Changing our emotions into SuperPowers

Message and Mantra for February 28, 2020

Positive Manipulation and the 5th Dimension Living

A change of Heart

My mother used to say to me, "What happened to my sweet little girl?" I was in my thirties; a very driven, single, working mom with no time to think of the past. I would shrug it off, telling her I didn't know what she was talking about. Then, one day, while looking at old, family photos, I saw her... the little girl from my mother's memory. She had this incredible softness in her face and eyes; sweet was the right word, and I suddenly realized how much I had changed. I really wanted to feel that part of me again; I wanted to be "sweet."

So I went on a quest to find the real me and somewhere along this twenty-year journey, I discovered that life's trauma, drama, hurt, and woes can permanently alter us. Underneath the person we have become, there is another part of our persona that is untouched by our history. It is who we are without the tough exterior, pain, fear, guilt, and old belief systems.

The truth is we all come into the world as awesome beings full of love and potential, but so many of us are terrified to go back to that genuine state of being once we've been hurt. We are afraid because it was that vulnerable part of ourselves that unwittingly 'allowed' for all the pain and trouble in the first place. Instead, we use our memories to build armor; layering every hardship like a sheet of steel that covers our hearts and protects us from any painful impact the future might hold. Then one day we realize how well our strategy worked. We are tougher now, and the pain is gone but, unfortunately, many of our other emotions went with it.

My quandary: To continue to feel numb but stronger for having created my tough exterior, or to let go and feel 'weak' without it...? I realized that being sweet was my goal, not stupid, so I set out to gain some clarity. My reasoning: if I was going to remove the armor I spent so many years fortifying, I needed to understand the word "vulnerability."

Years later, I'm still coming into awareness about the energetic prowess of this state of being. Apparently, when it comes to self-protection, we humans have it all wrong. Allowing ourselves to be vulnerable is not a weakness; it's our greatest strength! And we aren't children anymore; that past we have been using as a shield has also fortified us with wisdom and awareness. We are smarter and more in tune with what is good, bad, right, and wrong. If we could allow ourselves to be as loving and vulnerable as a child while using our adult ability to soulfully discern... well, that is when we tap into ethereal power and acquire the greatest spiritual order of protection we can possibly achieve!

About being sweet... perhaps the most profound realization that came from my mother's question to me was that we don't journey to authenticity; we journey back. What we all seem to be looking for is not in our future; it can be obtained right now! It is not out there; it is in here--in our hearts--the organ we have been protecting for so long. This knowingness comforts me because our transition only relies on one decision: to believe more in the power of our love than we do in the power of our fear.

Nowadays I carry a sword of truth and a shield of love, walking into my days feeling fully protected from everything, including myself. I wonder, though, why any of us would ever come to doubt the power of love. Even crazier, I wonder why we spend so much time changing into someone else when all we really have to do to live our lives beautifully is to just be ourselves.

A Starfish Enterprise

Sunday, my son Matt came over to help with my kitchen renovation. Our goal that morning was to build a narrow base cabinet for a gliding spice rack. I expected he was going to do most of the measuring and cutting, and I would be his assistant. That was our usual mode of operation, but he had other plans.

"What's first," I asked, and he responded, "Well, I can build the cabinet myself, Mom, so I was wondering if you would build something for Kayla." (His 5-year-old daughter.) He took out his phone and showed me a picture of a desk with a matching stool they just received as a hand-me-down. Matt thought Kayla would have more support and comfort with a chair, though, so he said, "I want you to make a seat and back to go on these legs." He looked at me and waited for a response. I looked at him trying not to show panic. The truth is I've painted and refurbished plenty of furniture in my day; I've used a jigsaw and router to make all sorts of things but never actually designed and created something a person could sit on! Not wanting to disappoint my child, especially after all the hours he put into my kitchen, I said okay. Then, without skipping a beat, he added, "Oh, and we'd like it to have a starfish cut-out on the back."

The last remark put a clammy sweat on my back, but he acted like all of this was no big deal, so I suggested he cut me two pieces of plywood an inch bigger than the overall dimensions. "I'll draw some designs," I said to him, "and you can tell me how you want to proceed." "No mom," he responded. "I'll cut the wood, but it's your project. You got this."

