Growing up in Southeast Nebraska just 30 minutes from the home of Larry the Cable Guy, my vocabulary has been “enriched” by farm vernacular.  I have countless colorful cliches and idioms at my disposal.  For instance, if it has been a very long time since I’ve experienced a particular situation, that duration of time would be considered a “coon’s age”.  “I haven’t heard that in a coon’s age!”  If a piece of technology is giving me problems or the fish aren’t biting, “I must not be holding my mouth right”.  When you experience a sudden, unexpected acceleration, it is appropriate to exclaim, “Hold her head up, Newt!  She smells alfalfa!”  Life has been moving so fast and furious these past two weeks that I feel like I’m riding a psycho horse toward a burning barn.

The energy in traffic has been so frenetic and spun out that a trip to Target feels like bumper cars.  It’s times like these that I am happy to reflect back on simple wisdom from my farm girl roots to help me stay grounded.   While I have fewer and fewer occasions to bust our rural vernacular and being country may not be cool, I feel fortunate to have grown up on the land.  My days of running wild in pastures and plum thickets, building forts out of downed wood and abandoned implements, and playing midwife to four legged friends have forever shaped my understandings of ecology, physics and stewardship.  The workings of life are simple and elegant, but we can easily lose sight of what is real when life speeds up.  Here are some farm girl kernels to help you stay out of chaos and moving forward.

1.  “Make hay while the sun shines.”  Spring time is great for initiating new projects.  Now is the time to plant the seeds of change.  Remember,that it takes energy and careful tending to bring crops to fruition.  Don’t bite off more than you can chew lest you burnout and your endeavors wither before harvest.  It takes WAY more energy to perpetuate projects then it does to initiate them so choose your projects wisely.

2.  “Many hands make light work.”  Interrelationships in nature allow energy to flow and matter to cycle.  This is how life moves forward.  The same goes for us.  The more that we get involved in our local communities and build relationships, the greater our capacity to attract knowledge and resources to enhance our projects.  There is great strength in numbers!

3.  “There is more than one way to skin a cat.”  (No offense cat lovers… No cats were harmed in the crafting of this statement.)  Doing things the same old way will produce the same old results.  Adapting and trying a new approach may be what’s needed to move forward in ways that are easier, more profitable and sustainable.

4.  “You can’t mess with a skunk without getting skunk on you.”  Sometimes you’ve just got to walk away from people who are dragging you down.

5.  “Waste not, want not.”  When life speeds up, avoid making impulsive purchases.  If something catches your eye, walk on by and check in with yourself a few days later to see if you still feel as strongly about it.  Overspending on things that later fall into the “what was I thinking” category diverts energy away from more useful and important purchases…like airfare to San Diego from Tucson in mid-July.

Life has taken me far from my rural roots, but I tap into them every time I help a client who is turning the soil of self-transformation.  A grounded approach and a good dose of humor make the journey to healing and balance quick and easeful.  Whether you are ready to dig deep and unhook from old patterns that are preventing you from finding your spirit’s happiest expression or you just need help learning to relax and de-stresss, I can help.

Email me now to book a session and receive a special discount.  

Dig Deep & Be Well!

Dr. Jamie

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Breathing is a Core Element:

Remember to breathe slowly and deeply as you relax into each stretch.  The breath is just as important as the pose.  Pause between each pose to bring your focus back to breathing slowly and deeply.

I am including links to Yoga Journal for most of these poses since they do a great job of explaining and illustrating.

Morning Yoga Sequence

1.  Reclined Knee to Chest

How-to: Lie down on your back, arms and legs straight. Lift one knee into your chest. Flex both of your feet pulling your toes up toward your knee.  Hold the shin with both hands, or hook your elbow over the shin to provide some weight and help the knee release closer to your chest.  Breathe slow and steady deepening the stretch with each exhale.  Hold for the pose through 4 rounds of breathing (inhale/exhale).  Release and relax into a deeper breath.  Repeat on next side.  This is one rep.  Do two reps total before moving on.

