The brain is divided into two hemispheres – left brain and right brain – that govern different physiological functions within the body.  Eastern medicine recognizes that the right side of the body represents masculine energy while the left side represents feminine energy.  Science has taught us that the right brain governs the left side of the body while the left brain governs the right side of the body, creating a braided communication loop in our being not unlike the twining of DNA itself.  Left affects right, right affects left.  The right and left sides of the brain process information differently, just as masculine and feminine energies (or men and women) process information differently.

Right brain thinkers tend to be more linear, logical, sequential, rational, and objective, preferring to dissect things and look at the various parts and pieces (attributes commonly associated with a masculine way of thinking).  Left brain thinkers tend to be more intuitive, holistic, subjective, and creative, preferring to look at the whole (attributes commonly associated with a feminine way of thinking).

Each part of the brain is responsible for different physiological functions but, not surprisingly, each part is also responsible for different intellectual, emotional, and spiritual functions.  In this way the brain is a three-fold, triad structure.

1. The lower brain (or “reptilian brain”) controls basic sensory motor functions.

2. The mammalian or limbic brain controls emotions, memory, and biorhythms.

3. The neocortex (or the “thinking brain”) controls cognition, reasoning, language, and higher intelligence.

PERCEPTION OF REALITY

Life, of course, is a perceptual experience – most of which is processed in some way by the brain.  The theory of human intelligence as developed by Howard Gardner suggests that there are at least seven methods human beings employ to perceive and understand the world, each method containing its own set of problem-solving skills (tools).  Gardner’s seven methods of perception are:

1. THE Verbal-linguistic – Individuals whose primary method of assimilation and expression is the use words and language.

2. the Logical-mathematical – Individuals who employ inductive and deductive thinking and reasoning, as well as the use of numbers and the recognition of abstract patterns in their mental processing.

3. the Visual-spatial – Individuals who primarily synthesize reality in visual terms (e.g., objects, spatial dimensions, internal images and pictures, etc.).

4. THE Body Kinesthetic – Individuals who perceive reality in more physical terms, listening to the body’s impressions, feelings, and wisdom, and focusing more on physical movement.  (These people tend to be “feelers” and, as such, can tend to process things more slowly.)

5. THE Musical-rhythmic – Individuals who synthesize reality primarily through the use of tonal patterns, sounds, rhythm, and beat.

6. THE Interpersonal – Individuals who process and understand life through person-to-person communications and relationships.

7. THE Intrapersonal – Individuals who assimilate life’s meanings through inner spiritual states of being, self-reflection, and awareness.

THE AMAZING CORPUS CALLOSUM

Each method (or set of skills and tools) listed above contain both right and left brain characteristics, i.e., masculine and feminine attributes that are regulated by different areas of the brain, but that communicate through a part of the brain called the “corpus callosum.”  The corpus callosum or, in Latin “the body callous”, connects the right and left hemispheres of the brain.  Each area of the brain is specialized for different functions.  Information is shared, analyzed, interpreted, synthesized, felt and integrated by almost 10 billion nerve cells making over a trillion connections – 200 million of them in the corpus callosum alone.  Whew! No wonder it is called the body callous – that’s a lot of work!  But it all happens in great order in the blink of an eye.

DISCONNECTIONS AND Imbalances

Imbalances in the right and left hemispheres of the brain, or disconnected communication between the masculine and feminine energies, can affect the assimilation and integration of information we receive, not to mention our very perception of the world in which we live.  When the left brain is imbalanced or disconnected, there tends to be an over-reliance on right brain thinking, often resulting in emotional absenteeism and over-analysis (picking things apart).  When the right brain is imbalanced or disconnected, there tends to be an over-reliance on left brain thinking, often resulting in emotional indulgence and suspension of logical and sequential thought.  (Witness this disconnection at play on those particularly bad hair days when we seem to snap at everything.)

The Heart/Mind Connection

Eighteenth century thinkers believed the corpus callosum to be the site of the soul.  Today we understand that the soul resides in the heart of our being, but the corpus callosum is the region where one of the greatest spiritual shifts is taking place in our human bodies.  Where we were once self-segregated (masculine vs. feminine), we now have the opportunity to become self-unified – and it’s happening at a physiological level in spite of us.  This reconnection between the Heart and the Mind (or unity between the Feeling Feminine and Thinking Masculine) is setting the stage for self-unity in all levels of our being.  As souls, it is our birthright to seek this sense of At One-ment (which brings full circle, now, the definition of “atonement”).

