Archive for August, 2011

EFT for Emotional Hurricane Relief

Posted in anxiety, EFT, fear, gamut point, meridian tapping, safety, stress, tapping, tagged EFT, fear, flight or fight response, gamut point, neurophysiology, tapping, trauma on August 27, 2011 | 2 Comments »

While you must follow common sense and evacuate when it’s necessary, or
otherwise make sure you have enough emergency supplies on hand, there is no
need to spend hours or even minutes in terror while riding out the storm.

Neurobiologist Jill Bolte Taylor explains that the brain and body are
designed to react to trauma by setting off an emotional response and that
the neurophysiology of the body is set up to allow us to feel that emotion
AND RELEASE IT within 90 seconds.

It’s when we hold on to the emotion, and replay the pattern, that the
emotional response gets caught in our body and we hold on to the anxiety,
the stress, and even the terror.

So..the best time to tap away the emotion is when you are feeling it -before it gets a chance to get stuck in your body.

If you think about it, releasing the anxiety and stress leaves you more clear-headed to logically deal with traumatic events such as hurricanes.

TIP #1: TAP IN THE MOMENT
If you find yourself experiencing this hurricane, or any other scary event,
tap while it is happening. As soon as you feel any anxiety, stress or
terror, start tapping on the EFT tapping points.

If you are not familiar with EFT you can view charts of the tapping points here as well as my intro EFT video.

Don’t worry about a setup statement or what to say while tapping the side of
the hand/karate chop point. That’s designed to get you focused on the
problem, and if you are in the middle of the storm, you are already focused
on the problem.

So simply start tapping the points on the face, collarbone, and under the
arm. You can say whatever is going through your mind, or relate what is
happening around you, or say something that makes you feel better such as,
“I’m safe, I’m OK right now, I will survive.”

TIP #2: THE FOREHEAD HOLD
This is great to teach children, or to do with children, and of course for
yourself.

Placing the palm of your hand across your forehead helps bring energy and
blood into the forebrain of your body and get you out of the fight-or-flight
response that drains the blood from your forehead to your chest (fight) or your legs (flee).

Lightly holding the palm of your hand across your forehead – sometimes for
10 or 15 minutes or more – will help you think clearly just when you need it
the most. This will also retrain your body not to go into that
fight-or-flight blood-rushing-from-your brain response.

You might find yourself doing this instinctively, especially with your
children. However, doing this for a few seconds doesn’t help that much – to
get maximum benefit, you want to hold your hand across the forehead until
you feel the pulsing above the eyebrows on both sides of the forehead.

And! you can supercharge your EFT tapping by placing the palm of one hand
across your forehead and tapping the points with your other hand.

TIP #3: TAP THE GAMUT POINT

Mostly forgotten recently in tapping, and hugely underutilized, the Gamut
Point on the back of the hand directly influences the meridian (energy
channel) that is involved in the fight-or-flight reaction.

Anytime you feel a sudden rush of emotion such as fear or anxiety (or even
anger or frustration) tapping or massaging the Gamut Point may help lower
the intensity of your reaction.

To find the Gamut Point, make a fist with one hand, and you will see a
depression between the knuckles of the fourth and fifth fingers on the back
of the hand (not between the knuckles but a little beneath the knuckles on
the hand). This depression is where to tap – or rub – to help release the
fear so you can feel safe.

BTW- Massaging the Gamut Point really helps in social situations if you feel as if you may lose it and don’t
want to tap the face points.

Again, if you are feeling the fear in the moment, don’t worry so much about
what to say. You don’t really have to say anything. Just focus on the
feeling, massage or tap the Gamut Point, and notice as you feel calmer and
more able to handle the situation.

You may add the Gamut Point to your EFT tapping sequence.

Experiment with these three processes – tapping the EFT points in the moment
while focused on your emotional reaction, holding your forehead in the palm
of your hand (remember this is great for kids) and taking advantage of the
Gamut Point on the back of your hand.

I trust that we will stay safe and stay calm through the storm.

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Inspirational & Motivational Poems

Posted in Mom, stress, uncertainty, tagged Dr. Jon Kabat-Zinn, evacuate, Florida, Hurricane Irene, inspirational, Katrina, Long Beach, long island, mindfulness based stress reduction, motivational poems, nursing home, NYC on August 26, 2011 | Leave a Comment »

This is part of an inspirational-motivational poem collection used in a mindfulness based stress reduction training I attended at Omega Institute in Rhinebeck, NY. (circa 1995) that Dr. Jon Kabat Zinn headed up.