2.  Reclined big Toe Pose (click here for instructions)

3.  Seated Twist (Click here for instructions)

4.  Cat and Cow (Click here for Cat Instructions) 

  (Click here for Cow Instructions)

5.  Sun Bird

How to:  Return to “Table Top” (flat back, hands flat on floor below shoulders, knees on floor directly under hips) position after last round of cat and cow.  From here extend your RIGHT arm straight out in front of you like superman, parallel to the floor.  Take a deep breath and extend your LEFT leg straight out behind you on the exhale.  Hold and breathe for 5 full breaths.  Release back to “Table Top”.  Repeat with LEFT arm and RIGHT leg outstretched.

If you have mastered this pose you may choose this variation to add a deep stretch to this balancing pose. Royal Sunbird (Click here)

6.  Brief meditation:  Sit quietly for 3-5 minutes with your eyes closed and focusing on your breath.  This is a good time to set intentions for the energy you would like to bring to this new day.  Visualize yourself moving through your day and having interactions with other people in this energy state.

Bed Time:  This sequence focuses heavily on forward bends as they are great for soothing our nervous systems and releasing tension and anxiety.  (Click the pose for instructions)

Pause and return to your breath after each pose.  Move slowly with your breath as you transition from one pose to the next.

1.  Child’s Pose- hold for 4 breaths

2.  Cat and Cow- 4-8 reps

3.  Half Lord- seated twist (2 times each side)

4.  Low Lunge- once each side (repeat 2 times)

5.  Return to Child’s Pose for 4 breaths

6.  Pigeon Pose-bending forward over front leg

7.  Head-to-Knee-forward bend

8.  Seated forward bend

9.  Reclined Twist (2 times each side)

10.  Happy Baby

11.  Shivasana for a few minutes

When coming out of Shivasana roll to your side and slowly come to sitting.  Continue to move slowly bringing the ease and relaxation you just created to your pillow.  Sweet Dreams!

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Courageously moving toward change opens our world to infinite possibilities.  You can have the life your heart desires!  However, adopting a balanced approach is vital if you want the change to stick.  Regardless of whether the transformation is happening on a personal or organizational level, change works best in smaller, manageable increments.  Through my school change research, I have seen educators become so elated by the psychological high of “progress” that they become “change happy” and overzealously initiate new program after new program without proper structures in place to sustain them over time.  Without suitable energy to support them, the programs eventually fail (Carson, 2007).  Further, biting off more than you can chew and radically changing too much at once can create shock and overwhelm leading to failure.  Sustaining positive, lasting change takes time and energy.  If we want changes to last, the tools we choose must be effective and affordable over the long haul. 

According to Business Week (2008), American’s spend approximately 40 billion a year on weight loss programs and products only to find their wallets lighter.  In 2009, the US spent $171, 826 million on foods and beverages marketed as being beneficial to health and wellness (Health and Wellness, 2009).  Hoping for a magic bullet, wonder cure makes us financially and even physically vulnerable.  Now more than ever, it is important that buyers beware and invest their money wisely.  Wellness is not bought, it is learned!  Letting go of our mental resistances and opening to new possibilities creates space for learning a new lifestyle and creating transformations that last.

When we move beyond fear, change can be fun and exciting, but there are no magic pills or potions.  We may wish for a fairy godmother to speed our transformations, but they are hard to come by.  These days, a good wellness coach is a better investment.  Here are my 4 steps to learning a new healthier, happier lifestyle.

Step 1:  Awakening to the need for change.  Many of us get so caught up in the stress of daily life that we are unaware of what we are doing to our bodies.  Once we become aware of the need for change, we realize that the old ways have not worked so we must try something new.  Mentally, we set the intention of committing to doing the work and moving beyond our current “dis-comfort zone”.  Our minds open to the possibility of a better life where we feel happier, healthier and freer to do the things we want to do.

