A little more on this post...
Growing up, healthy coping mechanisms were not modeled by the people in my life. Emotional maturity was not modeled, either. Until recently, I didn't understand what boundaries really were. The role I took on when growing up and for most of my life was to stay lighthearted, keep the peace, and be the fixer so that the people closest to me would be happy and safe. To stifle my own discomfort to keep everyone around me comfortable. I didn't think of it in these terms until recently, but I felt personally responsible for the happiness of the people that were closest to me. No pressure! That responsibility was truly challenged when my husband died, and I could hardly make myself happy, let alone the people around me, but somehow I took on that role like it was my mission in life until I ran myself into the ground (because being too busy to feel too much was also a trauma response). I now realize that responsibility was not mine and never was. We are only responsible for our own happiness.
Little did I know that most of my life, I had been living a trauma response and not living in my own truth. It makes sense, since I now understand that my parents were living their traumas as well - it's clearly a cycle. I don't fault them for it, just as I'm now able to look at my own trauma responses without judgment, too. I've released a lot of the judgment I placed on myself for years, and it's helped me to let go of resentment I had towards others.
I've also learned that you cannot heal in the same environment that hurt you. It wasn't until I had a significant amount of time and distance from certain people in my life that I understood what unhealthy situations I had been in for so very long. I didn't realize the entire time I was in the thick of it. With time and space, I finally began to truly heal. How many of us are in unhealthy environments and don't even realize it? I really believe that for the most part, the people in our lives honestly don't mean to hurt anyone, but they're living a cycle without even knowing it, and projecting their traumas and negative conditioning onto everyone around them - including their children. Society is at fault for some of this as well, but that's a topic for another post.
When I finally realized that my old coping mechanisms were hurting me more than helping me, when I realized that there were some unhealthy patterns I couldn't seem to escape from in my life, and when I realized that my health was directly affected by all of it is when I had a lightbulb moment - the connection of mind, body and spirit! That seed was planted in the late 1980's when I read Deepak Chopra's book, "Quantum Healing." Now that my kids were a little older, I could also finally take classes on something I've always been fascinated by: Reiki - which planted more seeds.
I researched and learned and read and practiced and drank it all up like I had been stranded in a desert for years. I had been living on autopilot long enough and it was time to re-evaluate EVERYTHING. My eyes were opened, as were my ears, my mind, and my heart. I knew if I was to THRIVE and not just merely survive, I needed to become consciously aware of every single thing in my life. I needed to look at everything objectively, honestly, and without judgment as if from the outside looking in. I had to think back to my childhood to answer some hard questions.
I had to do better not just for myself, but for my children- especially since I've been their only parent since toddlerhood and they look to me for everything. What an awesome responsibility and privilege it is to bring little humans into this world- to keep them alive, to teach them, protect them, love them, guide them to become independently thinking, feeling, compassionate, loving, responsible members of society one day. Children who will hopefully grow into secure adults with healthy coping skills and emotional maturity that will carry them through whatever the future holds for them. They will make mistakes like we all do, but I hope they can learn from those mistakes and have enough self love to forgive themselves, and know that just doing their best is enough. They are our future. That day is coming sooner than I ever thought it would - they're growing so fast.
Want to make a difference in the world? Begin with yourself. It directly affects our children. It affects how you feel about yourself, which directly affects how you relate to everyone around you. When we heal ourselves, we heal each other. We heal generations.
I will never claim to have it all figured out - nobody can make that claim; but I've learned so many things that have helped me in ways I never would have expected, and gained a certain wisdom that I honestly never wanted but am grateful to have. What could be more fulfilling than to share these things with others who want to learn, too? Life is just about helping each other through.
Take a 15 minute break to watch this fascinating video about grounding (it goes a little bit into energy, too) - you'll be glad you did!
Today is the first full moon of 2021! The Full Wolf Moon will peak at 2:16 this afternoon EST and will helpfully be visible in tonight's sky if the clouds allow. The force of the full moon is strong enough to clear your crystals even if the clouds obscure it's light, so take this opportunity to recharge your stones/crystals and clear their energy for a fresh start. You can do the same for yourself- set an intention to clear your own energy, release what is weighing you down, and make space for fresh, lighter energy to come in to fill you with hope, peace, and healing.
WHAT ARE AFFIRMATIONS?
Affirmations are positive statements that can help you to overcome self-sabotaging and negative thoughts. Repeating them often, and feeling them as you say them, improves your mindset which will help you to create positive change in every aspect of your life.
Check out the MONDAY MORNING MALA MEDITATION on Facebook, Instagram and here on the Blog - whether you have a Mala or not! New affirmations are posted every Monday, and each week has a different theme to help you heal in mind, body and spirit.
My new favorite!! This is a custom made gift for my good friend's daughter who is battling major health issues. Her favorite colors are green and blue, so I wanted to incorporate both colors into the cotton tassel, as well as support her chakras with healing stones. Once I infuse it with Reiki healing energy, it will be on its way to her.