It’s often been said, “we are what we think.”  As long as we THINK in terms of separation and segregation, our thinking mechanism (the brain) will continue to hold separation within itself and perpetuate disunity in our bodies.  As our desire for self-unity, balance, harmony, and authentic self-expression grows, we learn to integrate the right and left-brain, we liberate our masculine and feminine energies to unite as one, and we reconnect the heart and mind as one to embody our Divine Purity and Wholeness.  When we can allow this new Oneness to occur in our lives, emotional and mental disconnections become reconnected; right or left-brain thinking becomes centered; masculine and feminine becomes balanced within; and…well…everything changes.  We then have the choice, as fully-integrated human beings, to be part of the greater intelligence called the Divine Mind where our innermost thoughts become songs of joy, where our individual rhythms are expressed as dance, where we create our lives with bold imagination, and where we are free to express our God-ness within ourselves and share it openly and lovingly with each other.

by Marilyn Pyle

AM I AN ADDICT?
You wake up at 3:00 a.m. to go to the bathroom, pass by your computer and check your e-mail, and then you wake up at 6:00 a.m. and check it again with your morning coffee, only to check it again when you get to work at 9:00 a.m.  You plan a romantic night with your wife and while picking up a bottle of wine you also pick up a pornographic magazine.  You have had some stressful events in your life and are feeling overwhelmed so you light up a cigarette or buy a quart of ice-cream and eat it all by yourself – or you max out your credit card on a shopping spree.  You stop by the bar for a drink and find yourself having three or four before you get in your car to drive home.  You find yourself using anger, guilt, or fear as a way of interacting with those around you to get what you want.  When viewed individually, you may justify that each is a harmless means to an end, but the path that they follow may lead to a place you did not expect to visit.  Look carefully; these behavior patterns might be the red flags of addiction.

Addiction is defined as being abnormally tolerant to and dependent upon something that is psychologically or physically habit-forming; an abnormally strong craving.  Addiction and addictive behavior are at the root level an attempt to control and gain power over self, another person, a situation, an event, or an outcome.  The mind and body undergo the same physiological and psychological changes with these behaviors that they do with more threatening addictions (e.g., drug addiction).

I AM WHAT I THINK
Neurotransmitters are how the mind/body connection is made when we engage in things that give us pleasure.  The pleasure-effect of neurotransmitters was designed by God to motivate us to form loving relationships, find quality food, and seek comfortable shelter.  During pleasurable acts neuro-pathways are formed which compel emotional and physical reactions to repeat the pleasure.  The things associated with obtaining the pleasure then become the triggers for seeking the pleasure.  Food, sex, and drugs create some of the strongest urges.  It’s no surprise, then, that advertisers capitalize on these triggers to seduce us into buying their products:  the juicy, mouth-watering hamburger; the beautiful bikini-clad woman sprawled seductively across a shiny new car; the shirtless man with the ripped abs holding a soft drink; the happy couple walking hand-in-hand who no longer have pain, or sleeplessness, or intimacy problems because of the advent of a new miracle drug.  The introduction of the trigger activates the urge that compels us to obtain that which we think we need to bring us pleasure.  Hence, the mind makes it so in the body, and the body responds by making it so in the mind.  It is a two way street: the mind propels the body to a particular action or behavior, and the body stimulates the mind through sensation.  What began as a means to avoid pain and bring pleasure or satisfaction begins to do neither.  Instead, a craving takes hold whereby more (or new) stimuli is needed to produce the same desired result.

The more intense the pleasure, the stronger is the urge to repeat it.  Urges, cravings, and desires then take form and manifest in the body and are processed as a need when sent to the mind first (counter-clockwise spin).  We have all heard or said, “I need _____ to cope”, “to get by”, “to be happy”, “to survive”, or “to get through this situation.”  We need something only if we require a particular result, and when we need a particular result we have started trying to control an outcome.

The conditional nature of addiction has the addict creating the circumstances in which using the substance or behavior reaps the “reward.”  Addiction then begins to be less about the use of the substance and ever more about the manipulative behaviors devised to allow its use; the addict becomes addicted to the pleasure derived from manipulation and its results.  This is the addict’s reward – and it is called “psychological addiction.”  Its pay-off?  Control and power.  Once the addict masters the art of manipulation, they begin using this as a way to navigate through the world.  This pattern forms a strong neuropathway and can remain in place long after an addict is “recovered” from the substance abuse.

