What Happens When We Inhabit the Practice?

Two weeks ago, I was completely and utterly exhausted. Getting over COVID, after a busy day, the effects still lingered. The previous night, I had been supporting my loved ones for four hours at a critical juncture point in recovery. It had been brutal, and as a result, I had no energy left. I decided to lay down for a 30 minute nap. 

When my alarm went off, I woke with a profound sense of love, of being entirely loved. I felt embraced and held and to my surprise, entirely rejuvenated. I sat there, soaking it in for many moments, and then my thinking mind came back on board…what caused that? I was practically unconscious and the love was unmerited. I didn’t ask for it, I was’t even thinking of anything loving, in fact, I was feeling the opposite, fully drained. Where did that love come from? Did I slip into someone’s whispered prayer for me? My grasping mind wanted to know—how do I produce such care for myself and others?

 

The nicest part about the whole experience is that since waking up from the nap, I have felt the same presence of love every day since, sometimes many times a day, at moments usually unsuspecting: during an inconvenient holiday work assignment in the ER, while driving, while cooking, while getting ready in the morning, waking up in the middle of the night to pee….

I’ve noticed three things usually (but not always) occurring when I’ve been “held in love”—a quiet atmosphere, a quiet mind, a state that is open and receptive. In order for loving presence to be available to me, I must be available to it. Perhaps filling up with love, peace, contentment is the result of mindfulness coming to fruition, a mind and heart turned towards compassionate care, in a direction that is skillful and good. 

What Happens When We Inhabit the Practice?

©2023 Karla Johnston, InnerConstellation.com

Perhaps we become
love, peace and joy, 
unmerited, 
inside and around us 
at all times
across all realms of wakefulness 
and rest.  

"It's such a good vibration...It's such a sweeeeeet sensation!"

"Can you feel it baby...I can too! Come on, come on, swing it, swing it! Bringin' this to the entire nation: black, white, red, brown, feel the vibration!" Then, Loleatta Holloway's powerful voice penetrates the air, "It's such a good vibration...it's such a sweeeeet sensation..." Ooooooo, yes it is!

When I think of October's theme of "Vibration," Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch slips in with their song Good Vibrations. Theme song for our October Retreat  perhaps???!!!??? Bet you can't listen without tapping your feet....

Oct. 2 Tahoe's first snowfall! Happy Bunnies!

Vibration also has me thinking of the incredible scientifically proven ability of our hearts to pump out positive vibes. Heartmath Institute has shown that our hearts radiate an electrical current 5-8 feet from our marvelous centers, influencing all other beating hearts around us. When we generate non-violence, peace and compassion within ourselves (and FOR ourselves) this current literally permeates out and creates many happy hearts. The same is true of emotions like grief, sadness, anger, or despair. These too influence the physical electrical currants of those in our vicinity. Sing it, Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch: "Rhymes will groove you and I'm here to prove to you...pump positive vibes!" If the power of the heart intrigues you, please read these related IC Blog articles.

What are you taking in and putting out? This is a mighty question for the month of October and the season of Fall when we're called to release what is no longer bearing fruit and go within for transformation. What's your vibration, ya'all? Hit it..."So come along for the ride...making you feel the rhythm is my occupation!"

I look most forward to the theme of "Vibration," this month and all the insights it will bring. LTMC hopes to see you at October's Fall Retreat where we'll be pumping out all things beautiful..."Come on, come on, feel it, feel it! Feel the vibration!"

Find Your Strength, UURRRGGGGH!

November's Inner Constellation theme is gratitude and I just got taken to schoooool to learn a profound lesson in appreciation. Recently, I had the unexpected opportunity to sit with a terminally ill young person for the day. I'll be using the non-gender specific pronoun, "they" to refer to this one to retain confidentiality, even though it's improper English, forgive me:). Here's what they taught me--health is a privileged reality, if you experience it, nurture and appreciate every moment. Spending a day in their reality was a wake up moment. But, the lesson goes even deeper--in spite of being very sick, I kid you not, they smiled and thanked every person caring for them, even though that necessary care impacted their pain, often making it worse.

