Breast cancer and how to prevent it is a concern for us all. I've noticed there is very little focus on what we can do to help prevent it. Rather the focus is on finding a cure by funding pharmaceutical companies. I hope someday a cure is actually revealed, but in the meantime, let's talk about the things you can do for yourself so you can actively contribute to your own health and well-being.
One topic I never hear discussed in the media is stagnation in the breast tissue. The people that discuss this are those well-educated in Chinese Medicine. These folks are few, but I can help get the word out on their behalf, and so can you.
Stagnation in the breast tissue can occur when there is little movement in and around the breasts. Various factors can contribute to it, many of which we don't ordinarily consider. For example, did you know that breast tissue collects debris and toxins from cosmetics, including deodorant and antiperspirant? Other culprits are calcium deposits, scar tissue from trauma, tight chest, neck, and back muscles, the side effects of radiation exposure, and sluggish qi flow, or "energy.” Each of these can reduce the healthy flow of blood and lymph through your breasts. They can also create low levels of oxygen in breast tissue.
Oxygen in our breast tissue is an important consideration. Cancer cells tend to collect around dead cells and areas with little oxygen. They don’t survive in a highly-oxygenated environment. To encourage healthier breast tissue, it is wise to get movement through the breasts and motion through sluggish tissue.
One way to encourage this movement is with breast massage. I think this can be done instead of your monthly self-exam. Is the current way women are taught to examine their breasts ideal? Searching for cancer and suspicious lumps is not where I want to focus my mind. For many women it triggers fear. That can't be helpful. When you do self-massage you become aware of the landscape of your breasts and how your breasts feel under the surface. If there is any change to what you know to be normal for yourself, you will know right away and can have it checked.
Weekly breast massage is a nurturing, sensible approach to breast health. It is done with the intention of healing and helps you become familiar with the landscape of your breasts. I believe this is a more effective way to keep aware of your body, rather than the approach of searching for unusual lumps.
There is a massage technique from Medical Qi Gong that is said to break the cycle of disease in the breasts as well as move the tissue and prevent it from stagnating. This is to simply massage both breasts in a circular manner 36 times inward followed by 36 times outward. This technique is further explained and demonstrated in a video called "Medical Qi Gong for Breast Health" by Jerry Alan Johnson, which can be found online.
I recommend using a breast balm or oil in your weekly massage. "Breast Balm" by MoonMaidBotanicals is designed for breast massage and contains poke root and calendula-infused organic olive oil with St. John’s Wort and cedar. These herbs are known to give relief to breast swelling and lumps. You can inquire about it at your natural food store or order it online. Meanwhile, I hope you will familiarize yourself with this very simple way to keep your own breast tissue flowing, fluid, and healthy.
January 12, 2010
January 4, 2010
Scrooge Brings on the Grief
Tears rolled down my cheeks faster than I could catch them. I believe that was the first time this happened for me at a stage play. I didn’t realize the musical production of Scrooge during the recent holidays would invoke my grief. I wasn’t the only one. I noted that the woman in front of me wiped her eyes as did the woman two seats to my left. Oh good, it wasn’t just me.
What might have been unique to me in this particular setting is that my tears just kept coming, beyond the scene that provoked them. I was unaware that the river behind my eyes was ready to flood its banks. I was unprepared for it to happen while I sat in darkness amongst a crowd of people in the brand new Crocker Theater at Cabrillo College.
I have that multi-talented cast to thank for allowing me to pretend that the ghost of Christmas past was real. And that Scrooge himself was real; indeed he walks among and through us at times. The scene was so well delivered that Scrooge’s grief at not having taken the opportunity to properly have, love, and hold his sister and later his fiancé seemed plausible. So much so, it cracked open my own heart and tapped into all the times I too didn’t take the opportunity to love someone enough. Or maybe I did love them fully, but their time came to pass on from this life. And the grief of these experiences, all rolled up into one lazy river now, spilled the banks.
I’m sure what made part of this so significant was it tied to the sorrow I’ve tried to get beyond since the loss of my special friend Carmela six months ago. Oh, how I tried to say, “This is life, Christina. The older you get, the more people you will see die. We must just move along now, and let her go.” But it hasn’t quite turned out that way.
