Heidi DuPree's Blog, page 10

How to be more productive - play!

   "The opposite of play is not work - the opposite of play is depression." ~ Dr. Stuart Brown from Play: How it Shapes the Brain, Opens the Imagination, and Invigorates the Soul.

    For the past few months, I've been working on expanding my business online. Unfortunately, in my quest to complete a long list of tasks I started working every evening and weekend. It wasn't long before I lost my balance and was spending more and more hours being less and less productive. All work and no play makes Heidi a dull girl.

     I know I'm not alone. The American work culture is decidedly workaholic and focused on hyperproduction.. But overworking not only decreases productivity and creativity, it has a detrimental effect on health.  This is because without proper rest, sleep, and play, our energetic rhythms become flattened, which depresses our biological rhythms. In this post, I will talk about play.

      Play is the basis of art, fashion, movies, books, games and sports. It is not rigid or competitive. Play is purposeless, voluntary, uninhibited, improvisational, varied, pleasurable and energizing. Play adds excitement and adventure to our lives, increasing productivity and happiness.

     Corporate America is beginning to recognize the importance of play through the hiring of individuals with a strong play history. They do this because they recognize that innovation comes through play and those lacking in childhood play are also lacking in problem-solving skills.

     Bringing playful energy into my energy healing sessions has a dramatically positive effect on the healing process. Play is energy medicine! A playful approach accelerates releases of energy disruptions, raises frequency and restores vibrancy.  I have noticed this effect on my own energy when I'm engaged in play. Play makes me feel tingely and buzzy throughout my body. 

     What kinds of play did you enjoy as a child?  What creative endeavor do you enjoy?  Give yourself permission to do it now.

     The possibilities for adult play are limitless. Here are just a few examples:
     coloring in an adult coloring book     blowing bubbles     throwing around a ball     playing card games or board games     reading for pleasure      engaging in a hobby or craft     dancing to music      planning a fun outing or activity with friends     swinging on a swing

     Did you know that playing recordings of "dog laughter" calms and soothes shelter dogs?  It's the sound dogs make when they play.  Here is a clip of my dogs playing.  Enjoy!

Holistic products that can improve your dental health

     I recently posted about the health benefits of using coconut oil in an Ayurvedic dental practice called oil pulling. You can read it here. I also used several other products that were equally important in improving my dental health that I wanted to share with you. These of course improve health in general because dental health is not separate!  Health is health.

Fermented Butter Oil/Fermented Cod Liver Oil

     The first is a butter oil/fermented cod liver blend called Blue Ice Royal. It contains all the fat soluble vitamins essential for health. This formula was discovered by Weston Price who studied the diets of extremely healthy indigenous groups. You can purchase it online at the cod liver oil shop here.  I liked the cinnamon flavor and take a half teaspoon a day.


Flouride-free Toothpaste 

     Once I switched to a fluoride-free toothpaste several years ago, my daily headaches stopped. Fluoride is a highly toxic industrial waste product banned in most countries. Countries that do not flouridate their water do not have higher levels of tooth decay.  Read more about that here. Tom's of Maine carries flouride-free toothpastes. You can purchase them on amazon here.

Tooth Powders 

      Tooth powders have health benefits as well.  After putting some flouride-free toothpaste on my toothbrush, I sprinkle some tooth powder on it. I use Lumino Natural Tooth Polish Powder. It's made of bentonite clay, which makes the pH of the mouth more alkaline to inhibit bacterial growth. And the silica in the bentonite clay promotes stronger bones and teeth. You can purchase it on amazon here.

     Another tooth powder I use is Holistic Dental Tooth Powder sold here. It is a mixture of pure herbs that enhance health and well-being.  I ended up mixing both tooth powders together so I get the benefit of the bentonite clay and the herbs at the same time.



     Using these products along with oil pulling has eliminated my teeth sensitivity to cold, heat and pressure and made my mouth feel great! This information is shared to help you make informed choices for your dental health. For more holistic solutions, subscribe to this blog!

Oil Pulling: How to use coconut oil to improve your dental health

     Last year my dentist identified issues with my teeth, but didn't offer any solutions other than more fillings, and the usual brushing/flossing my teeth - which of course I was doing already. My teeth had become sensitive to heat, cold and pressure.  It was beginning to hurt to chew. And I had a nasty taste in my mouth. I knew something was not right.

     I began to research holistic dental health solutions and found out about the practice of "oil-pulling." An acquaintance shared that she had healed her cavities and receding gums with oil-pulling.  I definitely wanted to give it a try.

