Enkindle Wellness

Category: Network Chiropractic

  • How To Tell If You Inherited Emotional Trauma and How To Break the Pattern

    Epigenetics

    With new discoveries in epigenetics now making headlines, many of us are asking an important question: What are my children really inheriting? Can my baggage, the unfinished business I don’t deal with, pass on to my kids? Without knowing it, could I be hurting them?

    To answer this comprehensively, we need to look at the science. The newest research in epigenetics tells us that you and I can inherit gene changes from traumas that our parents and grandparents experienced. It goes like this. When a trauma occurs, our bodies make a physiologic change to better manage the stress. This adaptive change can then be passed down to our children and grandchildren biologically preparing them to deal with similar trauma. This can be a good thing, unless of course, the inherited changes create even more stress.

    If our grandparents, for example, were traumatized from living in a war-torn country—explosions going off, people getting killed, the rattle of gunfire close by—they could pass on a survivor skillset to us—a body on hyperalert, reflexes to react quickly to loud noises, and other such protective responses. This skillset would be helpful were we to also live in a country at war. However, living in a safe environment where this inheritance isn’t useful, the constant hypervigilance can create havoc in our bodies.

    Our parents’ and grandparents’ pain—their fears, their angers, their grief, their shutdowns—can all unwittingly become ours.

    So here’s the bad news: Yes, it’s true. Our parents’ and grandparents’ pain—their fears, their angers, their grief, their shutdowns—can all unwittingly become ours, a legacy we can perpetuate in our family. And here’s the sad part: few of us ever make the link between our issues—our unexplained fear, anxiety and depression—and what happened to our family members in a previous generation. Instead, we believe that we’re the source of our problem, that something must be wrong with us, or broken inside us, that makes us feel the way we do.

    These unconscious patterns, along with whatever business we leave unfinished, can then pass on to our children

    And it doesn’t end there. These unconscious patterns, along with whatever business we leave unfinished, can then pass on to our children, and even to their children. What could be more painful than to see our children suffering, knowing that he or she continues the pain we’ve left unattended?

    Is there any good news? Absolutely. There are actions we can take that can help break the cycle.

    Here’s the short list of things you can do.

    Heal your own stuff. Reconcile your broken relationships with your parents, as well as with your child’s other parent. When we find someone’s behavior challenging, it’s helpful to consider the traumatic events in his or her family history. Remember, the residue of pain can pass forward. And children, because of their great innocence and loyalty, are easy targets. Children can unconsciously carry what’s unresolved between their parents, and mirror it in their own relationships. Or (as we’re learning from epigenetics), they can relive what’s unresolved behind the parents.

    Shake the family tree and see what falls out. What family secrets have been hidden? What stories didn’t get told? What traumas have never fully healed? It can be important to know these things, especially if we’re unconsciously reliving elements of traumas that don’t belong to us. Some family history questions to consider can be found at: Family History Questions.

    Tell your kids what you know about the traumas in your family. Tell them the terrible things happened to you, and whatever you know about what happened to your parents and your grandparents. They could be the unwitting recipients of painful feelings from the past. When you tell them what tragedies smolder in the family history, it can come as a great relief to them—especially if they make the connection that they’ve been carrying what belongs to you, or to your parents or grandparents.

    I once worked with a guy who unconsciously attempted to atone for the crimes his grandfather had committed. My client had attempted suicide three times. Finding himself still alive after the third attempt, he sought help. When I pointed out that he had been attempting to pay the ultimate price for crimes he never committed, he turned to me and said: “I don’t have to die? You mean it’s not me who needs to die?”

    I’ve found that if we ignore the past, it can come back to haunt us. Yet when we explore it, we don’t always have to repeat it. We can break the cycle of suffering, so that our children can be free from having to live our pain in their lives.

    by Mark Wolynn This article was first published on June 13, 2016 in Mark Wolynn’s Blog

    Ken’s Comments

    After working with people for a while, I find that they often comment about having cleared much of the “baggage” they feel they carry from childhood. Once this is acknowledged, it is common for them to realise that there is additional unresolved “baggage” and “emotional triggers” that seem to arise from somewhere deeper. My experience suggests that these could be inherited epigenetic triggers from past generations of their family.

