To understand the significance of balancing, aligning and healing the energy centers of the body, it is important to look at the relationships between the centers, and their connections to the Qualities of the Divine.  This subject deserves an entire book, but for now, I’m going to summarize.  I know this is really long, but it’s worth the read. I’m assuming a basic knowledge of the Divine Qualities, also referred to as Soul Nutrients.  (For an explanation of divine qualities and their relationship to our human attributes, see the post “Nutrients of our Internal Soil” and the Joyfully Living webpages Soul Nutrient Healing and Spiritual Healing.)

GENERALLY SPEAKING:

The body has many energy centers.  Here we are going to talk about the seven main energy centers.

7. The Crown center represents relationship to Divine guidance.

6. The Head center (also referred to as Third Eye chakra) represents knowledge and intuition.

5. The Throat center represents standing in the truth of who you are and what you believe.

4. The Heart center represents wisdom, love, acceptance and relating.

3. The Solar Plexus center represents personal power, self-acceptance and self-esteem.

2. The Sacral center represents creativity and sexuality.

1. The Base or Root center represents trust in Divine – safety and provision.

RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN THE CENTERS:

Your Crown center represents your relationship to the Divine.  This relationship informs your guidance, and your ability to see the big picture and gain larger perspectives on existence.

Your Base center represents your relationship to Earth.  This relationship informs your sense of safety and security, which affects your ability to trust on all levels.  This is where your belief in Divine Truth, when strong, can ground you in your state of “being” and connect you to the Earth.

The relationship between your head and heart centers is represented through what manifests energetically in the throat.

The relationship between the sacral center and the heart center is represented through energetic manifestations in the solar plexus.

The Heart is the CENTER ENERGY CENTER in this list.  It represents the alignment and honoring of the wisdom of the Divine, and the expression of that state of alignment and honoring.  This is where the expression of “self” meets reverence for the Divine.  This is the center WHERE IT ALL COMES TOGETHER.

ABOUT THE HEART:

The Heart is effectively a hologram.  All of the energetics of the body come together here to form images which are reflective of the states of the whole.  The Heart is the center of wisdom of the body.  (Head is the center of knowledge; heart is wisdom.)  The Heart is a representation of your connection to spirit and your innate wisdom/alignment/embodiment of the qualities or attributes of the Divine.

Everything that exists in the body is represented through the heart.  Likewise, the heart’s alignment (or misalignment) with the attributes or qualities of the Divine are represented throughout the body.

The Heart is the place of

• Expression of creativity (in harmony with the sacral center).
• Expression of beliefs (in harmony with the head center).
• Honoring of and reverence for the wisdom of the Divine.
• Aligning with the attributes/qualities of the Divine, and ultimately your inner truth.

RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN HEAD AND HEART:

The Head is the center of knowledge.  The Heart is the center of wisdom.  The relationship of Head to Heart is one of service, with the Head in service to the Heart, knowledge in service of wisdom.

The Heart is connected to the Divine and in service of the Divine.  The Heart is the center of wisdom or innate knowing of the Divine Qualities.

The Heart is the center for healing and transformation.  This is the doorway through which we return our human qualities to align with Divine Qualities.

MATTERS THAT MANIFEST IN THE THROAT CENTER:

Issues that can manifest in the Throat center include fear of standing in our truth – what we believe in or what we stand for; and issues that bring about disconnect or disharmony between the Head and Heart.

For example, when heart reflects emotional pain, a person can retreat to his head in order to avoid the experience of pain in the heart, turning away from the heart’s wisdom and allowing mental faculties of the head to rule.  Given that the heart is the center of wisdom and innate knowing of our divine attributes and inner truths, when we abandon the wisdom of the heart for the rule of the head, we are not able to stand fully in our true beliefs.  Sometimes the beliefs of the head and heart appear to agree, but integration of the two is necessary for us to truly own our voice of truth. Otherwise, we find ourselves compensating in a roundabout way to try to align with what is deeply true for us.