For some reason I believe I’ve had my fair share of losses in my lifetime and then some. Do all of you feel this way? Maybe we all do. It seems to have been a constant in my life. Some of the losses happened suddenly – my college roommate dying of carbon monoxide poisoning in our house. I was so young then and it was such a tremendous shock, and I didn’t get to properly say goodbye. Some of the losses happened slowly. In that same year, my best college friend died of cancer. I learned early on the practice of letting go, and to try to make some sense out of the fact that even the young ones can leave us when their lives have barely begun.
Even though I’m older now and think I’ve got a pretty good handle on this loss stuff, I discovered these past few months I’m still just a basic human being who has to grieve it on out just like everyone else, every time. Does it get easier? I think it does, and has. I don’t seem to be so surprised or shocked anymore by death. But the grieving process is still hard and takes its own sweet time. It doesn’t let me push it around or rush it along. No, it’s got its own ideas and won’t be managed by someone like me who doesn’t want to feel those feelings.
And so this is what occurred for me at the very end of 2009 as I sat at a lovely, perfectly conducted musical. I was reminded that we are the same in our hearts, even Scrooge and all those we know who possess some of his hard-hearted traits. Maybe it’s just the degree of how deeply we choose to feel what is in our hearts that makes us seem different to one another.
I’m certainly not in a position to critique another person for being what we might call “cold-hearted” toward another person. I think none of us want to feel that deep, cutting pain that comes with a personal loss. I can see the reasoning behind hardening a heart to avoid that pain. But if we do, what of life do we miss that might be extraordinary? The death of my friend Carmela last June has made me grateful for every moment of the 20 years I knew her that I loved her with an open heart. My soul friend and mentor, though I grieve now and have a river running just behind my eyes waiting to spill its banks at any unpredictable moment, I’d do it again. In fact, yes, if given the opportunity, I will.
What might have been unique to me in this particular setting is that my tears just kept coming, beyond the scene that provoked them. I was unaware that the river behind my eyes was ready to flood its banks. I was unprepared for it to happen while I sat in darkness amongst a crowd of people in the brand new Crocker Theater at Cabrillo College.
I have that multi-talented cast to thank for allowing me to pretend that the ghost of Christmas past was real. And that Scrooge himself was real; indeed he walks among and through us at times. The scene was so well delivered that Scrooge’s grief at not having taken the opportunity to properly have, love, and hold his sister and later his fiancé seemed plausible. So much so, it cracked open my own heart and tapped into all the times I too didn’t take the opportunity to love someone enough. Or maybe I did love them fully, but their time came to pass on from this life. And the grief of these experiences, all rolled up into one lazy river now, spilled the banks.
I’m sure what made part of this so significant was it tied to the sorrow I’ve tried to get beyond since the loss of my special friend Carmela six months ago. Oh, how I tried to say, “This is life, Christina. The older you get, the more people you will see die. We must just move along now, and let her go.” But it hasn’t quite turned out that way.
For some reason I believe I’ve had my fair share of losses in my lifetime and then some. Do all of you feel this way? Maybe we all do. It seems to have been a constant in my life. Some of the losses happened suddenly – my college roommate dying of carbon monoxide poisoning in our house. I was so young then and it was such a tremendous shock, and I didn’t get to properly say goodbye. Some of the losses happened slowly. In that same year, my best college friend died of cancer. I learned early on the practice of letting go, and to try to make some sense out of the fact that even the young ones can leave us when their lives have barely begun.
Even though I’m older now and think I’ve got a pretty good handle on this loss stuff, I discovered these past few months I’m still just a basic human being who has to grieve it on out just like everyone else, every time. Does it get easier? I think it does, and has. I don’t seem to be so surprised or shocked anymore by death. But the grieving process is still hard and takes its own sweet time. It doesn’t let me push it around or rush it along. No, it’s got its own ideas and won’t be managed by someone like me who doesn’t want to feel those feelings.
And so this is what occurred for me at the very end of 2009 as I sat at a lovely, perfectly conducted musical. I was reminded that we are the same in our hearts, even Scrooge and all those we know who possess some of his hard-hearted traits. Maybe it’s just the degree of how deeply we choose to feel what is in our hearts that makes us seem different to one another.