    What I find amazing (and supported by cutting edge research) is that these inherited triggers can be healed in the present. Addressing our inherited emotional baggage, therefore provides the opportunity to avoid passing emotional pain on to our children and our children’s children. It can be challenging, but people express relief and satisfaction in clearing what they describe as stubborn patterns of behaviour. I regard these courageous people to be Transition People ,  because they are taking action on behalf of the future.  I have written about Transition People in an article which can be found at:  Are You a Transition Person?

  • Embracing the Darkness

    The Tao doesn’t take sides;
    it gives birth to both good and evil.
    –Tao Te Ching

    The darkness, the void, the space that the mind is terrified to enter, is the beginning of all life. It’s the womb of being. Fall in love with it, and when you do, it will immediately be taken from you, as you witness the birth of light. The Tao doesn’t take sides. It embraces both the darkness and the light. They’re equal.

    The Master can’t take sides. She’s in love with reality, and reality includes everything — both sides of everything. Her arms are open to it all. She finds everything in herself: all crimes, all holiness. She doesn’t see saints as saints or sinners as sinners; they’re just people who are suffering or not, believing their thoughts or not. She doesn’t see any difference between states of consciousness. What’s called bliss and what’s called ordinary mind are equal; one is not a higher state than the other.

    What’s called bliss and what’s called ordinary mind are equal; one is not a higher state than the other.

    There’s nothing to strive for, nothing to leave behind. There’s only one, and not even that. It doesn’t matter how you attempt to be disconnected, that’s not a possibility. Believing a stressful thought is an attempt to break the connection. That’s why it feels so uncomfortable.

    All suffering is mental. It has nothing to do with the body or with a person’s circumstances. You can be in great pain without any suffering at all. How do you know you’re supposed to be in pain? Because that’s what’s happening. To live without a stressful story, to be a lover of what is, even in pain — that’s heaven. To be in pain and believe that you shouldn’t be in pain — that’s hell. Pain is actually a friend. It’s nothing I want to get rid of, if I can’t. It’s a sweet visitor; it can stay as long as it wants to. (And that doesn’t mean I won’t take a Tylenol.)

    Even pain is projected: it’s always on its way out. Can your body hurt when you’re not conscious? When you’re in pain and the phone rings and it’s the call you’ve been waiting for, you mentally focus on the phone call, and there’s no pain. If your thinking changes, the pain changes.

    I have an Israeli friend who is paralyzed from his neck to his toes. He used to see himself as a victim, and he had all the proof — the mind is good at that. He was certain that life was unfair. But after doing The Work for a while, he came to realize that reality is just the way it should be. He doesn’t have a problem now. He’s a happy man in a paralyzed body. And he didn’t do anything to change his mind. He simply questioned his thinking, and his mind changed.

    He simply questioned his thinking, and his mind changed.

    The same kind of freedom can happen to people who have lost their husbands or wives or children. An unquestioned mind is the only world of suffering. I was once doing The Work with some maximum security prisoners in San Quentin, men who had been given life sentences for murder, rape, and other violent crimes. I asked them to begin by writing down their angry or resentful thoughts: “I am angry at ________ because ________,” and then I asked each of them in turn to read the first sentence he had written. One man was shaking with rage so uncontrollably that he couldn’t finish reading his sentence, which was “I am angry at my wife because she set fire to our apartment and my little girl was burned to death.” For years he had been living in the hell of his anger, loss, and despair. But he was an unusual man, who really wanted to know the truth.

    Later in the session, after he read another statement he had written — “I need my daughter to be alive” — I asked him The Work’s second question: “Can you absolutely know that that’s true?” He went inside himself for the answer, and it blew his mind. He said, “No, I can’t absolutely know that.” I said, “Are you breathing?” He said, “Yes,” and his face lit up.

    And eventually he discovered that he didn’t need his daughter to be alive, that beneath all his rage and despair he was doing just fine, and that he couldn’t even absolutely know what the best thing for his daughter was. The tears and laughter that poured out of him were the most moving things in the world. It was a great privilege to be sitting with this amazing man. And all he had done was question his own beliefs.