Additionally, cultural importance is often placed on the head/brain, while heart-centeredness is sometimes seen as weak,  emotional, not in “control”, and even feminine as referred to as a less desirable or derogatory state.  Culturally, the head/brain dominance is seen as being in control, in charge, and is considered by many as a preferred or elevated state.

Uncovering the Truth about the wisdom of the heart and its connection to the Divine is a source of healing.  It is the pains and incongruences that we find in the heart that lead us through doorways to discover our inner truths that are present beneath the pains.  This leads us to a transformation of our human qualities to align with the attributes of the Divine. (See Spiritual Healing)

Thus, bringing your head and heart into right relationship is an honored state, honoring of your inner truth, the truth of who you are.  As the Throat center is about standing in your truth, owning your truth, speaking your truth and being your truth in the world, bringing these centers into balance and harmony with one another creates a state for healing and strengthening of the throat center.

RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN SACRAL CENTER AND HEART CENTER:

The Sacral center is the center of creativity and sexuality.  When the sacral center and heart center are connected, this brings through an expression of your creativity and your sexuality.  These expressions are made divine when the heart is aligned with the sacred qualities in reverence to the Divine.

The area of the sacral center houses the reproductive organs.  The qualities of creativity and sexuality are qualities that bring forth life.  Nurturing and caring, loving, holding and protecting of the child are basic natural instincts that a parent expresses for his or her child.

This area energetically houses matters related to the inner child.  The same qualities of nurturing and caring, loving, holding and protecting are qualities that the child needs in their development.  This stage also relates to the playfulness and innocence of the child.  The matters of the inner child reflect early development during the ages of around 3 to 7 years.

MATTERS THAT MANIFEST IN THE SACRAL AND SOLAR PLEXUS CENTERS:

At this very formative time of 3-7 years of age when we are very open and innocent, circumstances that may not even jolt an adult can be traumatic to a child.  A child can respond with fear and trust can be shaken.  When a child feels fearful and unsafe, he can begin to suppress parts of himself that may generate a response in his environment that perpetuates his fear and distrust.  This can actually stifle the growth of parts of his self, including dreams and gifts that he came into the world with.

As an adult, feelings of not liking yourself or who you have become are actually a grieving for the “you” that got left behind.  If you stifled the growth of a part of yourself and stashed it away to protect it, then it is difficult to love and accept yourself and to own your personal power in a way that is true to who you really are – these are matters reflected in the Solar Plexus center.  This in turn affects the way you accept and relate to others, which are matters of the Heart center.  (The good news is, there are ways to reconnect with these parts of yourself and nourish them with Spiritual Nutrients so that they may grow and “catch up” to you in your present stage of development.)

Matters of trust, safety, shame, guilt, suppressed anger and hurt can all lodge in the Solar Plexus area, blocking the flow of energy from the Sacral center to the Heart.

Culturally, there is a strong belief that creativity, playfulness and innocence are childish and immature.  Somehow to “grow up” means to become hardened, cynical, serious or constricted.  Somewhere along the way we are taught that beauty is separate from function, and that we are supposed to fit a certain mold that truncates a whole host of our human aspects.  It is no wonder that fear of expression and fear of criticism are such common matters of the Solar Plexus area, present in nearly everyone.

MANIFESTATIONS RELATIVE TO BODYWORK:

In bodywork, there is an important relationship between the diaphragm and the neck/shoulders.  The diaphragm is in the area of the Solar Plexus center, and the neck/shoulders are in the area of the Throat center.  Both of these areas were described above as areas that manifest incongruences or constricted energy flow in the relationship between Sacral center and Heart, and Head and Heart respectively.

Often constriction in one area can be related to constriction in the other.  The areas are directly connected via connective tissue, ligaments and nerves.  For instance, pain in the neck/shoulder area can be caused by constriction or inflammation in the liver.