Now, I have to explain his nonchalant approach and the energy of trust behind that last sentence... He didn't even flinch. He had so much resolve, I felt a sense of calm come over me. I started thinking, 'Well he knows my skill level; we've built numerous projects together; if he thinks I can do it, why should I doubt myself?' So I dove in, and the result is an adorable starfish chair. It took me an inordinate amount of time to draw, cut out, and sand that creature, but it actually came out better than we imagined.

A feeling of accomplishment stayed with me all week as I filled and sanded all the imperfections and then primed the chair for paint. I kept hearing my son's words, "You got this," and knew there was more to the story. I came to realize that I literally used the love I had for him to push myself out of my discomfort. It would seem, too, that I used his belief in me to overcome my own self-doubt and fear. This was a powerful realization because, honestly, I've been praying for months to overcome fear and gain the confidence I need to take on the truly inspired work I know I'm being led to do right now. And the request to take on this work is coming from a Source much higher than my kid!

It was becoming clear to me that the chair was not just a mother/son building experience; it was a Father/daughter trust building, for sure! My prayers were answered with a gift... a way to instantly stoke my bravado whenever fear and doubt creep in.

This statement, "You got this!"... when we hear it coming from God, it's like a direct spiritual order mixed with an "Atta girl!" (or boy!), and we need to start trusting and believing it. After all, the mere fact that we are being spiritually led and guided to take on a task should tell us that we are already qualified to do that task! Allowing ourselves to believe differently would mean we are actually arguing with infinite power and wisdom. How inane and unproductive is that? :-)

So you know, as I finished typing that last sentence, I suddenly felt the urge to google the spiritual meaning of a starfish. I see the words "infinite Divine love" on my computer screen and smile big at the validation. My mind wandered back to how this story all started with my son wanting to support his daughter... He had her back, so to speak, and now I am reminded that my Father has mine. How awesome is our God?

Prevention has always been the answer.

Trying to talk our way out of addiction is like pulling the shade down on a window and expecting the sun to go down with it! Mental and emotional therapy is not enough. We have to get physical and take care of the biochemical, hormonal, and trauma-induced imbalances that led up to the perfect storm that created the disease.

We know so much more about the human psyche and body than we did a hundred years ago, and we are changing the way we treat the disease, which is great news. The big question mark is why aren't we doing more to prevent it? From kindergarten on, we need to recognize the biggest stress factors in our children's lives and eliminate what we can, while at the same time, equip our kids with the skills they will need to deal with stressors we can't control. We have to keep their bodies clean and clear of sugar and other addictive substances and habits that can lead to more powerful dopamine needs. And most importantly, we have to let them know they are more than a body with a mixed up mind. They are powerful energetic beings with amazing spiritual gifts that quantum science has been discovering and uncovering for years.

The fact is, being politically correct has made up spiritually inept! We took God out, but we never put anything powerful back in. We can change that. We can talk about spirituality as energy--the energy of love and compassion, tolerance and forgiveness, gratitude and grace. Did you know that we can measure the molecular changes that each of those emotions produces in our own bodies and in others?

The truth is we don't need to teach religion in order to fill our schools with spirit! We only need to show our children the wondrous gifts they possess. They have the tools; they just have to learn how to use them.

Ten Easy Ways to Positive Change

Ten new year's resolutions that are actually easy to stick to and will absolutely change your body, your psyche, and your life. (I know because they have changed mine!) And the best part: They don't require exercise or dieting. :-)

1. Drink less caffeinated drinks.
One cup a day can have its benefits and rewards, but more than 6 oz and you could be screwing up your entire endocrine system and more. Understand, a) it dehydrates, b) it could screw up cortisol levels, c) it can make a mess of sleep patterns, d) it is most likely filled with pesticides and chemicals, e) it is made with tap water and that has chlorine. Most people don't realize that boiling and heating chlorine makes it more powerful, not less. And what does chlorine do? It kills bacteria. What is your gut filled with? You got it: Bacteria! So if you are wondering why you have so many gut issues, then coffee, with all the stuff you put in it to make it taste better, could be the reason.