    By Byron Katie

    Byron Katie
    Byron Katie

    For more about Byron Katie go the her website The Work by Byron Katie.

    Published in the Huffington Post at Huffington Post; Embracing the Darkness

  • Profound Tension Release

    Profound Tension Release (PTR) is a technique developed by Chiropractor Dr Ken Stewart, for releasing tension within the connective tissues of our bodies.  Tension in our bodies develops as a response to injury and trauma arising from physical, emotional, mental and/or spiritual stresses we inevitably experience throughout our lifetime.

    Profound Tension Release is based on an understanding of the body as an interactive, interconnected, energised (energetic) and highly sensitive entity. The connective tissue network forms a three-dimensional matrix of structural support within the body. It contains and shapes the body, holding the organs in place and aligning the spine and the joints, while allowing mobility. Every muscle, bone and organ in the body, including our brain, spinal cord and peripheral nerves, indeed every cell in the body is encased in and supported by connective tissue.

    When a person presents for Profound Tension Release, I will ask questions about their life and symptoms and then use that information while carefully observing patterns of tension in their posture and movements. I will explain how one movement can affect other movements in the body. For example, lifting a leg may cause the body to lean to one side, or turning your head may cause one elbow to tense. These movements are called “compensations” and they are our body’s best attempt to adjust to its restrictions (due to injury or trauma). Often these compensations may have been present for years but have gone unnoticed until they reach the point of causing pain or noticeable restriction in movement.

    Profound Tension Release technique involves the practitioner applying gentle hand pressure to the specific area in the body at the source of the compensations already detected. These specific points vary from individual to individual – they can be within muscles, bones or organs and often manifest in different places during the course of the treatment as the tension unwinds and the body readjusts. A light sensation, either locally or somewhere else in the body, might be felt and usually a person will experience a peaceful feeling accompanied by an urge to stretch in order to create a release of tension. People often yawn during their treatment and feel tired afterwards.

    For further information go to: http://enkindlewellness.com.au/profound-tension-release/

    Typical symptoms of people who seek relief from connective tissue tension are:

    • Poor posture.
    • Back and neck pain.
    • Stiffness and pain in the peripheral joints such at the hips, knees, ankles, shoulders, elbows and wrists.
    • Pain and tightness in the calves.
    • Restricted walking or running style.
    • Jaw pain, stiffness, locking and clicking.
    • Chest and abdomen pain.
    • Restricted breathing and rib pain.

    Other symptoms can develop from the above restrictions such as:

    • Lack of energy, lethargy, feeling “down”.
    • Poor sleep.
    • Feeling stressed and generally tense.
    • Feeling anxious or out of control.
    • Feeling that no-one understands what’s going on.
    • Headaches, dizziness and brain fog.
    • Discomfort in the abdomen and pelvis.

    By focusing on the connective tissues, Profound Tension Release reinforces the idea that the body is interconnected and operates as an active “whole” or matrix. A wholistic body knows what every other part of the body knows (every cell, every interior of every cell) and is interactive. It is this wholistic approach that our conventional scientific and medical research fails to appreciate.

    The connective tissues provide the pathways for blood vessels, nerves and acupuncture meridians to travel through, so that energy, nutrients and hormones can be delivered to each and every cell in the body. It also provides a pathway for lymph vessels, thus enabling toxins to be carried out of the cells to be eliminated. I advise that people drink plenty of water after a treatment in order to flush the connective tissues after their release.

    How many treatments will it take to experience tension release?

    Individuals adapt differently to Profound Tension Release technique, depending on variables to do with the depth and longevity of their embodied tension, their lifestyle, level of fitness, diet etc. Dramatic release of tension can be experienced but more usually a person will progress through a series of visits. Assessments are made during each visit to determine progress towards the person’s goals. 4 – 6 visits will see significant positive change.

  • Heart Wisdom

    “
    Knowledge is knowing a tomato is a fruit.
    Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.”
    ~ Miles Kington

    Qualities associated with wisdom include: a clear-eyed view of human nature and the human predicament, emotional resiliency, the ability to cope in the face of adversity, openness to other possibilities, forgiveness, humility, and a knack for learning from lifetime experiences.

