I’ve hiked to the Devil’s Kitchen, the sinkhole in Soldier’s Pass, Sedona, AZ, many times. But the last one was several years ago. Jeff and I tried it a few weeks ago, but the parking lot was full, so we went to Fay Canyon. This time, we lucked out and found a place to park. The photo below is taken of the east and south sides.

In the past, we’d walk a ways up the dirt road that the Jeep companies use to tour visitors around, and then follow a short trail to the sinkhole. But in the period since our last visit, the Forest Service has actually created a trail from the parking lot to the Devil’s Kitchen. That meant we didn’t have to dodge vehicles, though we did have to contend with mountain bikes.

That tiny figure in the photo above (arrow pointing at) is me on the west side of the sinkhole. Sinkholes are created when water dissolves rock underground, forming a cave. Eventually, the cavern gets large enough that the surface rock collapses into the cavity. It’s about 100 feet deep and over 100 feet wide. The photos below are taken of the north side.

This sinkhole, originally formed in the 1880′s, has expanded since I moved to Sedona in 1982. Part of the back wall fell in the late 80′s, in the early 90′s and again recently. And there are cracks (in the foreground of the photo below) where another part is falling away from the wall.

From the sinkhole, we followed the new trail a little way further to visit the 7 Sacred Pools. These are pockets eroded into the rock along a dry creek bed. When we have rain, water flows over them and leaves them filled. After a while, the water becomes brackish and evaporates. Where you see white bands, there’s a pool there. The first and highest pool is just beyond that outcrop.

No tags

The Eight Human Talents: Restore the Balance and Serenity Within You with Kundalini Yoga
By Gurmukh

Many years ago, my first yoga class was a kundalini yoga class. This was before I even knew there were different styles of yoga. In the years since, I’d heard very little about kundalini yoga. Then a friend gave me this book, and I savored it.

Gurmukh is an internationally renowned kundalini yoga teacher. In this book, she writes about the different chakras, which contain our talents. Exploring each one’s strengths and weaknesses, she gives specific exercises to expand the talents, and heal the weaknesses.

She identifies the eight strengths as Acceptance, Creativity, Commitment, Compassion, Truth, Intuition, Boundlessness, and the eighth, our aura, as Radiance. Each of these talents has a “shadow” side, which can pull a person out of balance.

The book is well-written, easily read, and humorous. If you’re interested in yoga, this is a great book to have. I will treasure my copy of this book.

No tags

by Linda-Ann Stewart

Several years ago, a client came to me for hypnotherapy for stress reduction. She’d already tried various ways to reduce her stress and anxiety, such as massage, biofeedback, exercise, and a few others I don’t remember. After a couple of sessions, she said that hypnosis gave her a deeper sense of relaxation, calm and comfort than any of the other modalities, and the effects lasted longer.

I’ve seen various studies over the years that have stated that hypnosis was as effective in relaxing people as massage was. Now a trial study has been published that states that after 10 massages in 3 months, people reported a 50% reduction in anxiety. Which is significant and hopeful for those who deal with this issue.

But it also found the same level of improvement from a group who practiced relaxation therapy, while listening to soothing music. And a third group of treatment, having the arms and legs wrapped in warm towels had the same response.

All of them seem to have triggered the relaxation response, which is the key to physiologically reducing stress. All three groups not only reported reduced anxiety, but also less worry and depression symptoms.

I also think that the mindfulness that each group experienced during their treatment contributed to their improvement. “Being in the moment” has been proven to reduce stress and improve mood. All of it can be linked back to the relaxation response, where the body lets go of tension. That signals the brain that “all is well,” and the systems that have been on alert for danger can stand down and quiet their signal.

So if you can’t go for a massage, or have someone to wrap you in warm towels, take the time to settle down in a darkened room, listen to soft music, and relax your body. The more you do so, according to my client (and many others), the more benefits you’ll receive.

