Love Dual! Wait...What?

I just got home from being with my Lake Tahoe Mindfulness Community Peeps and am inspired to

Pull them in --heart-side!

throw down the gauntlet! It's a love dual, baby, will you accept? Here's the challenge:

Today offer someone a heart-side hug and hold it for three in-breaths and three out-breaths. Inspire others by sharing what happens at the bottom of this post (in blue, click on "Comments/Leave a Comment") or on the Lake Tahoe Mindfulness Community Facebook page: 
https://www.facebook.com/groups/570858886370763/

You know I'm a power of the heart cheerleader and have all confidence in our electromagnetic heart--scientists show that its waves are detectable 5 to 8 feet from the body. If you want to read more here's an Inner Constellation article on the power of the heart:
http://innerconstellation.blogspot.com/2011/06/youve-lost-that-loving-feeling.html

If you have a nice smooth heart rhythm (thank you, HeartMath, Mindfulness Practice, Meridian Tapping, hangin' with Mindfulness Community), then get it groovin' with others--pull them in to your heart-side for a heart-side hug!

Ok, enough, I'm entering a state of euphoria here. Let me know your results below or on Facebook.

"Well, I would walk 500 miles, and I would walk 500 more...."

Deer Park Monastery, Escondido, California

Hiya! I just got home from doing walking meditation and benefiting from it for the first time EVVVVERRRRR!

Walking meditation, it sounds so easy: no place to go, no where you have to be, just walk slowly and pay attention to your breath. Um, not so easy for a person who grew up with a pair of runners on her feet, ready to hit the trails at the first signs of trouble. Sitting meditation nourishes me, but walking meditation has always been a challenge--until this morning! To what do I attribute my success?

• My Sangha (Practice Community) - for one month I've facilitated a Mindfulness Practice Group* and we gathered this morning as we do every Wednesday from 7:30-8:30a. Our focus for this coming week is walking meditation, so I arrived home aspiring to start walking meditation anew. I read the few brief pages in our Thich Nhat Hanh book, Happiness, and set out on the trails behind my house. The suggestions were simple: match my steps to my breath and if so inspired, put a few words to the steps. So for instance, my breath was about a 4 step inhalation and 4 step exhalation, I'm a poet, so I went to town:

"I am loved, adored."

"Clean trees, blue sky (we had just had rain so all was sparkly and clean)"

"Fresh pine, happy birds."

I went on like this, in and out, having a high time. By the time I finished, I was invigorated and didn't want to stop! I thought of my Mindfulness Community, all aspiring to practice walking meditation this week, and I felt carried along, bolstered and inspired. There is power in group intention, and I've entered the stream.

I thought to of this month's Inner Constellation theme: Loving-kindness, and how absolutely loving it is to take a walk for the sole purpose of enjoying the offerings of the natural world, so bountiful and always present. When I run or bike, I do it to be outside, but I also do it for the exercise, so there can be a lot of imposed struggle, whereas, my morning walk was for pure enjoyment. Big aha moment--how often am I mindfully present for the pure enjoyment of it! It's a great privilege to be able to live in a beautiful area, take 50 steps from my front door and walk in the pure land of the Sierras. The little ditty from the Proclaimers is running through my cleared head:

"Well, I would walk 500 miles, and I would walk 500 more,

just to be the one who walked a thousand miles to fall down at your door...."

It's a sweet, quirky song about a guy who just enjoys being with his beloved, no matter what he's doing. It's my walking meditation theme song: be present, enjoy life's offerings for the sake of love, purely love. Ah, the walking muse has spoken....dah, dah, dat-da...un-diddle, un-diddle, un-diddle, un-da-da....

*Join us anytime: Lake Tahoe Mindfulness Community Practice at The Studio Lake Tahoe, Wednesdays from 7:30a-8:30a, by donation. We are committed to using the present moment to nourish ourselves, our families and our community in the tradition of Thich Nhat Hahn. 

Happiest Spring Equinox...EveeER!

I bow my head and kiss the ground---it's spring!

My spring equinox morning started with a blessing, a little blip that entered my mind after smiling at the picture on the left:

"I bow my head and kiss the ground---it's spring!"