    We can learn about wisdom from its qualities. It is difficult to have a succinct definition because wisdom is something that wise people live rather than think about.

     

    If wisdom were an Olympic event then the gold medal winner would most likely be about 60 years old.” Stephen S. Hall

    Wisdom and the Heart

    Modern Western scientific thinking, until recently, has limited the heart’s function to that of a mechanical pump. Historically, the heart was ascribed a far more multifaceted role in the human system, being regarded as a source of wisdom, spiritual insight, thought, and emotion.

    Intriguingly, scientific research has begun to provide evidence that many of these long-surviving associations may be much more than metaphorical. Recent studies have shown show that the physiology of the heart, specifically a high variability of heart rate during low physical activity, is related to less biased, wiser judgment.

    Human heart rate tends to fluctuate, even while a person is sitting. Heart rate variability (HRV) refers to the variation in the time interval between heartbeats and is related to the nervous system’s control of organ functions. Researchers found that people with more varied heart rates were able to reason in a wiser, less biased fashion about societal problems

    Optimum heart rate variability (HRV) is directly related to the efficient use of energy and our health in general. An optimal level of HRV reflects healthy function, adaptability, flexibility and resilience. This leads to a decrease in stress related disease and premature aging.

    The wisdom associated with optimal HRV includes the ability to recognise the limits of one’s knowledge, to be aware of the varied contexts of life and how they may unfold over time and to acknowledge others’ points of view.

    So, how can we increase our HRV?

    • Network Chiropractic Care has been shown to increase HRV as session by session we release deeply held stresses and our heart, along with every aspect of us, functions in a more relaxed and coherent way.
    • Rest, relaxation and sufficient good quality sleep.
    • Getting out in nature and fresh air and taking off your shoes to become more grounded.
    • Go for regular exercise.
    • Breathe deeply. (See alternate nostril breathing below.)
    • Taking considered action in the direction you are being called to follow.
    • Listen to calming music that you love. (Avoid TV watching especially in bed.)
    • Engage in creative activities.
    • Look to carryout “in the flow” activities that give a balance (and push your boundaries) between challenge and your skill level. See http://enkindlewellness.com.au/living-in-the-flow/.
    • Practice connective tissue stretching activities like yoga and palates.
    • Practice meditation.
    • Eat healthy, natural foods that decrease inflammation in your body (see below)

    Alternate Nostril Breathing

    • Place your ring and pinkie fingers at your left nostril and your thumb at your right nostril.
    • Block the left nostril using your ring and pinkie fingers and inhale through your right nostril.
    • Block the right nostril with your thumb and exhale through your left nostril.
    • Inhale through your left nostril, keeping the right nostril blocked.
    • Continue for 9 more rounds.

    Foods that Increase Inflammation and therefore decrease HRV>

    • Sugar
    • Processed fructose (HFCS)
    • Grains – e.g. wheat, rye, barley
    • Vegetable oils such as peanut, soy or corn oils.

    Foods that Decrease Inflammation and therefore increase HRV.

    • Fish oils
    • Dark leafy green vegetables
    • Blueberries
    • Green tea
    • Fermented vegetables and traditionally cultured foods
    • Shiitake mushrooms
    • Garlic
    • Spices – cloves, ginger, rosemary, turmeric

     

     

     

  • Noticing the Space

    “Between stimulus and response, there is a space.
    In that space lies our freedom and power to choose our response.
    In our response lies our growth and freedom.”

    ~ Victor Frankl: Man’s Search for Meaning

    What pushes your buttons? What is it about that annoying family member, friend or work colleague that has the ability to “get on your goat”?

    It is common for people who come to see me to be feeling stressed and having symptoms of this stress, such as neck and shoulder pain, headaches, anxiety and digestive upsets. When we look at the source of this stress they speak about the negative effects they feel when someone around them does or says something in particular, i.e. they “push their buttons”.

    We all have lots of things that “push our buttons” apart from individual people; perhaps it’s someone driving a car too closely behind us or cutting us off. There are a wide range of triggers which build up through a person’s life including physical and emotional trauma, foods and chemicals, and mental stressors.