The answer is simple; start weaning. Use naturally decaffeinated coffee mixed in with your regular and slowly over the course of two weeks go down to 3/4 decaf with 1/4 regular. Use organic coffee and filtered water; stop going to Starbucks or Dunkin Donuts. You'll save a ton of money and your health if you make it fresh at home.

2. Drink more water at night. (But not bottled water; get a filter and, again, save a ton of cash while taking out the chlorine.) Drink some before going to bed or when you get up in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom. Here's the deal: Dehydration makes it impossible for your body to rebuild and repair at night. It also makes it impossible for your brain to truly rest. If you are wondering why you can't stop "thinking" all night, it could be you just need some pure water. I put Frankincense in mine and some other essential oils (Doterra brand) and it is like a health elixir... it's really helping me stay balanced.

3. Walk more. Park away from the front entrance; make two trips up and down stairs to bring up the laundry; forget the elevator and take the stairs at work... Do anything you can to add on steps. Walking was just proven to be better than yoga and cardio when it comes to retaining memory and enhancing brain function. Yes, you have probably made this commitment before and couldn't stick with it. To break out of the old and into the new, don't bother looking for a parking spot anymore; pick the first one you see and then thank yourself for doing your body the good deed.

4. Take one unhealthy personal hygiene product away from yourself per week or month. Toothpaste, liquid soap, hairspray, shampoo, skin care products... If you dare, look up the ingredients on Ewg.org to see what carcinogenic, endocrine interrupting, absolutely harmful chemicals are in there. I can honestly attest to the hormonal changes from my wrinkle cream! But I will admit, it took me two years to get myself to switch every single product in my bathroom and nightstand over to organic, chemical-free stuff. The reward, though, is outstanding skin covering a more hormonally balanced body. I make all my own skincare products now with essential and other natural oils... I smell like something you would want to barbeque, but I look great for my age! :-)

5. Watch less television, most especially the news, anything truly violent, and any shows with commercials. You have no idea how much negativity you are being forced to manipulate out of daily and how much brainwashing is being done on you in a day! We are bombarded every single minute with opinions and ads, and most of them are planting stressful thoughts in our minds, making us less happy and more in tune with what we don't want, rather than what we do want. Do yourself a favor, time your favorite show and keep track of its commercial segments. There are about 15 minutes of ads or more in a 30-minute show. Track their content: Prescription drugs, food, cars, weight loss programs... We are being taken advantage of when you think about the fact that we pay between $75 and $200 a month to watch over 50% commercials! If you ask me, this is insane... It's not the boob tube or the cable company that's to blame; it's us, the boob heads that are paying for and watching it!

6. Write down your most troubling thoughts on paper, then come up with a mantra that totally contradicts them. Speak the mantra every single time you have those negative thoughts. If you think you are fat, say "I love my body!" If you believe you are sick, say "I'm a self-healing machine!" If you are worried about bills, say "All I need is flowing right in towards me!" If you feel like a fraud saying these things, get over it! It is your ego that is fraudulent. You possess the two most powerful tools you will ever need to get and do anything you want. If you haven't guessed already, they are your head and your heart, and they were made to operate without boundaries, so don't start putting any on them. Repeat: "I have faith in the powers that be; I believe in me!" And if this doesn't work for you after one week, you can always go back to rehashing all the old negative crap. Remember, the only failure would be to never try.

7. Every time your mind attempts to judge someone, turn the tables on it. Ask to see their soul instead! Don't worry; you can still find things wrong with them later, but when we just try to seek goodness in people, they surprise us by showing their goodness! Stay in judgment and they will feel it and will react to it by going ego to ego with us. And how do we really want to spend our day... ego to ego or soul to soul? Knowing how truly powerful the soul is, most would choose soul every time.

8. Before getting out of bed in the morning, pledge the day. Step into it on purpose by stating it is going to be whatever it is you want it to be: Peaceful, restful, spontaneous, uplifting, productive, lucrative.... Irrespective of what you want to achieve, you have to set yourself up for it. Think about it this way, you are going to move in some sort of direction; don't you want each step to be deliberate? Time is going to be passing you by; wouldn't you rather pass through time? Bottom line, you can't help but walk into the future you are preparing for, so don't let the day just unfold. Decide what that future is so you can steer yourself right into it.