This is my mantra as I go about this Spring Equinox day with so much gratitude. I love this time of year. Best of all, I love seeing the earth's little seedlings come alive again. I was reminded today of the importance of ground- actual physical earth-in nourishing and sustaining me. Spring time is a wonderful time of year to recognize and generate the earth's stability. Such nourishment is available for us to resource all year long, but it seems especially to draw our attention in the spring. I got to thinking about my own grounding practices and how I might be able to "step it up," as one of my IC clients put it. Here are grounding practices I do to give me solidity:

• 10 minutes of Stillness Practice every morning - this is my self-care as soon as I wake, focusing simply on breathing evenly and giving my body what it needs (ie meridian tapping, etc.) The simple act of breathing evenly balances the nervous system and brings blood flow to my entire body, my root system so to speak :)
• morning gratitude prayers - I give thanks for all the conditions of my happiness right now: my breath, my family, health, the beauty of the rising sun, the birds waking up, my natural world...the list goes on
• journal and write - after my cerebral prayers I nurture the goodness by giving it form (see my Poetry section of the blog)
• exercise/outside time - I'm a freak, I must get out each day, sweat and feel the elements. It keeps me grounded and flowing.
• drink Ginger Tea (made from the fresh root (ie grounding food), peeled and cut up with a cinnamon stick and simmered in pot of water for about 40 minutes. Lemon juice and honey are added to taste.) I drink this most mornings. Other root grounding foods are potatoes, beets, turnips, carrots and other rhizomes or tuber vegetables.
• 1 hour of afternoon chores - taking care of my nest gives me a solid place to come home to and land. Also, having daily routine is grounding. 
• afternoon stillness or walking meditation - feet on the ground, my only intention is to feel the earth. When my mind wonders, I slip in my little created blips like the above, "I bow my head and kiss the ground--it's spring!"
• evening gratitude prayers - what about this day am I thankful for? How have I arrived at my North Star today? It's a beautiful review of my day and its blessings.

You might look at the above and wonder, "How does she get anything done?" It's like magic, actually. When I Chart my Course from solid ground I'm able to push off shore, keep my North Star in sight and Arrive where I wish to go. From a solid and balanced place, I can manage the storms and clouds that arise, as they are prone to do when it's spring time and the showers come. What's your grounding practice? How can you step it up? 

I'm stepping it up by going to a week long Mindfulness Retreat at the end of March.You all might remember last year's retreat. If not, check out: Become a Chinese Finger Trap for a mind-bending read. Love to you all, and I'll report in after the retreat. Happiest Spring Equinox...EveeER! 

TTFN (Ta Ta For Now)

Raw Compassion--Ouch! That hurts.

But it doesn't have to...ever been in a situation where you're called to witness another person's suffering and you don't know if you have it in you? Trust, dive in, fill up and give. It's really that simple. There is a never ending, constantly flowing resource, a reservoir, and it's not us alone--it's part of us, it's the energy of all those who have come through suffering, it's our ancestors and holy beings--I call it Raw Compassion. There's a constant flow, and you can tap in. Here's a poem to commemorate an amazing day I had prompted by the Inner Constellation Blessing*-- please consider helping one person suffer less.

Enjoy and be inspired:

Silent Lover
©2014 Karla Johnston, InnerConstellation.com

Leaving my home this morning and going to work as a translator,
I had a goal in sight—
help one person suffer less.

Inundation began before noon:
veteran whose spouse had died a few years ago, yet pain of loss appeared, fresh.
Another observer to the veteran’s remembrance shared that she too understood loss,
hers was a child.
As the miracle of collective comfort unfolded, I remained humble translator—
hands conveyed spoken words into American Sign Language and vice versa,
creating a bridge to ford the stream of suffering.

Afternoon, I sat across from one describing attempted rape at knife-point 

but rejoicing in escape. 

Inspired by perception’s shift, we dove through churning and cresting waves,
went deep into calm resilience and rested there, in the lessons of life.

Early evening, student shared she considered taking her own life three times,
another in response told the story of a family member, attempting suicide.
That young one intervened, literally staunched the wounds until help arrived.
Wrist revealed to show the name of the beloved tattooed across tender flesh
as reminder—life is precious.
Penetrated by inked transmission,
surrounding mouths dropped agape, eyes lit bright
asking about the health of the loved one.
“She’s fine, she’s absolutely fine now.”

