• Find a quiet spot and time where you won't be disturbed for about 20 minutes.
• Close your eyes and take in some slow, deep breaths. Do this for a while until you feel a bit more relaxed and calm.
• Do a quick body scan to see where your discomfort is and breathe into those areas as described in previous blog entries.
• Now that you are fully in your body, bring your attention to the space around your body. For simplicity, see this space like an egg; equal on all sides and only extending about 2 feet from your body. This may be hard to do at first so perhaps you can start with the space right in front of you and move to all the sides one at a time. What does it feel like? Is it smooth or spikey? Is it heavy or light? Do you see or feel colors? Does it feel happy, sad or indifferent? Are there tears or holes? Pay attention to whatever you are feeling and/or seeing with your inner eye. Sit with this for a while. I would recommend doing this exercise a few times to get really comfortable with it before moving on to part two.
• This exercise brings you out of your body for a bit so before you get up and walk away, do a quick grounding exercise: Wiggle your feet for a bit; almost like stretches. Then picture your feet as the branches and leaves of a tree and see/feel the roots going deep into the earth and locking into the iron core. You can combine them and have one big root that grows down or have 2 trees, one for each foot. I find it easier to do two trees but play with both and see what works for you. 
  
  
   Part two
  
  
• Start off the same as the 4 steps in Part one.
• Check in on your EF. What is it doing and how does it feel? Take note.
• Now take in a deep breath and as you exhale intend that you are blowing your EF out to about 20 feet. This may take several out breaths to achieve.
• Once you feel you've reached that distance, hang out there for a bit. How does it feel to be that big? Are you picking up colors or feelings? Do you feel powerful and confident or is it uncomfortable?
• Once you've had enough of being 'out there,' on the in breath start pulling your EF back....really close to your body now. Pay attention to the different distances. As you pull it back, you may find a distance that feels good. Take note of that for now.
• Now that you've pulled it really close to your body, how does that feel? Is it too small for you? Do you feel isolated and/or alone? Or does it make you feel strong and/or content? Be there for a while.
• Now, with the breath move your EF to a distance that felt the most comfortable for you.
• Do the grounding exercises above.

When I was in South Africa, I had the opportunity to hold and play with baby lions. I cannot express in words how amazing this experience was for me but what I can tell you is, at that moment, I was in total alignment with who I am. This is what cats of all kinds do for me. They help me to connect with my soul or authentic Self – the real me.

During the course of a day, we are busy working, cooking, doing projects, cleaning, tending to the children, etc. Although these things are necessary, they can keep us from connecting to our authentic Self. Additionally, we put on masks and become something we are not when we go to a meeting or to the store or talk to that person we don't really want to see. How often are you in alignment with who you really are? For me, cats put in that special place when I am around them and even when I think of cuddling one. What gets you there? Whatever you do that gets you there...do it...because that feeling is also the same feeling you need when you want to create something you do not have.

This leads us to the Law of Attraction. A book and subsequent movie called, 'The Secret,' seems to have popularized this concept as it was a bestseller in the US and Canada (2006). I only really understood the application of this Law when I read, 'Ask and it is Given, ' by Esther and Jerry Hicks. They add the physics aspect of the concept by discussing how we must be in 'vibrational' alignment with who we are and that thing we desire. Here is their definition:

“The Law of Attraction: That which is like unto itself is drawn. Whatever you are giving your attention to causes you to emit a vibration (via thought forms), and the vibrations that you offer equal your asking, which equals your point of attraction. If there is something you desire that you currently do not have, you need only put your attention upon it, and, by the law of attraction, it will come to you, for as you think about this thing or experience that you desire, you offer a vibration, and then, by law that very thing or experience must come to you. However, if there is something that you desire that you currently do not have, and you put your attention upon your current state of not having it, then Law of Attraction will continue to match that not having it vibration, so you will continue to not have that which you desire. It's the Law.”

