Best of Existing's Tricky 2010

I can't believe it's been eight months since I started this blog.  Here is a list of personal favorite posts of 2010!

Refocusing: Letting Go and Letting Love

The Ego's job is to create fear and control, but sometimes a book or experience, quote, or friend can help us kick that Ego to the curb and get in touch with our inner guidance system. The message I received will enable me to kick this healing into high gear. 

Protect Yourself This Flu Season

Drug companies push dangerous shots that contain mercury and other nastiness. A few simple holistic remedies will help you maintain health, even through the winter flu season. 

Healthy Monday's: The Protein Myth

One of the biggest questions I am asked is "How do you get your protein if you are not eating meat? There are many sources of protein for vegetarians, including nuts, seeds and dark leafy vegetables. This article also covers which items are a complete source of protein, meaning they contain all essential amino acids. 

Forgiveness

This is one of the most important lessons I've learned this year. I've experience so much healing by using this simple tool. I know it will help you as well. 

The Power of Affirmations

Louise Hay is a brilliant woman who healed her own cancer through the use of affirmations.   

12 Steps to a Healthier You

Most people have the desire to improve their health, increase happiness and live better lives. However, most efforts fail because they don't know the steps to successfully implement change in their lives. Read, print, and follow these steps to create a healthier you. 

Mirroring: Reflect on the Inner You

This tool has been tremendous in opening myself to others. Often times those who affect us the most, are the ones we need to pay the most attention to. They are a reflection of something inside ourselves. 

Superfoods Part I, Superfoods Part II and Superfoods Part III

This three-part article details 17 different Superfoods that personally healed my issues with anemia, hypoglycemia, hormone imbalance, and have reduced the inflammation in my system, which in turn has reduced the cancer. This is one of the most important sources of information I've ever received.

I'm a Reiki Gal Now!

I resisted, dug my heels in, crossed my arms, and shouted "I don't wanna" in my little kid voice, year after year.  This year I finally relented, and realized what a beautiful gift Reiki is. This is my story.

Vegan Freak: Being Vegan in a Non-Vegan World

It is so difficult to explain diet and lifestyle changes to our loved ones. Often times people become defensive, and in turn, we can have a superior attitude. This list of tips will help you co-exist with those still on a SAD (Standard American Diet). 

Love and Gratitude Friday's: Attracting Abundance

I have been using the Law of Attraction for a few years now and I'm telling you, it works.  This is a list of my favorite tools to aid you in implementing the Law in your life.

Healing With Energy Psychology

I have used many different energy psychology techniques.  In this article I discuss some of my earliest successes, which have lead to incredible healing.

No TV For 30 Days Challenge

Kris Carr originally posted this challenge on her blog CrazySexyLife.  In this article I provide tips on reducing TV in your life, how to fill in all the extra time, and challenge you to take a 30 day break from the boob tube.

Releasing Romantic Illusions

In Gabrielle Bernstein's wonderful book Add More ~Ing to Your Life: The Hip Guide to Happiness, she discusses how we sometimes make our intimate relationships "special", which can lessen our own loving relationship with ourselves.  

Loving Tuesday's: Love Yourself

Self love is so important.  Enjoy this beautiful post filled with tips, quotes and pictures to help you create a loving relationship with your self. 

Comment, re-post, sign up to be a follower and spread the word! Thank you for a wonderful 2010, let's start 2011 off with a BANG!! 

Namaste

Shanna

 

Love and Gratitude Friday's: Merry Christmas!!

Christmastime is a wonderful time to reflect on what we are grateful for and the things we love.  This year I am grateful for:

• All the miraculous healing I've experienced
• My wonderful parents
• Learning how to balance my finaces
• The opportunity to continue working part time for Benjamin Franklin Plumbing
• My brand new water heater
• The new friendships I've developed this year
• Starting this blog, my followers, comments received and everyone who's re-posted something
• Discovering HerFuture and the wonderful Gabrielle Bernstein
• Learning to cry
• Stretching and balancing myself through yoga
• My wonderful loving doggie Triton
• My Mom's doggies Magic and Aurora
• Meeting my cousin Sloane
• All the blessings I've received
• Learning to open myself and heal

I love this video by the talented, yet bizarre Kate Bush



Have a wonderful holiday! What's on your Love List? What are you Grateful for?

Reflections on 2010

As the year draws to a close, I can't help but reflect on the lessons I've learned this year:

1. Forgiveness is a daily practice.  It is the key to loving oneself and letting go of fear.  Without forgiveness, we would not heal.  
2. Gratitude changes everything.  The more I focus on what I have, rather than lack, the less I find I need to be happy.  
3. I can be flexible.  Whether it's a flexibility in my schedule, or my new-found ability to touch my toes, thanks to yoga, I have learned that being flexible is an important aspect of interacting with others. 
4. Crying and having feelings does not make me "ridiculous", it simply makes me human. 
5. Meditation is good for the soul.  It balances out my day, clears my mind, and gives me the tools I need to manifest my desires. 
6. Friendships are precious, and each one must be honored.  It is also important to know when it's time to let someone go. 
7. Loving yourself is the first step.  Without self love, my love cannot be shared with others. 
8. Communication is key.  Remember what they say about ass-u-me? Whether it's a family member, friend, your mortgage company, postal worker, etc. it is important to thoroughly communicate and ensure that both parties understand and are on the same page at the end of the conversation. 
9. Balancing the two sides of my personality, the organized control freak and creative free spirit has greatly improved my attitude and productivity.  By creating balance in my life I have time to do all the "to do's" on my list, in addition to working on creative products and being flexible in my schedule. 
10. Deep breathing allows me to really let go and align myself with my desires.  