To read the original trial study this article referenced, go to Massage Eases Anxiety, but No Better Than Simple Relaxation Does.

Copyright 2010 Linda Ann Stewart
All Rights Reserved

self improvement, self help, personal growth, personal development

No tags

Question: Although I’ve been getting results from affirmations, I don’t feel or act any differently, and the results fade away. What’s going on?

Answer: If you’ve been getting results, then something is going right. However, if you’re not feeling or acting any differently, maybe that’s where you should start focusing. Affirmations are powered by emotions and feelings. Affirmations help to reprogram the subconscious to accept the change.

However, if you’re not feeling any differently about the situation, then you are going to return to your original condition. The subconscious acts on the dominant thought. If you are, on average, fairly pessimistic or critical, then the subconscious is going to act on that, rather than the positive statement you’re using.

How can you begin to raise your overall state of consciousness? What can you do to act or feel differently that would be in alignment with your goal? You have to participate and ground the affirmation in your actions and willingness to change.

Also, once you begin to get results, you can’t stop your efforts and coast. It would be like rowing a boat. Once you stop rowing, the boat drifts in that direction for awhile, then is stationary.

I know it can be frustrating and discouraging sometimes. You may want to use an affirmation that asks for direction and the next step to be revealed. A question one teacher of prosperity suggests we ask, when things aren’t changing, is, “What or where do I need to change to manifest my goal?” And be open to any answer that comes.

Copyright 2010 Linda Ann Stewart
All Rights Reserved

inspiration

No tags

Whenever you focus on what’s wrong, you close the door to any improvement. One of the worst offenders is the word, “Can’t.” This word shuts the door on the subconscious looking for new opportunities. When you change your attitude from, “I can’t,” to “What if?” it opens the door for possibilities to enter your life.

Copyright 2010 Linda Ann Stewart
All Rights Reserved

self improvement, self help, personal growth, personal development, motivation, productivity, inspiration

No tags

Jeff and I made our annual pilgrimage to the 16th century (fantasy) this month. Each year, we try to spend one weekend at the Arizona Renaissance Faire, and we attend in costume.

They have three “pointy things” you can throw at a wooden wall target: knives, Ninja stars, or axes. Here is Jeff (in the green shirt and black hat) being knighted after hitting the bullseye with an ax.

Saturday was a beautiful day, perfect temperature. But we knew that a cold, wet weather system was due to arrive Sunday. So we decided to see all the performances while the weather was nice on Saturday, and shop on Sunday in the covered booths.

Entertainers and sword-fighters Don Juan and Miguel posing for photos. “Photo Op!”

Entertainers Wine and Alchemy, with music and bellydancing.

It started sprinkling on Sunday about 11am, with a few heavier showers during the day. We had one cloudburst, when it poured and we took refuge in Pirate’s Pub, along with a lot of other people. It flooded the promenade and a creek flowed in a normally dry bed under a bridge. One brave patron entertained us with a spontaneous swordfight with a couple of young squires and their wooden swords.

We forgot to take photos, because we were in survival mode. We were damp around the edges, and trying to pick our way around the pools, jumping over them.  My feet were so cold and wet that I couldn’t feel them.

Finally, at 4pm, the sun came out. We decided to sit and watch a show. Afterward, when I stood up, I could feel the water in my shoes squishing between my toes.

I realize that the weather was authentic British Isle’s conditions. Which is why I’m glad I live in Arizona. But rain or shine, warm or cold, we enjoyed our weekend and had a hard time transitioning back into our everyday lives.

No tags

Question: Does saying an affirmation have to be constant?

Answer: Consider this, you’ve been stating untruths to yourself consistently for a very long time. Those falsehoods have taken root and grown into a fairly nice sized weed patch. If you were gardening, and wanted to make the plot ready for planting, what would you do? You’d pull put the weeds, turn the soil, plant seeds, and water. You wouldn’t then ignore it, assuming that everything was done. You’d still have to water several times a week, de-pest however you choose, and keep pulling out any weeds that would pop up.