Today, life was miraculous,
an inundation of ocean’s ability
to remind water of its source.
Breathe in, allow its touch and movement,
breathe out and enter the ocean,
receive through aching hearts its passage,
clean and pure.


*IC blessing is a daily Mon-Fri send of short inspirational blips. If you'd like to be added to the mailing, please contact me

"The trick is, just relax your legs...I read it on Wikihow!"

Watching the movie, Identity Thief, I took deep belly laughs for a solid two hours. Not only was it engaging but it had a sweet and precious ending. To set the stage, it co-stars one of my favorite actresses, Melissa McCarthy (starred in Bridesmaids as Meghan, "I met a dolphin down there. And I swear to God, that dolphin looked not at me, but into my soul!"). She's quirky, spunky and kind of injured inside--but that doesn't get her down. She's resourceful, and right at the height of her resourcefulness, she takes a pretty good tumble. Won't go into details, cause I don't want to spoil the flick for you, but it's kind of a slow motion moment, an "Oh, gosh, is she going to be OK," moment, and just as your heart is missing a beat...well I promised not to spoil it--this line comes out of her sassy mouth:

"The trick is, just relax your legs. I read it on Wikihow!" 

She got me thinking about flow, and how necessary it is to maintain healthy flow for well-being, both physical and mental. Think about the times your body has felt twinges, what do you do? Me, I try my darnedest to stop, listen to what my body is saying--"Yo, I'm giving you a warning, pay attention here!" and meridian tap. It's even harder to maintain flow when a moving object is coming toward you at high velocity, as in the case of our dear Identify Thief.

So, then, let's progress from the body to the mind--now that chattering monkey is even harder to dress up in the Sunday bests and convince it to behave itself! Whoa, I think I just channeled Melissa McCarthy. 

What to do with the unruly monkey mind? You've got to tame it, baby, kind of like Big Chuck at the Foxhole! Sorry. Alright, where were we? Oh, right the monkey mind and maintaining a state of flow--start the day oriented to what's important to you, AKA the North Star--that which is your highest ideal or priority in life, and do not stray! Do you hear me? Do not stray! Um, OK, easier said than done. However, I have a little secret, and it's called North Star tapping. 

First step in maintaining constant flow is identifying bodily discomforts, cause if you can't be comfortable in your skin, it's more challenging to be comfortable anywhere else. So, first things first, target aches and pains with Meridian Tapping until your number is a SUD 4 or lower and then, shift to tapping in your North Star. If you don't know what I'm talking about, contact me for a session and let's get started on taking care of bodily discomforts, identifying your North Star and creating a steady state of flow. I even have an Inner Constellation Flow Chart that provides a guide for self-directed practice.

When you're running from The Law, you never know when you need to keep your flow a flowin', but what I've got to share, you won't be reading on no Wikihow!

What Makes You Grin Like a Fool?

Quote from Thich Nhat Hanh

I've recently fallen in love with Vietnamese monk Thich Nhat Hanh, and in his book, Being Peace he has much to say about the practice of smiling. In the first chapter I was touched by his poetic beauty:

LIFE IS FILLED with suffering, but it is also filled with many wonders,such as the blue sky, the sunshine, and the eyes of a baby.To suffer is not enough. We must also be in touch with the wonders of life.They are within us and all around us, everywhere, anytime.

 An absolute yes to his insight. He suggests the following:

If a child smiles, if an adult smiles, that is very important. If in our daily life we can smile, if we can be peaceful and happy, not only we, but everyone will profit from it. This is the most basic kind of peace work....

 During walking meditation, during kitchen and garden work, during sitting meditation, all day long, we can practice smiling. At first you may find it difficult to smile, and we have to think about why. Smiling means that we are ourselves, that we have sovereignty over ourselves, that we are not drowned in forgetfulness.