I find them “food for thought” and comforting in times of uncertainty. Rereading them and typing for this blog was a wonderful thing for me to do while Hurricane Irene is barreling up the eastern seaboard, headed for NYC and Long Island, where I live. Uncertainty about evacuation and potential damage is difficult. I’ve been in “Hurricane Bootcamp” with Mom in Florida during the severe/tornado before Katrina . Now the nursing home that she resides in in Long Beach, NY may be evacuated.

The Journey

One day you finally knew

what you had to do, and began,

though the voices around tou kept shouting their bad advice-

though the whole house

began to tremble

and you felt the old tug at your ankles.

“Mend my life!”

each voice cried.

But you didn’t stop.

You knew what you had to do,

though the wind pried

with its stiff fingers

at the very foundations,

though their meloncholy was terrible.

It was already late

enough, and a wild night,

and the road full of fallen branches and stones.

but little by little,

as you left their voices behind,

the stars began to burn through the sheets of clouds,

and there was a new voice

which you slowly recognized as your own,

that kept you company

as you strode deeper and deeper

into the world,

determined to do

the only thing you could do-

determined to save

the only life you could save

-Mary Oliver, from Dreamwork

LOST

Stand Still. The trees ahead and the bushes beside you

Are not lost. Wherever you are is called Here,

And you must treat it as a powerful stranger,

Must ask permission to know it and be known.

The fprest breathes. Listen. It answers,

I have made this place around you,

If you leave it you may come back again, saying Here.

No two trees are the same to Raven.

No two branches are the same to Wren.

If what a tree or bush does is lost on you,

You are surely lost. Stand still. The forest knows

Where you are. You must let it find you.

Arrangement by David Wagner

Cited in The Heart Aroused, by David Whyte

The Guest House

This being human is a guest-house

Every morning a new arrival.

A joy, a depression, a meanness,

some momentary awareness comes

as an unexpected visiator.

Welcome and entertain them all!

Even if they are a crowd of sorrows,

who violently sweep your house

empty of its furniture.

Still, treat each guest honorably.

He may be clearing you

out for some new delight.

The dark thought, the shame, the malice,

meet them at the door, laughing,

and invite them in.

Be grateful for whoever comes,

because each has been sent

as a guide from beyond

-Say I Am You poems of Rumi

Translated by John Moyne and Coleman Barks

Maypop 1994

Love After Love

The time will come

when, with elation,

you will greet ypurself arriving at your own door, in your own mirror,

and each will smile at the other’s welcome

and say, sit here. Eat.

You will love again the stranger who was yourself.

Give wine. Give bread. Give back your heart

to itself, to the stranger who has loved you

all your life, whom you have ignored

for another, who knows you by heart.

Take down the love letters from the bookshelf,

the photographs, the desparate notes,

peel your own image from the mirror.

Sit. Fest on your life.

-Derek Walcott

THE SUMMER DAY

Who made the world?

Who made the swan, and the black bear?

Who made the grasshopper?

This grasshopper I mean-

the one who has flung herself out of the grass,

the one who is moving her jaws back and forth instead of up and down-

who is gazing around with her enormous and complicated eyes.

Now she lifts her pale forearms and thoroughly washes her face.

Now she snaps her wings open, and floats away.

I don’t know exactly what a prayer is.

I do know how to pay attention, how to fall down

into the grass, how to kneel down in the grass,

how to be idle and blessed, how to stroll through the fields,

which is what I’ve been doing all day.

Tell me, what is it you plan to do

with your one wild and precious life?

From: The House of Light – by Mary Oliver

WILD GEESE

You do not have to be good.

You do not have to walk on your knees

for a hundred miles through the desert, repenting.

You only have to let the soft animal of your body

love what it loves.

Tell me about despair, yours, and I will tell you mione.

Meanwhile the world goes on.

Meanwhile the sun and the clear pebblesof the rain are moving across the landscapes,

over the prairies and the deep trees,

the mountains and the rivers.

Meanwhile, the wild geese, high in the clean blue air,

are heading home again.

