into the truth of your being, the greater you will shine. Here's a quick Root Chakra Tree meditation you can do to help you get grounded. I recommend working with azurite gemstone for protection from others projections and amazonite for the courage to speak your truth. 

I'm sure by now you've seen me raving about this new technique. In my 15 years as a therapist with a multitude of trainings and certifications, I have never found a technique with such amazing results after even just 1 session. Let me explain my personal experience with this work, as I documented the changes I experienced during and after my first session. 

I started class with chronic neck pain (compressed cervical vertebra, 2 bone spurs, pretty much stays in pain, at about a 7 pain scale), also shoulder pain and tightness from shoulder up into my neck from sleeping in a recliner at the hospital earlier this week. During the treatment from my instructor, I experienced muscle twitch responses in various areas of my back that released the pain in my shoulder. I had a skin crawling kind of sensation on the side of my head (where I usually experience tension headaches). I was feeling anxious being in a new place with people I didn't know. Initially the treatment seemed weird. This odd strumming or flicking feeling across muscles made me more aware of areas that were tender and tense. All of the sudden I noticed I felt relaxed and my head ceased the incessant chatter. I fought drifting off to sleep. I felt more clear and focused. When the treatment ended, it felt as if I had a whole hour massage. I was like jello. It was great. And then I really noticed the changes...
I had ZERO PAIN. I still felt some muscle tightness but I was no longer having to mentally ignore my neck pain. It was gone. I could even turn my head, though not all the way, I could turn it without pain. That by itself made this entire training worth it for me. If you have ever had to ignore chronic pain on a daily basis then you understand the mental exhaustion it can cause. 

We started our clinic right away, with clients coming in for 2 days in a row so we got to jump right in and practice this technique on a variety of different bodies. The simplicity of the session itself is astonishing given the immense benefits. The treatment itself contains 8 sets of movements with a rest period between each set. This rest period is truly the magic time. For those that are more sensitive you can really notice the changes occuring and the body talking to itself, adjusting the way it is carrying itself. The technique itself, while seemingly simple, is actually complex. That flicking/strumming movement on the muscle connects not just to the physical aspect which is changing the messages being sent to the central nervous system, but also corresponds to specific meridian points to stimulate chi flow within the organs of the body. (Meridians are part of Traditional Chinese Medicine and the basis for acupuncture treatment.) So these precise techniques activate the parasympathetic nervous system to release the feel good hormones while relaxing areas of tension. The stimulation of chi flow through meridian point manipulation improves the internal functions of the body. It helps to reset and reboot your system, like a secret factory reset code. YES! Can you imagine... this is why I am so excited about this work!

Now moving forward to day 2 after my session, I was still experiencing some skin crawling sensations on the side of my head, releasing tension. The movement in my shoulder had returned to normal, and I was still pain free. Day 2 of clinics was much easier and I really enjoyed seeing the responses of the clients, both curious and intrigued by this work. One of my clients came in walking with a cane and not able to get much movement in her hip, yet during the session we were able to bend her knee and move her leg up further than she had done before. She was amazed. 

Day 3 back home I was guided to do the neck moves again that morning on myself. Sitting at the table for lunch, I turned my head to speak and there was a sliding, audible, "pop". My neck had realigned by itself! It never happens because of the chronic tension. It offered even more relief from the tension and I could turn my head all the way with no pain. I'm now at a week later and still no pain! My energy levels were elevated and overall I was feeling great. Now for the biggest change...
 
Since being diagnosed with endometriosis I have had this inner feeling of weakness or frailty, always needing to protect my core. Since the Bowen work, I can't even explain what it is inside that shifted or what was fixed, all I can say is I feel strong again and I did nothing different except receive this treatment. I feel like I don't have to live guarded and protected of my core or of being afraid of aggravating that endo-beast inside. Instead I feel strength surrounding my core, almost as if it internally stabilized the areas surrounding it in a healthier way for healing. I am very in tune with my body and the energy within so I can feel these things but yet I can't explain precisely the what or how, only what I've experienced. I started off completely amazed at how I no longer had neck pain, but this to me has been my greatest healing experience and there is no real simple way to explain the profoundness. To shift from a state of weakness and frailty, to strength and health has been a miracle and one I welcome with open arms. I am even more excited to offer this service to all of you and to witness how it changes your life.  