I was in pure awe and have continued pondering this Bodhisattva, gaining a smidgen of insight on wellness versus disease. As you might have picked up from this blog, I categorize the care for one's Inner Constellation into three primary points of focus:

1) Body
2) Mind
3) Emotions

With all three, I stress the importance of balance. What happens when one or more of these aspects of ourselves is degenerating, ie completely out of balance? In the above example, the young one's body was almost entirely disabled by disease, however the other two components of mind and emotions were consciously strengthened. It was obvious spending the day with this person that tremendous energy was invested in staying positive and grateful. The result was an amazing solidity, in spite of the failing form.

How might I take the idea of balance and apply it to my body, mind and emotions? When one is not in a state of well-being, might I turn toward my strengths and spend energy increasing what I can increase? If my mind is all over the map, agitated and jumping around like a monkey, can I take my strong, healthy body and go for a run, stretch and do some yoga or go for a mindful walk? Heck, I might even dedicate the merit of my exercise to someone who is not able to exercise, or, I might dedicate the merit of my activity to my monkey-mind! If my body is hurting and in pain, might I use my big heart to send myself some loving-kindness, reach out to a person in need and give him or her some care and affection?

Meeting my young Bodhisattva friend inspired and expanded my capabilities and sent a gentle and loving message--when a part of myself is not at its strongest, love it up, then put energy into what is strong. Find your strength--body, mind, emotions. Exercise it to your fullest potential. If you need a coach, someone to fire you up and be a cheerleader, contact me.

Take Refuge in the Body

This week we're diving ever deeper into the June Inner Constellation theme--Refuge. Last week we practiced Taking Refuge in Spiritual Ancestors, now we're exploring Taking Refuge in the Body as our anchor, a solid place to rest in the midst of any storm.

I wish to flesh out what I mean by "body." In my Inner Constellation work, body encompasses three components:

1) Heart
2) Mind
3) Nervous System

If you're interested in Heart and Mind as ways of Taking Refuge in the Body, you may wish to click on the highlighted links for each above. For today, we'll be resourcing number 3--our kick @$$ nervous systems.

When things get rough and tumbly, our nervous systems shoot into high gear as survival mechanisms to mobilize against perceived threats. If we need to fight, adrenaline will shoot through our bodies at lightening speeds, if we need to flee, blood pulls from our extremities to our cores so we can move fast and unencumbered. We are pristine survival machines, however, most times when things get rough and tumbly, it's not a matter of life and death. Taking Refuge in the Body, literally means using one's powers of observation and concentration to self-regulate the nervous system. How to do this? Ah, we possess a miraculous elixir...a supreme regulator--the breath.

Studies show that breathing evenly immediately balances body systems and begins to regulate its myriad of functions. Whenever you wish to change your body--first, change your breath. The technique of breathing evenly immediately balances racing thoughts, transporting blood from the limbic (fight-flight-freeze) portion of the brain into the frontal lobes where we do our most skillful thinking. Breathing evenly turns on the light bulbs for insight and clear seeing. Notice, I'm purposely italicizing breathing evenly, not necessarily deeply, which can be harder than Hades to do when we're in fight-flight-freeze; however, breathing evenly begins initiating a state of flow.

When life gets rough and tumbly and clouds move in, obscuring your North Star, take refuge in the body--your breath--as an anchor. Begin regulating and moving into a flow state where insight and skillful thinking are resourced and initiated. We are powerful beings. Like the outer space with its bazillion of galaxies, the inner space is just as vast and deep in its capacity. Through the lens of even breathing (and my personal favorite, self-compassion) explore, explore, explore. 

Gihugic Aha Moment--Thank you, Ben Wheeler!

You know, I had a moment of clarity this morning as I sat with my emwave and breathed all the goodness of a beautiful morning. My aha was prompted by a young boy, age 6, named Ben Wheeler. I'll introduce Ben in a moment, but first, a realization:

Ultimately another person's suffering becomes our suffering. When darkness approaches and is all around, don't shrink away--step up, expand, shine the light and perhaps those adrift will find their way home.

