Your energy diet

Have you every noticed a difference in how you feel after eating junk or deep fried food compared to eating nutrient rich whole foods? I bet most of you have noticed that you feel more energized, focused and have more stamina after eating nourishing foods, and that you're more tired, maybe even lethargic, after eating foods that don't provide built in fuel for digestion. Just like food, the energetic "food" in your environment can either nourish or deplete you.

As energetic beings, we absorb a lot from our environment whether we are aware of it or not. Environmental diets consist of "foods" such as noises, smells, visual impressions, rays from technological devices (televisions, cell phone, lap tops, microwaves, etc...) and power lines, sensations on our skin from air, fabric, temperature, and emotions and moods from people around us, and much much more.

Have you ever thought about your daily environmental diet and whether it nourishes or depletes you? I invite you to pay attention this week to the "food" in your environmental diet and think about whether it has a positive or negative impact on you.

Right now, I'm listening to a recording of Mozart against a backdrop of ocean waves while working in my peaceful studio overlooking a garden. Can you see birds and trees outside your window too or are you looking at the drab gray walls of your cubicle? Is the background noise soothing or is there loud construction noise in the background or many people talking all around you in the office as you try to focus? Have you encountered someone cranky today and taken some of that mood with you? What else do you notice?

Take a break!

When I was in high school, my favorite English teacher told me that the key to producing an "A" essay paper was to stop working once an hour for a 1-5 minute break to rest my mind and engage my body. She encouraged me to stretch, go outside or simply close my eyes and take a deep breath. Another teacher encouraged me to overcome those notorious afternoon slumps by having a high protein snack and exercising for 15-60 minutes to wake up my body and increase my energy for the rest of the day. The advice from these two smart women stuck with me over the past 15+ years and proved to be true time and time again. (I got a lot of A's in school.)

As I learned, taking a break is one of the best things you can do to re-energize, regain focus, and keep up the level of productivity that you desire. If you're anything like me, you may concentrate so hard on what you're doing that the time passes quickly. One of my tricks for fitting in breaks is to schedule them ahead of time. Modern technology makes it easy to do this. If you're working on a computer, you can usually set up your email client (such as MS Outlook or Gmail Google Calendar) to remind you when it's time to take a break. If you're moving around or at home, try setting an alarm or reminder on your cell phone or setting a timer on your stove or microwave to signal it's time for a break.

Setting reminders is easy - the hardest thing for most of us even when we have good intentions is to actually stop and relax. If you find yourself resisting a break, remind yourself that this break is going to help you reach your goals faster and easier because you'll be focused and rejuvenated when you get back to work. Experiment this week - try scheduling a couple of breaks for yourself and TAKE THEM. I bet you'll be glad you did!

Have you been meaning to take some time just for YOURSELF to relax and rejuvenate?

New to Reiki?
Join me on the first Sunday of every month at Union Square Acupuncture in Somerville at my reiki community clinic from 1-3pm where you can try 15 minutes of deep relaxation with Reiki for only $10. Reserve your session to feel better today by calling 617-429-1793 or joannascaparotti@gmail. Space is limited!

I know some of you out there are so busy taking care of all the details at home and at work, and you are feeling stressed out, maybe a little cranky, or maybe you're not sleeping or feeling as well as you used to. Let me help you relax deeply with a reiki session that will revitalize you right away, and I'll also send you home with some self-care tips so you can continue to feel great.

A change of perspective

From June 15 - July 9th, the planet mercury is said to be retrograde. While the planet isn't actually traveling backwards, it seems that way to our eyes because of the orbit of the earth in relation to the other planets. Traditionally it is believed that when planets are retrograde, things don't go as planned, and often repressed, hidden or ignored issues come to light. Sometimes even wacky things just happen - especially with technology just not working the way it's supposed to or transportation getting bungled up.

While this could be a stressful time, the activity of a retrograde is a great opportunity to practice wellness by letting go of your need to control your environment and allowing yourself to be led along the flow of the universe. Take a lot of deep breaths, if you need to, and consider this thought from Kasha Ritter published in We'Moon 2007:

There is a term, "Divine Chaos". I am sure you have heard it before.

It would be a great gift if we could teach our children the gift that chaos brings. That when you get a flat tire and you have to be somewhere, that life just gave you a nice pause in your day. Not that life hates you and is out to get you. This is your gentle remider that you are not in control, that someone is looking out for you, wanting to get your attention - and, most importantly, that when life does not go as planned, it is, always is a good thing. It has changed your perspective; it has given you an open door to meet someone new, let someone help you and reconnect you to life.

So, next time your day "falls apart", pause, say thanks and enjoy the ride.

Look and feel your best this summer

The summer solstice on Thursday marks the longest day of the year and the beginning of true summer. If you're like most people, you can expect the next 10 weeks to be full of barbeques, family reunions, gatherings, vacations, and special occasions. You probably want to look and feel your best for the coming events this summer, so I'm going to let you in on a wellness secret. Making time for yourself on a regular basis is the key to boundless energy and satisfaction.

No matter what brings you to a place of relaxation - and it's different for everyone - clear some time in your schedule at least once a week to do whatever nourishes your wellbeing. Whether it's a few moments of quiet reflection each morning with gratitude on the fullness of your life, treating yourself to some pampering by your favorite holistic practitioner, or taking a walk on the beach, make a regular date with yourself. If you can, pull out your calendar for the summer right now and block out time dedicated to your rejuvenation each of the weeks ahead, and remember to honor your date with yourself just as you would an appointment with a friend. You'll be glad you did!

Comments

Wow I needed this article. Thanks! --Diane S.