Hmmm, drowned in forgetfulness, how easy to forget life's sacredness, our sacredness. I tried smiling as a practice yesterday, started by doing the things I love that make me grin like a fool: played with Yogini, blocked off 2 hours for writing, loved up my sweet husband, went for a run, did dishes with gratitude for the food grown by the hands of others for the sake of my nourishment, and you know what? I had a beautiful day--things flowed and my heart was light, softened so to speak. I became curious and I did a little research. Here's what the experts have to say about the benefits of smiling:

• boosts the immune system
• natural pain killer, stress reducer and mood enhancer by releasing endorphins which block pain perception and serotonin, our feel good hormone
• measurably reduces blood pressure and lowers heart rate
• increases productivity (we really should, "whistle while we work!")
• boosts the moods of others (it's contagious, 50% of people who see a smile will smile back)
• helps us live longer (one study showed people who smile readily and more often live 7 years longer!)

And, if you really want to pack a wallop while grinning like a fool, grab someone and give them a hug for ten seconds, this is said to reduce anxiety and stress by 70%. That's more effective than any of the pharmaceuticals out there! So, it seems wise Thich Nhat Hanh's got something going on with his smiling practice. Here's what I want to know--what makes you grin like a fool? Do it, do it now (and let me know your results)!

Samhain, All Hallows Eve or Happy Halloween!!!

Today's one of my favorite celebrations--Halloween. Beyond the sharing of yummy chocolates (yes, one of the reasons I love it so!) it's a day with fascinating history and meaning beyond pumpkins, ghosts, witches and the like. Samhain (pronounced Sow-in) as it was called in ancient days, celebrated the end of summer and the belief that on this night the veil between the world of the living and the dead was at its thinnest. For this reason, at its roots October 31 was a day to remember and honor the dead. When the Roman Church entered into authority, "Samhain" was renamed, "All Hallows Eve"; rather than ancestors visiting the living, demons were said to roam the land. Thus our present day Halloween ghouls, zombies, ghosts, witches and the like. To counter the ill-effects of such creatures, a holy day was established the preceding day called "All Saint's Day." According to early church tradition baneful creatures were dispelled when the sun rose on All Saint's Day to the ringing of chapel bells.

Now, as you all know there's a character in history that I absolutely adore, Joan of Arc, so much so that I wrote a novel about her life (Child of God: The Humble Beginnings of Joan of Arc available on Amazon for your Kindle). For me, Joan optimizes the transformational history of Halloween.

While imprisoned her English inquisitors constantly tried to associate Joan with witchcraft, accusing her of dancing beneath a fairy tree, trusting healing properties of a nearby fountain, attributing powers to her ring, banner and sword, communing with the devil, the list goes on. Joan would eventually be charged with witchcraft and sentenced to burn at the stake, an execution reserved for those found guilty of sorcery and heresy.

I'm fascinated with the evolution of Halloween and All Saint's Day and its strong correlation to Joan of Arc's reputation. For almost 500 years Joan was associated with witchcraft. It wasn’t until 1920 that this charge was exonerated and her good name cleared, giving her a title of far different character—that of saint. Joan of Arc, a name demonized for over 500 years, transformed to the title of holy saint. From Halloween to All Saint's Day, from witch to saint; a name is just a name, or is it?

On this day, once reserved for honoring our ancestors, after plowing through the chocolates :) consider saying a prayer of thanks and blessing to all those you've known who have passed on.

 IC Truth #2 states:

"Energy never dies, it just changes form."

Oh yes, so true, so true. Happy Samhain, er...I mean, All Hallows Eve, or... Happy Halloween!!!

Bendin' Ur Spoon!

I’m not usually into the cute pictures of critters doing silly things, but this one reminded me of myself--trying to fend off the dome of smoke billowing over my California mountains! I live about 60 miles from the Yosemite Rim Fire as the crow flies, and since it began twelve days ago, my town has been under smoke so thick that many days we haven’t seen the sun. Last night I had a rough night of sleep, coughing through most of the night, and I woke this morning with a tight, constricted chest that I promptly relieved with my two favorite tools: Meridian Tapping and Heartmath technologies. As I was doing my self-care, to my utter delight, the sun peeped out and, then, shone brilliantly! I jumped up and went outside to see the bluest skies since the fire began. I grabbed my running shoes and headed out the door.

As I was moving around in the mostly clear Tahoe blue, I began pondering the metaphors I use with my clients:

• North Star – one’s un-moving, highest motto for life or one’s personal ideal
• Clouds – whatever obstructs seeing or orienting to one’s North Star

When clouds (or smoke) set in and obstruct our North Stars, what can we do to resource our highest ideals (compassion, generosity, gratitude, etc.), in spite of the fact that we’re not feeling it? One of my favorite daily practices when the clouds (or smoke) set in is to resource a past feeling. In other words use the power of your mind to “Bend Ur Spoon.”

