Rachel Archelaus's Blog: Psychic Life, page 23

Four Quick Ways to Bust Out of a Funk

When Baby feels like hiding, I take her out for some fresh air. She perks up in no time! Photo by Rachel Andrews

We all get into a funky mood now and then. When something is pulling our energy down, the first thing to do is to ask why. Are you healing from something? Are you connecting new pathways energetically? There are many reasons why feeling funky is normal, but you will probably be able to tell if you inquire within yourself. If none of those apply to your particular circumstance, then take a look at my favorite funk busters below.

1. Play your favorite upbeat song. I say upbeat, because if your number one favorite song always makes you cry, it probably won’t bust you out of a funk! I like dance music, silly music, pop, or anything strange, like Rock Lobster by the B-52s for this. Play it loudly and stand up while you’re listening. If your body wants to move, dance around. Sing along, too! Play with the words so you put your own style into it. Before you know it, you’ll be smiling.

2. Go for a drive. Driving around, especially on back roads where there are trees and hills, moves your body through different energy. You are basically forcing yourself into a new mode. If what got you into a funk was worrying or thinking negatively, make a motion of throwing those thoughts out the window. Leave them behind so when you go home, your mind will be clear. If you still aren’t feeling the benefits of driving, do double duty and put some fun music on the radio. I do this thing called “Dance Party in the Car” where I move around in my seat while singing and driving. If you do this, you’ll be getting other people out of funks too, because they will surely smile when they see you dancing in your car!

3. Powerwalk as fast as you can. It doesn’t matter if you do this in your living room, backyard, or down the street. Fast movement will shift your energy out of the rigid state it’s in and get it flowing again. Also, it will probably look and feel silly, which will put a smile on your face. And last but not least, breaking a sweat will release endorphins in your brain which produce a feeling of well-being and happiness.

4. Write down everything on your mind. If you just can’t get up the energy to try the first three, this at least will give you a feeling of relief. Often, we hold so much in our minds that the weight of all those “to-dos” and “I should haves” can crush us. Putting them on paper releases the pressure of having to remember everything. You can decide what to do with your list at a later time. The point now, is to relieve yourself from the duty of holding it all in.

These funk busters should shift your energy just enough to allow you to move on to another task with your good mood intact. The most important part of keeping your mood elevated is to give yourself permission to be happy. People often harbor so much guilt, that feeling good turns into a shameful thing. Release yourself from that pattern and let loose. The people around you will thank you for it, and your own life will soon seem much sweeter. If you have your own favorite mood busters, share them below in the comment section. I’d love to hear them!

Love,

Rachel

The Basics of Your Dynamic Self – The Subtle Body

Each layer of you adds depth to your experiences. Photo by Rachel Andrews

 

In addition to being physical, carbon based bodies, we are also energetic beings with actual electrical currents running through us all the time. The heart beats because of electricity and neurons move our muscles, manage our senses, and allow us to think. We’ve all pretty much come to accept this part, but there’s more!

We are also magnetic. Our energy fields carry a magnetic charge which repel the inner magnet against the outer magnet, this sends our aura out into the world. This is the work of magnetic poles, which as you know, attract and repel.

To keep our electrical and magnetic polarity balanced, we must keep our elements balanced. We are comprised of earth, water, fire, air and ether elements. Each one is in charge of many different ways of being. Each spot on the body has a partnership with a particular element. When they are in harmony and in balance, we function at our best.

We can’t forget the chakras either.  They are energy centers in specific points in a line up the body, and extend up past our head and below our feet. These connect us with the earth and source energy, and also connect our light energy to our bodies.

There are also meridians which need to flow properly. These look like a series of arteries running through the body.  They interact with the elements and our organs.  When one of these has a block, we will feel it.

What is important to keep in mind about all of these systems is that they complement each other. They all work to your advantage if you give them some attention and care.  If you have a disease, the area represented by the placement of the disease will show a lack of vitality, meaning the meridian point that represents the liver will be clogged if you have liver disease.  Your solar plexus will also be unbalanced and off-color if something is wrong in the liver, and so on.

Yes, this is a lot. If you are familiar and used to working with your energy systems then you know how overwhelming it felt at first. Maybe you got to know each element individually and put it all together slowly. Maybe, you just jumped in! Whatever your approach was, you know that daily attention to these areas pays off in a huge way. I know that when I take the time to balance, my life is at its most rewarding. I have better days, I have better insights, and I am in a much better mood.

If you are new to this, don’t fret. It’s not difficult, it just takes a little bit of time to become accustomed to viewing yourself as such a dynamic being. You should celebrate! Think of this as if you found a sister you never knew you had. You have inherited a family member that you love dearly, but before today, you didn’t even know she existed. You have just gained knowledge of a huge part of yourself, and that part is waiting to get to know you.

I want you to know that there are hundreds of ways to balance your energy systems. If you decide to look them up in books or online, please don’t scrap the whole idea because there are too many options. This is a great time to check in with yourself and use your intuition to guide you to the perfect starting place. If you aren’t yet familiar with how to do that, watch the Develop Your Intuition Video, Part 1. I will also be posting more information soon about each component of the subtle body, so check back soon.

Here’s to your ever-changing, always awesome, dynamically made, you!