This is the lesson as I took it, from a boy named Ben who loved lighthouses above all else. According to those who knew this little man, he was a lighthouse, he was also a fatal victim of the Sandy Hook shooting, happening one year ago today. I listened to his mom and dad talk on Opera's Soul Series a few weeks ago and their message was loud and clear--we have tremendous ability to either spread light or succumb to darkness. As I was pondering this reality, I got to thinking about the turning points we're given every day to truly be agents of love or agents of fear, frustration, worry, etc. How do I personally respond to horrible and dark situations--by shrinking away and adding another layer of darkness and confusion, or by stepping up, opening my heart, and cultivating goodness--shining a light so to speak. Science now shows that emotions such as appreciation, kindness and compassion literally change the physiological responses and heart rhythms of others within our 8 foot vicinity. The opposite is also true. If we are frustrated, scared or untrusting, these restricted feelings influence the physiology of other people within our radius. Ultimately another person's suffering or happiness becomes our suffering or happiness. What are we going to do, succumb to the darkness or make a revolution and shine, baby, shine? 

Thank you, sweet angel, Ben Wheeler, for the lessons you continue to teach through your loved ones that remember your adoration for the light. You are a tribute to IC Truth #3, energy never dies, it only changes form. On this day and always, may we each consciously chose to shine. 

For more information about Ben Wheeler, his love of lighthouses and his goodness that continues to spread, visit: http://benslighthouse.org/

"She's a brick-----house. Mighty, mighty, just let'in it all hang out!"

I few more interesting tidbits have come to my attention about the body's energetic anatomy.  By energetic anatomy, I'm referring to the body's heart, mind, and nervous system, all electrically driven functions of the body which we can resource and use for our health and healing. 

These cool factoids also support Inner Constellation Truth number 1:

Everything is energy, the body is the interface.

OK, here's the amazing, invisible brick---house tidbits:

• the brain produces enough current to power a 15-20 watt light bulb
• the heart is the most powerful electrical oscillator in the body, influencing over 1400 other systems in the body
• scientists have confirmed that injury or trauma occurring to the body causes a disruption in the body's electrical flow measurable via the skin, called Current of Injury (COI)  
• scientists have also confirmed that many individuals display what's called electroreception, meaning they mirror the electricity of others around them (as shown on ECG and EKG equipment) as well as sense energy field shifts of the earth. This can account for animals who sense earthquakes before they occur and other natural disasters and have been observed high-tailing it out of areas before disaster strikes. Institute of Heartmath have done their fair share of studies in this department.

Our bodies are indeed mighty, mighty..."shake it down, shake it down, now!" 

In the Bed of Creation Part II

"Quality of attention" was the experiment of last week, and if you're wondering what the heck I'm talking about, check out Part 1. So, here's what I discovered--this crazy, delightful world with all its plethora of choices, can pull in a thousand different directions. In order to know what to give attention to, it helps to spend time each and every day establishing what I like to call, "my silver cord" or "anchor." Am I speaking in metaphor? Of course, I'm a poet! "Tying the silver cord" or "anchoring in" is something I try to do every morning upon rising. Here's what a perfect practice day looks like: ten minutes on the emWave to get connected to my heart, and then when coherence has been established in my body, and I'm purring like Yogini, I write for two hours. I do these two things before doing anything else. This simple personal practice limits distractions and clarifies my inner world, grounding me in what I consider lasting and true before I head out into the outer world with all its baubles and trinkets.

As some of you know, I've authored a novel on Joan of Arc, Child of God: The Humble Beginnings of Joan of Arc. For Joan, who was Catholic born and raised (not a whole lot of other options in the 1400's), she anchored herself to an orthodox God. She devoted herself with one-minded fervor (and great quality of attention) to freeing her country from English invasion. She is a true heroine to me for even though her inquisitors branded her a heretic and a witch, excommunicated her and burned her at the stake, she continued to profess her true identity--child of God.

Remember always what this blog celebrates..."that you are an expression of the Eternal. The body is the gateway. Read on (and on and on) if you need reminding." Acknowledging each person's inherent beauty and worth is what I aspire my full quality of attention towards each and every day. Tie to this silver cord of truth whenever you need bolstered and heartened.