Let's apply this into our lives by using money as an example. We all want it but how many of us have an abundance of it? After reading the above statement you might think, “Well, my attention is on money all the time so why isn't it coming to me?” My mother is a good example of this. I love her but just about every conversation I have with her, she talks about how much money she doesn't have. If we understand the Law of Attraction, then it makes sense she doesn't have money because her focus is on the lack of it. What are your feelings about money?

Alternatively, have you ever noticed when you ARE in alignment with that thing you want? Many years ago, I participated in 10 pin bowling. One year, my average had gone up quite significantly as I switched from a normal grip to a fingertip grip so when the tournament was announced, I knew I was going to win. There was no doubt in my head or heart. I was in perfect alignment with that thing I wanted and I won. It was such a strong, good feeling. If you focus on the lack of something then you don't feel good. It's really that simple.

My lion example is presented to give you a set-point. You may not understand when you are in alignment with that thing you desire but if you do something that feels good (for me, cuddling cats) that will give you an idea of what alignment is suppose to feel like. It's all about feeling, which I can't stress enough. YOU CAN TELL WHAT YOU ARE OFFERING VIBRATIONALLY AND THEREFORE WHAT COMES BACK TO YOU BY THE WAY YOU FEEL.

Technique 5

Before we break down the steps on how to get into vibrational alignment with the thing you desire, you first must be aware of what vibrations you are offering to the world. Perhaps write down the answers to these questions:

• Pay attention to your immediate outside world. Is there chaos around you or calmness? Are you stressed?
• Does your family, friends, neighbours, or coworkers make you feel happy or sad or frustrated?
• What vibrations are you offering about important things in your life? 
• What is the main focus (and therefore your main vibrational offering) in your life right now?

Technique 6

• Write down a list of things you desire. Then write how you feel about those things. If you desire a new car, for example, do you feel like you don't deserve a new car? Write down everything you feel about this desire. Does the vibration you are offering about that new car match the feeling of having that car?

If you do these exercises or at least start paying attention to the thoughts you are offering about different things in your life and what is coming back to you, you will see for yourself if the Law of Attraction is a real thing or not. Don't just listen to me. Your experience with this is the only proof you need. You may also begin to notice that you have more control over what happens in your life that you previously thought, which is the entire point of this blogsite!

If you have noticed that you are not in alignment with the things you desire, how can you change that? In the next blog, i will list some ideas and examples of how you can alter what you are currently offering.

As mentioned in the previous blog entry, our dominant thoughts determine where our energy goes. Have you worked out yet where your energy is going? It can be difficult to assess this because we have so many thoughts going on simultaneously but by now you may have noticed one or two common themes in your thinking. With many people, including myself, one of the predominant thoughts is of Self-sabotage. I enjoy my own company and quite like who I am but when I started really paying attention to my internal dialogue, I was surprised by the negative stuff that came up! The problem here is that you may have been thinking negative thoughts about yourself for so long, you don't even realize it is dictating your behavior. So this entry is about you paying more attention to what you are saying about yourself and what you feel when someone is talking to you. REMEMBER, YOUR EMOTIONS ARE YOUR GUIDE TO WHAT IS GOING ON WITH YOU. ALWAYS. If you are thinking positive thoughts about yourself, you will feel good. When you feel good, you are in alignment with who you really are. We will get more into this in the next blog entry when we discuss the Law of Attraction.

Technique 2

First and foremost, you must be aware of what you are thinking about yourself. Just start with that. Once you have a better grasp on your thoughts, start paying attention to where you feel that negative thought in your body. The body has an intelligence and knows more than your mind does which is why I continue to stress paying attention to it. If you feel tightness in a part of your body when you are thinking you are fat or ugly, for example, then you will understand why there is tension in that part. When that part hurts or tightens again, you will know, “oh I just said I cant wear that cute little top because I’m too fat.” This is a very simple example but you get the idea. Perhaps you could go back to that part of the body when you have some quiet time and sit with it to see what more it brings up for you. Again, breathe through it and release it (see previous blog entry for more info on that). These simple acts will increase your awareness and therefore your intuition more than you can understand at this point.