Whoever you are, no matter how lonely,

the world offers itself to your imagination,

calls you like the wild geese, harsh and exciting-

over and over announcing your place in the family of things.

From: Collected Poems -by Mary Oliver

Until one is committed there is always hesitancy,

the chance to draw back, always ineffectiveness.

concerning all acts of initiative and creation,

there is one elementary truth,

the ignorance of which kills countless ideas and splendid plans; the moment one definitely commits oneself, then providence

moves too.

All sorts of things occur to help that would never otherwise have occurred.

A whole stream of events issues from the decision,

raising to one’s favor all manner of unforeseen accidents and meetings

and material assistance which no man could have dreamed would come his way.

Whatever you do or dream you can, begin it.

Boldness has genius, power and magic in it.

Goethe

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Mental Feng Shui

Posted in Uncategorized, tagged mental feng shui on August 22, 2011 | Leave a Comment »

This is without a doubt one of the nicest good luck forwards I have received. Hope it works for you — and me

Lotus Touts: You have 6 minutes

There’s some mighty fine advice in these words, even if you’re not superstitious. This Lotus Touts has been sent to you for good luck from the Anthony Robbins organization. It has been sent around the world ten times so far.

The Lotus Touts must leave your hands in 6 MINUTES. Otherwise you will get a very unpleasant surprise. This is true, even if you are not superstitious, agnostic, or otherwise faith impaired.

ONE. Give people more than they expect and do it cheerfully.

TWO. Marry a man/woman you love to talk to. As you get older, their conversational skills will be as important as any other.

THREE. Don’t believe all you hear, spend all you have or sleep all you want.

FOUR. When you say, ‘I love you,’ mean it.

FIVE. When you say, ‘I’m sorry,’ look the person in t he eye.

SIX. Be engaged at least six months before you get married.

SEVEN. Believe in love at first sight.

EIGHT. Never laugh at anyone’s dreams. People who don’t have dreams don’t have much.

NINE. Love deeply and passionately. You might get hurt but it’s the only way to live life completely.

TEN.. In disagreements, fight fairly. No name calling.

ELEVEN. Don’t judge people by their relatives.

TWELVE. Talk slowly but think quickly.

THIRTEEN! … When someone asks you a question you don’t want to answer, smile and ask, ‘Why do you want to know?’

FOURTEEN. Remember that great love and great achievements involve great risk.

FIFTEEN. Say ‘bless you’ when you hear someone sneeze.

SIXTEEN.. When you lose, don’t lose the lesson.

SEVENTEEN. Remember the three R’s: Respect for self; Respect for others; and Responsibility for all your actions.

EIGHTEEN. Don’t let a little dispute injure a great friendship.

NINETEEN. When you realize you’ve made a mistake, take immediate steps to correct it.

TWENTY.. Smile when picking up the phone. The caller will hear it in your voice.

TWENTY- ONE. Spend some time alone.

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Meditation: Benefits and How to Meditate

Posted in alternative modality, grounding, health, holistic, meditation, mind-body, tagged breath, goal setting, grounding, holistic, meditation, mindful meditation, stress on August 21, 2011 | 3 Comments »

“Meditation is simply about being yourself and knowing who that is. It is about coming to realize that you are on a path whether you like it or not, namely the path that is your life.”
Jon Kabat-Zinn

The definition of meditation is to reflect on; to contemplate.Hindu and Buddhist traditions train to calm, to empty the mind, often by achieving an altered state; as by focusing on a single object. Some define meditation as devotional contemplation as in prayer. For purposes of this article, we will focus on meditation as being present in the moment and calming and relaxing the mind.

How to Meditate

As a beginner to meditation, some simple ways to make meditation a daily practice are available. Let’s explore some steps to get started.

1. Make a decision to begin your mindful meditation.

2. Prepare a special place in your home. Many create a sacred altar. It is helpful to use the same room or part of a room each time you meditate.

You want to bring loving and positive energy into your mindful meditation space. The purpose is to be apart from the ordinary day to day experience. Once you get started and feel comfortable with the process continue to your special place. Add flowers, crystals or rocks. Whatever you like as you go a long to make it special. For now light a special candle.

3.Commitment: Having this special space will assist you to keep your commitment to your new practice.