Power of the Heart

My talk last week on Heart-Based Living got me thinking about one of the first times I made a visceral connection to the power of my own heart. I still very much remember the day, three years ago. I was struggling with a decision I had made to distance myself physically from a difficult family member. After years of heart-ache, I had decided to stop participating in the chaos and instead send care. On this particular afternoon, I had begun the oh-so-familiar pattern of worry but in midstream remembered my commitment to send care. I sat down and began a series of heart-felt statements, envisioning them first for myself and then for my family member:

May you be happy,
may you be healthy and strong,
safe and protected,
free from inner and outer harm.
May you live in your world with ease and grace.*

As I completed my last well-wishing phrase, the phone rang, punctuating the silence. Amazingly, I heard the voice of my loved one on the machine and rose from the couch to answer. In the twenty-two years since moving far from home, I could have counted on one hand the number of times this family member had called. I picked up and replied, "I was just praying for you and me." What followed was one of the best conversations we had ever shared. When we hung up, I was convinced that tremendous power lied not in statements of well-wishing but rather in the shift of my perception.

A journey of the heart began as I started consciously tending the ephemeral parts of me and my loved one: in dreams, in letters, in phone calls. I continued to maintain physical distance, investing instead in the power of my heart.

Three years after I committed to heart-based care, my loved one passed away. When I attended the funeral, family assumed I harbored regret over not seeing him before he died. Words could not explain how completely opposite of regret I felt--instead, through the softening of my own heart over the years, I experienced complete reconciliation. A few hours before my loved one's passing, I was gifted with a face-to-face visit with him in a dream. It prepared me for the transformation that was about to take place. Throughout the dream references to the heart abounded.


*adapted from traditional Metta or "Loving-Kindness" phrases

Happy Valentine's Day

What does it mean to live with more heart? Treat yourself to a no-charge retreat this Valentine's weekend as we explore the body's physiological response to stress and simple, skillful ways to access the intelligence of the heart and literally change the body's response. Results will be tested using HeartMath emWave technology--a simple biofeedback tool  built on over two decades of research that puts intangible emotions such as love and care into visible and subjective results.

InnerConstellation.com delivers services based on this philosophy: body is the gateway to health and well being and heart is the master regulator. Hope to see you this Friday, February 15 for a fun, interactive heart-filled evening.

To Love We Must Swerve Often From Our Path

My Luvee riding in fall sunshine

Perhaps it's the season of fall and brilliant colors, but I've noticed of late that Life (intentionally capitalized) constantly interacts with me. When I pay attention and actively participate, miracles happen. Enough foo-foo-woo-woo, let me give you a few examples.

You all might remember the Veteran's Day event I had scheduled last Sunday at my office. I wracked my brain on how to increase my exposure to vets and decided to hold an open house. People in the field warned me that veterans don't tend to go to such events, but I felt compelled to do it. A few days before my event, a veteran called from the local hospital. This person was incapacitated and unable to make it on Sunday, but was wondering if I could come to the hospital for a visit. I smiled, having the distinct feeling that Life was placing a great opportunity in my path, requiring a slight detour from "my plan"--no problem, I set up an appointment immediately following my open house. The following evening, I received an email from a father of a vet who committed suicide after coming home from Afghanistan. He commended my efforts and said, if one vet is served, it'll be worth it. He then proceeded to share that he was in the military over twenty years and in addition he had built the building that housed my office. In a small town of 23,000 is this just interesting coincidence? I don't think so--Life is interacting, not just with me but with this devoted father.

Well, Sunday rolled around and unfortunately (or not:), no one attended my open house. However, I left the office and headed to the hospital. Here I found a willing veteran who applied the Meridian Treatment with great success, bringing the distress experienced from a SUD (Subjective Units of Distress) 6 to a 0 in less than five minutes. When I arrived home that night, I looked up into the star-filled sky and heard again the words of the man who had lost his son to suicide--if one vet is served, it'll be worth it. I breathed deep the crisp fall air and committed to take off my blinders and stray more often from my determined path. 

Veterans Day Event

Please spread the word to any veterans you know that this Sunday, November 11, 2012 from 4:00-5:30 pm there will be the following event at The Studio Lake Tahoe to honor our service men and women:

Free Talk Friday, September 14, 2012

Tapfests Starting in September!!!

