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Tag: creativity

  • Social Media Trends Every Digital Marketer Should Know About

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    Social media trends are constantly changing and consumers are always eager to be a part of the interactive campaigns with their fluid use of devices, channels, and screens, and they expect that their experiences should be seamless, engaging, and entertaining. As consumers adapt, digital marketers have to be flexible and savvy about how to break through into their ever-changing behaviors, to make an impact, resonate, and inspire, to get their attention.

    The focus is on innovative execution, smart content and mobile awareness. These trends in today’s social media should likewise inspire digital marketers to take their cross-channel marketing to new levels.

    Some brands are now using blog content to sell consumer products. Others are using mobile apps to engage their mobile audience. Smart digital marketers should be quick to embrace the ever-changing rules of search engine optimization, social media and online marketing with creative innovation as well with designs to engage consumers. Some notable trends in digital marketing seen to resonate and inspire consumers are in key areas that have to do with the following:

    · Product context: because today’s consumers care more about how a product can have a positive impact on their daily lives-the benefits of a product is what digital marketing should be selling.

    · Guided creativity: consumers like to explore and engage with content without the scrolling on mobile devices-it’s such great idea in terms of using smaller screen design elements, easy to draw the consumers’ attention.

    · Idea-based ecosystems: social media have become giant selfies and a business can now showcase its identity, and it’s a win when a company can tie its brand to the identity of the consumer.

    · Content curation and aggregation: the information overload in today’s online environment underscores the need for relevant information such that when a business becomes the go-to-source for relevant information on a specific need, consumers will seek out.

    · 4-screen revolution: being able to interact with consumers on the multiple devices they use today-TV, mobile phone, laptop and tablet-a great way of coping with the ever shrinking attention spans of consumers.

    · Video messaging campaigns: video campaigns are becoming relevant in digital marketing to promote a brand and they appeal to the interest of consumers.

    · Decoding digital signals: the importance of using analytics is a great way to understand consumers and how best to reach them. Mobile usage has increased significantly in today’s social trends as such the smart digital marketer should ensure the company’s website is optimized for mobile phones to capture traffic that goes through mobile devices.

    · Social ad targeting: messaging apps like SnapChat is great for social media ad targeting. Smart brands could stage fleeting sales via a SnapChat-when opened up, the target has few seconds of messaging and it’s a catcher.

    Effective digital marketing is developing conversations with consumers that keep them engaged to ensure a brand is better than the alternative. Consumers keep raising the bar on what they expect from businesses and digital marketers have to work even harder to meet those expectations.

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    Source by Kenday S Kamara

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  • Just What Is An "Odd" Emotion?

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    While performing social media consulting work for a child psychologist, my eyes were drawn to a Psychology Today magazine sitting in the office lobby. The headline for the cover story read “Odd Emotions: Master The Feelings You Can’t Name.” The title alone was intriguing enough to stoke my interest because, well, I’m a “highly sensitive person” and I often experience emotions that I can’t quite name or explain.

    There Are Just No Adequate Words, Or Are There?

    So-o-o… not too long ago, I struggled with understanding some emotions that I can best describe as a ball of intertwined feelings occurring simultaneously. It felt like an explosive double roundhouse kick to the gut from Ronda Rousey that left me dazed, confused, hurt, angry, scared, humiliated, and traumatized.

    And those are just a few of the emotions that converged upon my spirit in one fell swoop. But the worst part was not being able to explain or comprehend the emotions, nor that no one else seemed to understand it, either.

    Fast forward to the other side of my multifarious emotions, I discover that these “odd” feelings really don’t have one name. When artist and writer John Koenig was not able to label his emotions of pending death, he just invented one, “moriturism,” and says “it [his emotions] felt somehow okay.”

    He then created a website that serves as a dictionary describing emotions that have no name using a combination of creativity, linguistic research, and etymology to assign a name and meaning. For instance, “exulansis,” he has determined is a noun which means “the tendency to give up trying to talk about an experience because people are unable to relate to it-whether through envy or pity or simple foreignness-which allows it to drift away from the rest of your life story, until the memory itself feels out of place, almost mythical, wandering restlessly in the fog, no longer even looking for a place to land.”