     Oil pulling is an ancient Ayurvedic dental practice that involves holding a tablespoon of coconut oil in your mouth and swishing it around for 20 minutes, and then spitting it out.  It dramatically reduces the bacterial load in your mouth, reduces infection and plaque, draws out toxins and even whitens teeth.  The detoxifying action of oil pulling reduces headaches, keeps skin clear, balances hormones and increases energy.



     At first, putting a tablespoon of coconut oil into my mouth made me gag.  And trying to hold it in my mouth made me feel like I couldn't breathe!  If you have this problem, start with a half tablespoon for 5 minutes and gradually work up to a tablespoon for 20 minutes. 

     The coconut oil will be semi-solid and opaque when you first put it into your mouth.  As it liquefies, swish it around and pull it between and around your teeth with the muscles in your mouth.  By the time you spit it out, it will be opaque again.

     After oil pulling for a few weeks, the heat, cold and pressure sensitivity in my teeth went away. My mouth felt fresher and just plain good!  I'm now hooked on the practice and do oil pulling before I brush my teeth every night.  I even do it while I'm on vacation.  I make up a baggie of one tablespoon of oil for every day of my vacation.  Then each day I pull out the baggie, swish the coconut oil it in my mouth for 20 minutes, spit it back in the baggie, seal the baggie and toss it. 

     There are other products that I used to improve my dental health that I will be sharing in a later post.  If you subscribe to this blog, you won't miss it!

How Our Pets Can Show Us What Needs to Heal

     Last week I wrote about my dog Stanley, and how he taught me to let go of worry. You can read that here.  It is amazing how our pets can teach us.  I wrote this post in 2012 for a now defunct blog.  It is about my dog Lexi, and how she taught me about letting go by acting as a mirror.
  
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     This evening my dog Lexi was barking like crazy at the windows because there was a strange dog in the neighbor's yard.  Nothing I did could get her to stop. She can be domineering and territorial.  Ever since I got her, I have tried to assert myself as her pack leader.  Lexi is eager to please and wants to do what I ask.  She will lie on her side in a surrender position when I ask her to. But the thing is, she never actually surrenders!  It seems no matter how long I ask her to stay in the surrender position, her body remains tense, ready to jump back up and resume barking.      And then it dawned on -- she is a mirror of me!     Lately I have been struggling to surrender to various life circumstances.  Like Lexi, I know how to go through the motions of surrender, but I rarely actually get there! I keep getting in my own way, trying to solve everything rather than turning it over and trusting that all is occurring in the exact right time and in the exact right way -- even when it doesn't seem to be.      So I took a deep breathe and mustered as much patience with Lexi as I could, staying with her until she completely relaxed and let out a deep sigh.  She had surrendered...and so did I.  Thank you Lexi!      If you are struggling to let go, be patient. Stay with your deep breathing for as long as it takes you to reach a state of relaxation. Eventually, you will surrender.          For more energy healing solutions, subscribe to this blog!

How to forgive when forgiveness doesn't come easy

     "Not forgiving is like drinking rat poison and then waiting for the rat to die.” ~ Anne Lamott     The quote above is pretty harsh, but it makes a good point. Withholding forgiveness creates more suffering to us than the person we are withholding forgiveness from. But that doesn't make forgiveness easy - especially if you use traditional definitions of forgiveness.

     The traditional definition of forgiveness assumes someone has done something wrong that needs to be excused or pardoned. But true forgiveness is the realization that there's nothing wrong because what we see in our lives is simply a match for what we vibrate in.  If we vibrate in victim, we attract victimization. But of course this is unconscious.  I want to make it clear that if you are attracting victimization in your life, you aren't doing it on purpose and you aren't doing anything wrong! There is no judgment in energetic vibration.  You can read more about that here.  The point is, once you recognize what you are vibrating in, you receive the gift of awareness, because awareness means you now have the option to do something about it instead of unconsciously repeating the pattern.     Let me give you an example. I recently went through a period of time when angry men kept showing up in my dreams and in my life - the angry client, or the guy cursing at the cashier next to me in line at the grocery store. One evening, two different men yelled at me as I passed them on my bike. I could no longer ignore the pattern.

     Naturally I felt hurt and victimized by these verbal attacks. But deep down I knew that whatever was happening in my outer life was a reflection of what was going on in my inner life. I had to look within at my inner angry man, a part of me I didn't like looking at. Now I hadn't done anything wrong and there was no judgment in the realization that I was carrying anger. It was just unpleasant to connect with this inner anger.