You know, it’s a toss-up whether our brains are receivers of consciousness or transmitters of consciousness. Quantum Physicists have no definitive answer one way or the other. Studies actually show that one’s ability to bend reality is probable. So, resourcing one’s North Star when the clouds (or smoke) roll in means, imagining a time when you've experienced your ideal state. By doing so, you part the clouds and your North Star becomes visible.

In my above example of struggling with the affects of the Yosemite Rim Fire, when skies cleared, I got out there and resourced, resourced, resourced: I sucked in deep the clean air, I marveled at the robin-egg-blue sky, I greeted the Stellar’s Jays and Woodpeckers (wildlife was out resourcing too), I looked far in the distance and gave thanks that I could see the sturdy, green pine trees. I was running around like Snow White! Side note: nature is my favorite place to "resource" for it innately and constantly rejuvenates--no matter the destruction, Momma comes back to balance, always. 

With the fire 30% contained and an anticipatory containment date of September 10, I can expect more smoke will come rolling in; however, I am resourced--I have “Bent My Spoon,” and I've established a resource state to access in the future. I am soooooooo appreciative of clean, fresh air.

So is Yogini. When I arrived back home and opened up the sliding glass door, she was in 7^th Heaven and ran through the house whirling and kicking up her chubby heels! Try Bendin' Ur Spoon--it’s the best!!

Meet the Woman Who Prevented a Mass School Shooting

You all might have heard about the amazing woman, Antoinette Tuff, who talked down a gunman at an Elementary School in Atlanta, Georgia a few days ago. She was interviewed by Channel 2 news and described the event and how she was able to face the gunman by expressing compassion for his situation. Here's the captivating and inspiring interview.

Can you imagine quelling the natural impulse to run or fight and instead face the danger with calm compassion? Antoinette was asked how she was able to do it. Firstly, she spoke of her own experience of suffering and shared her struggles with the young armed man, Michael Brandon Hill. She spoke of her multi-disabled child, her husband of 33 years she had recently lost, her own suicide attempt, but then she reminded him that although life throws in turns, it's possible to overcome them, or in Inner Constellation language--transform all adversity and challenge (IC Truth number 3: Everything, no matter how challenging, can be transformed)

Secondly, Antoinette spoke of anchoring in her faith. Knowing that the situation was beyond her, she consciously allowed herself to be used as a vehicle and prayed for strength, that’s when she began to engage the young man. By responding with compassion she prevented further harm to herself, the shooter, and over 800 children at the school. Her description of anchoring brought to mind an Inner Constellation technique I’ve coined, Dropping Anchor:

1) Focus on dropping your attention into the area of your heart

2) Breath evenly and comfortably in and out of the heart area as if it has its own respiration

3) Call to mind and appreciate all the times when you've experienced or expressed your NorthStar

4) Ask yourself, "what is one way to exercise my North Star today?"

As a sweet friend of mine said, Antoinette Tuff dropped anchor directly into Divinity's heart. She was completely present with care. Antoinette’s story is an inspiration that all things are possible when we ground to what is most important to us and become a vehicle for transformation.  Antoinette Huff, thank you for demonstrating bravery and North Star heroism.

Become a Chinese Finger Trap Part Two!

I just got my hair completely shorn! My decision was inspired by a second meditation retreat, an all day affair rather than the 10 day silent retreat that fueled the popular blog article, Become a Chinese Finger Trap. Let me explain my great aha moment while inside my Inner Constellation for a day. First, I almost didn't attend the retreat because my “To-Do” list was a mile long, and I was stressing to get everything done before taking a day off. The anxiety part seemed counter-intuitive to attending a retreat, and I almost convinced myself to just “do” the list rather than go on retreat and simply “be.” I mean how much do you really get done by “being” inside the Inner Constellation for the day. Ha, how much indeed!