Most addicts who are lost in the throes of their addiction bemoan that they are powerless over their addiction and can no longer control it, for it becomes easier to blame the substance (or others) than to assume the responsibility that they gave their will away to a substance or an uncontrollable emotion (like rage).  It is legion for addicts to blame others rather than face the hard truth that all recovering addicts eventually must face:  that they chose irresponsibility, manipulation, control, and the illusion of power over authentic power, and that the issue is not external but internal.  It is harder, yet, for the addict to understand his/her ability to create…

THE SCIENCE OF ADDICTION
Alcohol, food, drugs, sex, gambling, anger, rage, the internet, work, and even exercise can all become devices that an addict uses to avoid reality and to create an illusion of power.  Repeated use of the substance or behavior hard-wires a neuropathway in the brain whereby the addict begins to believe that by indulging the addiction they are greater than they were without it:  funnier, sexier, wiser, smarter, happier, richer, more powerful, etc.  When the effects of the substance or behavior subside and the addict is once more faced with his/her own internal sense of powerlessness, they reach again for the external thing that creates the illusory feelings they crave (thereby avoiding real feelings).  This pattern then becomes the vicious cycle that defines all serious addictions.  The addictive “pattern” to which we refer is really just a series of pathways carrying false messages that eventually become habituated in the brain.

Pathways in the brain are “wired” together by neurons, and connections are made along these pathways when one neuron communicates with another.  A memory is formed at these connection points where neuron meets neuron, and this vast network of communication forms a neuronet.  The communication between neurons happens in the law of associative memory where groups of neurons communicate with one another (or fire) because a memory, thought, or an association has been made where they meet (juncture).

When neurons fire together over long periods of time, a long-term relationship is formed which establishes an identity.  This interaction produces a chemical reaction by way of neurotransmitters which produce a specific effect within the body to either excite or inhibit the transmission of the signals from one neuron to the other.

• Endorphins.  “Endorphin” is short for “endogenous morphine,” i.e., built-in heroin!  It is structurally very similar to the opioids (opium, morphine, heroin, etc.) and has similar functions: It is involved in pain reduction and pleasure, and the opioid drugs work by attaching to endorphin’s receptor sites.
• Serotonin has been found to be intimately involved in emotion and mood.  Too little serotonin can lead to problems with anger control, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), an increased appetite for carbohydrates (starchy foods), depression and trouble sleeping (which is also associated with depression and other emotional disorders), and suicide.
• Dopamine is strongly associated with reward mechanisms in the brain.  Drugs like cocaine, opium, heroin, and alcohol increase the levels of dopamine, as does nicotine.
• Norepinephrine is important for forming memories, and is strongly associated with bringing the nervous system into “high alert.”  It is prevalent in the sympathetic nervous system, and it increases the heart rate and blood pressure.  The adrenal glands release it into the blood stream, along with its close relative epinephrine (a.k.a. adrenalin).
• Acetylcholine has many functions:  It is responsible for much of the stimulation of muscles, including the muscles of the gastro-intestinal system.  It is also found in sensory neurons and in the autonomic nervous system, and has a part in scheduling REM (dream) sleep.
• GABA acts like a brake to the excitatory neurotransmitters that lead to anxiety.  People with too little GABA tend to suffer from anxiety disorders, and drugs like Valium work by enhancing the effects of GABA.  If GABA is lacking in some parts of the brain, epilepsy results.
• Glutamate is an excitatory relative of GABA.  It is the most common neurotransmitter in the central nervous system (as much as half of all neurons in the brain) and is especially important in regards to memory.

When a person becomes addicted to a harmful substance or behavior, they are actually addicted to the chemicals produced by the brain in response to the stimulus of choice (alcohol, food, cigarettes, heroin, cocaine, sex, lying, power, control, etc.).  Consistently repetitive behavior creates a neuronet of chemical reactions and responses:  The substance (stimulus) acts like an “allergen” and the chemical reaction acts like an allergic response.  The consequence of this dynamic is that the addict then craves the very thing to which he/she is actually allergic.

Over time, repeated bombardment of the cell with harmful attitudes, substances, chemicals, thought forms, and false emotions (e.g., illusory responses in the mind that are completely separate from the heart) wear the cell down so that when the time comes for that cell to divide it produces a sister cell with more receptor sites for those same neuro-peptides (the addictive cravings) and less receptors for the things that sustain life like nutrients, vitamins, and minerals.  The body actually produces a cell that is designed for improper protein synthesis.  This is how aging, disease, and the eventual destruction of the cell happen after years of self-abuse.  Our thoughts can literally create our body or destroy it.