     By having the courage to look within, I shifted my energy from disempowered victim to empowered awareness. I needed to forgive these men that kept showing up and mirroring my inner angry man back to me.  And I needed to forgive myself for carrying anger.  What I learned  from the angry men was self awareness. And in becoming aware I received the gift of healing my anger through forgiveness.       An effective way to heal through forgiveness is the Ho'oponpono prayer. This simple prayer is an ancient Hawaiian practice of forgiveness and reconciliation used by healing priests for someone suffering from physical illness. It is: I love you. I'm sorry. Please forgive me. Thank you.  

     As I sat in my backyard and said these words repeatedly to myself while deep breathing, a deep sense of peace came over me. And afterwards I slept better, had less anxiety, more energy and no more angry men showed up in my life.  Indeed, the results can be miraculous - read more about that here along with more about how to do this simple prayer.      When you notice a pattern in your life, ask yourself:     What is this showing me?     What does this experience or person remind me of about myself?      What can I learn from it?      What needs to be forgiven?     And then try the Ho'oponpono prayer.



     For more energy healing solutions, subscribe to this blog! Thank you.

How to Heal: Trauma is Far More Common Than You Might Think

     We usually associate trauma with a major life event - the traumatic loss of a loved one, a traumatic accident that causes physical injury, or a traumatic divorce, etc. But in fact we are being traumatized every day. Sound like an exaggeration?  Consider this. Every single day on TV, the internet, and through social media we are being terrorized with a barrage of fearful messages. This produces trauma. We've become so desensitized to it that we may not even recognize what it's doing to us.

     Those who seek to control others know that traumatizing them with fear is very effective. Because people who are traumatized become more suggestible, which makes it easier for them to be manipulated and controlled. However, what is far more powerful than fear is love and compassion. Love and compassion are the antidote to fear, the energy medicine to heal your spirit and your heart from trauma.

     Here are some ways to stop the fear trauma and start the healing:

1. Stop watching mainstream news sources! Instead, seek out what inspires. Put posts from FB pages that have positive and healing messages at the top of your news feed.  Here's a good one: TheGoodNewsNetwork

2. Instead of being anti-something, be pro-something that espouses love, compassion, kindness and caring. Rather than allowing your energy to be drained and manipulated into supporting a fear-based person or cause, heal your heart by using your energy for good, to expand love and kindness in the world.

3. Heal your spirit by spending as much time as possible out-of-doors, where you can hear the whispers of your own soul, away from all the fearful messages. Being in nature synchronizes energetic rhythms. This synchrony balances biological rhythms, sharpens focus, enhances creativity and heightens present-moment awareness. These mind-body-spirit, health-enhancing effects of being in nature are well-documented.

     Here is a video I made of one of my favorite places to heal and write, but you don't have to go any further than outside your own door. Any place in nature is healing.



     For more energy healing solutions, subscribe to this blog!

How to meditate if you can't meditate!

      “Meditation is a way of being, not a technique.”  ~ Jon Kabat-Zinn from Coming to Our Senses


   It is well-documented that meditation is one of the best things you can do for your health. But if you are like me, the idea of sitting still for any length of time is unbearable.  Add in being silent and having your eyes closed and you've got torture! Given those issues, how the heck do you meditate?  By changing your goal.  Instead of meditate, think meditative state. Any time you are in a meditative state, you are experiencing the same benefits as sitting meditation. This is also called mindfulness, and some studies indicate mindfulness while moving, also referred to as walking meditation, is even more beneficial than sitting meditation!


     I achieve a meditative state every day when I work with clients in my energy healing practice, and when I exercise. When I do either of those activities, I become literally flooded with inspiration, insights and ideas. In fact, the idea and content for this blog post came to me while riding my bike. This happens because whether I'm working with a client or exercising, I'm in the moment.

     As I focus on the experience of that moment, my mind becomes emptied of thought. I switch from being mindless to being mindful.  Here's the difference: A mindless state is spinning thoughts that create anxiety. A mindful state is stream of consciousness that creates relaxation.

     Here are some activities that facilitate a meditative state:

Enjoyable exercise, especially out-of-doors.Engaging in a creative hobby or form of art.Chores or housework that facilitate a zen-like state. Eating a meal.     When engaged in these activities, focusing on your five senses will help you be in the moment.  What do you hear, see, taste, smell and feel?

     Another option if you have difficulty meditating is to use a recorded guided meditation. I am in the process of recording one now.   I'll post something about it when it becomes available. So if you subscribe to this blog, you'll see it.