    The word is a present verb from its Latin root exul, which means “to exile, banish.”

    Fluff or For Real?

    You may be wondering, if people really remember or use these words. Highly likely not, but psychologists suggest in the article that naming or labeling an emotion “might make it more manageable,” “allow us the opportunity to choose our response,” and “help to put a frame around more complex emotions.” I would agree with them, because I believe being able to name what I was previously feeling would have helped to redirect my energy because I spent a lot of time just processing my emotions and the experience.

    Others may see it as a pointless exercise that probably won’t be useful, but Koenig believes it helps individuals to understand that the same indescribable emotions they are feeling have been felt by others. The experience may also encourage the practice of honoring one’s sensitivity and personal emotions in a constructive manner. That’s a lot less exhausting than the alternative, which is running from or suppressing emotions in hopes of an exulansis.

    What do you think about “odd” emotions? Are there inventive words you’ve heard or used to describe an emotion or even an experience, whether good or bad?

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    Source by N. Ann Hall

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  • The Success Avoidance Syndrom

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    Life is full of ironies and paradoxes. One of the most amazing of these is the human tendency to cry for and cling to those things that hurt them. As one notable poet put it, “people run for their chains.” Is it not amazing that people generally dislike prisons, and yet it is a known fact that many former prisoners would rather be in prison than out of it? How many people out there are clinging to and crying for relationships, and yet they fully know that those same relationships are dysfunctional and leading nowhere?

    How many companies, individuals and nations are tenaciously holding onto solutions that have passed their sale by date? How many people desire to lose weight and to be in good health, and yet daily crave for and indulge in those behaviors that negate this aim? My proposition is that there are many. Perhaps the most debilitating human condition is the success avoidance syndrome. Put simply, people have this tendency to want and wish for success, and yet simultaneously unwittingly avoid the things that make for success. They desire success but hasten their feet towards failure. Below is a synopsis of the traits of the success avoiding individual.

    o Risk Avoidance.

    Many people want to succeed in life but they are averse to risk. However, the very nature of success is that the greater the risk involved the greater the rewards. Every opportunity carries within it a certain amount of risk. To try is to risk failing; to propose is to risk being turned down; to love is to risk heartbreak; to advance is to risk repulsion and resistance; to lead is to risk criticism and being cartooned; to express yourself is to risk appearing a fool; to seek profits is to risk making losses; to put your views to the public (like I am doing now) is to risk being ridiculed; to trust people is to risk being disappointed; to be yourself is to risk being rejected; to be a copycat is to court frustration; to write an exam is to risk failure and disappointment; to communicate is to risk being misunderstood, to buy something is to risk dissatisfaction and dissonance; to get an insurance policy is to risk paying for a service that may never become necessary.

    It is true that risk is often uncomfortable. However, the alternative which is failure, frustration and underachievement is even worse. Not only is the alternative very discomfiting, but it is also painful. Any risk minimization strategy is therefore actually a success reduction mechanism. A faint heart never wins a fair lady, and there is no crown for the coward. It is that simple. The winners know that the greatest risk in life is to risk nothing. After all to be alive is to risk dying some day and we will all die, so what is the big deal?

    Before we leave the subject of risk it is important to underline that there is a big difference between taking risks and taking gambles. To gamble is to put oneself at the mercy of fate and chance. With gambling one has no influence over the outcome at all and a good example is lottery. However, when one takes risk one does not become a prisoner of fate but remains a participator in a process in which the success is not guaranteed, but the chances thereof can be influenced by one’s own decisions and actions. There is no self determination with gambling, but the risk taker retains some control.

    o Failure Avoidance

    The person obsessed with avoiding failure learns to do nothing. It is only that person that never does anything, that never makes mistakes. In truth there is no effort without shortcomings. However, action is a progenitor of success and it follows logically that the person who never engages in meaningful and serious action by this very act of omission avoids success. Activity, of course is not to be confused with progress, but there can never be progress without activity. Failure avoidance is success avoidance. Period.