Bowsage is available as a stand alone 30 minute session. A 60 minute session includes a sports style massage of compression and joint manipulation in combination with the Bowen technique. 
You can also schedule a regular massage and a Bowsage session. Choose the massage session you want, available as 30, 60 or 90 minute sessions and add the 30 minute Bowsage session to your appointment. I'm offering this because I know some people really enjoy the massage aspect and that still has many of its own benefits. My personal choice would be a 30 or 60 minute intuitive massage with a 30 minute Bowsage. 

Bowsage sessions are done fully clothed, so wear something comfortable that you can stretch and move around it. If you choose to get a regular massage session, then the Bowsage session with be done over the sheets. 

​You should wait at least 7 days between sessions and it is recommended to have at least 3-5 follow up sessions for best results. 

Sometimes you find yourself in this space of not knowing, just kind of stuck without understanding why. It's like standing at the edge of your path but the fog is so dense you don't know which direction the path is turning. This feeling sucks you into a trap of the mind. It keeps you hanging on, clinging out of fear, causing your energy and vibration to contract, perpetuating this feeling of being stuck. You become disconnected and feel alone, unsure and insecure. Does this sound like something you've experienced? 

What do we know about fear?... We know that it creates a contraction in our energetic vibration. Think about a time when things were going great and flowed effortlessly. In those moments your energy is expanded and your vibration is higher, allowing you to attract more positive energy, creating more opportunities to surround you. Now when fear steps in and causes your energy to shrink and your vibration to lower, the doubt creeps in your mind keeping you feeling small and causing you to feel isolated and disconnected, cut off from the flow of effortless energy and instead stuck in this energetic pattern going nowhere. So how do you break this cycle? 

It may feel like the hardest thing to do in this moment when you feel so unsure about what is going on around you. The idea of surrender is a letting go. It is releasing yourself from the trap of the mind. It is recognizing what it is you are clinging to, an outcome or an expectation and letting it go. It is shifting your mindset with intention and inviting larger, expansive energy back into your space. You can only do this when you've made room for it by releasing. Take a break from the mental self-work and practice self-care. Let go of the worry and surrender it to a higher power, by whatever name you know it to be. When you open yourself up to help from Spirit you begin to shift the energetic vibration surrounding you.

As hard as it may be to maintain this level of higher energetic vibration, it is the key to helping you get unstuck. Self-care is truly an act of self-love and when you actively pursue self-love and compassion, your energy will begin to rise. Decide what type of self-care you will commit to practicing to help you get over this feeling and show up for yourself everyday. When you feel like your mind is running away, come back to your heart center, refocus on how to show yourself love and compassion, invite the energy of surrender to release the lower vibration. You have the power to do this. You can dig deep to harness your inner light and move forward. 

Many clients schedule Sacred Soul Coaching sessions to help with this issue. If you're trying or your just not getting the results or unsure how to work with energetic intention, schedule a coaching consultation with me by filling out the form below. 

Remember you don't have to try to figure it all out on your own. I have a whole community of Sacred Souls just like yourself and it would be an honor to have you join us in our facebook group and share in your experiences.

Often times I come across these beautiful little snippets about healing that are all magical rainbows of light, and I think what the hell am I doing wrong because my healing is everything but rainbows, unicorns and magical glittering fairy dust. 

Healing is ugly. It's chaotic. It's dark. It's uncomfortable. Those little magical snippets are glimpses of hope of what comes after the healing process. The revelation of lessons learned and darkness transmuted through a magical, alchemical shift... Yes it's in the darkness the real magic happens.

What's the darkness?... It is the shadow self, the ego side, those negative and uncomfortable things we work through. When we choose to address these feelings, we are energetically diving into the darkness of the shadow self. We allow those messy thoughts and feelings to envelope us. We surrender for a brief period into the dark to truly dig to the roots of the issue. When we find that old wound we inherently bring the light of awareness to it. We change it. We begin that alchemical process of transmutation of darkness into light. It is not that we deny our shadow self, or ignore it, but rather we truly begin to heal it. That, my friends, is the magic. That is spiritual growth and more magical than any unicorn. 

