Breathwork- the power of the breath for inner healing

May 16, 2008 at 9:30 am (inner healing)
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“Breathwork is a powerful approach to self-exploration and healing that integrates insights from modern consciousness research, anthropology, various depth psychologies, transpersonal psychology, Eastern spiritual practices, and mystical traditions of the world.” The first time I experienced Breathwork I was hooked! At the time I was learning how to facilitate Breathwork I was also learning other modalities of healing. And although when it comes to healing I truly believe in a model of multiple modalities I can honestly say that I see more profound transformations occuring in Breathwork than I do other modalities alone. Breathwork coupled with more traditional counseling methods works on the cognitive and spiritual levels all at the same time……a wonderful marriage so to speak.

What is Breathwork? “The process itself uses very simple means: it combines deep, accelerated breathing with evocative music.  With the eyes closed and lying on a mat, each person uses their breath and the music to enter into a non-ordinary state of consciousness. This state activates the natural inner healing process of the individual’s psyche, bringing him or her a particular set of internal experiences. With the inner healing intelligence guiding the process, the quality and content brought forth is unique to each person and for that particular time and place. While recurring themes are common, no two sessions are ever alike.”

Another word for Breathwork is Journying a term that implies going on an internal journey in search of that which is needed. I chose to call my form of Breathwork Path of the Heart Breathwork due to its similarity with a real vision quest wherein a person goes off alone somewhere in the wilderness in order to quiete the mind and be open to a vision of what is needed to heal certain aspects of the psyche. In Path Of the Heart Breathwork one takes the journey without ever having to face the elements.The deep meditative dreamlike state induced by breathwork then allows your own inner healer to go to work for you.

Some of my deepest personal healing has come via Breathwork sessions. Things I’d struggled with for years and applied all sorts of healings to including counseling, psychics, energy work, nutrition……you name it, began to heal with Breathwork. I have also heard this from others as well.

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Eat~Pray~Love

May 9, 2008 at 3:04 pm (inner healing, personal development, Uncategorized)
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Many of you have probably already read or at least heard of the book by Elizabet Gilbert entitled Eat Pray Love. It’s been all over Oprah and although I don’t usually tend to follow the pack I must say that I found it an enlightening read. Gilbert’s prose is both sacred and profane, hilarious and sad, light-hearted and soulfully deep. I laughed out loud, I cried real tears, I prayed to any God that would listen; and most importantly perhaps, my being expanded from the experience. I was truly moved by how well she captured the complexity of who we are. Carl Jung said we must learn to hold the tension of the opposites…..we are indeed complex, dualistic creatures…..at once frail and then invincible, vulnerable and then fierce, sorrowful, hurting and then brimming with joy, funny one moment and dead serious the next……what a beautiful melange. My absolute favorite part is the translation from Italian into English of the, shall we say, off color remarks one very passionate Italian is making at a football  (soccer)game. The Italian language sounds like lyrical poetry, but in English ….oh my…..well you get the picture. I just thought it was a fabulous piece of storytelling. In Italy she intends to eat and learn to speak Italian both of which she does in no small measure. She learns that good food is like the nectar of the god’s; and in Italy the eating of it is all a wonderful ritual of community, of slowing down and enjoying life, family, and friends. She learns the sweet Ahhhhh….of time spent consciously enjoying life and most importantly, learning to let recede that American obsession of got to get it done RIGHT NOW. It’s a wonderful read and I’d love to hear other’s perspectives as well.

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Blog Etiquette

May 7, 2008 at 3:45 pm (Uncategorized)

This blog is intended for those who wish to discuss body-mind-spirit issues. No spam, no seriously off color language and no advertising. Any of the above will be banned from the site. Please feel free to share resources that apply to the topic at hand.

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Rebecca’s Gone Bloggers!

May 7, 2008 at 3:04 pm (Uncategorized)

As I ponder my journey I see more and more how my work here on this planet is about bridging modern formal counseling, healing and teaching practices with the older wise ways of the medicine men and women. Those who came before us….the elders, the shamans, the spirit walkers, the midwives, the herbalists, the crazy old woman in the ramble-down house who gave out her unique brand of holistic medicine to those lined up at her back screen door….to all we owe so much. Today thankfully is there is a resurgance of natural holistic mind body spirit healing. To my mind a form of counseling that does not give credence to this holistic modality misses the very point of healing. Most of psychology today is the study of behavior, mental processes, and human functioning, and while this is very important, the true meaning of psychology, the root word being psyche meaning breath, life, spirit, has been lost. But as more and more counselors and healers bridge the old and the new a true psychology of the spirit is being born.

So today I bring you the musing of my first blog post. I hope you will join me as we journey together through the labyrinth of healing, counseling and spirtual matters. My postings will consist of tidbits of wisdom around a plethura of subjects ranging from totem animals, dreams, symbols, to the more modern concerns of manifesting, relationships, and finding balance in one’s life. So I hope you will venture forth with me and chime in whenever you’d like.

My goal is to create a community of wise souls who are interested in collaborating on living life abundantly, finding our heart’s desire, and recognizing the ever evolving spiral dance of the Universe.

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