Love,

Rachel

A new year poem by Lorraine Settanni

Mourning DoveLorraine Settanni 1/1/11I was glad to see it goIt seemed to linger Trapped in pain and discomfort  I swept away all remnantsOf its attendanceBefore the appointed departure  I didn't see it leaveOnly relished the calm and quietAnd awoke renewed and replenished  A Dove greeted meDawn of the New YearTo signal the end of Mourning
"When the mourning dove appears there will be messages and opportunities for growth"(http://www.spiritwalkministry.com)

E-Book

No Fresh Cut Flowers  an Afterlife Anthology
$9.99 E-Book & Soundtrack  

 
Save some trees and money by purchasing the electronic version of the book. After payment, you will get immediate download access to the soundtrack and book files.  Instant gratification :) 

Lots of love this holiday season,  
Rachel 

Pictures from the Book Release Party

The release party was a huge success.  Byron Danziger and Nick Doniger read their poems to a captivated crowd and everyone had a fantastic night.  To the left, my sister Jen, me, book designer Tina Mingolello and Brian Lipofsky who took charge in reading submissions.  Thank you to all who came and to all who appeared in spirit. 

Photo Illustrations from No Fresh Cut Flowers are available

Illustrating a book of poetry through photography was one of the most fulfilling things I have ever done.   In the beginning of the project I had expected to make drawings for each poem but when that started feeling forced, I switched to photographs.  A few of them had already been taken but most of them were inspired by the poems.  Thanks to the folks at The Owl Shop in New Haven I even had my first on-location photo shoot with a model.  Those photos, which feature Sarah Sartarelli, were inspired by Ariel Chance's poem "Black Ice."  Here are a few of the photographs from the book, though all of them can be viewed at my Print Shop.

Imagekind is having a Thanksgiving Day sale and offering 25% off everything- enter code GIVETHANKS at checkout.  This offer is valid until midnight 11/25.  Thanks in advance if you buy anything <3


Photo Illustration from No Fresh Cut Flowers by Rachel Andrews


Photo Illustration from No Fresh Cut Flowers by Rachel Andrews


Photo Illustration from No Fresh Cut Flowers by Rachel Andrews


Photo Illustration from No Fresh Cut Flowers by Rachel Andrews

Featured Poet: Greta Bolger

Greta Bolger's poem "The Vodou Afterlife" is published in No Fresh Cut Flowers, an Afterlife Anthology.  I asked her what inspired the poem and this is what she said:

"This poem came about at the intersection of my passions and obsessions: the often unbelievable cruelty of life, the total unknowability of death, and our fundamental need to believe that there is someone who cares about us out there somewhere. When, in early 2010, I heard the coverage of Haiti's earthquake on NPR (another passion), I was inspired to do further research into the beliefs of Vodouisants in Haiti and to imagine how desperately they must pray for relief from the calamities that continue to beset their country, how abandoned they must feel in this life, and how ready to welcome the next. Though most of us will never experience anything remotely as horrific as the people of Haiti have, I hope the poem conveys compassion for the inevitable physical and spiritual suffering of this life and hope for a better deal in the afterlife."

The Vodou Afterlife
If we believed, as NPR says the Haitians do,in 16 reincarnations, half as men,half as women, with a year and a dayin "the water" between each,we could live for 800 years,
give or take, with a different bodyeach time, so that even when earthquakescome, and hurricanes, and heart attacks,even when help is hard to come by,there is always next time, another chance
to hear what the rocks say, sense how the trees feel,to learn again what the animals know.Vodouisants are smart enough to knowthat their big guy god, Bondye, is far distantfrom creation, and cannot be held accountable,
so they send their prayers to the loa,lesser spirits, like Papa Legba,the guardian of the crossroads,Erzulie Freda, the spirit of love, Simbi,the spirit of rain and magicians,
Guede, the guardian of death.They don't stick pins, not anymore, butmake fake people out of discarded shoesand nail them on trees near the cemetery,messengers to the otherworld, to say hello,
maybe, or help us out with these hurricanes,or send us some rain in this unbreathable heat,or give us strong magic, or to scream enoughwith the crossroads already, we're already dead.Send water, Erzulie Freda. Send shovels.

Greta's contributor's note for No Fresh Cut Flowers is located on the Poet's page of this blog.  To order a copy of the book, go here.

No Fresh Cut Flowers, An Afterlife Anthology now on Amazon

 Click on the cover picture for the link
The book is available now on Amazon.com.   Wooohoo!  I've heard great things from the poets involved and also those who have purchased the book already.  The soundtrack, which is included with the book, has also had some excellent feedback.  I hope you love it!  For more info about the contributors, their bios are available on the poet and musician pages.

No Fresh Cut Flowers, An Afterlife Anthology Book Release Party

Come and celebrate the release of No Fresh Cut Flowers, An Afterlife Anthology with Sephyrus Press!

The book, edited by Rachel Andrews, contains poems from over 25 poets and is deliciously rich with thought provoking views of the afterlife, color photographs and comes with a full length soundtrack.
Meet some of the poets, enjoy a latte or some wine and eat some scrumptious food with us at this exciting event.

Can't wait to see you there!

The event is being held at Cafe Atlantique, 33 River Street, Milford, CT, on October 23th at 7pm.  For more information please email Rachel -at- Sephyrus.com.  

Postcard