I’m certainly not in a position to critique another person for being what we might call “cold-hearted” toward another person. I think none of us want to feel that deep, cutting pain that comes with a personal loss. I can see the reasoning behind hardening a heart to avoid that pain. But if we do, what of life do we miss that might be extraordinary? The death of my friend Carmela last June has made me grateful for every moment of the 20 years I knew her that I loved her with an open heart. My soul friend and mentor, though I grieve now and have a river running just behind my eyes waiting to spill its banks at any unpredictable moment, I’d do it again. In fact, yes, if given the opportunity, I will.
December 16, 2009
Mercury Retrograde December 26 - January 15
To many people, Mercury Retrograde is a curiosity - a mysterious occurrence that fouls up computers, derails plans, causes delays, and generally confuses communications. And, this is partly true. But there need not be worry around the concept of this planet "turning retrograde." Once you understand what this implies, you can begin to use the energy in your favor.
Mercury, when moving forward in its orbit, helps us plan, begin anew, and communicate effectively. It's associated with the mind. The retrograde period, which lasts around 21 days and occurs 3-4 times every year, doesn't really mean that the planet turns backward in its orbit. It just appears to do so from our vantage point here on Earth. It appears to initially slow down, then stop, then go backwards. It's not actually happening. Nonetheless, we Earthlings are affected by this apparent retrograde motion.
The important thing to remember about these 3-week periods of time is they are meant to contrast being and doing. Most people's lives in our society are overscheduled, too busy, outwardly focused, mundane, and filled with distractions. Three times every year (sometimes four) Mercury turns retrograde and asks us this question: "Does your overscheduled, too busy, outwardly focused, mundane, and distracted life bring you happiness?" It asks us to shift our focus, just for a very brief period in time, to the sacred. To the inner world of reflection, meaning, wisdom, and natural rhythms.
Those of us who ignore Mercury's plea to slow down, turn inward, and reflect will find ourselves delayed, frustrated, misunderstood, and drifting in a world of confusion. This is partly why we are admonished not to buy new things during Mercury retrograde, or sign contracts, or make major decisions, or begin new projects. Because when we do, things often turn out confused, misunderstood, and just plain wrong. They frequently need to be redone, after Mercury has turned direct and is moving forward again.
Another thing to remember during Mercury retrograde which will benefit you greatly: it is a time of renewal. Rest, restore, reflect, or at least, if you must continue to press forward during this time then use it to review, revise, rewrite, and recollect your thoughts. If you don't, you are going against nature's own rhythm, going against the grain, you might as well swim upstream. If you know what part of your birth chart Mercury retrograde falls in, you will also gain some insight into what part of your life is being most affected.
Mercury retrograde is a blessed time for a course correction in life. The car breaks down, your computer stops working, your emails get mysteriously lost, communications of all sorts become foggy. What to do? Stop, rest, renew, reflect, and meditate. We must, for our own well-being, have a few moments in our lives when we stop and turn inward, when we allow the mundane to turn to the sacred, when we give our busy lives a rest.
How is this possible you might ask? How do I slow down my life when I've got bills to pay and babies to feed and so on and so forth? I do not think we can afford to continue the fast paced push forward without some quiet, introspective, reconnection to the core of our own being. To avoid turning within creates insanity, masked by our popular use of painkillers, anti-depressants, and anti-anxiety remedies and a general absentmindedness to the beauty and sanctity of life.
The time is coming. It will be officially "retro" December 26th through January 15th, 2010, but keep in mind that a few days prior to December 26th are tricky because Mercury is very slow or actually stationary.
So, we have three weeks coming up to give it a try. As for taking vacations? I think Mercury retrograde is a perfect time, as long as your vacation plans were made well in advance of the actual retrograde period. And once on the trip, take it slow, expect delays, relax, renew, reflect. Especially with the holiday celebrations, wherever you are, practice taking some nice deep breaths. Practice patience. And trust it. It is on your side.
Mercury, when moving forward in its orbit, helps us plan, begin anew, and communicate effectively. It's associated with the mind. The retrograde period, which lasts around 21 days and occurs 3-4 times every year, doesn't really mean that the planet turns backward in its orbit. It just appears to do so from our vantage point here on Earth. It appears to initially slow down, then stop, then go backwards. It's not actually happening. Nonetheless, we Earthlings are affected by this apparent retrograde motion.
