How memories form and how we lose them

I have been studying the brain, memories, and how our current lives are a representation of what we hold from the past. This is a cute video by TED-Ed that you may find interesting.

How do emotions have an effect on our bodies?

I love this article on the importance of emotional clearing for better health.
Ty Bollinger lists EFT (tapping) as one way of clearing negative emotions. He also quotes Lissa Rankin MD, one of my favorite authors and speakers, about not going through life alone; make sure you have support all around you.

This article supports the fact that the mind and body are one...


"The connection between the emotions and disease has been known for thousands of years in cultures all around the world. In the Bible, Proverbs 17:22-23 says: “A joyful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.” Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) acknowledges the “7 Emotions” that are thought to have a direct correspondence to disease states. And in Yogic traditions, the term samskara means the “subtle impressions of our past actions” and it is thought that these impressions can form into patterns that can affect health.
And now modern science is discovering in astonishing detail how certain emotions can have a direct effect on disease − and healing − in the body.

What Science Says about the Emotions

The profound effect that emotions have on health and lifespan can be evidenced by a groundbreaking series of 10-year-long studies published in the British journal Psychology and Psychotherapy in 1988. The study, which is just as relevant today, concluded that “emotional stress was more predictive of death from cancer or cardiovascular disease than from smoking.” It also found that individuals who were the most affected by stress had an overall death rate that was 40% higher than non-stressed participants.
So just how do emotions have such an effect on our bodies?
The term psychosomatic is normally associated with “imaginary illnesses.” In fact, the term simply relates to the physiological connections between mind and body. In modern scientific terms, this connection happens through tiny molecular structures called neuropeptides.
Peptides, a form of ligand, are tiny bits of protein that are produced throughout the body. They are found in hormones such as endorphins, serotonin, and insulin, for example, and are key elements for life. Neuropeptides pave the way between the brain (i.e. our emotions) and the body.
When a thought triggers an emotion, neuropeptides transmit those feelings through neuropathways and extracellular fluid. Eventually these peptides will connect with cellular receptors throughout the body where they will have an impact on the functioning of body systems at all levels.
The late Candace Pert, author of Molecules of Emotion and one of the pioneers of psychoneuroimmunology, states:
“…the chemicals that are running our body and our brain are the same chemicals that are involved in emotion.”

How Your Emotions Affect Your Body

Here are just a few ways in which specific emotions affect specific bodily functions:

• A University of Arizona study found that expressing affectionate feelings towards your loved ones can lower cholesterol;

• A study published in the International Journal of Psychophysiology discovered that when subjects simply recalled the situation that had been the initial cause of stress, their blood pressure rates raised significantly. Another study at the University of Maryland Medical Center found that just the anticipation of laughter began to reduce the stress hormones cortisol and adrenaline.

• A study at Loma Linda University in California found that when individuals laughed at a funny movie, the levels of beta-endorphins, responsible for mood elevation, rose as well. In addition, Human Growth Hormone, which aids in sleep and contributes to cellular repair, rose by 87%.

Emotional Clearing for Better Health

Clearing emotions and managing stress go hand in hand. Before you can truly clear emotions, you must learn how to manage stress in order get cortisol levels down. Remember, there is a direct and proven correlation between chronically high cortisol levels (i.e. chronic stress) and cancer.
When you are in a relatively calm internal space memories and feelings associated with stressful situations can rise to the surface in order to be dealt with and cleared. Here are four basic things you can do NOW to manage stress, lower cortisol levels, and clear stressful emotions so that true healing can occur:

1. Reflect on what keeps you stressed in your life and DECIDE to make a change. Divorce, the death of a loved one, finances, even happy occasions like getting married can add to the stress factor. A major source of on-going stress for many Americans is work-related. An Oxford Health Plans study found that 1 in 5 Americans will go to work even if they are ill, injured, or seeing a doctor that day. Reflect on what is causing you stress right now. On a scale from one to ten, how would you rate this stress? Decide if you want this number to go down. Then make a commitment to yourself and your health by determining to make a positive change towards lower stress overall.
2. Consider tried and true modalities to manage stress. Once you have decided to lower stress and clear emotions for health, decide on some modalities that will help you get there! Consider EFT Tapping, reflexology, tai chi, massage, chiropractic care, meditation, prayer, journaling, exercise, and eating healthier. These are all things you can do STARTING NOW to lower stress responses and add a little more self-care to your life. Remember that self-care equals emotional care! And you don’t have to do them all. Simply choose one or two modalities, then give it a try. Even taking 10 minutes on your lunch break for a leisurely stroll can sometimes do the trick.
3. Don’t go it alone. Study after study has shown that those who have the support of a caring group of loved ones have a better chance of coming out of a cancer diagnosis than those who “go it alone.” And according to Lissa Rankin, MD, “Individuals who attend religious services regularly live 7.5 years longer than those who never or rarely attend religious gathering.” So whether it is a church group, a cancer support group, or a group of loving friends, make a list of who you want on your “Healing A-Team” and the get the help and support that you need!
4. Don’t be afraid to “sit” with your emotions. As we begin to take a break from the “24/7 stress fest” and begin to make room for reflection and healing, it is natural for deeper issues, memories or events to rise to the surface. Emotions may come out of nowhere, and this is very normal. Practice sitting with emotions as they rise to the surface and always remember that no matter how bad you may feel, these emotions are coming up to be released. They won’t last forever. In fact, there is a good chance that you will feel better after the tears come and go! Studies have found that emotional tears contain high numbers of stress hormones and neurotransmitters, leading researchers to conclude that crying is one way that the body removes stress chemicals.

In a way, modern science is discovering what the ancients knew long ago: emotional clearing is part of living a healthy, vibrant life and a part of the healing process. The reward for doing the work of emotional clearing is good health all around. "

Yo can find this article here: https://thetruthaboutcancer.com/emotional-clearing/?utm_campaign=emotional-clearing&utm_medium=email&utm_source=maropost&utm_content=2017-02-20&utm_term

Using guided imagery to help patients cope

 The mind body connection is so strong and the human body is nothing short of magical!

What about using guided imagery to reduce medical costs in patients. Sounds a little hokey, but research shows that the use of guided imagery as a self calming technique can in fact do what I just mentioned. 

"The mind-body connection is increasingly being explored by doctors, scientists and others. Research shows that guided imagery can help turn around the way your mind works, thus the way your body behaves. 

This week on “Take Care,” Jane Pernotto Ehrman speaks about how guided imagery works. Ehrman is lead behavioral health specialist at the Cleveland Clinic Center for Lifestyle Medicine in the Wellness Institute, and has had personal experience with guided imagery working for her.

Ehrman was diagnosed with breast cancer 26 years ago and was told she only had a 35 percent chance of living five years. The chemotherapy made her extremely sick, and she thought to herself that she would probably feel better if she were dead.

A therapist asked Ehrman if she would like to try guided imagery to help with the side effects of the treatments and when she did, the changes she began to notice were big."

Read the rest of this article and listen to an audio explaining more here:

http://wrvo.org/post/using-guided-imagery-help-patients-cope

Why Some People Don't Heal

I have become a fan of Caroline Myss over the past several years. When I stumbled across this video, it just made sense.
Do you know anyone who doesn't seem to heal? Are they always sick, talking about their wounded past, both emotionally and physically?  They use their wounds to control situations or people around them and it becomes their only identity. In fact, they may not know who they'd be without their wounds.

These short videos will help you understand that mindset and why it doesn't change.  Very interesting!

How Meditation Makes People More Socially Responsible

Emily Fletcher is one of the world’s leading experts in Vedic Meditation and the founder of Ziva Meditation. "I am you and you are me"

The Simple Daily Routine that Will Transform Your Life

 If there was one, simple thing you could do every morning that cost nothing, that could completely transform your life, would you do it? If you could wave a magic wand right now and change something in your life, what would it be? 