If you get stuck in the process of healing or not sure where to begin, schedule a Soul Coaching session with me. Together we will uncover root issues and determine the best healing rituals to help you through your transformational journey of healing and spiritual growth. 
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It is easy to get caught up the physical attributes of pain. We feel it. We know it's there. It's been nagging for attention over time, yet ignored. We can usually pinpoint the area that aches, or feels tight, maybe even pinches or causes sharp shooting pain, but what about the energy behind the pain? Are you aware of what it is telling you?

Massage eases the physical pain, but it also frees stagnant energy so that the life force energy can flow throughout the body as intended. In Traditional Chinese Medicine, it is the stagnation of this life force energy that causes dysfunction and dis-ease within the body. Hands-on bodywork like massage, cupping, gua sha, Reiki, acupressure, shiatsu and acupuncture work by freeing this stagnation, restoring not only blood flow, but energy flow. 

This stagnant energy also tells us a lot about your emotional state. If you experience issues around the sacroiliac joint (SI joint), lower back, glutes or hips we need to also look at the energetic qualities of the sacral and root chakras. The connections of these energy centers and manifested pain in this area suggests an inability to fully release from emotional issues. Hanging onto this energy and allowing it to continue to cycle instead of processing, creates a blockage that prevents incoming energy to flow. We know this is incoming energy because we are working on the back of the body. So imagine being stuck in the same feelings, not moving forward, but not moving backwards either. Just in this state of repeat. This can be reflected by similar outside situations being repeated in your life, or just feeling emotionally stuck where you are. After a period of time this negative energy flow will begin to affect your ability to trust, creating an unstable foundation that keeps you afraid. Your passion begins to wane and clouds your feelings, thus maintaining that repeated cycle unable to move forward. 

So you see, pain is not always just physical. It may stem from energetic blockages over time. When you see a therapist that is aware of the mind body connection, you're not only receiving relief from the physical pain, but the energetic root causes as well. This is why I developed Intuitive Massage. It is a blend of numerous clinical style techniques to address the physical pain and also the energetic clearing needed to help restore balance to the body and the mind. 

Are you suffering from low back or hip pain? Schedule a session with me and let's work on moving you out of pain and into healing.  

Have you ever noticed things about yourself that you didn't really like, maybe repeating behaviors or reactions you have that you believe to be negative? We all experience this. The shadow, also known as the ego, is very much a part of who we are. We can't escape from it, nor should we deny it, run from it, or ignore it. For true growth to occur you must learn to embrace this part of yourself, otherwise you will never truly be authentic.

To fully embrace this we must begin to ask ourselves why we are reacting the way we are, why has it become a repeating pattern, and when did this become necessary for my ego to think I needed protection. That is truly what your shadow is about, protecting you, but it is your conscious self that needs to figure out why it feels threatened. Most of the time these issues date far back in childhood. It has become a learned defensive mechanism. When you are able to pinpoint your trigger, you can begin the process of healing that old wound and embracing the protection your shadow has offered you. It creates a shift, a deeper understanding of the protective powers you carry and now that you are more fully aware, you can use this power when it is rightfully needed and not as an instantaneous reaction. That is how you embrace the light of your shadow and step into your full potential as an authentic being, aware & conscious of both your shadow and light. If you need help with your transformation process Sacred Soul Coaching sessions are available.

Shamanism and Reiki are both powerful healing techniques. Together these healing energies flow seamlessly as you open up to your intuition and tap into your sacred soul for Divine guidance. This work requires an open heart and a clear channel, which encourages practitioners to practice self treatments and continue working on their own spiritual growth. Tapping into this energetic flow daily strengthens your connection and also teaches you through experience. The more work you do the more you learn how to interpret and read energy, understanding the work that needs to be done.

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In Shamanic Reiki you're working with more then just light energy, as it is taught in traditional Reiki classes. Shamanism is steeped in shadow work, learning how to shift and change darker, negative energies, like an alchemist of energy. Through this process you are able to transmute these areas of energies around clients using a variety of shamanic techniques, like working with spirit allies in the forms of plants, animals, crystals, or guides. 

The core concept of shamanism, after stripping away religious and cultural influences, is someone that has the ability to communicate with Spirit, the ability to see past this world and understand the connection of All, of Oneness, to everything all around us, the web of life. Some people see this energy, others feel it or sense it, and some just know. Shamanic Reiki will help you develop your innate gifts through meditation and journeying and self-healing. 