I was recently invited to join The Studio Lake Tahoe in Meyers, California, and I'm now offering private and group sessions as well as talks and workshops in the beautiful space at 1089 Magua Street. So, as a promotion and celebration, I had the idea to begin "Tapfests" starting in September, 2012. Every Sunday from 2:00-3:30pm you are cordially invited to attend a group tapping session with other dedicated tappers who will use the power of more-than-one to usher in relief for physical and emotional ailments. Group tapping is my absolute favorite forum for the self-applied meridian therapy techniques. I've found combined intention to be one of the most powerful ways to move the body into a state of receptivity. It doesn't matter if you are new to meridian tapping or have been using it for awhile, every Sunday promises a mini-retreat of pointers, support and community.

Each hour and a half session is a reasonable $10.00, or if you buy a 10 session card, the price is lowered to $8.00 a session. As is Inner Constellation's gratitude policy--Veterans are always free! Give yourself and those you love the gift of a weekly group Tapfest and see the difference in not only your Inner Constellation, but in your outer constellation of family, friends and community.

Inner Constellation Tapfest
Every Sunday starting September 2
at The Studio Lake Tahoe
1089 Magua Street
Meyers, CA 96150
(10 minutes from the "Y" in South Lake Tahoe, CA)

For more information, feel free to contact me. Come join the party!

Stomach Constellation

Active Time:  7-9am
Element: earth
Fundamental Principle: yang
Season: late summer

Stomach meridian is the last of the meridian series articles, with each of the twelve accessible through the "Meridian Pathways" link at the top of the blog. Stomach (ST) meridian is responsible for digestion and absorption. When ST meridian is balanced, trust in provision is the end result; when it's upset, excessive worry, gloom and fear may become obsessive in addition to antisocial tendencies. The physical disturbance of Stomach meridian may show up as gastric disturbances, toothaches, edema or sore throats.

The active time of ST meridian is between 7-9am. It's a yang meridian associated with the earth element. My favorite way to access ST meridian is by tapping ST-2 directly below the eye on the bony orbit. Stomach meridian is a long sucker, so if you wish to trace it in more detail, check out his You Tube video at time 7:58. Watching this video the entire way through is a great way to wrap up tracing the 12 major meridians. I hope you've enjoyed the meridian articles, and if you'd like a special meridian algorithm (recipe) constructed for your particular needs, please consider contacting me for a consultation.  

Large Intestine Constellation

Active Time:  5-7 am

Element: metal

Fundamental Principle: yang

Season: late summer

Our guts are a freak of nature! The small intestine is about 20 feet and large intestine is about 5 feet—“large” referring to width versus length. So, the Braveheart movie did not over exaggerate Mel Gibson's innards! As far as meridians go, the Large Intestine (LI) meridian is actually short by comparison to the other energy channels. It begins at the inside nail bed of each index finger (closest to thumb) and travels directly up the arm to the hinge of the elbow, over the bicep to reach the outside of the shoulder. Here it diverges into two branches, one that goes into the lungs, diaphragm and large intestine, and the other continuing up the neck, across the upper lip to end at the flare on the opposite side of the nose. LI rules elimination, deciding what is needed for nutrition and letting the rest go. Emotional indicators of a LI out of balance might include controlling qualities or difficulty letting go of something that no longer serves a purpose, even to the extreme of retaining what is known to be toxic. In its balanced state, LI rises to the occasion in challenging situations and helps us notice, digest and process the take-away lessons.  Physical disharmony is indicated by illnesses of the head, face and throat area, often showing up as toothaches, runny noses, yellow eyes, excessive thirst and sore throats. Pain in the shoulders, arms and index fingers as well as intestinal problems can be indicators of LI out of balance.

Large Intestine is a yang meridian, most active during the hours of 5-7am. It’s associated with the element of metal. When I include LI meridian in the tapping sequence, I like to access it at LI-1 or the inside nail bed of the index finger. It can also be easily found at the flare of the nose, or LI-20. These beginning and end points are practical points for targeting a sore throat, runny nose, or flu like symptoms like diarrhea or intestinal upset. Fall is the season tied to the element of metal, and it’s this time of year when the associated meridians are most vulnerable. It makes sense that autumn is often when cold and flu season kicks off.  May your next flu season be avoided with a preventative tapping boost to your Large Intestine meridian!