How to Heal Neck and Shoulder Muscle Pain

     Many of my clients have muscle tightness and discomfort, especially in the trapezius muscles. These are a pair of large triangular-shaped muscles that control the movement of the head and shoulder blades. When they tighten up you can have soreness, knots and pain in your neck, shoulders or back. Tension in this area of the body is associated with inflexibility and seeing life as a burden.


     Here are a 3 ways to relieve the pain:

1. EFT (emotional freedom technique) - Here's a video I made to accompany this blog post that shows you how to use EFT to heal neck and shoulder pain: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zbF0T...

2. Take a shower, allowing water that is comfortably hot to flow over the sore area (this works for any sore muscles).  Once the area feels warm and relaxed, turn the temperature controls to as cool as you can tolerate for 10-20 seconds, then back to comfortably hot. The goal is to alternative 6 times with hot water and 6 times in the cool-cold.  This alternating heat and cold dilates and constricts blood vessels, pumping out waste products and pumping in the body's natural healing factors.



    3. After your shower, a few drops of doTerra Deep Blue essential oil blend, or Ovvio Soothe Muscle Relief Blend mixed into a carrier oil like coconut lotion and massaged into the area will continue the healing.

How to Let Go of Worry

     "Even if its well-intended, worry blankets the poor recipient's energy field in a negative vibe. Imagine a black Express Mail envelope marked 'Thinking of You' with much, mildew and a few skull bones." ~ Tosha Silver in Outrageous Openness

     We have an old beagle whose health had been deteriorating recently -- our dear Stanley. It got so bad he could hardly move and we were carrying him outside to do his business.  My mind went to worst-case scenarios of what had been suggested to us in the past - heart disease and disc disease. It broke my heart to see my super-active, mischievous little hound dog reduced to an invalid.  I worried about him constantly - day and night. It was making me sick and clouding my ability to see things clearly. And then I had a dream.

     In the dream, in order for Stanley to get better I had to surrender him.  In the dream I was very sad, but also felt a great sense of relief and peace that I didn't have to worry about him any more. When I awoke, I was initially horrified by the idea of surrendering my own beloved dog, but then I understood that dreams are metaphors.  What I needed to surrender was not Stanley, but the worry.

     The next day Stanley was seen by a new veterinarian who determined his issues were not nearly as bad as we had thought -- and easily treatable. Stan responded quickly to a new treatment protocol and soon was back to running around the yard. Who knows what the future holds for him, but worrying about it does him and me no good and is actually detrimental.  Because the body cannot tell the difference between an awful thing that is actually happening or if you are just thinking about the awful thing. You will experience debilitating stress regardless. I choose to live in the moment, as Stanley does. I choose peace.

     If you find yourself worrying, try one of these:

     1. If you are dwelling on past experiences and worrying about the future, bring yourself back to the present moment by focusing on your breathing and what you see, hear, smell, taste and feel in your current environment.
     2. Send love and acceptance to the part of you that is worried and afraid.
     3. If you are worried about a person, say a prayer for them asking that their suffering be relieved -  if that is in their highest good -and that any dysfunctional connection between you and this person be severed and you both be filled with love, light and spiritual power. 

How to Feel Your Own Energy

      A few years ago I was taking a winter walk when I noticed a single blade of grass had melted a hole through the snow cover. I was amazed that the life force-- the energy -- of this single grass blade produced enough heat to melt through the snow pack. It is a visible example of the work of the "invisible" energy that is the basis of all life.

   Do you feel overwhelmed and buried under your life circumstances like the grass buried under snow?  Have life difficulties obscured the light? Even when there are no leaves on the trees and the grass is covered with snow, we know that beneath the surface nature is teeming with life. We are the same, but out life difficulties can keep us so distracted that we forget about the life force surging through us. If we can't feel it, we may feel flat and lifeless.  But its always there.

     Take a moment to connect with your life force energy.  Play some meditation music.  Light a candle.  Get in a comfortable position and close your eyes.  Rest your hands at the top of your thighs, at the crease where your legs meet your torso. Breathe deeply and slowly.  Empty your mind and focus on your breathing. Be patient. Have no agenda other than to breathe and relax for as long as it takes. As you relax, you will begin to feel your own energy.  It may feel like heat coming from your hands.  Tingling sensations.  Magnetic sensations that you may feel in your feet. 

     The more you practice sensing your own energy and focusing on your life force instead of your life difficulties, the more you will see the light that has been obscured.  Like the blade of grass, you will melt through what has been burying you.