Our four-legged friends feel tension and nervousness just like we do. And some of the same botanical allies that work for us may help them, too. Three of the most popular calming remedies for us bipeds are also safe for your pooch when she’s having an off day: chamomile, valerian, and passionflower.
With the holidays behind us and the energy of the SUN focusing the majority of its influence on the southern hemisphere, it’s a good time to look inward and track where our energy is losing potency.
The way we spend money is a wonderful opportunity to see how efficient our energy is running.
Money is Energy.
In the northern hemisphere, we’re coming into the darker time of year when the subconscious likes to make more of an appearance. Sometimes, this manifests as nightmares. And, while nightmares can be informative in terms of issues we may need to examine, especially if they’re recurring, sometimes they’re just plain problematic…causing distress and sleep disturbances.
Oh, the illusionary and all too persuasive frequency of worry. I know this one well. I remember walking into the living room when I was eight years old and the news was on. The news channel was reporting on global warming. Here I was 8 years old, born onto a planet that was going to cook itself into a slow and painful death?! I was horrified. I didn’t sleep well for months. My stomach hurt. My thoughts were consumed and thus began my first episode of a lifelong relationship with worry, the all too disempowering frequency of “what if.”
I’ll start by stating the obvious. When struggling with panic attacks, the approach necessarily has to be a broad one encompassing a whole network of support: A good therapist is helpful, nutrient-dense foods, mindfulness practice, physical activity, reaching out to loved ones and such. Speaking from experience. Anxiety has been a life-long companion of sorts, but full-on panic attacks didn’t start until my early 30s. This was pre-herbalism for me so I went through a whole slew of “azepams,” each losing effect after a few weeks.
I’ve struggled with a fear of flying for over a decade, and have tried just about everything to help me get on a plane without feeling like I’m going to faint, shake myself to death, or wake up screaming from nightmares prior to the flight. While dealing with a fear is often a multi-faceted approach, one resource helped far and beyond all others: hypnotherapy.
Having a fear of flying isn’t fun. I can tell you this firsthand as it’s something I’ve struggled with for the past 12 years. I don’t know exactly when or why I started to panic during takeoff or turbulence, my hands gripping the armrests, my palms sweaty.
We have come to understand that yoga is present in every living, breathing moment. It is a body of knowledge, a practice, and a way of life. It dwells in many aspects of our daily existence—how we see the world, the words we use, the ways we relate, the choices we make, and ultimately how we move and act to shape our experience. Its presence is subtle and permeating. As we begin to understand the greater framework of yoga, we can look to the Yamas and Niyamas.
Om Shreem MahaLakshmiyah Swaha
Praises to name of the Great Mother of both spiritual and material wealth which lives inside our consciousness. May we, in this moment, access the birthright of abundance which is ours. And so it is.