Lung Constellation

Lung Meridan
Anterior (Front)

Active Time:  3-5am

Element: metal

Fundamental Principle: yin

Season: autumn

Next up is Lung meridian. Lung meridian is extremely easy to access at the endpoint located at the base of the inside thumbnail (LU-11). In fact, you can tap or pressure this point as you’re reading this article to give your breathing a quick boost. The primary functions of Lung (LU) meridian is regulating and moving breath throughout the entire body. We can find ourselves unintentionally holding our breaths for a number of reasons, the causes I primarily see are due to pain, stress or trauma. A good way to work with LU meridian is to take a full breath and then rate it using a 0-10 scale, 0 being shallow to flat-lining (yikes) and 10 being full and uncompromised. From here, take full and easy breaths while tapping or pressuring the LU-11 point. If your breath catches, that’s OK, just keep breathing and tapping. After about six breaths, reassess the number. If it hasn’t improved significantly, proceed through the entire basic recipe of the meridian sequence or consider doing the Collarbone Breathing Technique (stay tuned for a future article on this treatment or contact me to learn more). Often when I’m working on a client, full breathing is the first thing I notice naturally return to the body. I like to call breath, “nature’s self-correcting mechanism.” Symptoms of imbalanced LU meridian can present as distension or a full sensation in the chest, asthma, allergies, coughing, restlessness, skin issues and fatigue. From an emotional perspective, LU upset can often show up as excessive grieving or extreme rigidity. When LU meridian is balanced a person is organized yet flexible, with heart-felt sensitivity toward others.

LU is a yin meridian associated with the element of metal and is most active during the hours of 3-5am. Tracing LU meridian is very easy and you can follow the diagram above, starting at the front of the shoulder and tracing down the medial side of the arm and off the outer thumb (LU-11).

Well, that’s it for today, IC peeps. Are you still tapping LU-11? How’s your breathing? May it flow with ease today J. 

Liver Constellation

Active Time:  1-3am

Element: wood

Fundamental Principle: yin

Season: spring

The liver is the largest organ in the body and has many functions. The major role of liver is to remove toxins and assure the flow of blood throughout the body. It also controls immune response as well as the sinews and is associated with the eyes. Where Gallbladder meridian is associated with looking outward, Liver Meridian is associated with looking inward. Deficiencies in LR meridian flow can lead to moodiness, depression and guilt, whereas an excess of liver energy can lead to excessive drama and anger, especially against oneself. Physical Liver (LR) meridian issues often appear as problems in the liver and genital systems. Symptoms may include dizziness, high blood pressure, hernias, distended lower abdomens in woman, nausea, allergies, incontinence and eye problems. This is also an effective meridian to treat if you have poor blood circulation, exacerbated by damp conditions.

Liver is a yin meridian, most active between the hours of 1-3am. It’s associated with the wood element. To trace the LR meridian start at the inside of your big toes and travel straight up the insides of the legs, flaring out at the hips, then back underneath the ribcage in line with the breasts.  In the tapping algorithms, I like to access the ends of this meridian at LR-14 which are directly below the nipples, typically where a women’s bra line might be (men, use your imagination:).  Often this point is avoided by practitioners of meridian tapping because of the sensitive location (close to the breasts), however, it’s a vital point, especially tied to women issues, and I include it in the basic recipe of tapping that I use with clients.  

Gallbladder Constellation

Active Time:  11pm-1am

Element: wood

Fundamental Principle: yang

Season: spring

The Gall Bladder is in charge of making and storing bile required to digest and metabolize fats and oils. It works closely with the lymphatic system to clear toxins, thereby eliminating muscular aches and fatigue.  On rare occasion, when I break down and eat McDonald French fries (I hear you groaning, but what can I say), I’ll activate the GB meridian as my saving grace! From an emotional angle, gall bladder governs decision making, judgment and courage (think of the saying, “a lot of gall”). Gall Bladder (GB) meridian is rather lengthy, and if you’re interested in tracing it, is probably best understood by watching this brief youtube video at 6:46. The prime time of GB meridian is between the hours of 11p-1a. If GB is deficient, a person may wake very early in the morning and be unable to fall back to sleep. Other symptoms of imbalance in GB meridian is frequent sighing, headaches, jaw pain, swelling in glands, fever and nausea. Emotionally, GB out of balance might present as indecisiveness, mental instability and being outwardly focused to the point of rage and judgment toward others. 