The important thing to remember about these 3-week periods of time is they are meant to contrast being and doing. Most people's lives in our society are overscheduled, too busy, outwardly focused, mundane, and filled with distractions. Three times every year (sometimes four) Mercury turns retrograde and asks us this question: "Does your overscheduled, too busy, outwardly focused, mundane, and distracted life bring you happiness?" It asks us to shift our focus, just for a very brief period in time, to the sacred. To the inner world of reflection, meaning, wisdom, and natural rhythms.
Those of us who ignore Mercury's plea to slow down, turn inward, and reflect will find ourselves delayed, frustrated, misunderstood, and drifting in a world of confusion. This is partly why we are admonished not to buy new things during Mercury retrograde, or sign contracts, or make major decisions, or begin new projects. Because when we do, things often turn out confused, misunderstood, and just plain wrong. They frequently need to be redone, after Mercury has turned direct and is moving forward again.
Another thing to remember during Mercury retrograde which will benefit you greatly: it is a time of renewal. Rest, restore, reflect, or at least, if you must continue to press forward during this time then use it to review, revise, rewrite, and recollect your thoughts. If you don't, you are going against nature's own rhythm, going against the grain, you might as well swim upstream. If you know what part of your birth chart Mercury retrograde falls in, you will also gain some insight into what part of your life is being most affected.
Mercury retrograde is a blessed time for a course correction in life. The car breaks down, your computer stops working, your emails get mysteriously lost, communications of all sorts become foggy. What to do? Stop, rest, renew, reflect, and meditate. We must, for our own well-being, have a few moments in our lives when we stop and turn inward, when we allow the mundane to turn to the sacred, when we give our busy lives a rest.
How is this possible you might ask? How do I slow down my life when I've got bills to pay and babies to feed and so on and so forth? I do not think we can afford to continue the fast paced push forward without some quiet, introspective, reconnection to the core of our own being. To avoid turning within creates insanity, masked by our popular use of painkillers, anti-depressants, and anti-anxiety remedies and a general absentmindedness to the beauty and sanctity of life.
The time is coming. It will be officially "retro" December 26th through January 15th, 2010, but keep in mind that a few days prior to December 26th are tricky because Mercury is very slow or actually stationary.
So, we have three weeks coming up to give it a try. As for taking vacations? I think Mercury retrograde is a perfect time, as long as your vacation plans were made well in advance of the actual retrograde period. And once on the trip, take it slow, expect delays, relax, renew, reflect. Especially with the holiday celebrations, wherever you are, practice taking some nice deep breaths. Practice patience. And trust it. It is on your side.
November 25, 2009
The Healing Power of Connecting with Others
As you gather with your families and friends this week some of you will look forward to a beautiful treat while others will see it as an event that adds more stress to an already stressful life. We could love the idea of meeting our loved ones, while the reality of it could mean we are annoyed at seeing some of the same old issues crop up that we wish would just go away.
For all of us, no matter what circumstances we find ourselves in during this holiday week, we can use the experiences for gaining wisdom. I realize that wisdom is not everyone's goal. But if you're like me, it trumps just about everything else. I like to use life circumstances as opportunities to expand my own well of wisdom. Gatherings of many people are good sources of these "circumstances."
Let's talk about an approach to maintain a calm, neutral disposition so you can experience these holidays with less stress and more fun.
Real human contact, face to face relationships, have the ability to keep us in balance. We need to be with others and feel a sense of belonging. Knowing this, you can use your time with the people you'll be with this week to help you feel good.
Stress levels in our society have increased partly because people are isolated from one another. Families and friends live at a distance while electronic devices, computers, and cell phones offer the illusion of connecting us with humanity.
With this in mind, invite others to be with you and accept invitations of others. Allow yourself to come together with real, warm human beings. Even if you head into a situation that triggers annoyances and other uncomfortable emotions, you can use this time with others to heal on many levels.
Your energetic body gets balanced by the shared energy of a group. Where you have deficiencies or excesses in your energy field, the group energy helps bring them into balance. I believe this is one reason the "tribe" was and still is important. It gives a sense of security in part because it helps balance one's energy.
You can use your gatherings with others to benefit you in many ways. Of course, though most of us won't want to admit it, when we have emotional upsets around family and friends it's all about our own inner world, and has nothing to do with that pesky sister-in-law.
This provides each of us with a golden opportunity to grow in wisdom. Did you ever see the wise old sage getting upset because Aunt Jane said or did something out of line? No, because the sage would remain aware of his or her own energy and be non-reactive. The wise old sage has the courage to allow Aunt Jane to be who she is without putting judgment on it.