    Failure avoidance is a learnt habit. Research indicates that families, companies and environments replete with criticism, cynicism, pessimism, threats of punishment and motivation by fear are a good breeding ground for failure avoiders. To the contrary affirmation, recognition, acknowledgement, praise, reward and encouragement constitute the diet of the success pursuers. Creativity and innovation cannot co-habit with fear of failure and punishment.

    The failure avoiders are regulated by their fear of failure, but the winners are inspired by their dreams. In most cases the failure avoiders keep fresh the memories of their past failures, catastrophes, fiascos and heartbreaks. Their minds are filled with imaginations of pain and failure and negative outcomes. They always fear and expect the worst. They think in terms of and look for limits, but the winner thinks in terms of and looks for opportunities.

    The loser is therefore always running away from limits, while the winner is running towards opportunity. The winner recognizes that limits and opportunities are one and the same thing. The difference lies in the eye of the beholder and how he chooses to interpret what he sees. The failure avoider sees the challenges as stumbling blocks to be avoided but the winner sees them as stepping stones to be embraced and utilized. In truth every challenge brings with it an opportunity to grow, but it is easy to miss this opportunity if one sees it as a burden, problem or disappointment.

    What have you been avoiding all your life and of late? What have you been hesitating to do? Is it a conversation, telephone call or important decision? Whatever it is, take time to reflect on whether your avoidance does not constitute success avoidance. To be continued, expect some more.

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    Source by George Chingarande

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  • Find Fail Safe Project Success With These 4 Simple Tips

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    Getting your project — even a large one — off to a successful and quick beginning is a major key to success.

    So, here’s some help. Read on for 4 tips to help you move your project into the “Fail Safe” zone. As you use your skills and power to think ahead, your results can far surpass what a traditional approach to project management offers.

    1. Open to new possibilities for structuring your project.

    Start by clearly defining your desired outcome, and then build around it. Beginning with your goal stimulates your creativity and moves you away from automatically following a standard protocol. Let fresh ideas bubble up.

    2. Refine the image of your goal. Make it comprehensive and specific.

    Keep working at your project definition. Having a crystal clear image of your desired outcome before you begin helps in lots of ways. For one thing, it’s motivating. And vague descriptions may result in confusion for those who need to understand your project or those whose help you may need in order to be successful. The clarity of your goal will also help you strategize more effectively when you’re structuring your action steps.

    3. What about the scope and complexity of your desired outcome? If you’ve bitten off more than you can chew, remember that you hold the power to make your project manageable.

    Realistic planning at the outset greatly reduces your chances of having to scale back your original goal. A doctoral dissertation or strategic plan without a feasible-to-achieve outcome can easily become a project that is impossible to manage. Learn to marshal your resources by simplifying.

    4. Work backward.

    Start from your outcome and work back. This helps you identify each necessary action step. When you do this, you’re more likely to maintain a realistic pace and scale throughout the project.

    In contrast, beginning at the beginning can mire you in too much detail or overwhelm you with the enormity of your task.

    It’s deeply rewarding to plan a project effectively when first starting out. You will proceed with more confidence and develop a stronger base of support.

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    Source by Paula Eder

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  • Numerology’s Habit Challenge; Hidden Strength From Your Name

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    All of us know what it’s like to have a crisis on our hands. When you have such a problem, where do you find the ability to deal with it? Numerology can help you find out what your basic approach is to solving the really hard problems in life. You just need to calculate your Habit Challenge.

    The Habit Challenge has several names: Submerged Characteristic and Habit number to name a few. This value reveals a hidden strength which you can use when problems are especially difficult for you. You don’t call on it often, but it’s there when you need it. Note: since this value is based on your use name, it can change throughout your lifetime.

    Habit Challenge Calculation

    Your Habit Challenge is calculated by counting the number of digits in your use name, and then reducing the total by fadic addition. For example actor Johnny Depp’s habit challenge value is (1) as shown below:

    Johnny Depp = (6 + 4) = (10) = (1 + 0) = (1)

    Habit Challenge (1) – Originality

    Your value gives you the ability to find an original solution to difficult problems, often to the surprise of others. Choosing to take the lead in these problems brings quick results.