The same is true of saying affirmations. Not only do you have to counteract the false statements you’ve been saying to yourself for years, you have to make sure none sprout up again from seeds planted long ago. So your new declaration has to be made constantly and consistently so that it can become your new reality. You are brainwashing yourself of what it is you want, now. To do so, you have to be persistent and determined. That’s the only way to impress your subconscious mind with your commitment.

Copyright 2001, 2010 Linda Ann Stewart
All Rights Reserved

No tags

by Linda-Ann Stewart

Shortly after I opened my hypnotherapy office, I was discouraged by the lack of clients. I believed it was caused by too many hypnotherapists available to service our area. This led to feeling that there just weren’t enough potential clients interested in utilizing hypnotherapy to support us all.

One day, I realized how limiting those thoughts were, and that my experience was just validating them. It was a self-fulfilling prophecy. I changed my thoughts to “There are plenty of people in this area who want hypnotherapy to make a positive change.” I didn’t affirm that they found me. I simply changed my thoughts to encompass a larger pool of clientele than I formerly believed.

Sometimes, your underlying beliefs are restricting the flow of good into your life, and you’re not even aware of it. It’s like the old saying, “You can’t see the forest for the trees.” Those attitudes are just below the surface of your consciousness, and shade your thoughts, keeping them out of the sunlight.

You may not even realize what your opinion is, but it’s closed you off from any potential of improvement. All you notice is the individual trees (conscious thoughts or the feelings they create), but don’t see they’re part of a bigger picture (the forest) that’s just underneath your awareness.

And that forest of beliefs has closed the door to opportunities. You’re using the Law of Attraction, but instead of attracting your good, you’re actually repelling it.

“Energy flows where attention goes.” Focusing on the lack of potential will channel your subconscious resources to create more of what is already absent. When you change your focus from what is lacking to what is possible, you’re engaging your subconscious to look for and attract opportunities.

Sometimes, to fling open those doors, you need to look at the situation in a new way. For instance, the economic climate may be difficult, with 10% unemployed. But when you consider that means that 90% are still employed, it lifts some of the mental heaviness from the first statistic. Instead of believing that no one has money to spend, believe that many people still have disposable income.

In our recession, jobs may be hard to find. Positions may not be as abundant as in the past, but work is still available. Imagine that what you’re seeking is seeking you, and it shifts your energy and your viewpoint, opening up to potentially finding employment.

Pay attention to what is scrolling across the marquee of your mind. Is it fear, doubt and anxiety? Set aside the negatives your conscious mind wants to dwell on. They close down your energy, making it impossible to consider greater possibilities. You don’t have to eliminate those thoughts right now, just put them on the shelf.

Then mentally explore what good could be available to you. At this point, you don’t have to claim it, just crack the door open. Trying to affirm something better, when you’re in the midst of a mess, can cause your conscious mind to undermine your affirmation. Simply considering what could be possible opens the door a crack, to allow the toe of opportunity to wiggle its way in.

Within a couple of months after I made the mental change that there were plenty of potential clients, and doing very little else, my practice had tripled. This has happened to me over and over again, as I track down my own limiting thoughts in all areas of my life. When I change them, not even to what I want, but to simply consider the possibility of improvement, it’s amazing what has transpired.

Affirmation:
I become aware of the negative, self-defeating statements that I’m telling myself. They are simply beliefs, and beliefs can be changed. When they come into my mind, I set them aside to consider the possibility of some greater good that could happen in the situation. I simply raise my level of awareness to encompass something better that could happen. In so doing, I’m instructing my subconscious mind to find new opportunities to flow into my life.

