For the full dish I googled on over to Plastics Today, a site I can safely say I never would have thought to search out for healing advice. While they state “whether bubble wrap actually does help to reduce stress or not is up for debate,” I’m in agreement with the study’s theory and findings. There is something strangely hypnotizing about bubble popping and the fact that it may have healing benefits really shouldn’t have come as too much of a surprise to me. In fact, I know of two special education teachers who use the popping of bubble wrap as an effective sensory tool for calming their kids.

I’ve been wondering if virtual bubble popping would offer same benefit, without the waste of endless amounts of used up plastic wrap. Since I haven’t had access to any bubble wrap and I’ve been craving the activity all day like an itch, this bubble wrap popping game  has been my remedy (scroll down the linked page and wait until after the advertisement for it). It’s not offering me quite the same satisfaction, but I did find myself breathing more deeply and it’s something to tide me over until I find the real deal. Maybe it’s the concentrated focus of the mind, similar to meditation, that allows you to chill out for a bit? Whatever the case, I love me some bubble wrap and will be savoring the sheets that come in all my mailed packages from now on. Enjoy! 

What do you think? Is bubble wrap a great stress reliever or simply a packaging tool, at best?

Everything is energy, and everything is connected. And since our personal energy has a characteristic momentum and flow that affects everything from our mood to our job to our relationships, shifting our energy just a little bit can create a domino effect of positivity that moves through every aspect of our life experience. In other words, just a little action, when done with great intention, can be the nudge we need to lift us out of a rut and into a more ideal flow.

For example, here are three little actions you might consider.

1. Clean Just a Little Bit
Is there something you haven’t cleaned for a while, say the stove or the inside of your medicine cabinet? Or perhaps it’s time to go through your dresser and get rid of the clothes that you never wear or don’t feel good in. After clearly setting your intention to get into a more positive flow, choose one limited area in your home and clean it thoroughly. Make sure to drink lots of water as you do to help the clearing effect move through your body, mind, and spirit as you clean.

2. Dance
Find songs that feel right for getting your energy moving. They don’t have to be lighthearted; they just have to make your body want to move and your spirit feel free. For example, the last time I did this, Rob Zombie and Marilyn Manson were on my playlist—I guess maybe I had some anger I wanted to dance out. This is really about freeing up trapped energy so that you can move forward and find your flow. You might also like to create a playlist that starts heavier and moves toward lighter and more positive songs. Or, maybe happy songs just feel right. Follow your instincts. Then draw the shades, dress in your dance clothes (or lack thereof), and go for it. Again, be sure to drink lots of water and remember to set your intention before you begin.

3. Switch Things Up
During a single day, what habits can you break, or what characteristic actions can you replace? Even little tiny switch-ups—such as the color of your lipstick, the order of your morning routine, or the route you take when you drive to work—can give you a different perspective and move your old energetic pattern into a new, more scintillating one. After setting your intention to shift your energy for the better, make a point of doing at least three things differently (even if they are seemingly little tiny things), and see what happens to your outlook and mood.

Our thanks to Tess for her guest post! For more from Tess Whitehurst, read her article “Good Magical Hygiene: Essential Personal Energy Management for The Spiritually Gifted.”

Normally I savor my yearly reflection on past and projection into future, so this was definitely new. Partly I suppose the word “resolution” has almost become a dirty word for me around this time of year. Media hypes New Year resolutions so much that dieting and exercise almost become the assumption. In retaliation, I used to make my goals anything besides health and fitness. Still, my resolutions have often become  “I shoulds” and eventually left me with a load of guilt. If I didn’t see myself accomplishing that goal, I had failed. Labeling yourself a failure isn’t much of a turn-around for a new year!

So I guess this year I threw out what has become a burdensome concept. Instead the words  ”intention” and “manifestation” crept at the back of my mind. I wasn’t sure what to do with them until I was invited to a workshop at the Yoga Center of Minneapolis on new beginnings for 2012 and “manifesting your intentions”. Ta dah!