In the absence of a magic wand, do you want that change enough to take a few minutes each morning to get those changes? You brush your teeth every morning so that they will remain healthy and strong; and you take a shower or bath to remain clean and hygienic; you wash your dishes (or pack and unpack the dishwasher) so that they remain clean and hygienic; you get dressed so that you don’t turn up in public in your pajamas (or worse).

This little routine is the equivalent of all these other habits you already practice every day – it takes a little discipline to do it at first, and then it becomes automatic – and the effects will astound you.

How to Transform Your Life through One Simple Routine

Take just a few minutes in the morning, before you start your day, to practice this routine. Make it a priority. Skip listening to or reading the news; postpone checking social media until later; get up just a few minutes earlier – do whatever it takes to fit this in because it affects absolutely everything else in your life.

Grab a piece of paper and a pen, sit comfortably, and take a deep breath. Now, think about the day ahead, and write down the things that are bothering you. Write down what you’re worried or anxious about, write down the challenges you’re expecting – anything that makes you feel less than good.

Next, take the thing that bothers you most, close your eyes, take another deep breath, and notice how you feel about it. Notice what you’re feeling, where in your body you’re feeling it, and how strong it is. Then use the FasterEFT technique to clear and flip it. If memories come up while you’re going through this process, make a note of them, and address those as well. Don’t stop until you have completely cleared and flipped the feelings, thoughts and memories that were bothering you.

How Does it Work?

This is not about just feeling better in the moment. It’s not even about putting your mind at rest for the day ahead. What you are doing during that process is changing the original records in your subconscious that are the cause of the experiences that are bothering you.

This is more than coping better with your challenges – it is the mind-hack tool to transform those challenges, no matter what they may be.

From physical ailments and anxiety to problems with other people and difficult circumstances, what you experience is determined by what you are carrying in your subconscious. For more details on this, read: How FasterEFT Solves the REAL Cause of All Your Problems. Change those records, and you change your life.

Tips for Success

• You may find you feel resistance to doing this each day. If this is the case, it’s even more important to do it since it means you are very close to change! For more information on this, read: What You Need to Know About Resistance.
  
  
• Time is a big challenge for most people in the mornings. Prioritize this routine over everything else – even if it’s just for one week. Since it will affect everything else, it is the priority.
  
  
• You may not believe it will work. It can seem too simple to really have an impact. Why not just try it for two days. As long as you’re doing it correctly, and following the process until you flip the feelings, thoughts and memories, you should see enough of a difference in those two days to continue.
  
  
• Read: How to Change Your Reality; and The FasterEFT Technique – Step-by-Step before you start, to make sure you’re using the technique correctly in order to see the best results.

For more information on FasterEFT and how it works, read: The Basics of FasterEFT.

For more guidance on using the process, visit: Tips on Using FasterEFT and FAQ.

To see FasterEFT in action, watch the videos in the FasterEFT in Action Playlist.

Tapping and Cancer

I've known for years that chronic stress can lead to disease including cancer.  

My personal journey to stay healthy started about 15 years ago after my divorce. I knew if I didn't deal with my negative emotions, they would eat away at my body over time.

That journey lead to yoga, meditation and EFT or tapping. I've been practicing tapping since 2008 with many positive results. 

The following article on how tapping can help fight cancer is very informative and I am glad to see tapping getting the recognition it deserves!

"You may know that stress reduction is vital to maintaining health and fighting cancer, but just where do you begin to create true emotional health? Luckily, you might not have to spend hours in a therapist’s chair in order to heal the emotional wounds that could be standing between you and cancer healing and prevention.

Emotional Freedom Technique (also known as EFT or Tapping) is a fast, easy, and effective way to reduce anxiety, clear emotional blocks, and become more peaceful and focused in all areas of your life."