Step 2:  Unhooking from bad habits and negativity.  Fad diets and trendy wellness programs fail because they don’t get to the root of the problem-our minds.  The thoughts we think have an impact on our bodies.  Becoming mindful of our thoughts is vital to taking control of our lives.  Negative self-talk creates more imbalances in our bodies making us feel even worse.  We are often unaware of these thoughts as well as false beliefs from childhood (not good enough, can’t do it right, etc.)  that sabotage our happiness.  Wellness coaches can help identify negative thought patterns and teach us strategies for unhooking.

Step 3:  Re-learning healthier strategies.  When we realize that we don’t have the bodies, energy level, happiness, etc. that we want, it is obvious that the tools we used to fashion our lifestyle failed.  It is time for a new set.  A wellness coach helps streamline the learning process getting us the results we want faster.  These new tools may include: different approaches to diet and exercise, stress management, relaxation, yoga, meditation and many more.

Step 4:  Applying the learning daily.  This is where we start to see results.  The more we are committed to applying new wellness skills and strategies daily the greater our success.  Staying positive and motivated is vital.  Surround yourself with positive people who support your new lifestyle.  Victory is at hand!

If you are awakening to the need for change, I am here to help you.  As a wellness coach, my clients range from men and women who struggle with chronic, often debilitating  illnesses like Chronic fatigue syndrome, Fibromyalgia, and Multiple chemical sensitivity (environmental illness) to overall healthy people who simply want to reduce stress and live a healthier, happier life.  Sessions are available via Skype or in person in Tucson.  Email me now to kick start your personal evolution revolution.

Be well!

Dr. Jamie

*Use contact form above to email me.

References

Carson, J (2007).  The Ecology of School Change.  Published dissertation, University of Arizona.

http://www.businessweek.com/debateroom/archives/2008/01/the_diet_indust.html

http://www.ats-sea.agr.gc.ca/amr/5526-eng.htm#a

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If I had a dollar for every time I have heard this I would be on a flight to Hawaii right now.  Meditation has somehow been elevated to a mystical level only attainable by hard core yogis, blissed out new-agers and monks.  The rest of us common folk who are unable to plop down on a cushion and instantly tune the world out can be very frustrated by our perceived failure.  Trying to learn to meditate without proper coaching is like setting out to be a concert pianist without first hiring a piano teacher.  Who wouldn’t throw their hands up in defeat after tackling a sheet of Chopin’s finest without proper training???

When learning any new skill, we must set ourselves up for success.  Attracting teachers/coaches who can speed our learning and help us to feel good about our efforts is step one.  We must feel successful in order to persist.  To be blunt, many beginners who are giving up on meditation have started off with techniques that are not appropriate for them as an individual.

There are many types of meditation out there and several steps to be taken to guide the beginner toward success.  From a wellness perspective, the goal of meditation is to bring the body and mind into a state of deep relaxation.  This gives our  nervous systems a little vacation which is good for our whole body.  More and more research is backing up beliefs about the health benefits of meditation.  In these challenging times, we can all use a health boost, and with proper coaching, we can ALL learn to meditate.

As a professional educator, I understand that all learners are unique.  We each bring our own energy, skills, learning styles and experiences to any new endeavor.  Adopting a one-size-fits-all approach to coaching is a recipe for failure.  This is why I create an individualized plan specifically designed for the needs of each client.   We will not ALL  find success learning meditation in the same way.  Thus, I integrate a wide variety of techniques when teaching meditation.  I am very excited about the success I am having with my new Zero Point Energy relaxation therapy.  I am combining Reiki with Zero Point Energy to help clients experience an ultimate state of relaxation (There’s a link below if you want to learn more about this.)  I then teach them meditation techniques to help hold that energy in place until they can come back for another Zero Point Reiki tune-up.

My ultimate goal is to help the client learn how to take themselves into deep relaxation on their own and carry that calm with them through day-to-day life.  This is the foundation for VIBRANT living!  As friends and clients who have dared to tell me “I can’t meditate” can testify, I am very passionate about this, and I will get you results.  Sí, se puede.  Yes, it is possible!  Sign up now for coaching via Skype or in Person in Tucson.  Also, stop by and experience the deep relaxation of my new Zero Point Reiki.  It really does take Reiki to a whole new level.  One hour sessions are only $50!  Email now to reserve your spot.  http://www.drjamiecarson.com/contact-us/

http://www.drjamiecarson.com/2012/06/14/deluxe-vacation-in-minutes/

Be Well!