4. Time: Create a regular time of day to get the benefits of meditation. Energy workers recommend every twelve hours. The most beneficial times are to begin and end your day with meditation; when you are most receptive and open.

5. Start with a Comfortable position: Sitting upright allows the energy of the body to flow; and helps to avoid falling asleep which is easy to do when relaxed. If it is difficult to sit upright, lying down also works.

Do not cross your arms or legs. You can open your hands palms open to symbolize your open and readiness. Or place them pals down on your knees or folded together thumbs touching without interlacing fingers to create a grounding position.

6. Breath: The most important part of meditation is the breath. Bring your attention to the breath. The breath is our life force energy. Simply notice the breath as it moves up and down as your body inhales and exhales. If your mind wanders, simply bring it back. Just bring awareness to what is going on within you.

Don’t get discouraged if the mind wanders. Just allow any thoughts, feelings and bodily sensations to come and go. You are retraining it through practice. The purpose of meditation is to go inward and quiet the mind.

7. Five Minutes: Begin slowly and work your way up to ten minutes and so on. You can continue to progress to 45 minutes to an hour. As you relax into the experience, time will stand still and relaxation and ease will permeate you.

8. If you have trouble with the silent breathing meditation you can try a Mp3 to guide you at the beginning.( See link below) to become fully present in the body. Imagine your feet going into the earth and allow that energy to move up your body feeling solid, strong and purposeful like a tall oak tree. A grounding meditation can be done two ways. You can also learn to bring the energy and presence into your body.

Reaping all the benefits of meditation takes practice and the commitment to the daily ritual. Regularity will quicken the success you have in experiencing this. You will soon begin to feel that still point or the stillness that the ancient teachers spoke of.

Mindful Meditation Tips:

Calm and stability of the mind is the purpose of mindful meditation. As we continue our practice, the time we give to our self and meditation becomes a precious gift. A higher purpose to this practice is to bring this calm and stable energy to every part of our day and experiences. We become the calm in the storm. We are able to remain peaceful even during stress and challenges.

Mindfulness also supports us to be in the present moment. Being fully present means not living in the past or future. This moment is all there is. We create in the present. Our creativity and intuitive knowing are felt in the presence of the moment. As we become regular meditators, inspiration, insights and intuition are the gifts we receive from our dedication and commitment.

Benefits of Meditation

Meditation is proving to have physiological, psychological as well as spiritual benefits. The April 21 issue of Brain Research Bulletin, the researchers found that people trained to meditate over an eight-week period were better able to control a specific type of brain waves called alpha rhythms. An article in Psychology Today states that neuroscientists have found that meditators shift their brain activity to different areas of the cortex, brain waves in the stress-prone right frontal cortex move to the calmer left frontal cortex. Studies are showing that meditation helps with stress, fatigue, strengthen the immune system and much more.

Seven Top Benefits of Meditation:

1. Many health benefits including increasing blood flow and slowing the heart rate. Research has revealed that meditation increases the activity of the natural killer cells which kill bacteria and cancer cells.

2. Helps concentration and focus. Many athletes reap the benefits of meditation to strength their concentration to become better at their sport.

3. Builds self confidence and help with phobias and fears

4. Aids your efforts to quit smoking and addiction

5. Brings more inner harmony and brings a deeper understanding of oneself and others.

6. Helps bring more peace of mind which benefits us holistically; mind, body and spirit.

7. Meditation can help you to discover your purpose for being here.

Mindful Meditation is simple to learn and becomes natural with practice and commitment. It is free and can be done in your home, office or out in nature.

Meditation can cultivate an inner peace and happiness that most everyone longs for in this life experience. In this busy, hectic world, meditation is a key to bring more balance, relaxation and peace to life. I invite you to get started today.

You may even meditate at work (if push comes to shove). Encourage your company to provide a space for this.

Listen to Moving Meditation® Fitness: These are two sections of an audio program that I produced in 1985:

	Track #2: Rythmic Movement
	Track #7: Guided Relaxation

and see Stress Reduction Tips on my website BalanceandPower

Arrange a FREE 15 minute telephone consult to find out how we can work together to meet your goals.