I made a deal with myself that I’d drive the 40 minutes down the mountain and just stay for the first part of the day, until lunch and then head back so I could be productive.  I must have been sending out the fleeing vibe, because the visiting teacher finished her introduction, described the day’s activities and then looked square at me and said, “I encourage all who come not to leave half way through or they miss the full benefit of what I've prepared.” Well, being a fellow teacher, I could only smile politely and nod my head in agreement, knowing I’d been busted.

The focus of the retreat was, “Who do you take yourself to be.” It sounded a bit new-agey to me, but by the first sitting my suspicious edge dissolved, and I began contemplating how I had defined myself that morning: someone who needed to return backed up emails, clean a messy home and study for my ACEP (Association of Comprehensive Energy Psychology) Ethics test—I mean, really, on a Saturday, no less, when the weather was spring time spectacular?

Through the day, I practiced the Vipassana technique and when my mind wandered in and out of the familiar stretching and pulling sensation (See Become a Chinese Fingertrap Part 1 for more of the nitty gritty details), I found myself considering this fact—it’s near end of May and spring has almost escaped me; less than a month until summer and I here’s who I take myself to be—a woman who spends way too many hours in cyber space!

I reminisced back to when corresponding meant a bicycle ride to the neighbor’s house, a letter in the mail, a phone call—not an inbox of over 50 emails to return (add another 10 while I sat in retreat—argh). I recalled racing off to the cornfields with my pad of paper and pencil to write, rather than pecking away on my laptop. I journeyed back, I did, and then as I stretched and pulled still further inside the Inner Constellation, my aha moment surfaced:

 I define myself: my involvement in cyber space and my stress level, no one else.

I mean, dang, emails, cyber-communication, my “To-Do” list are completely self-imposed.  Now, you might be saying, what does all this have to do with getting one’s head shorn?

I have always, always, always hated the fact that hair gets in my face. When my hair was half way down my back, I almost always wore portions of it back. Truth be told, I have always, always wanted a super short, get-it-out-of-my face haircut, but I was never brave enough. Who do I take myself to be? A girl who’s approaching summer and wanting her hair out of her face!

So, this afternoon I entered the salon, walked into the stylist’s bathroom, closed the door and noticed a sign with a variety of encouraging words, “surround yourself with happy people,” check, got that one going on. I went through the list with confidence until I arrived at the last one, “be brave.” It takes bravery and confidence to go against the grain of cyber space and honor one’s inclinations. I walked out of the bathroom and with no pictures from my cell phone, no preparation other than being, my beautiful artistic friend and stylist created a masterpiece from the canvas of my head. The most fun was seeing her work her creative magic so joyfully.

Who do you take yourself to be? Whatever the answers, may they be perfectly aligned with our intentions, inclinations, and those things that give us lasting joy and fulfillment. 

Unconquerable Gladness

I spent a day witnessing miracles in my clients and experiencing a sense of awe for the challenges they're managing so very beautifully. As I drove home last night, I thought of the motto that decorated President FDR's office, "Let Unconquerable Gladness Dwell." This was his North Star, that which encapsulated his beliefs and values and got him through leading our country out of the Great Depression and international conflict.

I can think of no better technique for cultivating, "Let Unconquerable Gladness Dwell," than the practice of gratitude. Practicing gratitude is big news and has the ability to direct our attention to the good, which is always a reality, always, even in the midst of challenges. This kind of resiliency is what my clients demonstrated to me yesterday. It takes great faith to rest in "Unconquerable Gladness" when hardship knocks at our doors and is inescapable. I go back to one of my biggest challenges to the practice of gratitude--the recent loss of my father. On the day of his remembrance and burial, I committed to doing my ultimate experiment in gratitude and made a pact with myself: today, I will grieve and not stop the flow of sadness, but after today is through, I will do my best to focus only on the goodness of my Pop's life and let these memories sustain me. The reward of this practice has been a lightness I did not think possible after the passing of one so dear. Another unexpected bonus has been incredible visits from my father in my dreams, and these, of course, have strengthened my "unconquerable" gratitude for his precious life.

Let Unconquerable Gladness Dwell. Let in the these-are-the-good-things-and-I'm-holding-to-it gratitude. Then, if you're brave, come into my office and hook up to the HeartMath technologies and see gratitude in real time and the positive effects such reality has on your body, mind and spirit. Take untangible emotions like gladness and gratitude, and see how your physiology responds. The best medicine is generated within us--Let Unconquerable Gladness Dwell. Let it in, let it in, let it in....