Energetically speaking, given what has been described as the main attributes honored in each center, if you are constricted in an area of self-acceptance, self-love, self-esteem and personal power, how can you stand in the truth of who you are and what you believe?  And if you are unable to stand in the truth of who you are and what you believe, how can you be in a state of self-acceptance, self-love, self-esteem and ownership of personal power?  It makes perfect sense the areas would be connected physically and energetically, and constriction in one area would have a direct effect on the state of the other area.

SUMMARY:

Let’s recap the relationships between the centers:

The Crown is Connected to Divine Guidance.

The Base is Grounded through Trust of the Divine.

The Heart is in Reverence of the Divine, its wisdom and all of its attributes.

When Knowledge is connected to and in service of the Heart, this leads to ease of owning and standing in Truth, an attribute of the Throat center.

Likewise, when Creativity and Sexuality are expressed honestly and sincerely through the Heart, this leads to Self-Acceptance, Self-Love, Self-Esteem and ownership of Personal Power, attributes of the Solar Plexus center.

Therefore, clearing and balancing each energy center, bringing them into balance and harmony with each other, improving their relationships with each other, will have profound effects on the overall spiritual connection and alignment of the entire being with divine attributes, purpose and connection.

The Soul Nutrient Healing is designed to support and facilitate the concepts outlined in this article. This healing will help you to open to your Divine Guidance, ground to the earth by increasing your faith and trust in Divine Provision, and open your heart to reverence of Divine Wisdom.

I am offering a special on the Soul Nutrient Healing for the month of February. Only $70 for a one-hour session. Regular price is $95. That’s $25 this month only. To take advantage of this offer, call Relaxing Alternatives to schedule your appointment: 301-987-2300. You can also purchase your session online now – for yourself or as a gift for a friend.

If your answer is yes, you’ve got a lot of company – over 4 million “friends” in the US alone!  In fact, according to the US Department of Health and Human Services, constipation is the most common gastrointestinal complaint, responsible for over 2.5 million annual doctor visits and over $725 million of spending on laxatives each year.

What is constipation?

The medical definition is having fewer than three bowel movements per week.  However, most natural and holistic health practitioners suggest we should have 2-3 bowel movements per day for optimum health.  I often hear people say, “I go 2-3 times per week, and that’s ok because that is what is normal for my system.”   But think about this:  Just because something is normal for your system, does that mean it is what is best for your body?

What is happening in your colon while the waste matter is waiting to be eliminated?  By Friday, Tuesday’s burger isn’t so nutritious any more.  As it sits, it can become toxic, upsetting the balance of bacteria in the colon and releasing harmful toxins into your bloodstream, affecting other systems of the body as well.  Frequent constipation can be responsible for abdominal bloating and pain, fatigue, brain fog, headaches, skin problems, joint pain, and even more serious health conditions.

Why are so many people constipated?

A number of factors contribute to constipation, and often there is a combination of factors at play.  The most commonly stated causes are dehydration, lack of fiber, lack of exercise, some medications and “ignoring the urge”.

• The standard recommendation for daily intake of water is half your body weight in ounces, so if you weigh 140 pounds, you need 70 ounces of water each day.  Add more for exercise and if you drink diuretic beverages such as coffee, tea or alcohol.

• Eat at least 5 cups of fresh fruits and vegetables per day in a form as close as possible to the way they come from the earth, and limit your intake of processed foods.  This ensures a diet high in fiber and natural water content.

• Exercise moderately for at least 30 minutes per day 5 days per week, with at least 2 days of resistance exercise.  Exercise increases circulation and diaphragmatic breathing and relieves stress, all of which contribute to your gastro health.

• Medications that may cause constipation include pain relievers, anti-depressants, anti-convulsants, iron supplements, some high blood pressure medications, some antacids and more.  If you take one of these medications and suffer from constipation, contact your healthcare provider to discuss alternatives.