Dr.  Jamie

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Our ancestors understood that down time is vital for living a happy, balanced life.  This is why vacation was created!  Taking time away from our daily lives to relax, explore new lands and smell the roses restores our spirits and enhances our work when we return refreshed.  If you must cut corners and eliminate vacation this summer, honor your body and your mind by setting aside time for less expensive mental mini-vacations.  I teach my clients a variety of simple meditation techniques that help them easily drop into a deep state of relaxation at will.  These mini-meditation breaks revitalize the mind, body and spirit protecting our nervous systems from stress and giving us the energy to do all that we wish to do.  I’m always  researching and exploring new techniques to help beginners drop into deeper states of relaxation with ease.  Recently, I have found a tool that has blown me away.

Being a Reiki III practitioner, I integrate energy work into my daily meditation routine.  A friend recently turned me on to the benefits of Zero Point Energy for clearing and balancing the bio-energetic field of the body (i.e. chakras).  My partner and I are both very impressed with the potency of this work.  He calls it the “15 minute vacation.  It’s like you’ve just got back from vacation- like hitting the “reset” button.  I think of it more like rebooting your spirit with a weekend at a spa.  We both agree that it feels stronger than Reiki and delivers a deeper state of relaxation in a very short time.  I was so impressed that I am now offering Zero Point “Reset” sessions to my clients.

Zero Point Energy Work sprang from the combination of quantum physics and metaphysical practice.  In physics, zero point energy is theorized to be the lowest possible state that a quantum mechanical system may have; it is the energy of the “ground state”.  Eastern, metaphysical practice has long taught that chakras are internal wheels or hubs that help energy to flow throughout our bodies.  When the flow of energy becomes blocked in a chakra, it can lead to emotional and physical manifestations of imbalance.  Zero point energy work helps to restore your chakras to their “ground” or original state.  If this all sounds a little too “far out” for you, I encourage you to at least try it.  My friends and clients are enjoying the experience and reporting feelings of deep relaxation and even emotional release.

As with any new trend, a marketing frenzy has begun.  If you decide to explore Zero Point Energy tools, be aware that there are a lot of cheep knock offs out there.  A network marketing movement appears to be providing good products, but as the pay structure of network marketing mandates, the prices are high.  You are invited to stop by for a relaxing “Reset” session and experience zero point energy for yourself.  I’m offering an hour session for $50 that will leave you utterly relaxed and in a vacation state of mind.  Your body and spirit will thank you!  Email me now to book an appointment!

Click on this link to email me  http://www.drjamiecarson.com/contact-us/

Appointments available in Tucson or Omaha areas.

Thanks for reading.

Be Well!

Dr. Jamie

http://reiki.org/faq/WhatIsReiki.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zero-point_energy

http://www.amazon.com/Wheels-Light-Chakras-Healing-Energy/dp/0671796240

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The students in Dr. Carson’s Teacher Education classes at the University of Arizona and the University of New Mexico have enjoyed her “approachable”, “fun”, and “down-to-earth” teaching style and have praised her in-depth knowledge of teaching and learning. Clients, who have received consultations from her, have felt reassured by her ability to simplify complex situations and generate easy strategies for forward momentum.

In 2008, Dr. Carson was diagnosed with Idiopathic Environmental Intolerance and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. Once an energetic, outdoor enthusiast, performance artist, and vibrant professor, Dr. Carson’s illness left her housebound for nearly a year.  She was advised by doctors that there was nothing to be done to help her recover. Unwilling to accept defeat, she began researching and exploring cutting-edge alternative therapies recreating her wellness.

Today she is sharing her wellness research and first hand knowledge or chronic, stress-related illness through her wellness/life coaching practices.  Dr. Carson also teaches Yoga and Meditation for stress reduction both in person and via Skype.  Her scholarly research interests have now turned to teacher wellness and burnout.

  learn more about Dr. Jamie Carson’s background

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