TAKE FIVE

TakeFive

Five Ways to Find Peace and Balance During These Times By Emily A. Francis

In these times of uncertainty where we have all been challenged to stay home, there is a need to come back to center and create something better. I propose five practices that you can apply at home for increased health and vitality. It is time to feed your sensory systems from all angles and bring us into a blend of peace, vitality, awareness, gratitude and balance.

1Play With the Earth. Go outside or open a window. Pranayama or the breath of life has not left you during this daunting time. It is important that we utilize the gifts of the earth and spirit to strengthen our immunity. If you can go outside, please by all means, do not put on your shoes! If you have to wear shoes in order to get down to the earth, then wear them and then remove them. Practice the art of breathing through your feet into your body. Be barefoot and walk or stand still in the grass or dirt. Breathe in through the soles of your feet and bring the breath all the way up through your entire body and up to your head and face. Exhale and push the breath back down to release through the soles of your feet. Set the intention of balancing your energy to be more rooted, grounded, earthy through your breath and body.

2Essential Oils Can Be Your Friend. Essential oils are a wonderful tool to that serve to fight against illnesses and some of them are antiviral. I had Naturopath Christopher Vasey, N.D. author of several books including Natural Antibiotics and Antivirals: 18 Infection-Fighting Herbs and Essential Oils (Healing Arts Press, 2018) on my radio show just a week ago discussing essential oils, some of which have antiviral properties. The oils that he mentioned in particular that are helpful during this time is Thyme, Celery, and Oregano (according to Dr. Vasey, these oils can be aggressive on the skin). Consult a Naturopath who knows how to use them to dose correctly. Using a diffuser eliminates the worry for overdose or incorrect usage. The other oil he mentioned that is not aggressive is Ravensara. He said you could put a few drops into a cloth and breathe it in, or put it in a diffuser as well. It is important to note that many essentials oils can be dangerous to your pets. Please do proper research and use therapeutic grade oils that are safe for everyone that shares space with you.

3Get Some Rest. Now is a better time than any to add in some extra rest time and work on your sleeping patterns. So many people are now having to work from home and that eliminates commute time. Use that extra time to rest and to allow your body to stimulate its natural ability to create and maintain its natural order of balance. It is in the rest and sleep time where our bodies get the most opportunity to gain strength and build immunity to dangerous outside elements. There is a CD out now through Domo Records titled Sleep. It is a compilation of various artists such as Kitaro, Dave Egger and more. Put in relaxing music that can guide your body into a deeper state of relaxation or to help you sleep.

4Eat Good Food. Eating clean, healthy foods does not have to break the bank; especially when you can grow quite a few things yourself. Learning to use the foods that regenerate themselves such as green onions, we can learn a whole new way of growing food easy with little tricks of the trade. There are plenty of books and videos out there showing you how to regrow your own vegetables from the vegetables themselves.

5Practice Gratitude. This is the one that can create or destroy pretty much everything we’ve got going. Remember, there are times when life feels like a complete destruction that paves the way to something bold. Gratitude can change the structures within our body. Use this time to get clear on the life you want to create and then put it into action. Let each step be mindful and thankful. Like the food that regenerates itself from itself, so too does high energy and big returns.

Emily A. Francis is the host of All About Healing on Healthy Life Radio. She is the author of the book The Body Heals Itself and the new release Whole Body Healing, both published by Llewellyn. Find her at: www.emilyafrancisbooks.com