This workshop didn’t focus on the past or what has gone right or wrong in life. It also didn’t focus on the future or that “someday” of happy attainment. Instead, we worked to build energy  ”to commit to the present, which absolves the past and reverberates into the future.”  This description alone felt beautiful, rich, and meaningful to me. To do this, we created our own Sankalpa (affirmation/positive intention/resolve) to use before and after our performance of ritual, yoga, and mantra chanting as acts for manifestation.

Don’t wish on your star; embrace it! To work with your own Sankalpa for the new year, or any other purpose, find a calm moment and use positive language to state your intention, such as, “I am grateful for my abundant health.” Instead of focusing on the end result and/or what you don’t want, as a resolution so often does, you’re focusing on the now; even if your health is a struggle, your affirmation calls in that good energy and opens you to what you are already accepting of. Say your Sankalpa three times and then let it go. The Universe, God, Spirit…has heard you. YOU have heard yourself and set your world into motion.  

Happy New Year!

If you are interested in these ideas of manifestation, intention, affirmation, and positive energy, 365 Ways to Raise Your Frequency and The Good Energy Book are two exceptional resources as you enter this new year!

Frequency is your personal vibratory rate, the way your energy moves within you. It can affect your moods, making you have a good or bad day. Choose to become more aware of your frequency because, through awareness, you are able to pay attention to the nuances in your frequency, sense its highs and lows, and take appropriate actions to keep it elevated so that you remain positive and focused.

Becoming aware of your frequency is as simple as noticing your moods and as complicated as examining it through in-depth study. While both methods have their place, I tend to lean toward fast, simple, and effective techniques that I can do on the go. Here’s an example.

Let’s say you woke up in a great mood. Then, you get ready for work and realize you’re out of toothpaste. So, you’ll just use mouthwash and stop for toothpaste; but, you’re out of mouthwash, too. Okay, chewing gum will work. But you can’t find even one stick of gum. So you wash your mouth out with a wet toothbrush. You’re heading out the door and suddenly you can’t find your keys; you spend twenty minutes looking for them. Now you’re late and you have bad breath. You get in the car and it needs gas; another delay. Then you get caught in multiple traffic jams. Man, you just can’t catch a break today, can you? Frustrated and irritable, you stop and buy toothpaste and a travel toothbrush. Once you get to work, you brush your teeth in the bathroom sink. You feel a little better now that you’ve cleaned your teeth. As your morning progresses, your mood goes from one of tight frustration to an even keel as you settle into the rhythm of your job and begin focusing on your work.

Frequency is often shown through our moods and emotions. When things are going bad, our frequency naturally tends to lower. That doesn’t mean it always has to be this way. Once you’re aware, you can purposefully keep your frequency elevated. How could you do this in the above example? When you feel your frequency dropping, you could start a shopping list for the things you need. Instead of letting it frustrate you, take positive action through creating the list. Make a mental note to put your keys in one spot so you can find them easily and to fill up your car with gas more often. There’s not a lot you can do about the traffic, so give your boss a call and say you’ll be there soon. Don’t allow aggravation to make you drive recklessly, but instead, use this time to plan how you will get your work done in the most effective manner once you arrive on the job.

Life is full of frustrations and challenges, but if you look at these situations positively and make constructive plans or take action to keep a cheerful outlook during them, you’re reducing stress and raising your frequency along the way.

Our thanks to Melissa for her guest post! For more from Melissa Alvarez, read her article “Put Purpose into Raising Your Frequency.”

Do you have gardening tips to share? Do you read Llewellyn’s Moon Sign Book? Want to see your gardening tips in print? Llewellyn is looking for reader-submitted gardening tips for publication in the 2013 edition of our Moon Sign Book. Now is your chance to be a part of your favorite annual gardening and astrological guide! We are still in need of gardening tips for our 2013 Moon Sign Book, so we’re extending our call!

Details:
What: Llewellyn is looking for gardening tips from readers around the country and around the world! Every gardener has a trick or two that they rely on, so let’s share our tips with other readers. There is a 75-word limit for entries.

How: Send your tip to NicoleE@Llewellyn.com, including your full name and mailing address. We will publish only your first name and last initial, along with your state or country. If your tip is chosen for inclusion in the 2013 edition, we will mail you a free copy of the book in July 2012—you’ll be one of the very first people to see the 2013 Moon Sign Book!

When: All submissions must be received by January 15, 2012 to be considered for publication.