9. Clean something out. Whether it is a drawer, a closet, an entire room, the basement, garage, or attic... just start with one thing that is really bothering you and feng shui the crap out of it! I can't detail all of the energy benefits in one article, but if you can just do it, you will prove to yourself in an hour what a truly profound release this task can have on your life and psyche. Feel like the world is weighing down on you? Start with the attic. Feel like you can't stay grounded? Start with the basement. Feel like you have no idea what direction to go in? Organize your shoes in the closet! It's easy to start: Just ask yourself what your most troubling concern is right now and then walk through your living quarters (or office) with that issue in mind. Allow your inner guidance system to lead you right to the problem area. Don't say no to it! Just admit to it. You don't have to start immediately, but you do have to acknowledge it as a potential block. Then commit to doing one thing, even if it is throwing away a single piece of paper on that friggin junk pile on your desk (that directive was actually meant for me!) Allow for the new energy to take you the rest of the way when you feel led to.

10. Stop blaming; when we blame, all things stay the same. When we take personal responsibility, we go from woe is me to "Whoa, it's me!" We are, after all, the common denominators in all our life's episodes, so who else would have the power to change the future we are walking into; the people we are engaging with, the food we are eating, the life we are leading? Want to stop being a victim? Then instantly become a victor by saying, "I'm owning up to all that I am experiencing because as soon as I do, I get to change all that I am experiencing going forward!

If you have read through all ten suggestions, consider yourself already very motivated! If you want more, please allow me to shamelessly lead you to my new book, "My Mini Book of Mighty Mantras," available on Amazon. It has 369 more ideas to make all your days the most powerful and productive they can be. <3

When to recognize Self-Betrayal

Bottom line, some people aren't good for our self-esteem; we just don't feel good about ourselves when we are around them. Here is what I have found in dealing with these scenarios: Whenever we aren't feeling honored by someone, we probably aren't honoring ourselves.

So often I hear stories of imbalanced relationships, betrayal, hurt, pain, and downright wrongdoing. I know, for me, I've given many people the benefit of the doubt even when it was clear they were not (sometimes could not) offer reciprocal love, honor, and/or friendship. Why do we do that? Here is my take: We are good people (meaning, we are trying our best) and want to believe in the goodness of others. We want to assume others are going to act like us, so we want to trust and believe things will get better. The truth is, many of us are in touch with our own soul and the souls of others, and when we see, hear, and feel that goodness in them, we can't always see and hear their ego. We feel it, for sure! But we ignore that gut feeling and keep the relationship going while we hope for the best.

What can we do about that? We can always assess the truth about a person and relationship when we finally decide to honor our own soul's voice, our own life, and our own personal agenda. And that doesn't mean we always have to cut people off completely. Once we honor ourselves, our energy changes. When we rise in self-love, esteem, and worthiness, it is tougher to be taken advantage of! People will respond to our energy surge in amazing ways, too. Some will treat us better; others will walk away realizing they can't keep the relationship where they want and need it to be.

Should we be angry at others for what they are or aren't doing for us? Why bother! It just perpetuates negativity, and after all, most people can't even handle their own needs, let alone ours. It may even create more imbalance to expect people to always do what we need and want them to do, especially if deep down, we know they aren't capable of it. Instead, we should try to get to a state of gratitude when we find out that someone cannot give back to us what we are capable of giving to them. It gives us the opportunity to move forward more gracefully, and finally do what we need to do for ourselves.

One other truly important aspect of this process: Sometimes, we are asking for it! If we pray, meditate, and/or set intentions each day to be the best we can be and live the best life we can, we will attract situations that help us move towards that goal! At first, we are shown in innocuous ways what to heal and grow out of, but when awareness is not forthcoming, we will get tougher and tougher scenarios to deal with. Then one day, we just wake up and, like getting hit with a hammer to the head, we realize we are the common denominator in all our life episodes. "Oh...." we will say to ourselves, "It's not 'woe is me.' It's, 'WHOA! It's me!'" And that is the day the real transformation begins.