The experience you have in a Shamanic Reiki session will depend on your energetic needs at the time of the session. Aura clearing, chakra balancing, soul retrieval, and connecting to spirit guides, are just some of the things you may experience. While a traditional Reiki session is based upon specific hand placements and just channeling Reiki energy, Shamanic Reiki looks deeper into the energy field, recognizing the difference between shadow and light, shifting and changing the energy as needed to create balance, while following intuitive guidance from Spirit. 

Sessions are available in person and online, as energy is not limited by space and time, in the same way prayer works beyond space and time. Shamanic Reiki practitioner training retreats are available throughout the year and is also available as an online course, with live video instruction and attunements. 

There has been a shift in awareness. Have you felt it?  Light is being shed on the areas that need changing. Are you recognizing patterns in your reactions or seeing parts of yourself reflected in the behavior of others? The illumination of these patterns are a sign it's time to release.

Once you become aware of these attachments, you can begin the work of releasing and open up to a new level of consciousness. It is in this space of shedding your old self you are open to receive a deeper level of awareness and being. This is the energy of November.

November being the 11th month, is the master number of healing in numerology. 2017 is a 1 year, the number of becoming more authentic and aligned with your soul. Together the energies facing you this month are working to help you make those final shifts and transformations of 2017. Everything that has been happening this year has been to help align you with your soul-self. The mantra to help you flow this month is: 
 

Begin to release old patterns and expand your thinking and ways of being. New opportunities are waiting, but the only way to see them is through new eyes. Keep moving forward, keep growing and keep shining! Be ready to receive an influx of healing and love this month, as everyday provides an opportunity to release and receive something new. 

Have you ever wished there was something you could take that would help you over the emotional pit you're stuck in? Flower essences were developed for just that reason. In the late 1920's Dr. Edward Bach started his journey into developing the basis for the system we still use today.
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Dr. Bach believed that the attitude of the patients played an integral part of their overall health and wellness, as well as their ability to recover. His work as a physician uncovering these homeopathic remedies played an important role in opening the door to unveil even more. Today you can find a lot more than 38 Bach Flower Essences, but the methods of collection and usage have remained the same. We now have flower essences suitable for children and pets too! 

We have pre-made "Hippie Water" blends readily available in concoctions like: Free Spirit, Mellow Out and Peace Love & Happiness. Personalized blends are available through a consultation. If you would like to schedule an appointment visit the Sacred Soul Coaching page.

If you look around for a massage you will find a lot of terminology describing different massage styles and services. The problem is you probably aren't aware of the actual differences in the treatments, after all you're not the licensed therapist. You are just the client seeking relief. While not every therapist is the same, this is what I find to be the truth in our beautiful area of Jacksonville, North Carolina.  

You'll find a lot of services misrepresented by the term Swedish massage. A true Swedish massage is characterized by the use of 5 specific techniques within the session. These include the long gliding strokes used to apply oil, kneading, friction, tapping/percussion, and shaking/vibration. A majority of the time what you truly end up experiencing is not a Swedish massage, which can be applied deeply or lightly, but rather a relaxation based massage incorporating longer, slower techniques with less focus on problem areas and more generalized treatment. This was actually not the intent of Swedish massage, but it is what it has become in the industry.  

What exactly is deep tissue massage? It is not what you think. Deep tissue was originally used to describe a deeper Swedish massage. The amount of pressure used is what gave it a different name. In the session the goal was to sink into the deeper layers of muscle tissue using the same Swedish techniques. This is generally not what you find in a deep tissue session. Most therapists now use the term deep tissue to describe a session that blends several clinical techniques to address specific areas of muscular tension to provide pain relief.  

Specialty massages are those listed under specific titles. For example Lomi Lomi is a specific style of massage that has its own techniques and flow to the session. You may find other specialties listed separately like cupping, acupressure, neuromuscular therapy, or medical massage. Many therapist will just incorporate these techniques into a deep tissue session rather than listing separate sessions. It pays to read the description of the massages so you know what you're getting out of a service.

If you are ever in doubt, call the therapist and ask what to expect out of the session, or you can always explain the issues you are seeking relief from so the therapist can guide you to the best choice. As a therapist we don't expect you to know or understand the therapy we provide, but to be in this field you will generally find the therapists are sincere in helping you to the best of their ability.