Getting Motivated on Mondays!
By KC Miller Monday has a little bit of a bad rap! Often you will hear someone say: T.G.I.F (Thank Goodness It’s Friday); rarely, however, do you hear, “T.G.I.M! I’m over-the-moon-excited it’s Monday!” Let’s face it – If you are going to begrudge Mondays you have a lot of complaining ahead of you because, hopefully, you have a lot of Mondays in front of you. So, what’s the answer? F.I.T.Y.M.I – which means ‘Fake It ‘Til You Make It’ – is one possible solution. While being fake isn’t’ really the message, the use of acronyms or mnemonicscan be a powerful way to remember to adjust your attitude as you face the week. The word ‘mnemonic’ comes from Greek mythology; there was goddess names Mnemosyne, dubbed ‘the Goddess of Memory’ whose claim to fame was sleeping with the Greek god Zeus and conceiving nine children. The children, all daughters, were known … Read More
Don’t Dim Your Light!
by KC Miller, Founder of Southwest Institute of Healing Arts ‘Don’t dim my light!’ was the warning Richard Seaman gave me as one of his employers here on earth several years ago. This affirmation was not in the least way said in a threating or condescending manner; Richard was just very aware that his full-time employer was God. Often without warning some amazing force would show up and come out of his mouth . . . sometimes with grace, other times with real raw honesty. Before long it became increasingly obvious Richard was on loan as an employee to the college and that his real job was to be a spirit-directed pot-stirrer. He was in our employ to shake things up, do things a little differently and to prepare for his next assignment. Richard has been very reliable in showing up to deeply touch the lives of many people, to … Read More
The Power of Aromatherapy
by Liz Dose, Clinical Aromatherapist, Cht, LC “Smell is a potent wizard that transports us across thousands of miles and all the years we have lived. The odors of fruits waft me to my southern home, to my childhood frolics in the peach orchard. Other odors, instantaneous and fleeting, cause my heart to dilate joyously or contract with remembered grief. Even as I think of smells, my nose is full of scents that start to awake sweet memories of summers gone and ripening fields far away.”Helen Keller Since the dawn of time humans have been under the spell of perhaps the most mysterious of the senses – the sense of smell. Our ancestors relied heavily on this gift to find food, detect a predator in the area or alert them of a nearby fire. But on another level, our sense of smell has blessed us with the ability to experience … Read More
The Perks of Plant Protein With Two Quick & Easy Organic Lentil Soup Recipes
By Melanie Albert Protein, along with fats and carbohydrates, is an essential macro nutrient which we must eat everyday with every meal. Protein is a building block of our body and helps to buildthe foundation of our bones, muscles, cartilage, skin and blood. No Meat for 25 Years I stopped eating red meat 30 years ago because my body could not digest it. I was a runner and felt like the meat made me sluggish. Then 18 years ago when my Mom was diagnosedwith breast cancer, I learned about antibiotics in poultry and stopped eating chicken and turkey, which I loved at the time. My family was worried for years that I was not eating enough protein, but while I was studying nutrition, I learned so much about good plant protein, and now I’m honestly not worriedabout eating enough protein. Today, I love educating people about good sources of plant … Read More
The Skin-ny on a Career as an Aesthetician
Great skin is often associated with youth and beauty. Gorgeous models with glowing faces adorn magazine covers. Countless ballads and romance novels wax poetically about the thrill of a lover’s touch on their skin. Keeping our skin healthy and supple is a huge business throughout the world. A 2013 story in the Huffington Post, written by Rebecca Adams, states women in the U.S. spend $426 billion on beauty products alone. This figure does not include beauty and spa treatments such as facials, waxing, deep pore cleaning or microdermabrasion, laser treatments or photo facials. Women in the U.S. spend $426 billion on beauty products alone. Nor does the monetary figure include skin diseases and medical treatments. As the largest organ in the human body our skin (also known as epidermis or integument) has the practical purpose of protecting the underlying muscles, bones, ligaments and internal organs. It is also prone to … Read More
Four Facts About Reflexology