• When you’ve got to go, by all means go!  Have you ever played host to the “I don’t have time for that right now” voice?  Not high enough on the priority list?  Just like you make time for breakfast or working out, it’s important to make time for your daily movements, especially in the morning.  I make sure to give myself 2 hours of awake time before I have to leave the house in the morning.

Another very important often overlooked cause to add:  STRESS!

• Tune in to your abdomen.  Do you sense a free flowing river or New York City rush hour grid lock?  Tension held in the abdominal cavity can constrict the natural motility of the digestive organs necessary to move the food along its tract.  Awareness is a key first step.

• Are you breathing?  Stress can lead to shallow breathing.  Practice taking full breaths with the diaphragm moving down into the abdominal cavity as the lungs fill.  It’s like giving yourself a massage from the inside out!

• Fight or Flight? Or Rest and Digest?  Stress puts us into the Fight or Flight mode, activating the sympathetic nervous system and deactivating the parasympathetic nervous system.  Taking time and awareness to sit in a relaxed state with our foods stimulates the Vagus nerve, the main nerve of the parasympathetic nervous system, to innervate the digestive system organs to begin peristaltic movement, secrete digestive juices and open the GI sphincters.

All of these recommendations, including the management and release of stress, can greatly improve your digestion and elimination habits. Sometimes these lifestyle changes can take a while to implement and take effect.  Meanwhile, it’s important to remove the toxic buildup that has been accumulating in your system.  One popular solution we offer is colon hydrotherapy.

How Colon Hydrotherapy can help constipation

Colon hydrotherapy provides a safe alternative to the $725-million common solution of laxatives.  Some laxatives can have harmful side effects and with consistent use can lead to dependency and decreased bowel function, especially the harsh stimulant laxatives that stimulate muscle contractions to expel stool.

Colon hydrotherapy, also known as colonics, is a safe, effective method of eliminating waste from the large intestine without the use of drugs.  During a session, warm purified water is introduced into the colon, and the waste is softened and loosened, resulting in evacuation through natural peristalsis.  Most people claim feeling lighter, mentally clearer and more energetic after just one colonic treatment!

Some people feel uneasy about the thought of colon hydrotherapy, but most people feel so much better after a treatment, they can’t believe they waited so long to try it!  If you have questions about the procedure and would like to discuss whether colon hydrotherapy is right for you, contact me for more information.

We have a mantra in the colon hydrotherapy field – better out than in!  Don’t let constipation, bloating and gas drag you down.  “Unfriend” the 4 million and put the pep back in your step today!

Similarly, winter is the time for us to reflect on our harvests of the previous seasons, to settle in and be present with where we are, and to determine the conditions of our internal soil. How is the nutrient level of your internal soil? Where have you been nourished? Where are you been depleted? What do you need to replenish the nutrients of your own internal soil, to make you more grounded and stabilized for the coming seasons?

• First, what are the nutrients of our internal soil?
• How do we know which nutrients are needed to return a bountiful harvest for our upcoming seasons?
• And how do we replenish our spiritual nutrients?

The Nutrients of our Internal Soil

Just as the soil requires basic nutrients such as nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium, our internal soil needs basic nutrients such as love, compassion, beauty, justice and true internal freedom.  These qualities are the basic spiritual-energetic minerals that we are made of.

These qualities lie at the core of our beings, far beneath emotions that we may associate with the same names.  At our cores, we perceive these qualities more experientially, sometimes with a sense of euphoria and without attachment, like we might imagine of a Klingon having an orgasm (for the Trekkies).  These qualities come from the spiritual life-force energy that connects all living things, both seen and unseen.  Our perception of them can be more like a sensation of floating on the energetic plain, or a washing of the energy through our bodies.

One of the foundational beliefs of the healing work that I offer is that we come into this world with knowledge of the qualities (spiritual nutrients) that we carry, our connection to the spiritual life-force energy that feeds us these nutrients and connects all things, and our purposes for our journeys.  In reality, these nutrients are never depleted from our internal soil, but we are at times less able to consciously plug into them.