THE ROOT OF ADDICTION
The world we create within is the world we create throughout.  All pathways have a beginning and an end.  The pathway of addiction is fettered with illusions.  The first illusion upon which all other illusions are based is that we are separate from God and create independently of Him/Her and each other.  The vast responsibility of this self-lie creates fear, which creates a need.  Need is the second illusion upon which all other illusions are based – the need to enhance Divine Reality because, as created, it isn’t enough.  It follows, then, that the third illusion upon which all other illusions are based is that there is never “enough”.  This creates a vacuum in the soul that will, if not filled by Divine Truth (for which we are each irrevocably coded), be filled by something.  This “something” is the core of addictions.

In addiction and in separation we create another “god” outside of ourselves and True Divinity to idolize (whether it be the bottle, the syringe, the pipe, the cigarette, the buffet, the money, the pretty face, the hot body, the internet, the T.V., the job, the gym, the false-emotion, etc.), and it is to this self-created idol that we give our Divine power… because we believe those things make us greater than we were without them.  It is the greatest of all great lies, of course, and these lies end up as illusions in our neuronets that crave continual stimulation from other illusions.  We think we’re accessing something of authentic value by indulging the addiction (because this is the lie it tells us), but addiction only facilitates further separation from God and perpetuates our need to destroy ourselves and others.  Why?  Because a lie can only be believed if it attacks and obscures truth.

HEALING THE ADDICTION
If we heal our thoughts and false emotions by healing the cracks in our Seeding Cell, we will transform the falsehoods in our neuronets to Pure Form.  (For information on Seeding Cell work, please see “The Source Legacy Workbook”.) When we restore our thoughts to Pure Form at the cellular level (beginning in the original cell to which all other cells look for their coding), we interrupt the sequencing of old “relationships” in the neuronet and create new “relationships” and identities.  The result is that our thoughts shift; and when our thoughts shift, our behavior shifts.  This creates new neuronets and new pathways, and the body thus creates new connections and new cells that no longer respond to the old stimulus – Pure Form cells which sustain life instead of destroying it.  Oneness becomes restored, and we reconnect back to the very Source of life, no longer lost in separation, need, and war. This is the mind making it so in the body.

In Divine Reality illusion does not exist, and there is no separation between us and God for we are One and the Same.  In Unity where there is literally no need, there is certainly no need for addiction.

© 2006 Marilyn K. Pyle

In this report we will explore some of the symptoms and remedies to help us get through this time of healing, so that we may once again enjoy Being in our bodies.

SYMPTOM: BRUXISM – OR TEETH Grinding. TMJ, and headache

This is a common symptom of holding on. Sensitivity in the teeth may be one of the first signs that we have been grinding, clenching, or holding our jaws rigidly. This constant behavior can escalate and begin to manifest further into pain right in front of the ear, in the temporomandibular joint and at the base of the skull. The tension in the muscles of mastication (chewing), the neck, and the top of the shoulders can trigger a headache not unlike that of a migraine. The ears may feel full and “pop” easily, feeling like an earache, or in some cases an intermittent or constant ringing or change in pitch may develop.

REMEDY:

As with all these remedies, it is important to remember to breathe – deep diaphragmatic breaths. To achieve this breath, place your tongue on the roof of your mouth behind your upper teeth (this triggers the body to take that “belly breath”), take an in-breath and hold it for 5 seconds, exhale for 5-10 seconds completely emptying your lungs, and repeat 5 more times. This will begin to activate the parasympathetic nervous system, or our “off” button.

Close your eyes and let your jaw relax. You will become aware of the areas of tension as you do this. Generally, you will feel this in the area of the cheekbones, about 3-4 finger widths from each ear. The area of tightness may feel like a pea or a marble. Firmly press this area and release. This maneuver creates blood flow into the area. Do this several times, then take your fingertips and slide them firmly downwards toward the chin. Do this several times to further release the tension in the muscle.

Next, place your fingertips on the base of your skull and firmly slide your fingers along the ridge towards your ears. When you get right behind your ears, firmly press into the indentation and release. Do this several times until you feel the muscles in the back of your head release. This will also open your crown chakra. Then apply moist heat to the back of the head and neck for about 10 minutes. Relax and breathe.

Wrap two tennis balls in a towel and twist the ends of the towel to contain the balls. Place the towel-encased tennis balls at the base of the head, at the occipital bone. Lay down with the toweled balls to the back of the head. You can massage the occipital bone by moving the head (looking up and down in the “yes” motion). This will help release the muscles attached at the occipital bone. If you lie still with the tennis balls at the base of the head, then apply pressure, “still point” is possible. “Still point” creates total body relaxation when coupled with the deep breathing technique. By accessing “still point”, the third eye can open, the body can become induced to “let go”, and improved, deeper sleep is often a result.

It may be helpful to brush your teeth with baking soda or a desensitizing toothpaste to also help with tooth sensitivity. The aromatics from peppermint or spearmint toothpaste may make the teeth more sensitive.