I always receive just the info my life needs at that moment when I get your ezine. Thanks for all the helpful tips to declutter and reinvigorate my life :) --Angie J.

Wellness Tip - Make relaxation a priority

Do you work really hard and have a jam packed schedule of commitments and to-do lists? Do you experience anxiety or stress on a regular basis? Have you been meaning to take some time just for YOURSELF to relax and rejuvenate?

If this sounds like you, I recommend you make relaxation a priority. Make an appointment with yourself to do something rejuvenating this week and put it right onto your schedule like you would for a meeting or an appointment with someone else.

If you aren't sure how to soothe away stress and anxiety or how you are going to fit an appointment for your wellbeing into your schedule - give me a call or send me an email for free advice, tips and pointers.

You can always reach me at 617-429-1793 or joannascaparotti@gmail.com.

Be well!
Joanna

Reiki 1 class starting June 19th!

Reiki training quickly provides you with the skills and simple technique for easily attaining a state of deep relaxation which is beneficial for boosting your immune system, reducing stress, alleviating aches and pains, and regulating sleep.

My latest Reiki 1 training program meets four Tuesdays from 7:30-9pm in Somerville starting next Tuesday June 19th. It's only $75 to learn this valuable tool for increasing and maintaining personal vitality.

Email joannascaparotti@gmail.com or call 617-429-1793 to register.

Reiki can be a smart first step toward recapturing wellness

What is Reiki? by Pamela Miles

We all know that we should be taking better care of ourselves. Many acknowledge the need for stress reduction in our lives; fewer take the time needed to develop proficiency in any calming technique. But receiving Reiki or learning to practice Reiki can actually remove many obstacles to better self-care. How does this work?

"I’m too tired and busy to do anything new." People usually feel better quickly with Reiki, more functional, more focused, more productive, with less anxiety and pain. For this reason, Reiki can be a smart first step toward recapturing wellness.

Read more in the June edition of Wisdom Magazine ...

Lim's Limericks by A. Cat: Yikey! it's Reiki, says Mr.A.Cat

Lim's Limericks by A. Cat: Yikey! it's Reiki, says Mr.A.Cat

Empowering the world one person at a time

This weekend I was blessed with the opportunity to share Reiki with a number of people who had never experienced it before. It's such a pleasure for me to create a peaceful space for relaxation and introduce people to energywork. My mother hosted my first Reiki home relaxation party, and the format worked really well. Once everyone arrived, I gave an introduction to how we exist on an energetic level and an overview of Reiki as a modality for wellness. I liked how there was time to answer everyone's questions, so that everyone's curiosity and concerns were addressed before we did the sessions. There is usually not enough time for in depth discussion about Reiki at the community clinics because of the volume of people coming through. Also, having a group of people contributing adds a lot to the discussion because things get brought up in that setting that may not come up one-on-one. I think the discussion adds a deeper level of awareness to the Reiki experience. I'm inspired by this weekend to find other opportunities to present about Reiki - such as community settings in addition to future home parties.

take a vacation on Sunday

Join me this sunday June 3rd from 1- 3pm (and every 1st Sunday of the month) for a 15 minute escape from stress. Do you know anyone who would benefit from a soothing getaway? Tell a friend about this opportunity! Directions and more information. Reserve your getaway from stress on Sunday by calling 617-429-1793 or emailing me at joannascaparotti@gmail.com.

Reiki & Human Open Energy System

People are always asking me how Reiki works. There is a lot of information out there on the internet about what Reiki is and what it isn't, but I have yet to come across resource that explains how it works in a way that lay people can understand. So bear with me as I try to explain my understanding of Reiki and the human open energy system.

Open energy system

Let's start with the basics. I first heard of the theory called "The Wellness Energy System" in one of my courses at Clayton College. Dr. John W Travis, M.D. writes about it in his text Wellness Workbook. He explains the scientific concept of a dissipative structure - an open system in which energy comes in, becomes modified, and then is dissipated back to the environment. One example of this concept is a seed which builds a plant from the environmental resources around it - air, sunlight, water, minerals - and then dissipates oxygen, pollen, fruit, or scent back to the environment, including it's own materials as fertilizer for the soil it came from when it dies.

Travis theorizes that a person is also an open energy system. We take in energy from our environment in the form of information, food, noise, air, relationships, the work we do, etc.. We then go on to organize and transform what we take in to feed our bodies, minds and spirits, and then return the energy in some form back to the environment. We grow, live, and die as part of a perpetual cycle of input, transformation, and dissipation.

"The Wellness Energy System" put forth by Travis, and corroborated by the concept of life-force energy in Traditional Chinese Medicine, theorizies that when the flow of energy through our human open system is strong and free flowing we are in an optimal state of wellness, and when the flow is impeded or weak in any way than symptoms of imbalance and disease may manifest.


How does this relate to Reiki?

My theory is that the universal life force energy (Reiki) is the fuel and intelligence that creates and inspires all open systems. I think of Reiki as the source of the mystery behind a seed becoming a plant or two merged cells becoming a human being. Each of us is a unique conduit for energy - our conditioning, habits, patterns and lifestyle choices determine how much energy we take in, how we use the energy, and how we release it back to our environment. An experienced Reiki practitioner, in particular, is skilled at directly connecting to the source energy that's available in the open systems of our earth and universe, and in conducting this available energy into his or her own open system, and in assisting other open systems to connect as well. By consciously connecting to and drawing upon Reiki, our open systems are able to recharge when they are depleted, dissolve and break up stagnation and blockages, and optimize our open system's ability to flow freely and strongly.