Technique 3

Next, when you are having a conversation with someone, pay attention to how you feel when they are talking and where you feel it in your body. People in our circle, particularly our loved ones, push our buttons. When they get pushed, we just react without even being aware of what just happened! For example, many years ago I had a boss that would constantly cause me to react without even thinking. Most often this reaction was in a very defensive manner. I didn't like him and he annoyed me anytime he was in my presence. I started asking the question, “why does he bother so much?” One day, I did my usual and just reacted to something he said when I noticed that I felt a knot in my solar plexus. I didn't quite understand but I started paying more attention to that part of me when I talked to him. I got to a point where I was able to lengthen the time between the trigger and my response by breathing. I would feel the knot, not say anything until I took in a few breaths, then I could CHOOSE to respond differently. I had control! After having plenty of opportunities to practice this, he stopped bothering me, like completely. I was finally able to see the light in him which I could not see before. He didn't change at all but I was able to change my response to him and in the end reduce my stress.

It is important for you to pay attention to what your body is saying to you before we begin learning about the energy field. Your body is a guide; another tool for you to use to see where you are at any given moment. Trust it.

Airports. An energetic nightmare. So many people, all completely unaware of what they are doing energetically to themselves or others. Emotions are everywhere here. Some are happy. Some are sad. Some are just mad because they missed their flight or flights are delayed. Some just want to get home. I don't do well in crowds. I never have and airports freak me out. So here I am....in a busy airport first thing in the morning. Mornings are not the best time for me however on this day I am going on vacation in a tropical place. I had coffee and breakfast so I’m actually feeling pretty good. Much to my partners' dismay, we are early because that reduces my stress, so I venture out to check out airport shopping. All of a sudden, I feel irritated, the feeling I get when I haven't eaten in a few hours. Where did this come from? I ate. Blood sugar is good. Had coffee. Did I eat something that irritated my bowels? These are always my first thoughts, i.e, what's going on with me? Then I realized.....it's not me. I have been affected by someone else's stuff. Right, so now that I know it's not me I can solve this problem. It's actually much harder when it's your own stuff. I head to the bathroom because this is really the only place in an airport I can have some privacy. Here, I proceed to ground myself, cut cords, clear my energy field and put protection around myself, something I clearly forgot to do before I left the house. I feel better and proceed with my day.

I have been a Reiki practitioner/teacher for more than 10 years. For the most part I am aware of what my energy field is doing, but not always. This day at the airport made me mad. All these people walking around completely oblivious to what they are doing energetically. It is not their fault. They weren't taught about this invisible energy field that is all around us. I wasn't either until my 30's so how can I blame anyone for what they don't know? But people need to know because our energy field is a huge part of who we are. Interestingly, it is our signature when we meet people. It is a pin-up board with all our stuff hanging out there for people to see. Our nice stuff is there too. We know this innately because we feel something when we meet people. We just don't know how to separate what we are feeling from what we are thinking. Therefore, we spend far too much time listening to what people are saying with the mouths rather than how we feel when they are speaking. Additionally, when we do pick up something about someone, i.e., we don't trust that feeling as our mind will step in and say, “don't be silly.' We spend far too much time in our own heads, thinking about what we are not feeling! To understand the difference between our heads and our emotions, we must be aware of what our own energy field and physical body are doing; how we are effecting it and how it is affecting us. Once we know that, we can separate our stuff from someone else's. In this process, we can understand who we are; what drives us and what is the predominant frequency we are giving off. Let me say that more clearly; OUR DOMINANT THOUGHTS DETERMINE WHERE OUR ENERGY GOES. We spend time searching for answers outside ourselves when we only need to look within. Yes, look within. There are many self-help, new age/spiritual books on the shelves so it is a bit cliche' but it has truth. Once you know what your energy field is all about you can not only use it to your advantage to alter situations but you can also use it for protection and to heal yourself/others. The purpose of this blog, then, is to empower you with tools in order to see/feel the unseen and take more control over your emotional, mental and spiritual life.