    Our stress response is simply a form of protection (defence) that occurs when we respond to a situation that we perceive as threatening. Our brain and body accesses our vast memory store and becomes hyper-vigilant to these threats. As a result, a minor experience (such as that annoying person saying the thing that bugs you) can cause a significant reaction within you that is disproportionate to the initial triggering event.

    Our response to stress is a clever and primitive reaction to a threat and is critical for our survival. In a stress-responsive state we need lots of energy in the limbs to either flee or fight. This causes energy to be diverted from other high energy requirements such as our immune system, digestion and higher cognitive functions. As a short term response the stress response is essential; but in the long term it leads to the chronic illnesses, pain, anxiety and depression experienced by many of us.

    We give our brain far too much credit for being ‘smart’. Its real focus is protection. Good health, as the result of reduced stress, requires the brain to have an accurate perception of what’s going on both within the body and beyond. An accurate perception of threat is critical but it is distorted by the mind’s understanding of the threat which is inevitably based on its past experiences.

     

    So how do we increase the “space” and find the “freedom and power” mentioned in the Victor Frankl quote above?

    First, consider that 10% of your life is made up things that are beyond your control, while 90% of your life is decided by how you react. What does this mean?

    We really don’t have control over a lot of what happens to us. A driver cuts us off in traffic, someone arrives late, or someone says something offensive. But that is only 10% our experiences. The other 90% is different: you determine this 90% of your life by your reactions. You cannot control a red light, but you can control your reaction to it.

    Being free to choose your reaction to potentially stressful situations requires you to focus on enlarging the “space” between what happens (the stimulus) and your reaction (the response).

    As we mature, the apparent size of our “space” is constrained by many things: our genetic makeup, our society’s and family’s norms, our experiences and our present circumstances. But in addition, we are born with a great gift – the freedom to choose. Exercising this freedom, and its associated power, is the key to creating more “space”.

    So the key to a happier, healthier and more creative life is to work towards developing “space”. The key to increasing our “space” is noticing – noticing how we have reacted to situations as we go through our daily lives but not judging ourselves for having reacted in a certain way. Noticing is when we suddenly realise we are observing our reaction, not just being stuck in it and it going around and around in our mind.

    The noticing might be only a split second. In that time if we notice our noticing, we will observe that it is accompanied by a calm presence and eventually (after as many cycles of noticing that are necessary) …..a resolution.

    “The range of what we think and do is limited by what we fail to notice.
    And because we fail to notice that we fail to notice, there is little we can do to change;
    until we notice how failing to notice shapes our thoughts and deeds.”

    ~ R. D. Laing

    We might start by noticing our reaction up to 48 hours (or longer) after an event, in that time we have continued to be reactive; with the event going around and around in our mind. When we do notice our reaction to a particular event and still feel an emotional charge attached to it (which often involves blaming someone or something), then we can decide to let it go. Sometimes you will notice your reaction again much later than the event that triggered it. The trick is to keep noticing (but not judging) your reaction to this event, as it recurs in your memory.

    What is the advantage of not judging your reaction? Judging is a job of the mind. But your mind tends to use past experiences as a measuring stick to judge current ones. The mind needs help to find a way towards resolution.

    “We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them.”       ~  Albert Einstein

    People who come to see me for Network Care often comment that, as a result of their visits, they notice that people and situations that previously “pressed their buttons” gradually become less significant for them. They can come to see the person or situation from a different perspective as more “space” to make choices has been freed up in themselves.

    This can be because their “buttons” are no longer connected to old patterns of stress (sometimes referred to as “wounds”) so they become less reactive; they have more choice.  There is growth and freedom.

    Interestingly, a person’s opening up of space can have the positive effect of opening up space in their protagonists.

     

     

  • We Can Still Grow in Winter

    We Can Still Grow in Winter

    Winter is the season of recovery and preparation. The cold draws us within ourselves and within our close social groups.

    We often find ourselves closed down by the cold, damp and dreary days. In this state we can choose to either find new depths of connection within; or wallow in our stories of how miserable we are.

    Winter encourages us to notice the subtleties in nature – the noble structure of bare trees, the shape of amassing clouds or the exquisite gleam of sunlight on the frosty ground.

