Issue #14
Sept 2005

1) Carolyn's Comments
2) Featured Article:Qigong for Hurricane Healing
3) Healthy Cookie Recipe
4) Closing Thought

Ahh, autumn! My favorite time of year! I hope you had a wonderfully adventurous summer, an are now enjoying the cooler breezes of fall. One of the reasons I love the change from hot summer to cool fall so much is the fact that I always get the urge to bake! Although I don't generally spend a lot of time in the kitchen, especially during the summer's 100+ temperatures we experience where I live, once fall arrives I really enjoy heating up the oven and having the aroma of yummy food in my house while outside the air cools down and the leaves begin to yellow. Don't miss the recipe for Healthy Cookies later on in this issue!

Featured Article: Qigong for Hurricane Healing

Our hearts go out to the many people who have lost so much in the recent Hurricane. Although we may not all be geographically close to the destruction, it stills has a huge impact on our energy systems. Whenever a disaster of this magnitude happens it is very unsettling for all of us. It can literally throw our energy systems out of balance. I have seen this over and over with my clients. With the horrific events of 9/11 and again with the Tsunami and now with Hurricane Katrina. There are 8 energy systems in our bodies. Interestingly enough, every client I have worked on since the Hurricane has had the same system extremely out of balance. It is the "Strange Flows", also known as the 'inner mom'. They support, inspire, strengthen, and cajole all the organs and energy systems to function as a tightly knit family. To quote Donna Eden in her landmark book, Energy Medicine, "When a body is peaceful and content, the Strange Flows are in full force and not in need of any intervention. But let there be an inner disturbance, a need to bring the body back into balance, and the Strange Flows leap into action, moving in all directions, jumping any chasm to coordinate energies among the other seven systems."

Now that so many of us have our Strange Flows out of balance how can we realign them? A great exercise for that is Connecting Heaven and Earth. This simple, yet powerful Qigong exercise is on both the Tai Chi Flow for Everybody and on the Tai Chi Flow for Pregnancy videos/dvds. It releases excess energies while bringing fresh oxygen to the cells. It opens the meridians, expels toxic energies, and stimulates fresh energy to flow through the joints. Begin with the palms of your hands touching in prayer position at your chest. With a deep inhalation through your nose, separate your arms from one another, stretching one high above your head and flattening your hand back, as if pushing something above you. Stretch the other arm down, again flattening your hand back as if pushing something toward the earth. Then release your breath through your mouth, returning your hands into the prayer position. Repeat, switching the arm that raises and the arm that lowers. Do at least three of these cycles. Such destruction as Katrina brought can also "shake us to the core",or in other words, throw our Root Chakra out of balance. The chakra system is another of the 8 energy systems. There are 7 chakras and the Root is right where you are sitting! To help calm and settle down your Root Chakra, take a moment right now to put your attention on the base of your spine. Send white healing, soothing light to the base of your spine. Tell your Root Chakra to come back into balance and order. Once you intuitively feel your Strange Flows and Root Chakra are relaxed and aligned, take a minute and be in gratitude for that peaceful feeling. Then go through the exercise again, this time with the intention of sharing this peace with those in the devastated areas of our country. Remember, energy knows no distance. The same way prayer works, with our intention we truly can send healing energy to those we may not even know, but are concerned for.

Fat-Free Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

1 cup whole wheat flour
1-2 spoonfuls wheat germ (opt)
1 cup Quick Oats
2 egg whites cup Sugar
1/3 cup Karo Corn Syrup
tsp. baking powder (light or dark)
tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. Vanilla
tsp. cinnamon cup raisins

Preheat oven to 375. Spray cookie sheets with cooking spray. In large bowl combine dry ingredients. Stir in egg whites, Karo, and vanilla until well mixed. Add raisins. Batter will be stiff. Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto prepared cookie sheets. Bake 8-10 min or until firm. Do not over bake. Remove; cool on wire rack. Makes about 2 dozen.

Closing Thought: Below are some great thoughts from one of my favorite authors, Joseph Murphy. These are from his book: "Amazing Laws of Cosmic Mind Power"

Your subconscious mind answers you in unknown ways. You may be led to a bookstore and pick up a book that answers your question, or you may overhear a conversation that provides the solution to your problem. The answers may come in countless ways.

It is necessary to be alert and alive, so that you will recognize the lead that comes, and then follow it.

Use your intellect to carry out the voice of intuition.

The wisdom of your subconscious rises to your conscious mind when the latter is relaxed and at peace. Relaxation is the key.

Infinite Intelligence within you will guide you to your true place and reveal your hidden talents. Trust!

Create a great day!
Carolyn