SYMPTOM: Stomach upsets and the acid/alkaline balance

The stressors of holding on will slow the process of digestion and absorption and feel like the digestive tract is in turmoil from the solar plexus down. The stomach may feel tight or “like it is in knots”. Stomach emptying may be slowed, causing a feeling of “fullness”, or there may be gas in the form of burping or flatulence. The mouth may have an acid taste, and the tongue may be coated. Bowel movements may be hard or painful. Appetite may be excessive.

We tend to eat when we are trying to ground ourselves, and food choices may be heavier or sweeter than we are used to. Just remember that Candida loves to be fed sugar. Excessive carbohydrate consumption can cause imbalances in blood sugar and insulin levels, causing extreme fluctuations in physical energy levels, metabolically causing an acidic environment within the body. We become acidic under physical, mental, and emotional stress. In an acidic environment, we tend to get an overgrowth of Candida. In some cases, the appetite might be reduced and we may not be eating enough. In this circumstance, the physical metabolism slows and the body holds onto everything as well.

REMEDY:

Restoring balance to our physical body can sometimes be as simple as balancing the alkaline/acid conditions. Drink alkaline water. A true alkaline water has more oxygen atoms in it and helps to neutralize acid wastes in the body. Ume Plum (Japanese) will also help to reduce acidity in the body. Ume Plum balls or paste (Eden Foods is one brand) can also be taken. Eat a more alkaline diet. Alkaline foods include cucumbers, apples, figs, almonds, avocado, spinach, and lemon. 80% of the diet should be alkaline. Take a probiotic daily for 30 days to help to maintain intestinal health and balance. Aloe Vera juice is a soothing way to reduce intestinal inflammation. And again breathe, breathe, breathe.

SYMPTOM: Generalized aches and pains

When we “hold on”, every muscle in the body can begin to ache. Posturing can make us feel rigid and frozen and movement becomes an effort, making us feel as if we are “turning to stone”. Processes of metabolism (how we produce physical energy) becomes slowed, and metabolic wastes accumulate in our muscle tissue. The muscles feel “hard”, not supple, and we may feel like we are always on the edge of being “sick”.

REMEDY

Movement!!!

Begin with gentle stretching and breathing to get oxygenated blood into the muscles tissue. The Sun Salutation Yoga exercise is a gentle series of simple stretches to center the body.

The weightlessness of water allows the body to move fluidly and find its balance without the constraints of gravity. The upright positions of Yoga can be performed in the water with the grace and balance of a Master, even as a beginner. Swimming will also allow the body to feel its Grace, combining movement with breath and weightlessness as you glide through the water.

Massage in all forms brings flow and balance to the body, and assists the body to “let go”. Massage can be done with a partner or with a professional, and can be done as often as the body needs to facilitate the muscles to release.

As we continue the process of “letting go” on all planes, levels and dimensions, we must be mindful that WE ARE here in physical form. Physicality is one of our joys. The body in balance, flow, and grace in the physical relaxes, breathes, moves, and reflects not only what we are going through – but the essence of who we truly are.

written by: Marilyn K. Pyle

In his book, “The Body Electric,” Dr. Robert Becker establishes that the human body has an electrical frequency and that much about a person’s health can be determined by its frequency. An independent study conducted at Eastern State University in 1992 determined that the average frequency of the human body during the daytime is 62-68 Hz. (And that a healthy body frequency is 62-72 Hz). When the frequency drops, the immune system is compromised.

According to Dr. Royal Rife, every disease has a frequency as well. When the frequency drops in the body from 62 to 58 Hz, cold and flu symptoms appear; at 55Hz diseases like Candida appear; and at 42 Hz Cancer can manifest. Dr. Rife found that substances with higher frequencies can change substances of lower frequency.

SO WHAT IS FREQUENCY?

Frequency is defined as the number of repetitions per unit of time of a complete waveform. Ahh! Waveform balance. Waveform is the path of motion that frequency and flow exhibit dimensionally. Waveform in the lower dimensions tends to be erratic, while its patterns are more streamlined and flow more easily in the Higher dimensions. So…the higher the frequency, the higher the dimension; the higher the dimension, the more balanced the waveform.

“IT’S ELEMENTAL, MY DEAR WATSON!”

Human beings, as we know, are comprised of six essential elements: metal, earth, water, fire, air, and ether. When any one or combination of these elements is out of balance, we can manifest emotional, physical, mental, and even spiritual imbalances. We characterize these imbalances in each other all the time. “He’s hard as nails.” “She’s a firecracker.” “Why are you so wishy-washy?” “I’m the salt of the earth.” “Ugh, what an air-head!” When one element is more overstated than another, our emotions, our temperaments, our behavior, and even our health can be affected.