    Be inspired by nature’s ever-changing rhythms and nurture change and growth in our own lives and relationships.

    From a physiological perspective:

    When our mind perceives that our environment is safe and supportive (when we are at peace within ourselves and the world) the body’s cells are the able to grow and maintain their proper functioning.  In stressful situations, cells forego their normal growth functions and adopt a defensive ‘protection’ posture. The body’s energy resources normally used to sustain growth are diverted to systems that provide protection during periods of stress.

    In other words, growth processes are restricted or suspended in a stressed system. While our systems can accommodate periods of acute (brief) stress, prolonged or chronic stress is debilitating. Stress (physical, emotional, mental or chemical) interferes with the energy requirements needed for optimal health and as a consequence, leads to dysfunction and disease.

    Our whole posture and health are a reflection of the state of growth or defence of our 60 trillion cells. They can’t be in growth and defence at the same time.

    It is important to be aware of our physical state in relationship to our emotions and the way the natural environment can assist us.

    Network Care can enhance your ability to maintain a positive state of growth, breaking free from the lingering aliments and aches and pains of winter. Come in for a tune up to assist your recovery and preparation for what’s ahead.

    Take heed of the message expressed by Wendell Berry’s poem and spend some time communing with our wonderful, wintery environment. The simple message of this poem is beautifully expressed. Be at peace and be free.

    The Peace of Wild Things

    When despair for the world grows in me

    and I wake in the night at the least sound

    in fear of what my life and my children’s lives may be,

    I go and lie down where the wood drake

    rests in his beauty on the water, and the great heron feeds.

    I come into the peace of wild things

    who do not tax their lives with forethought

    of grief. I come into the presence of still water.

    And I feel above me the day-blind stars

    waiting with their light. For a time

    I rest in the grace of the world, and am free.

    Wendall Berry

    Photo: Snow near Ballan taken by Luba Bradford.

  • Living in the Flow

     

     

    We are “In The Flow” when we are fully engaged in an activity. When this occurs we feel immersed in that activity to the exclusion of all else and time passes quickly. People regularly describe these experiences as some of the best of their lives.

    “Being completely involved in an activity for its own sake. The ego falls away. Time flies. Every action, movement, and thought follows inevitably from the previous one, like playing jazz. Your whole being is involved, and you’re using your skills to the utmost.”

    “Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience.” Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi.

    Csikszentmihalyi’s ideas on flow stemmed from the research he undertook to discover a path to happiness. He wanted to figure out “how to live life as a work of art, rather than as a chaotic response to external events.”

    What’s going on with us when we’re ‘In the Flow’

    * We are completely involved, focused, and concentrating – either due to innate curiosity or as the result of training.

    * We have a sense of ecstasy – of being outside everyday reality. The definition of ecstasy is a happy state of being outside the normal.

    * We have great inner clarity – knowing what needs to be done and how well it is going.

    * We lose self-consciousness – we know that our skills are adequate, and we are neither anxious nor bored.

    * We have a sense of serenity – no self-doubt, or worries about other people’s opinions – afterwards a feeling of transcending ego in ways not thought possible.

    * We have a feeling of timeliness – thoroughly focused on present, don’t notice time passing.

    * We are intrinsically motivated – whatever produces “flow” becomes its own reward.

    Flow ChartThe more skilled we become at a task, the greater the opportunity to experience “flow”. Therefore the more skilled we become, the more able we are to take on greater challenges without becoming stressed. We can operate at a higher level.

    From a Network Care perspective, as a person progresses through the levels of care they tend to become less tense and more energized. They then have the possibility of reaching higher flow states. Life becomes more a work of art rather than a chaotic response to external events.

    Reference: Csikszentmihalyi, M. (1991). Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience. HarperCollins.

  • Are You a Transition Person?

    Every day in my practice, I help and I am inspired by people who have the qualities of a “Transition Person”. The expression “Transition Person” has been defined as:

    “A person who breaks unhealthy, harmful, abusive or unfortunate learned behaviours and replaces them with proactive, helpful, effective behaviours.  This person models positive behaviours and passes on effective habits that strengthen and build others in positive ways.” ~ Stephen Covey

    In my experience, “Transition People” experience a deep desire stand up and be a positive example to others in their family, peer group, work place or other community group. Something within them says “enough of this, there is a better, more productive, more fulfilling way to live life.” Often it is not obvious to them where this desire comes from and how it has evolved.

