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Life Dreams...Do you ever wonder what we are all doing here???

Why is it that you were born into the family that you have? There are so many questions and not nearly enough answers. But the more I learn, the more I realise that we are meant to live our dreams. What do you mean by this you might say??? I mean that whatever you want in your life, you can create. But you have to be specific, use affirmations and really believe that you deserve it.

I started a life book about 15 years ago. I cut out beautiful pictures from magazines that could visually put together the life I wished to have. I didn’t really think anything of it at the time – I thought of it more as an arts and crafts project than a “Create the life you want to lead” project. On one side of the book, I had all the pictures in a collage and on the other side of the book I had written all the things I wanted to be/have and do. So, there were places I wanted to travel – South America, China, India , Nepal etc and there were things I wanted to do like own my own business (obviously I thought that was way more glamourous than it is!!) and there were things I wanted to achieve personally, like growing spiritually, becoming a better cook and saving more money.

When I had finished it, I put it away and forgot about it for a few years. One day I found it and looked through it – I could not believe that even though I had never looked at it again, I had done about 80% of the dreams I had written in that book. I could not believe it!! Some of the things were pretty simple, like owning a cat and a dog.

But, now, it had given me food for thought…….What if I had some really BIG dreams???, What if I put down on paper all the things I could ever imagine that I wanted to do/be or have…. So, now I have done just that – I am still finishing it. But I can’t wait to see what happens. It will be so amazing if I achieve any of it. I will keep you posted. But, I highly recommend that you do something like this or even contemplate it. I honestly believe we are meant to lead the most enriching lives that we can lead……… Have a great week!!!!

Brazillian odyssey???

For those of you who are a little squeamish or a little on the “I didn’t need to know that” side of things…” maybe this one is not for you!!! Please continue drinking your lattes in the sun while reading your favorite novel…..(in fact, just ignore me!!)

Now when I think of Brazil I am thinking of Rio de Janiero and beaches and hot, hot , hot sunny days. I am not thinking of a defluffing or denuding or mowing the lawn so to speak….. So, where have all the crazy ideas of Brazilian waxing come from??

It seems to be that it started with models and the like. But it really came to the U.S via New York and 7 sisters. They thought it to be “cleaner, neater and more sexy..” Now, the definition of a Brazilian wax changes depending on where you are and who you are talking to, but basically it is a basement spring clean where they rip everything off from the front, the back and everything in between. You are left with a little runway (similar to the Pemberton Airstrip!!), just enough for a plane or two to land but no need to use a whipper snipper. Usually, clients want to try it because their girlfriends have done it.

I remember being in my early 20’s and going to get a full leg and bikini wax. When I arrived, the girl asked me if I wanted the “usual”. I said, that would be fine. I lay on the table and noticed that either the table was really short or I was really tall. My legs were hanging off by a couple of feet. Later, the girl asked me if I was a model… I was sooooooooo flattered and thought that maybe she needed glasses as I was never one of those waif-thin girls that have to run around in the shower just to get wet!!! Anyway, she began the waxing and I noticed how painless it was. I was delighted and surprised all at once!! In fact, it was so painless that I did not realize just how much of the lawn was mown…..later, I felt a little sheepish and was glad that summer was on the way. The moral to the story is…………never assume that you know what the “usual” is!!!

(Also, point to remember to self…….thank god there is just a week between a bad haircut and a good one.)

“All the happiness in the world comes from wishing others to be happy.” Buddha

Isn’t this just the most beautiful saying ….It leaves one feeling warm, as if they have just been hugged. The possibilities for us on earth are magnificent. I love the fact that when you can make a difference in someone else’s life it can have a huge ripple effect. Not only are you helping one person feel great, but then they are able to help everyone else feel great.

You do the math. One person touches one life and that person touches another life and so on and so forth. Yes, we can make a difference!! Then why do we sometimes struggle and feel so much pain at times??? In all honestly, this is the biggest gift we could ever have. It is only through hardship, pain and tragedy that we can truly experience joy. It is only through the difficult times that we are then able to appreciate the beautiful moments in our lives.

The Buddhists believe that only the chosen few have the true opportunity of tragedy throughout their lives, it is only by being worn down to your very core that you can then experience the nature of unconditional love, freedom from delusion and joy. The small things in life like a beautiful flower and a mesmerizing sunset become experiences that you can truly feel to your core. I have most often been filled with joy when I have had the opportunity to contribute to the happiness of another.