From Cursing to Curing...

Recently I was sent a video about fighting "stupid cancer." I don't blame anyone for this reaction. My father died of lung cancer 26 years ago at the age of 52 so I understand the anger and the hatred people have towards this disease. I want to ask, though, should we be fighting and hating something about our own bodies? Should we be hating cancer or what causes cancer? Actually, should we be fighting and hating anything at all?

The truth is, when I needed to fight for my life from Crohn's Disease, I wasn't winning. The disease was, and during the battle, it took most of my large intestines as its trophy. And apparently, that wasn't enough because six years later, it came back with a vengeance threatening either lethal cancer or a surgery to remove the rest of my tail end, which meant that I would spend the rest of my life with a poop pouch attached to my belly. Unfortunately, I knew what that felt like having spent four months with one during the first attack. Been there; done that; was determined to not do it again.

So I did what I do best...researched. I scanned the internet for information, read every book and watched hundreds of hours of video about self-healing. I completely changed my diet (organic plant-based, ayurvedic; the works). I meditated, prayed, chanted, journaled, grounded myself with the Earth for hours a day, and that's not all; I also changed my mind about everything! When I felt myself resisting what my own intuition was telling me about my past, my emotions, and my participation in the condition my body was in, I sought out intuitive healers to help in the discovery process. And here is what I came to realize: If I wanted to stop the disease, I had to love and embrace it. After all, it was a part of me that was crying for attention. Hating it would defeat the purpose of healing it! I had to hold that part of myself dear and tell it everything was going to be alright because I was finally listening.

Somehow years ago, the perfect storm formed in me, and I had no idea up until that point that I took part in the formation. I certainly didn't do it on purpose, but it was mine to address and unravel from. The good news about that: If I was the one that inadvertently allowed it to be created, I was the one who could now purposefully help it go away!

After four months of intensive self-help, my doctor probed me with a camera and found me free of inflammation from Crohn's. Much to her dismay too, because she was hell-bent on injecting me with powerful, harmful, and expensive drugs for the rest of my life. The way she was acting about my remission, you'd think I took her cookie away from her during lunch hour. I remained undaunted. I knew what I did; how I did it, and I also knew I would be teaching others how to do the same. The most important aspect of all of it, though, was the understanding of how truly beautiful and magnificently wise we were created. I learned that when illness takes hold, we have to remember that the disease is only a tiny part of us, not the whole. No matter what doctors say our diagnosis is, they don't know and could never know what our prognosis is. We get to decide that because we are self-healing machines that continuously strive for balance and health. When we are taught how to use our minds and heartfelt emotions to address an imbalance, the body responds willingly. On a cellular and sometimes genetic level, it will regenerate, rejuvenate, and recreate itself in order to be well again.

Do drugs, chemo and medical treatments work? A percentage of the time, but we all know the potential for detrimental after effects. Whether we decide to use them or not (and that is a truly personal decision), we still have to address the root causes or the disease can return. We still have to assume responsibility for our bodies and the condition they are in (without blame) because when we accept the illness as a potential imbalance in our physical, mental, emotional, and/or spiritual state of being, we immediately take control of our healing journey.

The world of medicine is slow to catch up with the human mind, body, and soul's innate wisdom, but we don't have to stay stuck in that world. When we make the decision to be the best we can be, we have so much more than medicine at our disposal. We have All There Is out there to tap into.

Is America Ready to Face the Real Smoking Gun?

Watching Keanu Reeves last week in the motion picture, "John Wick,” reminded me of my younger years watching Clint Eastwood, Charles Bronson, and Chuck Norris movies. I can still remember the vigilante-like adrenaline I felt surging through me as I walked out of the theatre...It was so palpable it made me want to kick something in the parking lot. In a few hours the feeling would wear off but I wonder now, if I wasn't a balanced young woman in her right mind, would I have been capable of violence? Picking a fight? Perhaps bullying? The answer, I believe, is a resounding, "Yes!" After years of research and experience, I've discovered that any combination of past trauma, emotional and mental stress, hormonal and/or biochemical imbalance, and thoughts of helplessness (that turn into anger) is what it takes to create "the perfect storm" in any human being. Whether someone is led to hurt themselves or another, it still originates from what is transpiring in the delicate relationship between the mind and the body.