Copyright 2010 Linda Ann Stewart
All Rights Reserved

A nationally known hypnotherapist, writer, speaker and coach, Linda-Ann Stewart helps people rediscover their power and sense of self-worth. Visit Secrets To The Law Of Attraction to download your copy of this free ebook.

self improvement, self help, personal growth, personal development, inspiration

No tags

by Linda-Ann Stewart

I’ve gotten my tax stuff together to take to my tax preparer. It was so much easier and faster this year than I’d expected. I’ve been working at making my life easier by creating some organization and putting some systems in place. Initially, it takes extra time to do this, to think through what would make the process smoother and what you need to make it easier.

I figured out one of the places I waste time and energy was in pulling all the information and receipts together. Usually, I spend (at least) a couple of hours sorting and putting my receipts in order by month.

Last year, I got one simple product that made a huge difference. I bought a check holder that was divided into months. Instead of putting checks in it, I put my receipts into it, month by month. When it came time to enter the amount in my spreadsheet, all I had to do was pull them out, month by month. I was done within an hour, rather than half a day (or longer) it used to take.

This idea of making things easier can work in other areas of your life as well. Figure out where you waste time, and what would make it easier for you. It may be that you need to organize your desk better, or your pantry.

It does take some extra energy to do this, and look for possible solutions, but it’s well worth it. Easier is worth it. It saved me several hours of work, and weeks of having it hanging over me like a thundercloud.

This year, my goal is to keep my spreadsheet current so I have even less to do when tax time comes again. But even if I’m not disciplined enough to do that, I won’t dread pulling it all together next year.

productivity

No tags

by Linda-Ann Stewart

I’ve been reading articles that have blamed positive thinking for the housing bubble and our current recession. They claim that banks were optimistic that the increase in home prices would just keep climbing.

That wasn’t positive thinking. That was greed and completely ignoring common sense.

Banks and mortgage brokers falsified loan documents, inflated buyer’s incomes, to get people into homes. They did this, even though they knew the buyers wouldn’t be able to afford the payments then or when the mortgages adjusted a couple of years later.

Once they had the mortgages, banks then bundled and sold them, making more money. They passed those bundles around like hot potatoes, as investor after investor bought them. If they had truly been optimistic, the banks would have retained the mortgages, expecting them to grow even more valuable.

Optimism, and the Law of Attraction, rarely supersedes natural law. When you walk off a roof, you will probably fall, and not float gently to the ground. When you reach into a 350-degree oven to take out a casserole, positive thinking won’t keep your fingers from being burned (or dropping the dish).

Positive thinking looks for the best solution in a difficult situation. It looks for the silver lining to the thundercloud. It doesn’t ignore the thunderhead. It doesn’t ignore that there are lemons when it chooses to make lemonade. For the lemonade couldn’t be made without the lemons. Optimism opens to new possibilities, in spite of the current situation, and uses them to help create a brighter future.

For anyone who mistakenly believes that positive thinking got us into this recession, think again. It was greed and deliberately disregarding all reason, history and responsibility. “Those who don’t learn from the past are doomed to repeat it.”

I’ve also recently heard that greed is good for capitalism. It’s not. Greed is concerned with “What’s in it for me – today.” Greed doesn’t care about the future, or building a foundation, or growing a business. All it cares about is what it can squeeze out today. We’ve seen this with leaders and CEO’s, who leave a company in ruins, rake in bonuses anyway, and go onto another position. They don’t care about the business, just what they can get out of it right now. There is no accountability or responsibility for undermining the business. It’s a very shortsighted view.

Capitalism is concerned with “What’s in it for the community and me. For today and the future. For as the community is served and grows, then the business grows as well.” It’s enlightened self-interest, realizing that as it invests and help others grow, they reap the rewards. This creates a sustainable future, one that creates growth and expansion. Capitalism is interested in long-term results, not short-term gains.

And this is exactly what the leaders of Wall Street and the banks lost sight of. They only cared about the moment, and that single transaction. They weren’t invested in the future and didn’t care about the problems their transaction would cause. And that’s not optimism. It’s not capitalism. It’s greed, plain and simple.

self improvement, self help, personal growth, personal development, motivation

No tags