    Habit Challenge (2) – Follower

    Your value gives you the ability to be a good follower; to let others lead and to obey orders when necessary. Collaboration is usually successful and some skill in diplomacy is present.

    Habit Challenge (3) – Imagination

    Your value gives you the ability to use your imagination and creativity to solve unusually difficult problems; you will find an artistic solution. You don’t always take these kinds of problems seriously.

    Habit Challenge (4) – Logic

    Your value gives you the ability to use logic and set reasonable goals to solve unusually difficult problems. Detailed, unemotional analysis will be your tools. You prefer a practical and orthodox solution to these problems. You will remain emotionally calm and cool in these situations.

    Habit Challenge (5) – Adaptive

    Your value gives you the ability to be adaptable, take risks, and accept changes to solve unusually difficult problems. New, untried solutions can work for you. You will show quickness of thought and versatility in these situations.

    Habit Challenge (6) – Responsible

    Your value gives you the ability to be responsible and sympathetic to the needs of others in solving unusually difficult problems. The effects on friends and family will be considered in reaching your solution.

    Habit Challenge (7) – Meditation

    Your value gives you the ability to meditate and seek within yourself to solve unusually difficult problems. You will tend to reject unsought advice and work to find your own solutions. You will wait to act until conditions are perfect to solve these problems.

    Habit Challenge (8) – Ruthless

    Your value gives you the ability to be efficient and ruthless in solving unusually difficult problems. You will set goals and work long and hard on them in these situations. Determination and persistence will be used in solving these problems.

    Habit Challenge (9) – Broad Minded

    Your value gives you the ability to take a broad-minded and idealistic approach to solve unusually difficult problems. You will be generous towards others in these situations. You will have unexpected and dramatic reactions to any opposition in solving these problems.

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    Source by Keith Abbott

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  • How Art Can Heal You

    How Art Can Heal You

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    A person when they are drawn to an artwork is experiencing either an awakening to the feelings of what they see or they are analysing for details in making sense of things. To express oneself to the creativity of being authentic and original is to experience true happiness as it has for most artists and the everyday people. Today stress has become an expected living condition for most people and many are unaware that they are slowly deteriorating in boiling water like a frog who is unconscious of its environment. The human mind is like an operating system and we store many of our memories and experiences in our subconscious mind therefore never realising that we are repeating a pattern or never understanding why we react a certain way when in fact we wish we dealt with matters differently.

    Since starting on my artistic journey in my living room a few years back I have come to realise that art is more than just a hobby, it can actually be a new way of life and that we are allowed to express our innermost frustration and fears that hang on our shoulders like a shadow of uncertainty. A simple thing like colouring in books and prints are now becoming a new found stress relief and according to researchers who have recognized the healing traits of art for years, say that today art is used to help people in order to express themselves when they’re sentiment and it is too difficult for them to put their emotions into words, most likely when they’re faced with a cancer diagnosis. Now when seeing colours in flowers and plants for inspiration it gives me a feeling of gratitude to what nature is quietly offering us, more than an aid for oxygen supply but a mark for attention in times of stress. The whole idea of meditation is to bring the mind to a focus point where the nerves are trained to not react to the internal dialogues and external forces thus strengthening the frontal cortex from reacting to stimuli and instead take a better course of action. Painting and colouring do for this very reason give you the same result. Observe the traits and characteristics of most painters and artists, you will see that in a general we are calm and are less prone to neurotic outburst of emotions. Some of us do practise a healthier lifestyle and it is a privilege for me as an artist to inform you that we are all not on drugs and substances and that the use of art can in a way be beneficial for anyone who require to relax and unwind.

    A habit once formed is not easy to break however with the right intention to change and move forward you will find that replacing an addiction or substance with a more therapeutic action such as colouring in or painting, it can give you the same feeling of satisfaction. As difficult and impossible this may sound, at first, you will never know until you try it. The secret to becoming a healthier and successful artist is to find what inspires you to create when observing nature and beautiful surroundings but if you have never touched a paint brush then start with the basics of colouring in or make a collage from gluing seashells on a canvas. Either way, art is subjective and my theory is if it makes you feel happy and gives you a sense of achievement from creating something out of nothing then you truly are an artist.