Important note: By submitting text to Llewellyn, you agree that we may publish, distribute, sell, display, and use the text without limitation. You also agree that you will not be compensated monetarily for your contribution.

A deep thank you to all of our readers, past, present, and future—you help make us great!

One of my favorite traditions is decorating an evergreen tree and making a holiday wreath for the front door. The historical interpretation I find most connection to is that of hope for spring and a new year, shown by the tree’s green life surviving through winter. We also burn our tree and from decorating to the burning, I find it to be a great symbol for honoring what life has given me, acknowledging that I am always provided for, and recognizing that even in darkness there’s light to be found.

In the end, the show offered interesting insight into the fact that from the traditions we hold fast to (throughout the world’s wide range of religions) a lot of them originate from the same sources. So no matter what our disagreements may be now, through our celebration we’re often anchored in similar archetypal beliefs and holding common threads into the past.

As we enter Hanukkah and approach Christmas, Kwanzaa, New Year’s, Yule and Winter Solstice (northern hemisphere), and all other winter holidays, my challenge to you is to define the origin of a tradition you act out every year without really know why. Whether it is a religious symbol, secular action, or something that simply fills you with peace and nostalgic comfort, knowing the history behind it can bring deeper understanding. Personally, unwrapping the history allows me to accept the traditional meaning or create an alternate one. It also makes my action not only one of personal significance, but knowingly connects me to others who have followed the practice before me.

What traditions have you been following without really knowing why? What has your research revealed? Is it surprising to you? Share your experience with us here and help us all learn a little more about why we do the things we do!

If you’re  interested in learning more, you may find Yule: A Celebration of Light and Warmth to be an interesting title.

Happy Holidays!

If this isn’t your kind of everyday lunchtime banter, follow our lead!  Chances are you’re a part of our D deficient family. Welcome! With 5 in the discussion and 3 confirming deficiency, we were in fact pretty representational of the statistics, which state that 40-60% of people (OR MORE!) are deficient (findings vary). So what’s the deal?

If you haven’t noticed by now, I tend to follow coinciding and serendipitous events. When I got back to work this article, Vitamin D, I Heart Thee, by Andrea Balt popped up, which is why I decided to present the topic to you. She goes into more detail on the nitty gritty of the whats, whys, and hows of vitamin D (including videos, hooray!), so make sure to check it out, get the full scoop, and find more resources. Here’s another useful nugget at this link where Dr. John Douillard also digs deeper into what this is all about. Who couldn’t use more knowledge? 

In a nutshell, there are plenty of worthwhile reasons to make sure you’re keeping levels were they need to be: mood, immune system functioning, warding off diseases, and more. You can supplement, increase some through your diet, or spend more time in the sun, but the only way you’ll really know if you’re where you need to be is to get tested. From my experience, I’ve found vitamin levels aren’t checked as standard protocol, so it’s worthwhile to request the tests at your yearly physical.

Do you find this information helpful? How has vitamin deficiency played a role in your health?  Share here so we can all learn from one another’s experiences! And if you happen to live in a radiantly sun-shiny location, beam some of that wonder juice out to the rest of us!

Ornaments, ornaments, ornaments.  One by one they were all unwrapped and hung just so. Last night with all other lights off, I stood in the hypnotic glow of the tree’s lights and slowly circled around admiring those ornaments. Some have come from childhood, some as gifts from family and friends, and some from a decade-long tradition with me and my husband, Luke, taking turns picking a new one for each year. As I made my way around, each ornament pulled out a memory: the silly dog from The Grinch for the year we adopted our pooch; the icicle snowman I got from my Secret Santa, a boy I had a crush on in 4th grade; Spongebob Squarepants for the year Luke and I were married (the theme song had been stuck in his head and became a running joke); a big red house for the year we moved into our home…

I was lost in the glow, the memories, and my gratitude for it all when Luke yelled from another room asking what I was doing. “Looking at the tree ornaments,” I said. A hearty laugh bellowed from the bedroom. He’s not unfamiliar with my sometimes child-like whimsy, but it still catches him by surprise once in a while. 

