Month: October 2015

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self-awareness

The Grab: A Simple Exercise in Self-Awareness

Kara McNabb, Medicinal Herbs and Food, Mind Body and Spirit, Nature, NaturopathyNo comments,

It had been 90 minutes since my neighbor shared her criticism about the way I choose to live, when suddenly it clicked. This squabble would have been the perfect opportunity to practice bringing myself back into center after the intimidating situation sent my body swirling into a frenzy of fight, flight or freeze mode.

Earlier, I’d spent the day in self-awareness mode with the Life 2.0 program, where I experienced “The Grab,” a practice that emerged from Aikido and, more specifically, Richard Strozzi Heckler’s Strozzi Institute.

I wasn’t sure what to expect from this exercise named with a word that carries a generally negative connotation. Michael Jackson was all that came to mind. But it turned out to be pretty innocent. I was to spend a moment centering myself, speak my commitment statement, then wait for my partner to touch my shoulder while saying “Kara.” After “the grab,” I was to re-center and again speak my commitment statement.

Simple. But I was in awe at what I discovered with my reaction. …

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focus and attention span

Tips for Improving your Attention Span

Geoff Lamden, Mind Body and Spirit, Natural Health, Sound TherapyNo comments, ,

Mine is longer than yours…or is it?

Now that I have your attention, hopefully I can keep it. The average American’s attention span is down to eight seconds. This is one second less than that of a goldfish (nine seconds). “Attention span is the amount of concentrated time one can spend on a task without becoming distracted. Most educators and psychologists agree that the ability to focus attention on a task is crucial for the achievement of one’s goals.” (Wikipedia)

I believe how we do anything is how we do everything.

If in these quick, small doses we do not stay focused, then how are we to guide ourselves into the larger tasks we would like to accomplish in life. The key is to tune in and stay there. Notice the mind wandering. How long did it take? Where is it going off to? Can you come back to the focus at hand? The more we practice this then the longer our attention span can become. Just like working out the body comes with consistency, follow through and increase in intensity, so it is with our mind.

focus and attention spanTry setting an intention of attention, and see what comes of it. Here …

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Continuum Healing Grand Rapids

Celebrating 7 years of Continuum Healing

Micah McLaughlin, NaturopathyNo comments,

I found an old can of paint in the basement of our house leftover from the previous owners. The Alger Heights hardware store tinted the paint key lime pie green for $3. With two gallons of paint and a six-pack of beer, my friend Chad and I tackled the white office walls.

The whole suite resembled an abandoned 1970s dentist office. It was what I could afford, close to my house, and I negotiated for a gentle and gradual increase in rent for the first six months. I decorated almost the entire office with furniture from Goodwill and a desk found at a garage sale for $25. It wasn’t much, but it was my not much.

While school had prepared me to sit with clients and offer nutritional, herbal and lifestyle suggestions, we never got a course on running a business, LLCs or trying to decorate a suite in desperate need of updating. My wife and I were about to have our second child, and no time really seemed right to get this business started. I was gambling. I was betting on me.

The moment I was introduced to naturopathic medicine, I fell in love with it. From herbs to …

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Massage therapy is not a luxury

The Stigma of Massage

Jenny Bork, MassageNo comments, ,

 

The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines a luxury as “something that is expensive and not necessary” and “an indulgence in something that provides pleasure, satisfaction, or ease”. The word indulgence is defined as “the act of doing something that you enjoy but that is usually thought of as wrong”.

These definitions carry connotations of guilt, negativity, judgment and stigma. Yet these are two words repeatedly associated with and used to describe massage therapy. How many times have you said or heard someone say these phrases?

“It’s just a luxury.”

“It’s my birthday, so I thought I’d splurge.”

“I got a promotion, so I wanted to treat myself.”

“I need to do A, B, and C. If I get those done, THEN I can…”

I am here to break it to you; receiving a massage is not equal to giving a puppy a treat when he sits.

It is much greater than that. Can it be purely a relaxing experience? Absolutely. Can we book a massage with the intention of rewarding ourselves after achieving a milestone? Of course. However, assigning such words as those listed above set a certain tone and creates a certain stigma devalues the importance of self-care …

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What is naturopathy

What is naturopathy?

Christie Kruisenga, Mind Body and Spirit, NaturopathyNo comments, ,

As I work to complete my four year certification as a traditional naturopath, I am frequently asked about my field of work. Most responses vary around a polite, “Oh, interesting. Nat-ur-op-athy, what is that, exactly…?” to the enthusiastic, “Oh! My sister sees a naturopath! Do you know about essential oils?”

I have stumbled more times than I care to admit attempting to explain the concept of naturopathy based on the depth of knowledge the inquiring person was looking for. I went from feeling too vague and unconfident in my response to overly enthusiastic and overwhelming. “I love this! Don’t you?! Well, let me tell you more!” With time and experience I’ve improved (slightly), but still strive to develop my own definition of what I do and how to clearly portray that to anybody who might inquire.

The following is my attempt to answer the main questions I have received from the lady standing in the check-out lane behind me to the potential clients who call and are ready to do their research. My answers and explanations are solely based on what I have been taught or what I have learned through experience and will be presented without bias towards any …

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