In waveform, all the elements work in perfect balance and flow with one another. Essential oils are ideal tools to help support the body in its release of lower frequency conditions, as well as its assimilation and efficient grounding of higher frequencies (commensurate with ever-shifting planetary frequencies). Like all living things, essential oils have their own waveform and frequency, and therapeutic grade essential oils generally retain even more progressed frequencies. Some essential oils start at 52 Hz and go as high as 320 Hz (as in the case of Rose Oil, for example) and can work in magical symbiosis with the Human body when used properly.

ESSENTIAL OILS — THE OLDEST FORM OF MEDICINE

Essential Oils are the oldest form of medicine known to man and were once considered to be more valuable than gold. Essential oils are the subtle aromatic and volatile liquids extracted from the flowers, seeds, leaves, stems, bark and roots of herbs, bushes, shrubs, and trees. Because essential oils are absorbed into the body through the skin and into the blood stream through inhalation, it is preferable to work with only the purest oils.

AN OIL IS AN OIL IS AN OIL

Well…not really. Not all essential oils are created equal. To maintain all of the plant’s therapeutic qualities, an oil must be distilled with steam extraction. Otherwise, what you may be getting is a perfume quality oil, or a fourth or fifth quality oil. There are 4 levels of therapeutic oils:

1) PURE: This means the oil was not diluted with a lesser quality essential oil. In the United States, all you need is 5% of an essential oil in a bottle to label it 100% pure. Pure does not mean there are no chemical additives.

2) NATURAL: This means the oil was not adulterated with vegetable oil, propylene glycol, SD Alcohol 40, or other chemicals.

3) COMPLETE: This means the oil was distilled at low heat and pressure. The oil has not been rectified or purified (stripped or re-distilled).

4) GENUINE or GRADE A: This means the seeds and the plants that the oils have been extracted from are not hybrid. The soil that has been used in their growth has no chemicals added, no chemicals have been used on the plants, and the plants have been steam distilled at low pressure with no chemicals used in the extraction process.

Some plants have as many as 200 species, so clarity in definition is extremely important in the extraction process. For further quality control, therapeutic grade essential oils must carry an embossed seal that does not come from their manufacturer’s own labs. These processes allow for a standardization of the product that is to be sold and allow for the best possible product for consumer use.

SO GO AHEAD, BALANCE THOSE ELEMENTS

There are lots of different ways to enjoy and benefit from essential oils, but always remember that Essential Oils are highly concentrated plant extracts and should be used sparingly, and with common sense and care.

MASSAGE AND BODY OILS: Always dilute essential oils for direct skin application. Use 2-3 drops per teaspoon of base oil. (Sweet almond or grapeseed oil).

DIFFUSERS: Recommended are vaporizer diffusers (especially for essential oils), nebulizer diffusers, or a plug-in diffusers.

INHALATION: Using a bowl of hot water, place a few drops of oil in the bowl and inhale the vapors.

DILUTION: A good rule of thumb for dilution is 1 drop of Essential Oil per 5 ml of carrier oil.

Luckily for us, there are a multitude of Essential Oils available to help support our spiritual growth, the expansion of our hearts, and our body/mind connection to help Bring Each to Their own Flow and Frequency.

article by Marilyn K. Pyle

The body wants to move. It was designed to move. The system of muscles, ligaments, and bones are similar to levers and fulcrums, all designs for movement. The design is to lift our own body weight and, in some circumstances, more than our own body weight. This intricate design utilizes energy to create movement, and the movement creates more energy. Sounds like the dynamics of Flow, doesn’t it?

Look at a river. Now imagine the flow of energy in your body like that of a river. What happens when the flow of the river is stopped or impeded? The water backs up at the place where the flow was stopped. When the river’s flow is blocked, pressure builds and the water must find an alternative path around the area of blockage. The result is that flooding occurs as the flow of water moves out and around the block. This flooding, of course, can have adverse effects on other areas of land unaccustomed to such a deluge of water.