This recent school shooting energized us, but the truth is, we have a lot more than that to be riled up about. The FBI claims that in 2016, there were an estimated 1,248,185 violent crimes. Other agencies report that in a year, over 321,000 tweens, teens, and adults are the victims of rape and sexual assault, and approximately 1,000 American women (and more worldwide) are murdered by a current or ex-male partner. Another sobering stat: One in four girls and one in six boys are sexually abused before they turn 18 years old with 34% of their assailants being family members. And the list of violent crimes doesn’t stop there. Without taking away the attention or time we are bringing to guns (and the need to regulate ownership), I'm going to suggest we take the onus off of them as it pertains to motive and cause. There is a much bigger issue we all need to address and that is mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual imbalance.

What does it take to raise a healthy, loving, law-abiding citizen? That's actually an easy question to answer, so we really should be asking, "What does it take to raise an abuser? A killer? An assailant?" We know this answer too, but are we willing to do something about it? Will money and greed keep driving our need to push violence as amusement? Will we continue to allow unfair divorce proceedings to leave kids without one of their parents, most especially their dads? Worse yet, will the over 35% of us going through divorce continue to fight and hate our way through it? Are we going to continue to ignore the potential negative manipulation that food, sugar, pesticides, chemicals, immunizations, and legalized drugs has on our children’s minds and bodies? Are we finally going to analyze how the school environment, curriculum, and stress we put them under is affecting their psyche and physical state of being? Will we keep putting our heads in the sand about what seeing us divided as a nation is doing to instigate their fear about their future? And generational poverty...Will anyone ever be willing to speak frankly without the political left or right slant about one of our saddest stats here in America?

We can initiate new gun laws but that will not rid us of the reasons why someone wants to kill or hurt people. In fact, my fear is that we pass laws, say our hoorays for a job well done, and then never fervently address the real instigators of violent behavior because too many people would have to take too much responsibility for what we aren't doing to help eradicate them. There are many intelligent, wellness-minded people, though, that will say there are easy strategies, and simple--sometimes free, sometimes low-cost--habits and programs we can adopt for our children (from birth on) in our homes, neighborhoods, schools, and states that will prevent crime, addiction, bullying, sickness, disease, mental disorders, drug and alcohol use, and more. They include understanding how we communicate through energy and how love and personal responsibility can promote peace and happiness. These people would suggest changing our curriculum to include more physical and mental exercises that will keep kids balanced and more motivated to live clean and healthy lives. Some new habits would involve daily meditation, self-administered trauma and anti-anxiety therapy, and quite a few other techniques they can use their entire lives to help them deal with the stress that just living life creates. Eventually, the food and drinks we allow them to eat and bring to school would need to be addressed, because it is undeniable: The chemistry put into the body changes the chemistry of the body.

All of this would take our legislators, teachers, police, school administrators, parents, doctors, therapists, and so many more in a position of power to be open-minded, listening, and then willing to move forward together to create positive change. And we know that some are, but we need more. Perhaps so many people, most especially those that are in a position to make decisions, are so stuck doing what they believe is right without taking into account that it is not working! The research is in though. We know more about our intrinsic gifts and how to use them, yet we are still dragging our feet when it comes to changing what we can change and that is irrespective of what government administration--democratic or republican--is in power. I want to know why. I want to ask the powers that be, “When will our kids learn about quantum science? Are they being taught that they are energetic, self-healing beings with hearts and minds so powerful there is nothing that can compare to them in the entire universe?” I want decision makers to give me plausible reasons why billions are being spent dealing with our issues after they cause devastation while so little is being spent on preventing them. Lastly, and most importantly, "Why is everyone so afraid of spirituality? What do we think is going to happen if we start teaching our kids about love?”

We know we are more than our bodies; science has proven that. It isn't that hard to be mindful and loving, and it's incredibly easy to teach it to our children. Why, then, are we making it so damn hard?

