Oh humble pendulum.  You are but a piece of wood shaped like an acorn hanging from 6 inches of yarn.  And yet you have been my daily healthcare tool of choice since I entered healing school in 1994.  Through you I can determine the status of energy systems of my clients, my loved ones, my pets, and myself– evaluating the flow of energy through the energy centers, meridians, and energy field.  It helps me determine which foods are most compatible with my unique biochemistry and which flower essences would best correct any energetic imbalances.  And it helps me determine the effectiveness of the energy healing techniques I use – like Reiki, Healing Touch, Craniosacral therapy, and EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique).  How can a piece of wood do all that? 

     A pendulum is a type of dowsing tool, which have been used since ancient times to detect energetic frequencies.  Scientists have determined that dowsers can pick up these frequencies through sensors in the solar plexus and the brain. The frequencies are amplified by the fluid in my body and read through the movement of the dowsing tool as it is held in my hand.  Using one requires some practice, suspending self-doubt, and being centered.  It’s my most valued tool for working with the energy of life that determines our health. 

Whether you are a parent, a caregiver, or in a helping profession – it’s easy to forget about your own needs when you are caring for others.  But if you don’t put yourself first, you can quickly become burned out and unable to provide care to others. Here are some tips for caregivers:

     Many of us have been taught that self-care is selfish or that we aren’t worthy of it. These negative thoughts are a sign of an energy blockage. I use EFT everyday in my personal life and with my clients and have found it to be the most effective techniques I use in my professional energy healing practice.  Don't know how to acutap?  Click on the link above, or make an appointment with a professional. You can also find a thorough explanation of energy blocks, an acutapping chart, and tapping affirmations and tips in my book.

2. Schedule consistent time for self-care

     When planning what you need to accomplish in your day, put self-care at the top of the list.  It’s like making sure there’s gas in your tank before driving somewhere.  That self-care can include such activities as a hobby, lunch with friends, writing in your journal, meditation and deep breathing, or yoga. Don't think you have time?  When we set the intention to make self-care a priority and remove the blocks, its amazing how time just opens up in our life to do so.   

3.Know your limits

     Learn to recognize the signs that you have reached your “giving” limit.  Most of us can tell when we are tired, but how about headaches, difficulty focusing, sleep disturbances, or feeling pessimistic?  All these can be a sign that you need to replenish. 

     In my healing practice I know how many clients I can see each day and I don’t overschedule myself. Believe me; this can be difficult when there’s someone in need.  It requires me to have trust and faith in the unlimited nature of the universe, knowing that there’s always enough time and resources for everyone’s needs and I don't have to be the sole provider!  If you have negative thoughts to the contrary, see #1!

         When I was a teenager, a stray dog showed up at our property and appointed himself our watchdog.  He patrolled the wrought iron fence and barked at anyone who walked by.  He had decided he was our dog, and we agreed, naming him Red after his golden-red coat of fur.  His breed?  We could only guess – Golden Retriever?  A bit of Collie?    

                Red was friendly and sociable, but he would yelp in panic and dive under furniture at the sound of a car backfiring or a gun firing on TV.  He had arrived at our house with a streak of singed fur along his temple and we made up a backstory that he had been grazed by a bullet that passed near his head.  Since he already knew how to sit, stay, roll over and shake paws, we concluded his previous owners had taught him tricks.  But when we tried to brush him, he cowered and winced at the sight of the brush, as if he had been abused. 

                In my active imagination, I imagined that Red had escaped from his abusers in a dramatic scene that included gunfire.  I pictured him wandering in a daze for many miles, until he came upon our house and decided we needed him.  Whatever the real story, I was grateful for the angel dog that had come out of nowhere at a time when I desperately needed protection and unconditional love.

                Red died over 30 years ago, not long after I left home and got married.  The way he died is too awful to recount here, but let it suffice to say that it was fear that killed him.  It was his fear of loud noises that caused him to panic and try to escape his enclosure – inadvertently killing himself in the process. 

                Fear may not kill us as swiftly as it did Red.  But fear can kill us slowly.  It robs us of happiness and joy. It destroys our courage and blocks our growth.  It eats away at our health.  But fear is not something we can escape.  Rather, fear can be transformed through compassion, unconditional love, and self-acceptance.  RIP my dear friend Red.  

April 6, 1993

Dear younger self,

     I know that after so many years of unsuccessful infertility treatment, you have lost your faith.  You are afraid it will never happen and that all your effort will have been for not.  You feel like you are being punished, but have no idea what for.  And you feel like your body has betrayed you.

       When things don’t happen in the timetable we expect, we lose faith that it will ever happen.  But I’m asking you to trust.  Trust that no matter what, you will be happy.  Trust that this time has not been wasted.  Trust that there are no mistakes.  And trust that all the hard work you have done has planted the seeds that will grow and transform your life. 

     I can tell you this – your life is going to change dramatically because of this experience.  You will have an amazing new and fulfilling career.  Your relationships will deepen.  You will learn how to really love and accept yourself, and you will feel like a different person with a different state of mind and being.  Wonder how all that is going to happen?  You can read all about it in January 2013 when your book is published!