It can be as small as some kind words, or an expression of love or gratitude or even if we are truly lucky, a change in someone else’s life for the better. As a homeopath, I have had the opportunity to watch many people heal and grow through their commitment to furthering and understanding themselves. I thank every client for the huge gift I receive every time someone crosses a barrier or sheds a burden they did not think was possible. Just for a day, let’s be brave, let’s put ourselves out on a limb and make a difference in someone else life. It’s easy. And it can begin with something as small as a smile!!!

Adlerian Psychology….. Checking in with your belief systems… As someone who has both had a lot of counseling and also practiced a great deal of counseling with my clients I just had to share this little gem with you. Of course, there are many types of counseling and its all about horses for courses. What works for one, may not always work for someone else. I think the true essence of “freedom” mentally, physically and spiritually comes from the ability to not only understand your “stuff” but also, to be able to let it GO!!!!

Far , far away……………Like you would let a balloon go and watch it simply float away. Imagine all the stuff that you carry your perceptions and beliefs which cause you to feel or react a certain way, imagine them never (or rarely, - we are human after all!!) being triggered. Homeopathy has done a lot for me in this respect, but my latest discovery, has simply been mind-blowing. (literally!!). It’s called adlerian psychology and it works with your cognitive thoughts(your understanding of yourself and your world) as well as your behaviour. What I really like about it, is that it gives you the ability to “see” how you have come to the belief system that you have.

When you have had an experience, usually as a child that has given you some sort of positive/negative understanding, then you start to create a belief system that perpetuates these beliefs. For example, if you were told that you were “stupid” your whole life, then you will create experiences that sit with this and fulfil the belief that you have. To find the “aha” moment, we need to pinpoint the memory/experience that created this. It’s kind of like being bucked off a horse, if you are thrown, you may never want to ride again. But, the truth is you are not going to get thrown every time you ride a horse. So we need to be able to let these “negative” beliefs go. Once we do, it will change our life forever, we will lead a much more fulfilling lives.

I had a belief system that everyone had to be happy before me and that I had to be happy last. Also, on top of this, if I was happy, then bad things would happen. It came from the following experience. When I was 8 years old, my parents separated and I was not allowed to see my Mum. I didn’t see her for 10 years, until I found her. But just after they separated, I used to sneak out and see my Mum instead of going to violin lessons. When my step mother and father found out, they forbade me to do it. They said that if I did then I would go to foster care. I created a pretty powerful belief system from this – the one I have just described. It has been with me forever and I have perpetuated it. You can’t even imagine the freedom I have from letting this go. If you are looking for freedom and think something like this may help you, why not call the Adlerian clinic in Vancouver.

Maybe you can let your balloon go!!!

Ear candling…

What is this you might quite rightly ask?? Why do candles need ears??? Or do ears have candles??? Weird. No,actually, ear candling is a fascinating process whereby, a trained practitioner will place a special wax candle in your ear and light the other end. No, you will not go up in smoke and the fire department do not need to be alerted. This process creates a vacuum and through this it sucks out all sorts of interesting critters and gunk. Usually, your brain is left intact. There is much that has been written about ear candling both positive and negative, but like anything, it is up to you to do the research and see where you go from here. I like to try the more unusual processes, if you never try them. You don’t know what they have to offer and you can only go on heresay. So, I was curious ……what could ear candling do for me??? Should I try it??? Would I regret it???

Those that support ear candling say that it can improve a variety of conditions including: Headaches, ear infections, ringing in the ears, hearing challenges, inner ear pressure, plugged ears, migraines, balance,chronic sinusitis and general ear aches and pains to name but a few things. Of the literature that is written against the modality of ear candling the main concern seems to be burns from the wax candle itself. However, they do produce dripless candles. All things considered I had to try it.

So, I lay down on my side, while my practitioner inserted a thin, cone shaped candle in my ear. She then lit one end and let it burn to almost the bottom. During the procedure I felt a low level warmth from the candle and heard all sorts of cracking and popping (maybe my brain was turning into popcorn???). I am one of those women who is very curious….so, I HAD to know and see what was in the candle after the treatment. So, with bated breath, I held the candle and began cutting through it with a pair of scissors. Now, for those of you who are slightly squeamish I will spare you the details of what I beheld. But. Let’s just say it wasn’t pretty and I am sure I could have done lots of gardening with it!!! But, all in all, I did notice a BIG improvement with my hearing – it probably lasted about 4 – 6 weeks and for that I was truly thankful, especially since hearing is not my strongpoint.