What had started as a trip down memory lane lead to heart-felt appreciation and continued on as I meditated before bed. I asked for a mantra or affirmation and was guided to repeat, “I live in gratitude.” Each time I repeated the phrase I focused on something new: physical well-being, specific friends and family, a functioning car, comfort, etc. I let each item thoroughly sink in before I moved on to repeat the phrase again.

I’m sure this isn’t a meditation that is all that new, but I’ve never done it in a way that sunk in so effectively. For someone who can sometimes get lost in the darkness of winter, the lights and decorations buoy my spirits. Instead of holding it at a superficial level I unexpectedly tumbled into a much deeper reasoning and practice for upliftment.

As a cherry on top, a link to “Quotes on Gratitude” from Beliefnet lit my inbox this morning. I could only take the serendipity to mean this was all something to be shared. If you’re running around prepping for holidays or are feeling lost in the dark, take a minute to stand in the light and find those things you’re grateful for. And if you have yet another minute to spare, share some of your gratitude and tell us all about it!

Follow this link for more ideas to bolster your meditation practice!

(1) Accept and ask for help. I’m a perfectionist and people pleaser. Making everything “just so” all on your own feeds these personality styles, but drains energy in all other areas and robs you of sharing in-the-moment joy time. It takes a conscious effort to get over that self-reliance. Open up to accept the help others offer or will take on when asked! Choose to change for your sake and everyone else’s.  

(2) Accept and ask for help. Just in case you weren’t listening the first time, take note! This one’s important. Can anyone bring a food item? If people are staying over should they bring more pillows and blankets? If you only drink tea, but other family prefers coffee, could someone bring the coffee and coffee maker along?

(3) Plan ahead. This point can still come in handy, even two days from Thanksgiving. While I’ve already planned ahead by getting a head count and asking people to bring certain foods or other items I will also be pre-prepping where I can. Instead of spending a full day frizzing my hair in a steamy kitchen on Thursday, ignoring guests and, lets face it, becoming resentful over the fact that I’m doing all the work (since past me as Wonder Woman had to do it all) I’m having fun doing a little each day instead. Pies, cranberry sauce, lasagna (my tradition), and even turkeys can be premade a day or two ahead with final minor prep on the actual day.  

(4) If you anticipate anxiety inducing conversation, practice it. This is a new tip someone recently passed on to me that can come in handy any day of the year, but will likely prove very handy as some family discussion can be routinly predictable. Is there someone who bullies, like poking fun at your weight? Do you anticipate being asked when you’re getting married, having kids, or getting a “real” job? Imagine having that conversation and playing it out with your best response. Just like studying for an exam, knowing your answers will make the real deal less stressful.  

(5) Think of unique traditions, beliefs, and practices. If everyone finds joy and comfort in them, follow through! However, if there are customs that others try to lead that make you uncomfortable or annoyed (or vise versa) try to think of ways to shift the tradition or add to it with your own. If you hate the yearly tradition of naming something you’re thankful for before diving into your turkey dinner, simply “pass” and ponder over what everyone else is thankful for. If you don’t attune to the traditional pre-meal prayer that others find peace in, perhaps honor their practice and then add a special reading of your own that fits your unique perspective. And if you can’t stand that movie or football game that everyone just loves to settle in to watch together bring a book along to appease your annoyance, but allows you to sit and relax with the family.

An example quote to offer as alternative thanks or prayer:  “Let us rise up and be thankful, for if we didn’t learn a lot today, at least we learned a little, and if we didn’t learn a little, at least we didn’t get sick, and if we got sick, at least we didn’t die; so, let us all be thankful.”-Buddha

(6) Take a bath (or other similar stress busting activity of your choosing). For real. Don’t skip this one! Letting out a little stress will help keep you’re mind on the fact that this is all supposed to be a time for joy!

(7) Let the day be what it will be. You can gather people. You can make food. You can clean up the mess. You can’t control everything a day will be. Don’t pull out your hair trying to.

Don’t get me wrong, I love all the prep and organizing, the family gathering, the old and new traditions and nostalgia. Still, there are ways to bring people together that will leave you more overjoyed than overwhelmed. Here’s to a Happy Thanksgiving on your end; I hope it’s an enjoyable one!

Visit Kare11.com to watch the full segment.