Stress blocks the free flow of energy in the body just like an obstacle in the river blocks the free flow of its water. The physical manifestation of stress in the body can take many forms: Generalized irritability, hyper-excitation, or depression; pounding of the heart; dryness of the throat or mouth; impulsive behavior and emotional instability; the overpowering urge to cry, run, or hide; the inability to concentrate; weakness or dizziness; fatigue; tension and extreme alertness; trembling or nervous ticks; intermittent anxiety; the tendency to be easily startled; high pitched nervous laughter; stuttering and/or other speech difficulties; grinding and gnashing of the teeth; insomnia; the inability to sit still or relax; sweating; the frequent need to urinate; diarrhea, indigestion, queasiness, or vomiting; migraine or other tension headaches; premenstrual tension or missed menstrual cycle; pain in the neck or lower back; loss of or excessive appetite; increased use of chemicals, including tobacco, caffeine and alcohol; nightmares; neurotic behavior; psychosis; or susceptibility to accidents.
THE “ON” SWITCH – AGAIN WITH HORMONES

The nervous system is comprised of two parts: [1] the central nervous system (consisting of the brain, spinal cord and its coverings) and [2] the peripheral nervous system (consisting of nerves and ganglions). The peripheral nervous system is further divided into the sympathetic and parasympathetic systems. Simply put, the nervous system equates to our “on and off” switches. The sympathetic nervous system is responsible for the “fight or flight” response and it “kicks in” as a response to emergency situations. It is responsible for the release of adrenaline and the rush of other hormones in response to our perception of danger. It is a survival mechanism to either “fight for your life or run for your life.” The parasympathetic system is more restorative and normalizing and returns the body to a non-alarm state. Both systems have a very protective function in the body. It is necessary to be keyed up for peak accomplishments (on), but it is equally important for the secondary phase of winding down (off).

Because the body responds to stress by producing the surge of hormones necessary to produce the desired action of the body, the law of physics states that there should be an equal and opposite reaction to maintain balance of the system.
ALTERED STATES – OR RUNNING ON EMPTY

Emotional input registers in the body through the Autonomic Nervous system and the Endocrine System. As discussed, definite chemical responses are involved in the arousal of emotions based on the body’s production of endorphins, enkephalins, epinephrine, norepinephrine, hormones, and neurotransmitters. The adrenal hormones that interplay with the sympathetic responses are intimately involved with short-term memory. Norepinephrine depletion reduces memory storage and elevation increases it. The triggering of a pattern of movement, a particular pressure sensation caused by trauma, or the prolonged emotional response to stress is enough to achieve altered state of consciousness. Body stressors (listed above) trigger altered states in the body as a response to the stress. This results in the release of chemical codes of the involved emotions becoming a feedback loop. Research shows that memory is accessible to an individual only when the particular body chemistry and function are similar to those of the experience as it first happened. When our sympathetic nervous system becomes stuck in the “on” position, an over-production of the chemical responses of “fight or flight” flood our system and produce the symptoms of stress. The over-production of hormones can cause depletion response in the body. In other words, we become exhausted. It is like leaving your car running in the driveway. Eventually, you will run out of gas.

THEY BODY’S RESPONSE TO MASSAGE – ACCESSING THE “OFF” SWITCH Massage and touch are the gentle modulators for reducing stress by restoring Balance and Flow to the Autonomic Nervous System. Massage increases the blood levels of serotonin. Serotonin regulates our moods in terms of appropriate behavior, attention to thought (mindfulness), as well as creating calming, comforting, and quieting effects throughout the system. It also modulates the sleep/wake cycle. Dopamine influences fine motor activity, conscious selection (the ability to focus attention), and mood in terms of inspiration, possibility, intuition, joy, and enthusiasm. Massage seems to increase the availability of dopamine in the body. Endorphins and enkephalins are mood lifters and natural pain killers that support feelings of satisfaction. Massage increases the production of both. Massage also aids in the release of oxytocin which helps increase feelings of connectedness. Massage reduces cotisol and regulates epinephrine and norepinephrine, all of which facilitate the action of growth hormone. Growth hormone promotes cell division and has been implicated in the function of tissue repair and regeneration in adults. This hormone is necessary for healing and is most active during sleep. Massage encourages sleep and increases the availability if growth hormone.
SYNCHRONICITY

The body has an internal rhythm in breathing, heart beat, and flow of the cranial/sacral fluid. When we synchronize our own rhythms, homeostasis occurs. Rhythmic movements are proven to stimulate the neuroendocrine chemical process that gives rise to higher levels of integrated thought such as belief, higher values, intuition, joy, and a sense of unity. These rhythmic movements include rocking the body, enjoying the rhythm of soothing music, focusing on the rhythm of a dancing flame from a candle, as well as the precious rhythm of physical touch (the whole reason we choose to be in a physical body to begin with).

So the conclusion is quite simple: Call on your partner, a friend, or a professional body worker to help you release pent-up stress so you can find your balance and flow again through physical touch.