I'm having so much fun experimenting with making my own hand-made tassels (using cotton thread, embroidery thread, and thicker silky cord), and trying different bead color combos! No more pre-made tassels for my Malas!
Just sit and listen. Don't try to fix someone who is grieving - you can't. Allowing someone to be as they are without having to pretend to spare your comfort is the kindest thing you can do for them.
Breath work can help clear your mind, slow down your heart rate, increase oxygenation in your entire body improving organ function, and is also a form of meditation in itself. So many benefits!
With your first bead, say silently as you inhale: "I am inhaling love, peace, and healing."
Move to the next bead and silently say as you exhale: "I am exhaling all negative energy."
Repeat this for the rest of the counting beads.
Check out the MONDAY MORNING MALA MEDITATION on Facebook, Instagram and here on the Blog - whether you have a Mala or not! New affirmations are posted every Monday, and each week has a different theme to help you heal in mind, body and spirit.
Mikao Usui, the founder of Reiki, created the Five Reiki Principles that he put at the center of his system. They are basically non-religious guidelines to living a fulfilling life. Everything in the Reiki system supports these principles and he wanted his students to meditate on these every day in order to embody the principles as a way of life and improve the condition of the mind, body and spirit.
Even if you're not a Reiki practitioner, there is so much value to these that EVERYONE can benefit form. Although there are some slight variations due to translation from Japanese, here they are, and are today's meditation mantras.
Since everyone varies greatly in their personalities, attention spans, levels of discipline, etc., there is bound to be at least one form of meditation that works for each individual. Thankfully there are many different ways to meditate! It's a good idea to try different methods to see what works best for you because of the profound benefits that meditation provides.
Personally, I have found so much benefit from using the Mala. It has given me profound anxiety relief. It's a way for me to be guided as I repeat healing affirmations. The affirmations themselves are a way to reinforce positive and healthy concepts, and the repetition helps to engrave them into my subconscious mind. It gives me a starting and ending point, and keeps my attention and focus with the sense of touch (using each bead for an affirmation). I even use it for breath work.
The Mala has made such a difference in my life that I wanted to learn how to make them so I could share them with others. I'm so happy to pass along this beautiful method of healing in mind, body and spirit!
It doesn't look nearly as good as it tastes, but I especially love knowing that there is nothing there that will hurt me. Just fruits and vegetables - healing foods.
Valentine's Day isn't just a celebration of romantic love - it's a celebration of ALL love, including love of self which is the most important of all.
This version the Love Mala is made Zen style with Rose Quartz marker beads. Even the tassel is handmade in this traditional Sandalwood Mala with hand-knotting between each bead.
* Be present
* Love unconditionally
* Find joy in the simple things
* Don't overthink
* Forgive easily
* Be grateful
This can apply to some brown ups, too... Patience, compassion and love can go much further than you can imagine.
Breathe...
Although we might not understand it this moment, there must be some bigger picture as to why this is all happening. Our eyes need to stay open. Our ears need to hear. Our hearts need to feel. No matter how uncomfortable it is right now.
Instead of anger, defer to compassion.
Instead of shouting, defer to silent prayer.
Instead of hate, defer to love.
Have faith that good will prevail, that love will conquer, and that peace will endure. It takes every single one of us.
First, Monday mornings are probably not the ideal time to try to get a group of people to relax and meditate... Most people have somewhat hectic Mondays, and the last thing I want to do is add stress when I'm trying to help relieve people of it! Also, I think most people are pretty burned out on Zoom about now.
I think it would be better to share the affirmations with everybody whether they have a Mala or not, so I will be making them available on the B2B Blog (https://bridgetobalancellc.blogspot.com) and social media accounts (Facebook and Instagram). They could benefit so many.
Therefore, the exclusivity I'm offering to my current and future Mala clients is:
1) The option to connect through Zoom or FaceTime for a personal tutorial on using the Mala and any other questions or comments they might have- at a time that's most convenient for them, and
2) One free Distance Reiki session ($50 value) valid any time through December 31, 2021.
Happy New Year, and Happy Healing!
Introducing the updated site - streamlined and simplified, including a blog that's easier to navigate!
Christmas wiped me out of Mala inventory, so I'm back in production and will be posting new Malas as they're made. You can also have one custom-made with materials/design of your choice! Check out the MALA GALLERY for lots of ideas!
Mala Meditations begin on January 4th - I'll be sharing healing affirmations every other week through email and Zoom with my Mala clients, so if you don't already have a Mala from me, order yours today and get in on the healing!
Happy New Year!
This Throat Chakra Mala is made with 106 Sandalwood counting beads + 2 Blue Lapiz Lazuli counting beads, cedar wood Buddha guru bead, blue s...