Knowing which nutrients need to be replenished

One reason we become less able to access our spiritual nutrients is because as we lose our conscious connection to them, we simultaneously witness a material world that associates different meanings with the same names or flat out negates what we know inside to be true.  Then we paste these new meanings that we witness over the truth we know inside ourselves.

For example, we come into this world knowing our true beauty.  Yet exposure to stimulus such as television and advertising shows us pictures that are called “beauty”, and when we don’t look like those pictures of beauty, we may begin to believe that we are not beautiful.  “Me, beautiful?  Oh no.  That’s reserved for Angelina Jolie!”  In reality, appearance is not what defines beauty.  We know this intellectually, but do we really believe it?  Do we really fully embody our basic inner knowing of beauty?  Or can we find ourselves buying into beliefs that we are something less than beautiful?

If you find yourself ever thinking or believing that you are anything less than beautiful, then you know this is one of the minerals of your internal soil that needs to be replenished.

Replenishing the Nutrients of our Internal Soil

In the healing work, I teach two processes that serve to replenish our spiritual nutrients.  In reality, our spiritual nutrients are intact.  These processes actually help us to return our witnessing to connect with and experience these internal nutrients so that we may fully embody and live aligned with our inner truths.

The first of these processes is a heart-centered meditation appropriately called Remembrance.  In the process of Remembrance, we first set our intention to connect with the Source of the life-force energy that connects all living things and carries all of the spiritual nutrients that we are all made of.  We call upon this Source, and we begin to inhale the life-force energy into our lungs, allowing it to fill our heart space.  Inhaling, we invite the energy to fill our hearts; exhaling, we relax and allow the energy to penetrate deeply into our beings.  This simple process is repeated with each breath over a period of time.  Sometimes we need to work with this process for a while in order to let go and allow ourselves to be reconnected with our inner knowings, which may show themselves as sensations of love.

The second process takes this a step further.  This process, called the CAREFOR Connection, can be very powerful and has the power to bring about true lasting transformation.

The CAREFOR Connection is a 7-step process for transformational healing.  CAREFOR is an acronym for the 7 steps:

1. Call upon the Source of the universal life-force energy.
2. Ask directly for what is in your heart – in this case, the mineral that you have found is in need of replenishment.
3. Repeat the Remembrance process.
4. Extend your energetic heart to reach out or reinforce your connection to the life-force energy and all of its spiritual nutrients.
5. Find the sacred gift that it has for you.  In the above example, that would be the true experience of divine beauty.
6. Open your being to receive that gift.  Inhale the energy of that nutrient into your lungs; drink it into your heart.  Allow it to penetrate into your being at the cellular level and beyond.
7. Respect that your body is a sacred vessel, the house of your divine spirit on your earthly journey, worthy of all of the universal truths that you carry inside.

I do recommend trying this at home.  These processes can be subtle, or they can bring about an experience of great ecstasy, or they can be very powerful in other ways.  At times they may trigger a strong response, such as an increase in volume of the voices and beliefs that have been pasted over our inner truths, that tell us things other than the truth, such as that we are less than beautiful.  DO NOT BUY INTO THESE VOICES.  Continue with the practices.  Call even stronger upon the Source.  The Source contains all and is much larger than any voices of untruth inside or outside of us.

Remember the final concept listed in the foundational concepts of the healing work:

“The Ocean of Love contains all; nothing exists except within the larger container of Love.”

The example in this article is simplified even though it is very common.  Other cases may appear more complicated or be harder to recognize.  In this case, you may need the support of the full healing process.  The full healing process includes seven phases; the Remembrance meditation is used throughout, and the CAREFOR Connection is one of the phases.