Become a Chinese Finger Trap

Happiest new year to you all! I just returned from a 10 day Vipassana Meditation retreat and have received many questions about my experience, so I thought to write a blog article. I knew very little about what I was getting into, and interestingly, the things I thought might be difficult (not eating after 12 noon, keeping the body warm while sitting still for long periods of time) were not so difficult, and the things I thought would be easy (vow of silence for 10 days, getting away from the daily grind) were not easy at all. By day two I was in a groove with the dining arrangement, enjoying thoroughly the light breakfast and delicious vegetarian lunch provided. In the evening, raw fruit and tea was served. I have quick metabolism and feared hunger would prove a distraction, but it didn't, and interestingly, it felt good to be light and hollow (condition one to becoming a Chinese Finger Trap...be patient, I'm getting there:). The floors were heated, so I was cozy as cozy can be and in damp Northern California with record lows, that was a blessing. The vow of silence was painstaking. When I saw other people having a hard time during our ten days, it was very difficult to not comfort them in the typical ways we tend to comfort. No communication or touch of any kind was permitted. So, I took to looking for ways of comforting that didn't involve any of the above: opening doors for people, turning serving spoons toward the next person in line, constructing a heart out of moss and leaving it outside the door to our cabin when one of my cabin mates was having a hard time. I guess this was technically communicating, oops. Regarding getting away from it all--I felt completely sensory deprived: lighting so low in the meditation hall it looked like dusk 24-7, no chairs to be found except during dining times, no talking, no touching, no extraneous mind chatter.... By day three, honestly, I was bored to tears. But all this changed once I got over the hump of day three.

This brings us to the meditation practice and becoming a Chinese Finger Trap. We sat for eleven hours a day, yes, eleven. I didn't know this until I showed up at the retreat. Not that a schedule wasn't sent, it was, but I decided if I looked, I would be scared away. I know, silly, but have you ever known you had to do something without fully understanding why? The Vipassana technique matches perfectly the Inner Constellation theory of wellness and is elegant in it's simplicity--so much so, that it may seem too simple to be effective: consciously breathe through the nose while scanning the body for any and all sensations without trying to change or manipulate anything--be present with whatever you sense without attraction or aversion. Why did I choose to observe myself like this, you might ask? In my work with trauma, my counseling skills only get me so far. I see the great need for equanimity above all else, to not judge what I'm hearing for this immediately takes me out of the present and into the trauma. I also know that when I begin to have an aversion to what I'm hearing, or experiencing in my own body, my effectiveness stops cold.

After 110 hours of sitting like this, did I reach Nirvana, did I obtain enlightenment and equanimity? Not exactly, but among the mundane experiences, I had some truly disembodied experiences, one of which was a very distinct feeling that I was enclosed in a woven cocoon and gently stretched and pulled from head to toe. "Chinese Finger Toy," crossed my mind as I experienced the sensations. The only way to get out of such a device is to relax and stop pulling, stop tugging, stop trying to control. This I did to the best of my ability and began to realize that during retreat I was a craver, my mind often chased the future of reuniting with family, cuddling with husband and Yogini (kitty) by the warm fire, skiing powder runs, eating chocolate, standing in bright sunshine, seeing my clients again. The list of cravings went on and on. How difficult it is to be in the present unknown moment arising, passing, and to be stretched and pulled by the inner and outer world without trying to control or manipulate what's going on and simply relax into the experience without any kind of judgment. To obtain such freedom is in line with my North Star--unshakable compassion. After this retreat, I'm even more convinced that body is the holy gateway, the framework for everything coming into expression and passing away. How do we chose to respond?

Volunteers for Connecticut Community

Since my last post on the importance of alleviating suffering for those affected by the Sandy Hook Elementary school shootings, I've received an amazing email. Nick Ortner is a leader in the Meridian Tapping community and lives in Newtown, CT where the shootings occurred. He is organizing a major fund-raising event and has mobilized a team of Meridian Therapy practitioners to provide support to people affected by the tragedy. So far, he has raised over $30,000 to go toward providing Meridian Tapping to ease the grief of those suffering. The team will be lead by Lori Leyden, a woman who used Meridian Tapping with Rwanda genocide survivors and founded Project Light: Rwanda. You might remember my blog article about Lori after I had the pleasure of meeting her.