Article by Marilyn K. Pyle

NEW BEGINNINGS

No cell in the body lasts longer than 7 years. In fact, some do not even last that long. Our body is constantly renewing and regenerating. Physiologic chemists say our bodies do not contain a blood cell that is more than 14 days old and that we rebuild a new heart every 30 days. We grow several fingernails in a year, and dermal skin cells take only 2 years to be completely replaced. What that means is that we have a new beginning every minute of every day within our bodies.
THE BODY WISDOM

Every acute dis-ease is a healing crisis as the body struggles to free itself from toxins and regain Balance. Unlike the other animals in the Earth’s kingdom who will rest, refrain from eating, and even purge the body of toxins, the human animal can be observed plowing forward popping aspirin, antibiotics, and any other antidote to keep on schedule or keep on working.

How often do we ignore the body’s signals to rest, drink, or limit our food intake? These initial physical symptoms are the body’s way of saying, “I need a little time to catch up and regain balance. I don’t need you to DO anything but take a rest.” When we ignore these initial signals and keep on going, eventually the body will slam you down onto the bed or couch and remind you, “Ahem…I told you we need a little rest.”
TOXEMIA – AN OVER ACCUMULATION OF TOXINS

Toxemia is produced by anything that enervates the body. Let’s look at the definition of the word ENERVATE: “To deprive of nerve, force or strength,” with the root of the word being “energy.” Put together, we can see that “enervate” simply means “energy deprivation.” Enervation inhibits elimination, thus causing an accumulation of body waste. Body waste is simply the final result of the metabolic processes in our bodies, and the metabolic process is constantly at work trying to purify every level of our being – at the cellular level, at the systemic level, at the atomic level, at the RNA/DNA level. Toxins accumulate when we cannot properly and efficiently release the waste, and the accumulation of toxic waste creates dis-ease. The over-accumulation of toxins – or toxemia – always sets the stage for degenerative dis-ease processes in the body. Dis-ease then becomes the body’s remedial effort to release, purify, and repair.
BODY BALANCE

We survive because we are continuously healing. Organic and functional changes that daily aid the body in maintaining and/or restoring harmony and integrity are often labeled as disease. Simply put, the varied symptom-complexes of disease are the body’s way of eliminating toxins and bringing repair and regeneration to the living system, though sometimes in seemingly destructive ways. Every organism embodies the elements of restoration and regeneration and we call upon this ability on a daily basis, on a minute-by-minute basis, whether we realize it or not. Homeostasis (or dynamic equilibrium) is the process of the body finding balance through metabolism. Our monthly visitors may remember that we recently discussed “catabolism” (the process of shutting down the system, or “aging”) and “anabolism” (the self-renewing and self-regenerating state endemic to youth). When elimination is inhibited, body waste (by-products of catabolism) accumulate in the body. The waste is toxic and when it builds to a point of crisis, dis-ease develops to help eliminate the toxins. Toxemia (or metabolic poisoning) manifests in many different ways. A cold, bronchitis, gastritis, or fever serves to reduce the toxic load to the toleration point and usually subsides as spontaneously and as automatically as it arose. Crisis or dis-ease ebbs and flows as energy rises and falls in keeping with the varying habits and circumstances in the life of the individual. If an individual’s mode of living is such that he/she expends energy more rapidly than can be restored, you may depend that the end result will be enervation. Enervation inhibits excretion (elimination) so that normal metabolic waste is not efficiently eliminated. The retention and accumulation of this waste causes a toxic state and this toxic state will always set the stage for symptom-complexes or dis-ease states.

NEW MEANING TO R & R

Supplying the body with conditions of health, fresh air, sunshine, exercise, pure water, cleanliness, a positive state of Being, a wholesome and balanced diet, and rest can allow us to again experience with wonder our own miraculous and natural healing powers. Physically manifest symptoms of dis-ease are the result of the body trying to restore systemic Balance and Harmony under critical conditions where the de-energized systems have become too toxic or too overtaxed to function properly, to eliminate properly, or to regenerate properly.

Nothing hastens the elimination of toxemia and the restoration of energy more efficiently than rest – emotional rest, mental and psychological rest and, perhaps most importantly, physical rest. When we rest we are able to re-energize, recuperate, restore, renew, regenerate. So, in its Infinite Wisdom, when our body falters a bit and asks for a break, wouldn’t it make sense for us to listen? A little Rest and Relaxation, a little Renewal and Regeneration, might be all the body is asking for. After a little quality R&R, don’t we often hear people say ” I feel like a new person!”? Well, you know what? At the literal cellular level, we really are.

article by Marilyn K. Pyle

Copyright 2003, Marilyn K. Pyle