If you need support with this process or feel you need healing support to relieve yourself of negative self-talk and return to your inner truths, please contact me.  I’m happy to help either in person or remotely, or I can refer you to someone closer to your area.

The famous Sufi poet Jalal ad-Din Rumi wrote,

“Your task is not to seek for love,
but merely to seek and find all the barriers within yourself
that you have built against it.”

This love of which he speaks is the connection to our internal spiritual nutrients.  To find it, we must merely seek and find the barriers that we have built against it.  To wash away these barriers and reconnect with our inner truths, we Remember the Source of the universal life-force energy that connects us all, use the CAREFOR Connection to invoke the energy of the divine truth and allow it to penetrate our beings to bring about true healing and transformation.

It sounds simple and it is, but our untruths can be tricky.  Please reach out for help if you get stuck.

Meanwhile, I’m wishing for you a nutrient-rich winter season to ground you to the earth and stabilize your being to prepare you for a bountiful 2012!

It turned out the knot had a lot to do with my fear of success, and under that my fear of rejection and memories of the pain that I’ve experienced from rejection in my past. Painful to live with, but I know that having this come to my consciousness today means that God wants to give me a jewel of truth and healing, and this makes it easy to turn my attention away from the pain and toward the gratitude that I feel for this gift.

In turning to the gratitude, my heart opened and my belly relaxed. Gratitude is a powerful opener. This was exactly what was needed for my being to let go of the pain and the memories and pictures that were holding the pain in place, and for my heart to open to receive the jewel of wisdom and the new knowing that God wants to give to me.

As I was allowing the washing of the past and letting go of the pain, another little voice came in: “But what if I’m asked to be a messenger? I don’t want to be persecuted like Jesus or any of the prophets.” The message came in to my heart, “Keep your eyes and ears and your heart on God. He is the Real; the other is not.” Well that’s simple. Which reality would you choose to live in? The reality of your heart when you are with your Beloved or the reality of the varied critics in the world that don’t even know you?

Then another voice: “But what if God asks me to step into a role and I’m not able to walk the talk? What if I mess up?” I felt the ever-familiar perfectionist that lives in my head; the one that judges my own every move. Then I felt a washing coming through my mind, and a gentle loving voice in my heart, “Be sincere, be humble, be real, and receive mercy for your mistakes. This is the true perfection as God has planned for us.”

So all of the pictures that I’ve held in my mind about what is perfect and what is flawed have a new reality to contend with – the reality of perfection as a walking living work of art; a cycle of living, making mistakes, learning and receiving God’s grace.

I put my head down before my Beloved and ask for guidance and mercy; I ask for a new creation, to let go of my own knowing in exchange for a taste of Your Reality. I give thanks for the reality that You have made for me. I am truly blessed.

We lead busy lives.  We work hard, we care for others, we have a lot to do – too much to be so selfish as to take time to care for our own bodies.  And yet, what are our bodies?  And what has caring for your body got to do with your spiritual well-being?

Our bodies are a miraculous system of life that transport our spirits through their journeys while on this earth.  What is your body without your spirit?  When your spirit leaves, your body dies; your body has no more life.  While you are alive and traveling on this earth, your body is the bridge for your spirit to this material existence.  Through your body, you sense, see, hear, feel, taste, experience, reason and analyze.  Through your body, you learn the important lessons that your soul has come here to learn.

Through your body, you manifest the purposes for which your soul was brought here and you experience the challenges and fulfillment of those manifestations.  And through your body you can bring forth new life through which another soul can travel and experience and learn.

Your body is much more than flesh and bones.  When you neglect to care for it, you are neglecting to care for your soul and spirit.

When you repeatedly short-change your time for yourself, you are short-changing your soul’s opportunity to receive what it needs from its limited journey in this plane of existence.

Therefore, to truly care for ourselves, we must be connected to our hearts, our souls, our spirits, and God’s intention for us on this earth.  And if we are truly connected to our hearts, souls and spirits, we will place optimal self-care at the top of our priority lists.