Here are the details of the fundraiser for Newtown and how you can personally help--a few years ago, Nick produced, The Tapping Solution film, an excellent documentary exploring the effectiveness of Meridian Tapping. He's presently offering the film at half price ($14.97) and one hundred percent of sales will go to The Tapping Solution for Newtown: Stress and Trauma Relief Project. If you want to find out more, please read Nick's blog article. I own a copy of the film and highly recommend it. Please join me in donating to Nick's Newtown trauma relief project. Here is one way to help alleviate the suffering of the Newtown community and further your knowledge and skill of Meridian Tapping--a most important tool in the Inner Constellation toolbox. 

"I am McLovin!"

Does this picture jog any memories from the movie, "Superbad?" The character Fogell gets a fake ID and out of any name he could choose he decides on simply, McLovin. Out of any state to call home, he opts for Hawaii, whose advertising slogan is, "the islands of Aloha," meaning, "affection, peace, compassion, mercy." Before the (fake) ID shift, he was a total dork; however, after becoming, "McLovin," he becomes an endearing social magnet. He's utterly transformed through identification with all things McLovin. Now if I might stretch a bit from here, the Buddha spoke a discourse that beautifully articulates shifting one's identity to that of love:

"This is what should be done
By one who is skilled in goodness,
And who knows the path of peace:
Let them be able and upright,
Straightforward and gentle in speech.
Humble and not conceited,
Contented and easily satisfied.
Unburdened with duties and frugal in their ways.
Peaceful and calm, and wise and skillful,
Not proud and demanding in nature.
Let them not do the slightest thing
That the wise would later reprove.
Wishing: In gladness and in saftey,
May all beings be at ease.
Whatever living beings there may be;
Whether they are weak or strong, omitting none,
The great or the mighty, medium, short or small,
The seen and the unseen,
Those living near and far away,
Those born and to-be-born,
May all beings be at ease!

Let none deceive another,
Or despise any being in any state.

Let none through anger or ill-will
Wish harm upon another.
Even as a mother protects with her life
Her child, her only child,
So with a boundless heart
Should one cherish all living beings:
Radiating kindness over the entire world
Spreading upwards to the skies,
And downwards to the depths;
Outwards and unbounded,
Freed from hatred and ill-will.
Whether standing or walking, seated or lying down
Free from drowsiness,
One should sustain this recollection.
This is said to be the sublime abiding...."

Metta Sutta

Gautama Buddha 

Although getting a fake ID is far easier than embodying the Metta Sutta, we can be inspired by Buddha's words and use the practice of Loving-Kindness, or Metta to soften our hearts and foster more love, in a sense--become McLovin!

"One day, Lucy, BANG, ZOOM! Straight to the moon!"

I believe most of us can relate to people who rub us the wrong way, perhaps because they're being difficult or perhaps because we're being difficult! Either way such a rub creates friction. From an energy standpoint (IC Truth #1 Everything is energy), friction or interference stops the flow. A friend of mine has an analogy I like, she says it's like we're all five pointed stars and our star points just don't fit together with some people, they just clank and get stuck. Well said. So what to do when this happens? I've found the practice of Metta or "Loving Kindness" most beneficial. I believe it's Buddhist in tradition, and it's basically well-wishing for yourself and the other. There are a few statements of good wishing that go something like this (I've made some adaptions to fit individual intentions):

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.

First, when friction arises and I feel the charge, I begin well-wishing the above statements for myself, then I extend it to the other. I use Metta also as a daily practice for myself, my cherished ones and lastly (once I'm feeling more kind-hearted) to those whom I find difficult. To me, Metta draws out the good in myself and others, literally recognizing, acknowledging and increasing it. Try it peeps, it sounds simple but it's most effective. I believe Metta addresses IC Truth #2, Energy never dies it just changes form. Metta notices friction and transforms it with well-wishing. If you find this practice intriguing, I would highly recommend Sharon Salzberg's book, Lovingkindness: The Revolutionary Art of Happiness.  Well, that's all for today. Next time you start to feel the BANG, ZOOM!...don't knock anyone to the moon, instead try the practice of Lovingkindness.

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.