Yoga …the retreat you body and mind will love you for.

When I first found out about yoga, it was again one of those things that seemed “tedious”. I mean, where was the “fun”??? So, you hold a pose or stretch for 30 seconds and then you hold another one and so it goes. Oh yeah!! Sign me up for 2 or 3 of those sessions. Sounds fascinating. Wild water rafting or yoga…let me see…let me see….skiing in fresh powder or yoga….hhmmmmmmmmmm. Still can’t decide???? Well, the truth is that we all need a little yoga as well as all of the other stimulating things we love to do. With the types of lives that we lead usually busy and full of distress and eustress (yes stress can be a positive thing!!). We all need a place where we can get in touch with ourselves, heal and focus on just us. Yoga is so much more than just a series of stretches. In India, they even have yoga Universities because they teach the philosophy of yoga and yes, the courses are 4 years long!!!

In a world, where we push ourselves to the max and we are constantly bombarded by stimulation (positive and negative) we need a place to heal and restore ourselves. Now, given that all is not fair in this world I have one of those bodies that is thirty something going on 60!!! I am only talking in the stretching department. I am very inflexible. So, when I do my yoga, it is the beginner’s classes over and over. Apparently repetition will help me. ! But, since I have been doing yoga on and off for about the last 5 years, things have changed. I use to go because I was stiff as a board and I wanted to be able to put my heels on the floor when I was doing “downward dog” (one of the more popular stretches). So, in the beginning it was purely a physical thing. But, by the time I came to doing pregnancy yoga (I highly recommend Kashi’s yoga for this) things began to change. Now I went to yoga to feel more calm about the pregnancy. It’s even better now, because when I do a one hour session of yoga once a week, everything seems easier and calmer. It will even feel this way for up to a week and that’s after one hour of yoga??? What else do you know of that can make you feel this good for this long? That’s because yoga in itself is kind of like meditation. It focuses on breathwork and releasing the mind from it’s usual daily clutter. (That’s a big job right there for my mind !!).

So, next time you are stressed rather than reaching for chocolate, pills or alcohol or something that is your “usual” crutch, why not try a yoga class??? If nothing else, it really can’t hurt. (Well, as long as you don’t push it to “look” like one of those fabulously lithe and supple yoga bodies.) Remember, if it hurts don’t do it…just breathe and make it deep!

Now , for those of you who are familiar with this type of treatment, you will understand it’s deep and fundamental benefits. But for others who have not heard of it, let me try and explain……

Reiki is an energy based modality that has its roots firmly planted in the Japanese culture. The word Reiki (Ray-Key) is a Japanese Kanji (character) for universal life-force or energy. Reiki re-establishes a normal energy flow of ki (chi) which is life – force energy throughout the body which will then , in turn enhance the body’s overall functioning and healing ability. The principles of reiki are guidelines that we should all follow in our daily lives. They are:

1) Just for today, I will not anger
2) Just for today, I will not worry
3) Just for today, I will be grateful
4) Just for today, I will work hard on myself
5) Just for today, I will be kind to others


If nothing else, these principles are a great way to live and reach out to other people. So how will a reiki treatment make you feel??? Well the results will all be different of course, as the client will draw the energy that they need. This may sound a little like smoke and mirrors, but what one can say is that just because we can’t see something does not mean it is not there. (Food for thought anyway.)

I have given clients reiki sessions and had the following feed back. People say they feel more energized, more balanced, calmer, less emotional, less stressed, more relaxed and vital. They may also report less pain and be more alert.

So, what happens in a reiki session?? Well, depending on the type of reiki being done, the cleint may feel a variety of things. “I like reiki, because it rejuvenates me and allows me the opportunity to truly rest and relax when I can get wound up at times and not even notice it. When I have had a treatment most people will say I look like I have just been hit by a truck (hardly a beautifying term!!!) but, obviously, the sort of relaxation that one feels is deep. I don’t think I would look like that if I slept continuously for 6 months. Reiki is one of my all time favourite treatments. It is very subtle and involves placement of the hands as opposed to strokes.