The roots of reflexology date as far back as ancient times. A non-invasive, complementary practice, reflexology involves the use of thumb and finger techniques, applying alternating pressure to reflexes. It is a clothed technique limited to the feet, the hands, and the ears. According to the Arizona Reflexology Association (AZRA), these reflexes match up to different parts of the body, also referred to as “maps,” located on the feet, hands, and outer ears. Over the last century, reflexology has become fairly main stream due to diligent study by medical doctors and surgeons. Dr. William FitzGerald and his student Dr. Joe Shelby Riley created Zone Theory, a basis for reflexology. (See Fact 1 for details about the Zone Theory.) A physiotherapist working with Dr. Joe Shelby Riley, Eunice Ingham, documented organ reflex areas that complemented the Zone Theory. When Ingham saw the positive impact of reflexology on the clients in their … Read More
Yoga Instructors Help Others Experience Mind and Body Benefits
Yoga has deep roots – really deep. Estimated to have originated more than 5,000 years ago, this ancient practice predates written language. What began as a spiritual practice (and still is in some forms) is more commonly used in the USA by lay people as a tool to increase flexibility of body and mind, reduce stress and improve balance. The practice is increasing. According to a 2013 listing by Yoga Journal, the number of practitioners who engage in some type of yoga has stretched from four million in 2001 to 15 million in 2013. While tracking yoga aficionados may be difficult to calculate, the amount of money spent on yoga apparel, equipment, mats and accessories is not. Statisticbrain.com reported that $27 billion was spent on yoga products – an 87 percent increase than in years past. From Anchorage, Alaska to Zuni Pueblo, New Mexico, Americans are buying yoga products, signing … Read More
Be a Life Coach – The Power of Personal Transformation
“Coaching is the process of healing your mind. When you heal the mind, you transform your life.”Richard Seaman,Lead life coach and instructor at Southwest Institute of Healing Arts (SWIHA). Whether it’s life coaching, spiritual coaching or business coaching, the process of helping an individual recognize and bring out the best in themselves is a truly transformational process for both the coach and the client. While acting coaches, voice coaches and athletic coaches have been around for many years, life coaching is a relative newcomer in the field. Kathleen Simonds, a life coach, hypnotherapist, teacher and graduate of SWIHA became a life coach after moving from California to Arizona. The former English teacher was already known for her expertise in the hypnotherapy field and became excited about the prospect of becoming a personal coach. “I learned about SWIHA and went to the campus and leafed through the catalogue,” said Simonds. “I … Read More
Aromatherapy for Healing Pain
What is a aromatherapy? Aromatherapy is the use of essential oils for therapeutic purposes.Essential oils are the plant’s “life blood”, as they protect the plant from infection, attract pollinators, repel harmful predators, and assist the plant in healing and repair. The term aromatherapy is a bit of a misnomer as the essential oils are not used solely by inhaling them. Essential oils are used aromatically (inhaled), topically (applied to the skin),and some use the oils internally (orally, pessaries, douches, suppositories). The use of essential oils has been around for centuries. Pictographs have been found in Egyptian tombs along with vats of expensive oils such as Frankincense. Throughout history and across cultures, the use of essential oils for health purposes has been recorded. Essential oils have many therapeutic properties based on the plant’s chemical components. Commonly essential oils are bactericidal, antiviral, immune supportive, and analgesic. Dr Jean Valnet , a French … Read More
Loving Yourself, First and Foremost
We all know how important it is to love ourselves just the way we are. We preach it to our children, family and friends. If a friend comes to us saying they aren’t good enough in some area, we’re the first to try and help them work through that belief. Do we show up for ourselves in the same way though? Confession Time As a teacher, I often speak with people who attend my classes about the importance of living in the moment and loving ourselves. I have a beautiful soul family all across the globe and an amazing son, yet I found myself feeling lonely and dejected. Transitioning out of the military left me feeling lost, although this transition was something I had been praying for since last year. I even have a print hanging in my home with the following quote. “ Do not feel lonely. The entire … Read More