What have you learned in 2010?  What will lessons will you take into 2011?  

Soak Up the Sun

For years we've been told to avoid sunlight.  We slather suntan lotion on our bodies, and hide from those glorious rays of sunlight in fear of developing skin cancer.  Because of this, Vitamin D deficiency is a leading epidemic worldwide.  Vitamin D is found in nearly every cell of the body and is responsible for interacting with over 2000 genes.  It strengthens muscles, is an anti-inflammatory, improves immune functioning, balances insulin, builds bone and fights cancer.  The best way to get our daily Vitamin D intake is to spend at least 20 minutes in direct sunlight, without any sunscreen.  We have been brainwashed to believe that time in the sun is bad, that it creates cancer and causes other issues, but there is really no proof of that. While standing out there until you turn into a lobster is probably not the best idea, we need Vitamin D to function, so soaking up a little sun is really to our benefit.  A Vitamin D deficiency can lead to many diseases such as several forms of cancer, osteoporosis, heart conditions, MS, obesity, Alzheimer's, depression and infertility.  In the winter time, many people do not spend nearly enough time in the sun.  In this case, it's a good idea to take a daily Vitamin D supplement to get your recommended levels.  You can find these easily in any Whole Foods or local health food store.  Vitamin D is important to your health, so get some sun, take a supplement, and you will notice a difference.

Love and Gratitude Friday's: Triton's 3rd Birthday!!

"You, yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe, deserve your love and affection."
 - Buddha, was a spiritual teacher from ancient India who founded Buddhism.
 
"Love is the capacity to take care, to protect, to nourish. If you are not capable of generating that kind of energy toward yourself- if you are not capable of taking care of yourself, of nourishing yourself, of protecting yourself- it is very difficult to take care of another person. In the Buddhist teaching, it's clear that to love oneself is the foundation of the love of other people. Love is a practice. Love is truly a practice."
 - Thich Nhat Hanh, Zen Buddhist monk, author and peace activist.

I am so grateful to have spent nearly three wonderful years with the most wonderful creature alive, my precious dog Triton.  Even though he never cleans the house, creates vast lakes of water and slime in the kitchen, farts up a storm, steals the food off my plate and always hides the garage door opener when I leave him in the car, he's the best friend a  girl could ask for. I am so grateful to Wayside for their amazing program, to the Universe for leading me to him, and every moment we've shared.  I am grateful to my Mom for all the dog sitting, my Dad for all the dog walking, and everyone else who has participated in his care.  I love cuddling with him on the couch, taking him for walks (except during squirrel season!), and going on car rides.  He is the best thing that's ever happened to me, my constant, my angel and friend.  I love you Triton and am grateful to share this life experience with you! Happy Birthday!!

Getting Into the Vortex: Guided Meditations

According to Abraham, the collective channelled by Esther Hicks, everything in life comes down to one thing: coming into alignment with the Energy of our Source. They have written many books on this topic, but have not released a guided meditation CD geared towards releasing our resistance and aligning with our Source.  There are four meditations, each 15 minutes long, focusing on four areas of life: General Well-Being, Financial Well-Being, Physical Well-Being and Relationships. 

I started listening to this meditation about two weeks ago, daily, and have enjoyed the experience so far.  The focus in on breathing, a topic that comes up a lot in the world of physical, emotional and spiritual health.  Breathing is key to releasing toxins from our body, letting oxygen in, reducing stress, and letting go of our resistance to new ideas.  Combining breathing with strong affirmative statements, this meditation is designed to bring us into alignment with our desires, and show us what it means to be a Spiritual being. 

Fifteen minutes a day is a reasonable amount of time to spare in order to shift into a space of physical, financial and generally well-being, while improving my relationships.  I find that if I listen to it right before I get out of bed, I never forget and it kick starts my day.  I highly recommend checking out this meditation CD, and further exploring the works of Esther Hicks.

Refocusing: Letting Go and Letting Love

Last night I read Mathew and Terces from Cafe Gratitude's new book Kindred Spirit and was completely moved by the experience.  While reading a passage regarding how the Ego can create stories that are not necessarily true, especially in relationships, I began crying, real tears. Now, those that know me will realize what a rarity this is. I do not cry, especially sitting home alone.  But last night, I shed a few tears and immediately my Ego jumped in and said "You are ridiculous!".  Yikes! I realized in that moment that instead of being in a state of letting go and being love, I was trapped in a place of being control and showing any emotion outside of that control was "being ridiculous."  Over the past few years, as I've continued to heal, I sometimes have moments where I get frustrated. What else is there for me to learn, to do, in order to release this cancer and live a fully healthy life? I realized last night that while I've done quite a bit of work, my focus has been more on reading about exercises or writing about healing tools, rather than the implementation.  And while I have done many exercises, as soon as that Ego pops in with the control, I stop letting go, and stop making progress.  Therefore, I'm starting fresh, breaking out all my workbooks, healing tools, etc. and telling my Ego that it's time to let go and be love.

Starting tomorrow, I'm going to get up a bit earlier, begin my day with meditation, a green smoothie, journal free write and yoga.  Once I'm balanced, I'll be able to work on my writing throughout the day, and take small breaks to do some EFT, Reiki, Healing Codes, etc. and make sure that I focus on at least one emotional exercise each day, and by golly if crying is required, I'm just going to have to let go and get over it. This will be difficult for me, but I feel positive and I know that in reality, being love, asking for forgiveness, apologizing, blessing others and expressing gratitude is a daily practice, and one that will make me into a even happier and spiritually balance, physically healthy person than I am today. 

I am amazed when I look back and see how far I've come, but it's time to heal this attachment to cancer, and be a daily example of Kindred Spirit.

Namaste