What do we want to win, love or hate?

Just moments before my father died of lung cancer I made him a promise...that I would fight for new laws and never stop talking about the dangers of cigarettes. That was in 1991, and I kept that promise...sort of. I fought hard but didn't get very far. The reason: I was in a negative state of being. The pain and helplessness I felt for the loss of my dad rolled itself into extreme anger towards the government, the cigarette companies, and the smokers. The only energy I generated was alienation, even from people who actually agreed with me!

Thankfully, my motive was pure. Before I did too much harm to myself or the cause, I believe I was spiritually led to two men who ran a successful coalition in New York City campaigning for "smoke-free working environments." They told me, "Instead of being against something bad, be for something good." Even though I was really young and inexperienced, this concept immediately resonated with me. We know now that their campaign worked; no-smoking laws were passed, and even though I was still outrageously angry about anything to do with cigarettes, I learned a more productive way to "fight."

It was about five or six years ago while working on legislation that would help couples divorce amicably, I met a group of fathers who were fighting for parenting equality and more time to spend with their children...something I truly believe in. After one meeting, though, I was blown away by their anger; it was like their words were bullets aiming right at me. And their hostility affected more than their verbiage; it changed their demeanor and thinking; more importantly, it was making them ineffective as activists. In a flashback of discomfort, I suddenly saw what I looked and sounded like all those years ago. I accepted that as truth and the second I did, I realized that my pain-twisted perspective was gone! I knew exactly how to help them change their approach: "Being against ex-wives, lawyers, judges, and the establishment will not work," I told them, "but being for love of family and children will!"

My story of hope and change came to mind this week because we as a country are witnessing and experiencing the same emotions of anger, hurt, fear, and helplessness. And the people sitting in it are outwardly expressing these emotions as extreme intolerance towards anyone not thinking and feeling like themselves; some even moving into a state of hatred. They might not realize, though, how it is alienating more people from their "cause" than it is attracting, and they are unwittingly pushing away the very thing (better leadership) they are claiming to want. Anger is good when manipulated properly. It gives us a certain bravado, and it does get us to move. But read anything written by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and you will see, righteous indignation without love and tolerance won't accomplish a better-than-anger-hate-and-intolerance result.

Pople who have successfully manipulated out of painful negative emotions and into first acceptance and then tolerance, love, and forgiveness...They realize the immense gain. They also know they obtained it through the pain! The actual act of manipulating back to love is like exercise for the soul, and that is what gives us more innate power, protection, perception, wisdom, vision, and potential to create positive forward movement. And it is through these moments of authenticity that we gain the clarity to know an ego can never change an ego! Only the soul can do that. We innately know we have to love more and hate less to get more love and less hate. So...

Understanding that we don't have control over others, only ourselves, we can decide to be an example of appropriate human behavior people would want to follow. We can speak, live, and exemplify the conduct we want to see; not what we don't want to see. Best case scenario: We can accept this as the perfect time in history for each one of us to realize our soul's desire to live up to our love potential. We can back down from ego and recognize that the good fight is real, and it is not with each other or our president or any other country or ideology. It is with ourselves. Let's remember that historically speaking, hate never won...ever...so why are we trying to make it a winner now?
#OneNationsHeart

Sick and Tired

What if we stopped calling it Obamacare or Trumpcare and just started calling it Medicaid Plus or something that does not prejudice an entire population of people? And what if those that don't qualify for Medicaid (but still don't make enough to purchase a policy) just pay a little something into Medicaid Plus on a sliding scale? Those who can afford to pay for their own private plans continue to do so, or pay for Medicaid Plus until we figure out a way to deregulate or regulate, fix or undo whatever is not working in the system itself...Will that, at least, stop the fighting, because the stress is killing us...Literally!