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    Source by Julie Rekha

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  • Smart Entrepreneurs Wear Six Hats

    Smart Entrepreneurs Wear Six Hats

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    Entrepreneurs are necessarily optimistic. You need to be, it allows you to see the possibilities around you and act on them.

    However, the downside is that your emotional attachment can blind you to problems that are otherwise obvious to someone who is not as personally invested in the project.

    This is why smart entrepreneurs learn to wear six hats: six "Thinking Hats". Originally defined by psychologist Edward DeBono, the Six Thinking Hats are a structured creativity tool to help you look at a situation from different perspectives, to solve a problem or to foresee and minimize risks before they turn into problems.

    When you "wear" a specific color hat, it gives you permission to look at your problem is a specific way:

    • White Hat: Analytical – What does the data say? Look at the available data, both quantitative and qualitative. What are past trends? What can you extrapolate? Where is the evidence to support your assumptions? Where do you need more data?
    • Red Hat: Emotional – How do you feel about this? Access your intuition, gut reaction, emotion. Talk about your feelings about the situation, where you feel good and not as good. How would others feel about this?
    • Black Hat: Pessimist – What could go wrong? Think cautiously, defensively, why it might not work. Poke holes in the idea, look for the weak spots, all with the intention to identify what needs to be addressed in order to overcome any problems.
    • Yellow Hat: Optimist – What if all goes right? Think optimistically, positively. Imagine all the opportunities, the benefits, the advantages. Reach for the stars!
    • Green Hat: Creative – How can we make this better? Use your creative juices to think "out of the box". Explore weird tangents, unexpected synergies, make it into a "purple cow" (something remarkable that stands out from the crowd).
    • Blue Hat: Process – What do we need to do now? Direct the process of creativity so avoid getting stuck. When in "Blue Hat" mode, step back from the problem and consider if you are giving all of the other hats equal time.

    Entrepreneurs seem to do quite well with the Yellow, Red and Green Hat approaches to thinking about an idea. There is more resistance to the White Hat (analytical) and definitely a big block around Black Hat thinking. Could this be because the Analytical and Pessimist are associated with external control?

    There is nothing to fear from the Black Hat – it can be your best friend. Wearing the Black Hat gets you out of cheerleader mode and forces you to examine your assumptions up close. From personal experience, I know that when a project backfires, the failure can be traced back to an assumption that was not properly tested. Black Hat thinking gives your project real traction by foreseeing the difficulties and encouraging defensive planning. This makes the plan more resilient and improves the probability of success.

    As you explore wearing the various Hats, put on the Blue Hat (Process) from time to time to see if you are considering all the perspectives of your project. Note that the purpose of this thinking exercise is not to assign fault or blame. The mindset of every Hat is to make sure the project succeeds.

    It is great fun to dream big and to reach for the stars. But if you want to make any progress, you need to keep your feet on the ground. Practice wearing the Six Thinking Hats as you plan and execute your business project. This mindset will give you the traction to power your project towards real and enduring results.

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    Source by Davender Gupta

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  • Spiritual and Emotional Healing for Common Chronic Illnesses

    Spiritual and Emotional Healing for Common Chronic Illnesses

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    Chronic illness can be used as a tool of enlightenment to discover the lessons of soul journeys.

    Often times, our physical bodies reflect the spiritual, psychological and biological imprints of our experiences.

    When we engage a process of healing, often practitioners address the physical or biological aspects of health challenges, yet the psychological and emotional aspects are often neglected.

    Thus, it is important to look at our emotional and spiritual patterns to discover the lessons in specific health conditions.

    In the Chinese system of medicine, there is a mapping of personality archetypes that correlate with specific internal organ imbalances. These correlations can give insight to emotional and spiritual aspects of health challenges.

    For example, someone with a kidney imbalance or adrenal fatigue or urinary bladder issues might lean toward excessive fears such that energy becomes stagnant to create kidney stones. We would call this personality type a “water” type. They might tend to be very introspective and inward, suppressing feelings as opposed to expressing them. Also, water personalities may be challenged with exhibiting discipline.