Lori Hunter a buddhist reiki practitioner who now works at Nibbana Healing Spa has been practicing reiki for 5 years and in her experience, reiki reduces stress and triggers our innate healing process not only for the body, but also for the mind and soul. She goes on to say “Personally, reiki gives you an understanding beyond the physical body on an experiential level. Giving reiki actually gives me balance and clears up any congestion so that I can be a clear channel for energy. I love the freedom I feel through reiki which reduces the limitations/pressures that we feel from the outside world.”

Put your best foot forward….

Do you think you have ugly feet??? Most people's feet never see the light of day in the winter, so how would you know if your feet are ugly or not? Even if your feet are ugly, by the time you have had a pedicure or specialist foot treatment, you won't believe how your feet will look let alone how they feel. For fabulous and instant results, I would highly recommend a pedicure. In the spa world, I recommend people to try pedicures because it is one of those treatments that will guarantee results when most other treatments can be variable due to a wide variety of influences. I mean, even a splash of colour on it's own can make a world of difference.

One thing is for sure, that when you have a spa treatment, namely a pedicure that is specifically designed for your feet, you will not even know that your very same feet are the ones that walked you in for the treatment in the first place!!!!

I can relate to this, I think my feet are really not anything to be talked about, but let me tell you, that after a pedicure with some flashy razzle-dazzle colors I am heading straight for the open-toed sandals even in the winter!!! I just feel more polished and my feet look happy!! Happy to take me wherever I go, even if it is Nesters or to the gas station. But, let's not get too superficial, it's not just about the esthetics…..no!no!no!. This treatment will re-introduce you to your feet. Hello!, my name is Rhiannon, thanks for carrying me around all this time. Do you come here often??? No? Me either!

A pedicure will delight your feet with not only a mask and a paraffin wax treatment (for silky, luscious skin!!) , but also warm booties that will make your feet want to go to sleep forever. But wait that's not all. Wait until you get the foot massage or reflexology!! Well Hello kitty, my feet are alive. In Chinese medicine every point of your foot correlates to an organ system in your body, so not only will your feet smile but your whole body will be glad for the opportunity to have some therapeutic touch and massage.

Re-introduce yourself to your feet , I am sure that you will both be happy!!!

Channeling.....................What????

Now here is an item that you won’t find on many spa menus. Channeling...Channel who???

Channeling comes under the more esoteric spa services that are offered at some spas. It involves the ability to channel energies or spirits for other people. There are many different ways to do this and most channelers or mediums (I really think some of us are extra large!) Have the ability to channel these energies and give clients messages.

Now, for some people this may be an experience that they would rather live without. Or even an experience that (heaven forbid!) They don’t believe in. But, for the most part , a channeling can give one direction about their life and upcoming events without taking the responsibility away from the client for the decision. So, a little bit of counseling and a little bit of traffic patroling and you have a channeling session.

When I first began channeling, I thought "God, I hope this works". It was a weird thing to do , kind of like telling someone that you are in the middle of making a cheesecake while they watch you eating popcorn and sitting on the couch. What I am saying, is that it looks like you are not doing anything at all but really you are. I use to think people would want a refund, but now, (after 16 years of doing it), I now know that I can trust it. I know the subtle feelings that I get, the images, the pictures and the voices (and that’s all before I’ve been released from the asylum!!).

No, in all honesty, Channeling is something one should try, after all, what have you got to lose??? If you are still not convinced then I have a quick story for you. About 5 years ago I was in India studying homeopathy (stay tune for another article!!) I was visiting this very small village where they did a variety of handicrafts. When I came back to the hostel I was staying at, I lay down on the bed and within minutes, I was told that I had to "leave". I was not ready to leave, hell, I had hardly just arrived, and in India this means that the express train is at least 20 hours!! Leave??? I had to think about it. I hadn’t planned where I would go. About 5 minutes later I was again told to leave. And then finally I was told in such a strong way that I started to pack my bags at 8pm at night even though I did not have a travel plan.

The long and the short of it is, that I ended up traveling 8 hours north into Rajasthan. When I arrived there was a massive earthquake and even where I was, was affected. But, channeling, had saved my life, because where I had just come from - Bhuj, was completely obliterated and 110,000 people died. You can’t even imagine this. I ended up going back to help .......but that’s another story. Chaneling, ....give it a thought!!!