    I see Transition People as having developed the ability to listen to the authentic voice  that comes from deeper within rather than just the “normal” little voice we hear chattering away all the time. Our little voice is very good at convincing us to ignore the authentic voice, telling us that we will cause trouble, look bad etc. if we listen to our authentic voice.

    Transition People see un-resourceful patterns in themselves, their families/group that are repeated generation after generation. One woman I see described it as like observing a pattern passed from her grandparents, to her parents and on to her siblings of repeatedly walking down a road, falling down a hole, struggling out of the hole, only to walk down the road again and fall into the same hole.

    The life of a Transition Person can be very challenging because changing deep seated patterns requires a lot of energy. In my experience many Transition People experience significant health challenges in themselves. The courage they display in continually working towards creating positive change, despite set-backs along the way,  is inspiring to me and others who observe their lives.

    Being a Transition Person requires hard work, humility, trustworthiness and a long term vision. Often their stand may not be appreciated by other people especially their immediate family or siblings. In fact it often seems to be the case that the siblings cause the most difficulty. Despite this, it may be the daughter or son of a sibling, who grows up observing and interacting with the “crazy aunt” or “eccentric uncle”, and thus is inspired to express a better and more fulfilling life.

    From a practice perspective pretty much everyone who comes to see me is in a stage of becoming Transition Person. They know (or have an inkling) that there is a part of them that is ready and wanting to change. As their Care progresses from initially the relief of symptoms to building up energy for change, this part of them is saying “Enough of this, things are going to change, it’s my responsibility and I have a plan to make it happen!”  Click on the link for information about the Levels of Network care.

    Stephen Covey also asserts that:

    “Transition persons transcend their own needs and tap into the deepest, most noble impulses of human nature.
    In times of darkness, they are lights, not judges; models, not critics.
    In periods of discord, they are change catalysts, not victims; healers, not carriers.
    Today’s world needs more transition persons. Trust yourself to become one of the best, and watch your influence grow.”

    Mahatma Gandhi suggested that people should focus first on improving themselves and then allow others to be inspired by their example, their determination, and their integrity to values. These days we need as many uplifting and positive role models as possible to lean on, learn from, and emulate. By following Gandhi’s mantra:

    “Become the change you seek in this world.”

    Perhaps you and I can become that uplifting energy for others, as well as for ourselves.

  • Emotions – Energy in Motion

    When we feel an emotion, what we are really sensing is the vibration of a particular energy. Think of emotion as the movement of energy – energy in motion. Each emotion has its own vibratory signature.

    Science and medicine had long been convinced that thoughts and emotions originate in the brain. However, modern research is proving that thoughts and emotions are energy vibrations that occur in our body, specifically in the matrix of connective tissue which interconnects all cells, tissues and organs.

    These energy vibrations are then perceived by our brain, where they are processed and verbalised according to our acquired expectations and beliefs. The brain’s function is to assign meaning and to create narratives around these emotions. It is therefore becoming evident that an emotional sensation and the meaning ascribed to it by our brain can be separate from each other.

    Emotions are expressed over a short period of minutes to an hour or two. When a person says they are some particular emotion e.g. “I am an angry person” and they’re not expressing that emotion – there is no energy in motion. When a person is thinking an emotion instead of expressing it, there can be no chance for them to use the energy of their emotion (in this example, anger) to bring about change.

    Our emotional state is created by the amount of energy we have in motion. When energy is blocked (lack of motion) we tend towards apathy and depression. Note that exercise i.e. movement of the body, can be effective in relief of depression. Too much energy in motion can cause us to feel anxious or over emotional.

    Normal levels of emotions facilitate an energy flow that can help us break unconscious patterns of thinking and acting.

    They are the impetus for action and change in our lives for the better.

    Your body cannot tell the difference between an actual experience that triggers an emotional response, and an emotion fabricated by a thought process or narrative. Worrying about a disaster that might potentially occur can generate a negative emotion. You can have a thought that generates emotion in your body which is then returned to your brain in a never ending cycle.