For all of us, no matter what circumstances we find ourselves in during this holiday week, we can use the experiences for gaining wisdom. I realize that wisdom is not everyone's goal. But if you're like me, it trumps just about everything else. I like to use life circumstances as opportunities to expand my own well of wisdom. Gatherings of many people are good sources of these "circumstances."
Let's talk about an approach to maintain a calm, neutral disposition so you can experience these holidays with less stress and more fun.
Real human contact, face to face relationships, have the ability to keep us in balance. We need to be with others and feel a sense of belonging. Knowing this, you can use your time with the people you'll be with this week to help you feel good.
Stress levels in our society have increased partly because people are isolated from one another. Families and friends live at a distance while electronic devices, computers, and cell phones offer the illusion of connecting us with humanity.
With this in mind, invite others to be with you and accept invitations of others. Allow yourself to come together with real, warm human beings. Even if you head into a situation that triggers annoyances and other uncomfortable emotions, you can use this time with others to heal on many levels.
Your energetic body gets balanced by the shared energy of a group. Where you have deficiencies or excesses in your energy field, the group energy helps bring them into balance. I believe this is one reason the "tribe" was and still is important. It gives a sense of security in part because it helps balance one's energy.
You can use your gatherings with others to benefit you in many ways. Of course, though most of us won't want to admit it, when we have emotional upsets around family and friends it's all about our own inner world, and has nothing to do with that pesky sister-in-law.
This provides each of us with a golden opportunity to grow in wisdom. Did you ever see the wise old sage getting upset because Aunt Jane said or did something out of line? No, because the sage would remain aware of his or her own energy and be non-reactive. The wise old sage has the courage to allow Aunt Jane to be who she is without putting judgment on it.
Becoming the Wise Sage
There is one clear step toward becoming a wise sage yourself, and that is learning to manage your reactivity to the things other people do and say.
We must accept, once and for all, that we are not responsible for how another person behaves, thinks, or expresses. This is true even if their behavior is directed at us. Everything another person thinks or believes has to do with them and only them. Not you. Even if they blame you. It's not you. You are only responsible for how you think and behave and express.
Since the normal person is quite reactionary in their relationships with others, we can see how the wise sage stands apart. The sage has no reason to react. The sage remains neutral.
If you want to practice your own sagehood this holiday week, then here is a way to practice. No matter what happens or what anyone says, simply notice your automatic reflex to defend yourself.
Notice it, notice it, notice it, don't act on it. Tune your attention to your breathing, to the temperature of the air outside, to the smells in the room, to the cute dog or cat, to the earrings grandma is wearing, anything to keep yourself neutral. And tell yourself this, "It is not my job to fix this. I am here to expand my wisdom and enjoy myself."
You'll find many interesting patterns of your own if you do nothing more than pay attention to your automatic reactions to what others say or do. Make it fun without making yourself wrong. Let me know how it works out! In the meantime, I get to work a few hours today and then head into the kitchen to create some new dishes.
Blessings and Thanks for your willingness to be on a wisdom journey along with me.
We must accept, once and for all, that we are not responsible for how another person behaves, thinks, or expresses. This is true even if their behavior is directed at us. Everything another person thinks or believes has to do with them and only them. Not you. Even if they blame you. It's not you. You are only responsible for how you think and behave and express.
Since the normal person is quite reactionary in their relationships with others, we can see how the wise sage stands apart. The sage has no reason to react. The sage remains neutral.
If you want to practice your own sagehood this holiday week, then here is a way to practice. No matter what happens or what anyone says, simply notice your automatic reflex to defend yourself.
Notice it, notice it, notice it, don't act on it. Tune your attention to your breathing, to the temperature of the air outside, to the smells in the room, to the cute dog or cat, to the earrings grandma is wearing, anything to keep yourself neutral. And tell yourself this, "It is not my job to fix this. I am here to expand my wisdom and enjoy myself."
You'll find many interesting patterns of your own if you do nothing more than pay attention to your automatic reactions to what others say or do. Make it fun without making yourself wrong. Let me know how it works out! In the meantime, I get to work a few hours today and then head into the kitchen to create some new dishes.
Blessings and Thanks for your willingness to be on a wisdom journey along with me.
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