You probably think we should start our awareness process with exercises that demonstrate how to scan our energy field as that is what we've been talking about thus far. However, the physical body is important too in that it acts as a guide for what we are feeling and where we are feeling it. Another very useful tool to help us identify what and how we are feeling instead of what we are thinking.

The body holds tension in it. Where that tension is in you may be different than where I hold it. So a couple times through the course of your day, evening or night, check in on your body. It helps to go somewhere private initially. I would go into the bathroom at work as it was the only place I could sit quietly and not be disturbed for a few minutes. I can do it quickly now but when I first started all this, it took a long while and then I would forget to do it. I had to put post-it notes around my house and on my computer. All the note would say is, 'breathe.' Then I would know to stop and just be quiet, breathe.


Technique 1

• Start by taking in 3 deep breaths and letting the air out slowly. Sometimes you will need more than 3 breaths and that's fine. This helps you to center a bit, slow the brain down and get more into your body.
• Now bring your attention to your feet. It can be difficult to do both at the same time (at least it was for me) so perhaps focus on one at a time. What do they feel like? Hot? Cold? Heavy? Light? Tight? Relaxed? Do you see or feel a color?
• After your feet then go up the legs (knees, thighs, hips) and ask the same questions.
• When you get to the solar plexus take in a few deep breaths into that area. I say that because many of us hold tension there and we don't know it until we focus on it. This may take you a while so stay here as long as you need to. It took me years to be able to breathe deeply here.
• Now go to the chest, shoulders, throat and face.
• Check your jaw for clenching.
• Now that you know where your tension is, go back to those areas and relax them. Breathe into them and feel your muscles relaxing with every out breath. See that area expanding and contracting as you breathe. Feel it releasing and allow yourself to let go of what is yours and what you have carried for others. You may need a visualization for releasing tension so perhaps think of black stuff being released from that area of the body. Sometimes I think of that movie, The Green Mile, when John Coffey releases all that black stuff from his mouth after healing someone. Find a visualization that works for you. That is the most important.

Through this scanning and releasing process you may get images of people or a scene from your past (or currently) that plays out whenever you are in a particular tension area. Pay attention to everything and trust that you will understand what you need to. Trust that whatever images your are getting are real and deserve to be acknowledged. You may say to yourself, 'well, that's just my head making up stuff.' This is what I battled with for a long time until my teacher said to me, 'but why did THAT particular scene come up?' We have many scenes that could be played out in front of us so why is that one playing at that moment? Additionally, your guide to understand what is real and what is made up in your head is how you feel when that image or thought comes up. Let me say that again. YOUR EMOTIONS ARE YOUR GUIDE. If nothing else, just trust that.

My plan is to teach you to become aware of your body, mind and soul, to trust yourself, grow your intuition and get out of your head. So we have much work to do! The next instalment will be a few more tips on the physical body before we move to the energy field itself.

As a Reiki practitioner/teacher, I have been working with energy for a while now.  I teach, lead workshops and perform treatments on people but it has only been in the last few years that I focused healing on myself, using the tools I acquired over the years. The real work started in 2012 when I decided to figure out where my blockages and fears were coming from.  I understand more about my energy field now; what it's doing, how it's interacting with others and how others are affecting me. We have more control over what we are doing energetically than we currently believe.  This is what I want you to know. I don't want to teach you Reiki or any other healing modality. I want to show you how easy it is to understand and respect the  energetic space around you and the energetic space around others. To do this you only need a keen sense of awareness which is just like a muscle you haven't used before. If you are ready to isolate and strengthen that muscle, I have some tools that can help you.   Although my healing process is nowhere near done, I have some information/tools that might be useful to you if you are wanting to learn about yourself and grow.