GB is a yang meridian associated with the wood element. I most easily access the GB meridian by holding or tapping the GB-1 point, referred to as the side of eye point, in the flat area right in front of the temple. Interestingly, people intuitively go to GB-1 and massage at the onset of stress or when experiencing a headache--which is indicative of GB meridian imbalance. At the onset of a tension head-ache, give GB-1 some attention and see if relief follows.

Da-Dum...Da-Dum....Da-Dum Da-Dum Da-Dum!

In my new adventure of living by the motto: everything is energy and the body is the interface, I learned something unexpected today while visiting a Microbiology lab--sharks have a sixth sense. They have small (is anything small on a shark?), pore-shaped canals that pepper their snouts and heads enabling them to detect electricity. All living creatures create their own electric fields, and fish are no exception (Inner Constellation Truth No. 1--Everything is energy....). When fish swim or slightly move, for instance, breathing through their gills, a change is created in the surrounding electric field. Sharks, by virtue of the hundreds of electrically sensitive, gel filled canals in their heads, detect this shift. How cool is that?

Imagine experiencing a shark's sensory world. Brandon Brown from University of San Francisco wished to do just that and extracted gel from sharks' snouts (died naturally, of course). He found that the gel behaves similar to a thermostat, detecting the slightest temperature changes given off by prey and translating them into electrical signals. Perhaps shark should be the IC mascot--they are a supreme example of, "Everything is energy, and the body is the interface."

Did you feel that? Da-Dum...Da-Dum...Da-Dum Da-Dum Da-Dum!

Triple Energizer Constellation: Resurrection!

Active Time:  9-11pm

Element: fire

Fundamental Principle: yang

Season: summer

Happy Easter! It seems the perfect day to highlight Triple Energizer (TE) meridian, also known as Triple Warmer. TE is best known for circulating energy flow throughout the following three warmers inside our cores: 1) heart and lungs to aid respiration (from diaphragm upward) 2) stomach to aid digestion (between diaphragm and navel) 3) intestines to aid elimination (from the navel and below). Triple Energizer also regulates our immune system and flight-fight-freeze response; its job is to keep you alive at all cost. In today's fast paced world, I find many people's Triple Energizer in perpetual overwhelm, often stuck in survival response. When this happens, extreme emotions ranging from hyper-arousal and angst to extreme fatigue can be experienced.

TE is a yang meridian associated with the element of fire and is most active between the hours of 9-11pm. It's very easy to trace, starting at the ring finger and tracing directly over the back of your hand, up the arm, across the shoulder and straight up the neck to the base of the ear. Go around the outside of ear to end near the temple at the hairline. I find that if one is tired, tracing this meridian in the direction just indicated is energizing. If you find that you're stressed or overstimulated, TE can be sedated by reversing the direction of the trace, starting at the hairline temple area, going down and around your ear and ending at your ring finger. Another balancing tip is tapping on TE-3 (commonly referred to as the Gamut Point in meridian tapping). TE-3 is located on the top of the hand between the ring finger and pinky in the valley between the bones of the 4th and 5th metacarpals. This point is commonly called the bodies "reset button." I include TE-3 in algorithms for insomnia, trauma, thyroid imbalances, menopause, stress and PTSD just to name a few.

When Triple Energizer is flowing in a balanced state one feels safe, protected and capable. When its flow is disturbed, defense is elevated above any other purpose. TE is a great meridian to target if you wish to transform a perceived threat into a transformative experience. I've developed the following practice to employ when one feels the body go into a reactive state unnecessarily: while resting one hand over the heart and tapping the TE-3 gamut point affirm, "Even though in the past, I've reacted with fight, flight or freeze, I now open to the practice of flow."