Read the rest if the article here:
https://thetruthaboutcancer.com/emotional-freedom-technique-cancer/

Take your power back by accepting you are in control of your life!

Many times, when I sit down to write, I second guess what I want to write about.

I have never felt comfortable expressing my thoughts on paper, though it was very therapeutic once I did it.  Publishing those thoughts for people to read is a different story and it has stifled my self expression in the past. Reflecting, it has been about feeling vulnerable, being judged or feeling like I was good enough.

That is why I sometimes struggle to blog; that fear of being judged, feeling vulnerable.

On the other hand, I have so much that I want to share and express. I am passionate about the mind/body connection, helping others realize how they are in control of their lives more than what they consciously realize.

I was not the most popular in school and in a class of 500+, it was easy to get lost. 

It felt safe to stay in the background, unnoticed so no one would find something to criticize.

I struggled to be accepted yet didn't want to follow the crowd. 

I had a mind of my own but was afraid to speak it for fear of sounding stupid.

I was not stupid and I was not a victim of my peers making me feel less than perfect. I was a victim of my own thoughts, my own beliefs about what I thought they believed about me, which may have been absolutely nothing. I gave my power away because I didn't know any better at that time. 

They had their own problems, their own issues, but that didn't occur to me at that tender age. It's only now that I realize no one is perfect and we all have a story, we all have something to say and share with each other. We can learn a lot from each other if we listen more and judge less.

I am not a victim of anything other than my own thoughts. I am where I am because of the choices I have made and more so....how accountable I was regarding those choices and my attitude surrounding the outcome of those choices. My personal power lied in taking responsibility for my own thoughts, ideas and perception and not in blaming others. 

Let's commit to judging and criticizing others less and more importantly, stop judging, stop criticizing your self and stop feeling like a victim. Take your power back by accepting you are in control of your life! 

Showering you with blessings personal power! 

Cindy 

Will the New Year be a good one or a bad one?

What is the secret to experiencing a new year, a new month, a new week or even a new day?
Robert G. Smith explains....

Renewed hope can be intoxicating

pixabay.com

The new year always seems to bring with it, a feeling of renewed hope. The symbolism of saying goodbye to the past and looking forward to the new year is intoxicating, especially when the last year brought experiences that were mentally and emotionally draining.

On New Year's Eve day, I met with a group of friends. This circle of friends hold a special place in my heart. They are uplifting, non judgmental, supportive and give unconditional love and encouragement. I feel so blessed to have crossed paths with them years ago.

Meeting on the last day of the year has become a tradition for us, reflecting on the last twelve months and looking forward to the new year with anticipation. We share our successes, no matter how insignificant they may seem. As each person shares, it ignites memories in each of us sparking eager anticipation of telling our stories. We feed off each others positive energy and by the time we're finished, we realize just how special all of our experiences were. 

One underlying feeling that seems to emerge from each story is the fact that we all had obstacles, failures or losses that became the catalyst for change. Had we not had the self awareness to realize that those negative experiences lead to the changes we needed,  our stories would have taken on a completely different tone. 

As a friend reflected on her an emotional hardship, she said she surprised herself during the process. She remembered telling herself she wasn't going to "unpack her bags there" which enabled her to move forward with ease and grace. Her reflection, her attitude and her general outlook on the future were inspirational and it set the tone for the rest of us.

As I awoke today, the first day of the new year, I knew that in order to move forward I would have to greet each day with a sense of renewed hope and embrace every obstacle that lay in my path this year as an emotional barometer, keeping me on course, keeping me in alignment with where I need to be.

So today, I challenge you to let go of what weighed you down last year and emotionally release everything that didn't serve your highest good. Let it go without guilt or regret. Cut all ties with anything or anyone that is toxic to your emotional or spiritual growth
I further challenge you to surround yourself with people that inspire, uplift and love you unconditionally.

Your world will change when you change how you look at the world. 

Showering you with renewed hope and inspiration in 2017!