    On a spiritual level, water aspects are about spiritual essence, so lessons that have to do with our jing-our spiritual DNA or heritage, cyclic patterns of energy that are associated with our spiritual ancestors and our spiritual blueprint.

    So, when we have issues involving a kidney pattern, either in the form of weak kidneys (sluggish energy), kidney stones, weak bones, or cancer, we need to ask ourselves, “On a spiritual level, what energies am I holding around heritage and ancestors that may be depleting my kidney energy? What fears am I holding?”

    On the other hand, a person with high blood pressure, dizziness, and tendency towards insomnia or anger might have more of a wood personality, manifesting imbalances with the liver. The partner of the liver is the gallbladder, another wood element organ. A personality archetype of a person with imbalances of the gallbladder would be one who has difficulty making decisions and defining themselves and their path in the world. There is often a sense of angst or wavering about what to do or who to be in the world.

    Spiritually wood is about creativity and the most benevolent aspects of spirit. So, when we have health challenges that are more of a wood issue, we can ask, “What issues or energies am I holding around blooming compassion or dealing with suppressed anger?” How am I allowing my spirit and personality to manifest creativity?”

    Metal personalities often are more prone to lung challenges, asthma, bronchitis, and other respiratory and auto-immune issues that may express more on the skin or through the large intestine. Metal out of balance can represent a person who tends to be righteous in fighting injustices but perhaps at a level that depletes their energy such that the immunity and the lungs suffer. Irritable bowel syndrome can also be a tendency for people who have a strong metal element, as there may be issues with holding onto experience and feelings that no longer serve the body, creating inflammation in the organ itself that is responsible for elimination of toxins. Perfectionists often fit into this metal category as trying to achieve very lofty goals-part of the righteous aspect of the self that is trying to attain the highest level of achievement.

    Spiritually, metal is associated with our “wei qi”, external immunity that protects spiritually. “Wei qi” can be compared to an energetic shield. So, we might ask ourselves, “What issues or energies am I holding around protection, perfection or the need to right injustices on a spirit level?”

    Earth personalities tend to manifest spleen/stomach and digestive issues. They may also exhibit challenge with boundaries (setting appropriate boundaries so as to regulate activities and relationships such that one does not become overwhelmed). Thus, anxiety may arise. Also, the earth personality may tend to ruminate on thoughts and ideas which can also add to anxiety and the health challenges that may accompany stress, such as acid reflux, ulcers, and irritable bowel syndrome.

    Earth personalities can be natural nurturers but may have a tendency to over-nurture and not make time for themselves. Thus, nourishing the self becomes an important healing tool for earth personalities. Challenges with grounding and centering energy may also emerge for earth personality person as often their energies are stretched in so many directions in the attempt to care-take others.

    On a spirit level, earth represents the spiritual intelligence. So, we might introspect earth related health challenges by asking, “What energies or issues am I holding around allowing my intuitive and spiritual intelligence to guide my path versus my cognitive, intellectual self? In what ways am nourishing my ability to let spirit lead?”

    Sometimes our spirit journeys may involve patterns or lessons around these elemental aspects of being such that we may carry the imbalance of earlier spirit journeys in our bodies as patterns that reflect our elemental patterns of those times.

    This is often the case with health conditions that do not respond to traditional western or traditional eastern protocols. These conditions often reflect deeper rooted soul lessons that need to be resolved. Thus, the process for resolution often takes time. Yet sometimes people want a quick fix and only want to invest in their health with a few sessions or herbal formulations. Yet, the condition may have taken several lifetimes form-so the work of healing needs to be consistent, steady and regular to gain optimal resolution.

    Understanding this longer cycle of healing and supporting the journey with self-empowerment tools such as self-acupressure, dietary and exercise guidance and spiritual mentoring is a hallmark of the type of Chinese medicine that I practice. Thus, clients are given a palette of tools from which they can pick and choose what resonates for them. Then, they can decide at which level that wish to implement strategies and tools in their lives. Thus, the client is the driver in the healing experience with the practitioner merely facilitating a deeper road on which to travel.

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    Source by Kay Hutchinson

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