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Why You Struggle with Food (And How to Change This) – Video

Posted in anxiety, EFT, Emotional Freedom Techniques, emowerment, energy meridian tapping, food, self-help, tagged anxiety, eating disorder, EFT, emotional eating, emotional freedom techniques, food, meridian tapping, stress eating, weight issues, weight loss on August 15, 2011 | Leave a Comment »

If you struggle with food or weight issues
in any way I want to recommend a video for
you to watch right now…

It will only take you a few minutes and it
will have a profound impact on you, in a
very tangible way that you'll be able to
feel right as you watch.

The video is of EFT expert Carol Look using
EFT Tapping with an audience member at a live
event called "The Tapping Experience", to help
her overcome her overpowering food cravings.  

Here's what I recommend…

Watch the video and as you do, do the EFT Tapping
along with them.  Even if you don't know how to
do Tapping just copy what they're doing and
repeat what they're saying as if you were
one of the members of the audience.

And as you do you'll begin to feel how effective
EFT Tapping is in helping people get to the
root cause of food and we*ght issues and how
it is used to resolve these issues quickly.

Here's the link to the video:

http://www.thetappingsolution.com/cmd.php?Clk=4419279

One interesting thing that you'll realize
when watching is that your food issues aren't
about the food…

Yup, that's right…they are NOT about the food.  

You'll get to find out what they ARE about as
you watch the video and tap along.

This is some powerful stuff that can have an
immediate impact on your life.

http://www.thetappingsolution.com/cmd.php?Clk=4419279

Enjoy the video and make sure to share your
comments on how the video effected you on the
blog after you watch.

Eileen Lichtenstein

P.S. - Up to this point you've probably just
been told to deal with we*ght issues by eating
less and exercising more.  It hasn't been that
easy though has it?  

You're about to find out that there's more to
it than that but there's a simple solution… 

 http://www.thetappingexperience.com/EFT/

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Reduce Stress, Create Dreams and Heal Your Life Physically & Emotionally

Posted in anxiety, communication, confidence, goal setting, guided imagery, life coach, long island, positive energy, positive psychology, positive thinking, productivity, relationships, relaxation breathing, resilience, self esteem, self- care, self-help, seminar, strategy, stress, stress management tips, stress resilience, success, transformative, work-life balance, workshops and trainings, worry, tagged anger management, anxiety, coaching, EFT, goal setting, happiness, life coaching, long island, mind-body, New York, success, workshops on August 15, 2011 | 1 Comment »

Perk-u-lators Event:
How to Thrive Amidst Chaos
“Reduce Stress, Create Dreams And Heal Your Life Both Physically And Emotionally”

“LET THE PERK-U-LATORS PERK U UP!”

When: Sunday September 18, 2011
Time: 9:30 AM – 6:00 PM
Location: Holiday Inn Westbury
369 Old Country Road Carle Place, NY 11514
Lower Level Holiday Inn 516 997 5000

Cost: $100.00
Event Registration closes 8/22

Do you find yourself repeating patterns that are not working?
Do you find yourself going over and over in your mind how you should have handled a situation differently?
Are you losing control in your life, In your business and/or in your relationships?

Are You One of These People?

If you answered yes to any of the above, then You must attend this workshop!!!!

Learn hands-on techniques to:

Reduce Stress
Gain Confidence
Create Effective Goals

We provide ALL the tools you need to Reduce Stress, Create Dreams and Heal your Life both Physically and Emotionally

The Perk-u-lators are:

Eileen Lichtenstein, MS Ed is a Peak Performance Success Coach with over 25 years in the stress management and coaching field, a Certified Anger Management Specialist, EFT Practitioner and author “SOAR! with Resilience”™
www.balanceandpower.com

Rev. Diana Moore A/K/A Light Teacher™ is a certified hypnotist, with over 25 years experience as a life coach. She is author of “The Self-Empowerment System” (as seen on TV) and originator of the Light Work System.
www.Lightteacher.com

Rev. Wilma Zaltman MS Ed is a Transformation Leader, Visionary and Health Intuitive, with over 35years experience in the field of stress management.
www.reverendwilma.com www.morpho-transcendence.com

CALL NOW to RESERVE YOUR SPACE! Eileen: 516.623.4353
Event Registration closes 8/22

Paypal below or or mail check to:
Eileen Lichtenstein, Balance & Power, Inc.
PO Box 894
Baldwin, NY 11510

eileen@balanceandpower.com

Cost: $100

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