Being spiritual is not about self-sacrifice.  It’s about self-care.  And in order to know how to care for ourselves, we must be self-aware and connected to our souls and spirits – why we’re here, how we relate to others, what we need and how to care for all of this.  After all, this is all part of the journey – the “why we’re here”. It’s the journey of illumination and the illumination of the journey.

First, when I talk about the Divine, I think of that everlasting life force that runs through all of creation like electricity, giving life to all things and connecting us to all that exists in both the seen and unseen worlds.  Its essence is Unity, where there is only One, and yet it contains many qualities, such as Unconditional Love, Compassion, Truth, Mercy, Friendship, Equality and Freedom.  These are all things that are always present within and around us, and they are the keys to our healing and spiritual growth.

Remembrance is, as the name suggests, remembering this presence and calling upon the essence of Unconditional Love and Unity to fill our hearts.  When this essence fills our hearts it does many things.  Here are a few:

• It washes away pain, hurt, old memories and unsupportive beliefs, such as voices that tell us we’re unworthy or undeserving.
• It ignites that light in our hearts that is the source of our inner knowing of truth and connection with all things, allowing it to grow and shine.
• It connects us with all that is and helps us to see the world from a new perspective.
• It brings us out of our busy minds and into our bodies and hearts, helping to calm us, center and ground us, so that we can live with more ease and peace.

So, are you ready to learn this simple practice?  Here it is:

The process begins with an invocation.  Call to the Divine by a Sacred Name.

What is meant by a Sacred Name?  A Sacred Name is a name for the Divine in a sacred language, such as Arabic or Aramaic.  Words spoken in these ancient languages carry the vibrational frequencies of the meanings of what the words represent.  For instance, everything has energy which resonates at a certain frequency.  Sounds are resonant frequencies.  In a Sacred Language, when you call to The One, you are invoking the energetic frequency of the essence of the Sacred Presence.

The Sacred Name in Arabic is Allah, meaning The One.  In Aramaic, the Name is Allaha.  When you say the Name, elongate the “aaah” sound.  The “aaah” is the sound that resonates at the frequency of the heart center of the human body.  This will help to open your heart to receive the Presence.

These Names also contain the “LL” sound.  When you touch your tongue to the roof of your mouth in making the “LL” sound, you are completing the circuit between two energetic pathways, called the governing and conception vessels in Chinese medicine.

Try the names and feel what works for you.  I use the Name, Allah, said “Allaaah”.  In our US culture today, many associations have been made with the Arabic Name that are not in agreement with the word’s actual meaning.  Try to let go of any preconceived ideas that have been associated with this Sacred Name and allow yourself to feel the true meaning.  These Names were used before the religions were developed.  If you’re not comfortable with the Arabic, try the Aramaic Allaha, said “Allaaaha”.  Aramaic is said to be the language that Jesus spoke.

Begin to repeat the Name in a soft voice or just under your breath.  Invoke the presence of the Source of Truth and Healing, the Unity of all creation.   Feel this presence before you as you would your most intimate and trusted friend.  For this is your most intimate and trusted friend.

Feeling the presence of the Divine and the light in your heart, continue to repeat the Sacred Name directly into your heart, as if you are placing the words into the center of your heart space with your breath.  Elongate the “aaah” sound and feel your heart space relax with each breath.  Allow the essence of the Divine to flow into your heart like water to wash away anything that does not resonate with the truth of who you are and keeps you from living in the Divine Reality.

If you can, continue this practice for 15 to 30 minutes or more. Don’t worry if you don’t “feel” anything right away.  It can sometimes be very subtle and other times very powerful.  Keep working with it every day if you can.  It’s a great way to start the day, and best if you can do it just before sunrise when the earth is still and quiet.

This is the cornerstone practice that is used throughout the CAREFOR Connection process, the 7-step healing process that we will use in our work together.  For more information, see Spiritual Healing.