    We are protected from becoming overwhelmed by our body’s ability to hold the energy of an emotion in the connective tissue matrix. This “held” energy can become lodged anywhere in your body and is stuck there until something facilitates its release. The stuck energy negatively affects the normal energetic flow, and therefore can impact upon the health of your body at all levels; cells, tissues and organs.

    Network Chiropractic Care can help you to access areas of stuck energy. It is an efficient process that gradually delves down through the layers, safely freeing up stuck energy which manifests as thoughts and emotions. Gradually, as energy is released, a person may feel more in control of their emotions and have more energy to do the things that are important in their lives.

    The body maps in the diagram at the top of the page show regions whose activation increased (warm colors) or decreased (cool colors) when feeling each emotion. From “Bodily Maps of Emotions” http://www.pnas.org/content/111/2/646.full.pdf.

  • Core Strength – Questioning the Prevailing Beliefs

    There has been much emphasis on the concept of building core strength over recent years; it’s a concept that is incomplete to me. I see the key issue is actually core energy not core strength: I will explain.

    The “core” refers to the lower part of the body: the pelvis, the lower back, the abdominal wall, and the diaphragm, and this region’s ability to stabilise the body during movement. Every activity we do in life, from running to swallowing, is more efficient when we have a stable and yet flexible core. It’s a dynamic stability that involves a balance of movement and strength of our connective tissue: our bones, muscles, ligaments, tendons and the matrix of connective tissue that interconnects them.

    It’s more about how you can use your energy than about your strength.

    Try sitting in a slouched position and taking a sip of a drink and swallowing, notice your inner feelings. Next sit in an upright and relaxed posture (engaging your core) and have another sip. Observe the difference in how you feel between the two postures. While you may feel stronger and more energetic (and perhaps that the drink “went down” better) in the upright posture, you didn’t strengthen your core but simply used its current strength more efficiently. That is, it was more about energy than strength.

    Because the core muscles and other connective tissue components are being used every day to maintain posture and for activities – sitting, walking, breathing, digesting etc.; they are already as strong as they need to be. My experience is that when people are told that they have a lack of core strength (“a weak core”), the problem isn’t weakness in their core muscles but the fact that these muscles and other aspects of the connective tissue matrix are too tight!

    It is a fact that a tight core is weaker than a core that is relaxed.

    It is a fact that a tight core is weaker than a core that is relaxed. Many people advising on exercise recommend exercises to “strengthen the core”. There are two problems with this: putting exercise strain on already tight muscles causes them to become even tighter and it focuses on the muscles when the main restriction may well be in the connective tissue matrix.

    Muscle building exercises put more stress into the core and can increase the stresses on other pelvic and abdominal structures, e.g. vertebral discs and the pelvic and abdominal organs. This can have a negative effect on the function of these organs and discs. Stress or trauma can become even more embedded when working these already tight tissues.

    So how do the core muscles become too tight?

    So how do the core muscles become too tight? These muscles and the rest of the connective tissue matrix react strongly (often without people noticing) to the stresses we experience throughout our lives. The cause of the stresses can be physical, emotional, mental or chemical.

    Think of what happens to the muscles in your pelvic region when you have a sudden fear. Try it: tense your body in the way you would if you were experiencing fear and notice the parts of body where you feel that tension. For most people the tension is mainly noticed in the upper body, neck and shoulders. Tense your body again and take particular notice of the way the deep muscles in your abdomen and pelvis tighten. This lower body tightening is often not noticed by the person experiencing the stress.

    So how can we release this deep set tension? Rather than putting more effort into an already “stuck” core (there is high energy stuck there that we cannot access) with strengthening exercises, we need to use methods to connect to and relax the tension.

    The Network Chiropractic and Matrix Repatterning techniques that I use are an efficient and effective way to achieve that release and gain the extra energy and better body and organ function that is denied because of deep tension.

    As this release occurs you will be able to further improve the dynamic stability of your core with Pilates and yoga sessions and other forms of exercise. Meditation is another component to making the connections you desire to enhance your energy and posture. As the result of these changes you will also experience benefits in other aspects of your  life.