You may not want to continue reading if you like playing the blame game. Most of us intelligent and intuitive beings, though, know as a fact that going to single payer or staying as we were will not stop the cost of medical care from escalating. That will continue to rise and threaten to bankrupt states if we don't all step up and take personal responsibility for what we are contributing to the problem and the cost. Whether we are a patient or payer; a doctor or hospital administrator; an employee of the FDA, big Pharma, a school or the government; a parent, lobbyist, farmer, rancher, food manufacturer, or business owner; technology and product developers, even a member of the press, owners of television stations and creators of the programming...Anyone and everyone, including ourselves, who has an influence on our bodies, psyches, sickness, health, and wellness have a participation in what has gotten us into this mess. And every single one of us has the responsibility of helping us get out.

Unhealthy lifestyle choices and the stress that comes with them cost us trillions of dollars in medical costs, lost productivity, increases in crime, traffic accidents, relationship woes, divorce, loss of income, loss of happiness, alcoholism, drug addiction, sex addiction, spousal abuse, unemployment, disability, hostility, mental illness, depression, suicide, childhood issues that lead to adult disease, death, and so much more, as if that is not enough.

So as we all keep complaining about what others aren't doing to fix this problem, who among us is actually taking responsibility for their own body as well as their children's? How about diet, exercise, and your physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual state of being? Who is taking the time to learn about hidden dangers that surround us? How about natural cures and our body's innate ability to self-heal? The power of the mind to hurt or help us? Energy and negativity that perpetuates itself?

Who is making a commitment to themselves and their family to do EVERY LITTLE THING they can to be the healthiest they can be? And if you are a person in a position to create positive change that will affect many people, are you doing the one thing you can do to help, or are you going with the flow of ignorance? Are you staying in a mindframe of blame, fault, and ridicule for what everyone else is doing or not doing?
I'm standing to unite us on this one issue: The primary reason our healthcare costs are escalating is that we are using the system too much! Prevention is the key to this mess we are in, and yes, fear, greed, laziness, and entitlement contribute; that is an absolute, but we "buy" into it, which is why it perpetuates itself. There are many simple solutions; things we can do right now! Are we smart enough, or should I say, sick and tired enough, to want to finally pursue them?

One Nation's Heart

Sometime in January/February of 2016, a vision of bloody and deadly rioting in the streets came to me while watching the U.S. election primaries. It was alarming. As a wellness activist and student of energy, I understood all too well that the hatred we were generating as a nation would keep producing more of the same, on native soil and in the rest of the world. It was evident too that existing in our brokenness meant we wouldn’t be powerful enough to help or act as a resource to anyone else beyond our borders. So I did what came naturally to me; I started writing, and to my surprise, the words turned into lyrics and a melody. I felt led to bring what I had to a friend who sings and writes songs. She liked the concept and the lyrics and showed it to a Grammy-nominated songwriter from Nashville, Tennessee. Weeks later, we flew there, and the result is a spirited anthem that prompts its listeners to stand united in love.

Although I always believed songs could generate positive energy, it was obvious that much more would be needed to close the divide between our parties. I thought, ‘This anthem needs an outlet,’ and as the words left my head, another vision came in. This time it was a Civil War soldier, the “Spirit of America," watching over an eagle stuck in a cage because of his broken wing. I was determined to turn the vision into a music video, but despite my constant efforts, it took another full year and some months after that before I could complete the filming and editing. “One Nation’s Heart” was finally completed on August 11, 2017. The very next day, bloody and deadly rioting broke out in the streets of Charlottesville…rage incited over a Civil War statue.

There is no coincidence either with the timing of the One Nation’s Heart release or the Civil War reference. I was granted the inspiration needed to get this far, but I am being led to believe the next step is to combine efforts with other like minds. We know from the study of quantum physics that human thought and emotion transcend the body and directly affect surrounding energy. What we now call “The Field” affords us the knowingness that combined molecules filled with the emotion of love will act no differently than water molecules amassed in a tidal wave. The power and force that love creates will wash away any real or perceived negativity our World is facing, but we need to stay committed to the practice and the belief that our prayer, meditation, and intention to unite will eventually bring about the positive change we want to see.

“One Nation’s Heart” is just a small attempt to leave a lasting impression on those who view it. It asks citizens to stand for unity as it visually shows what ego and hatred were already conquered in America and abroad. Hatred, by the way, that some would say was even more potent than what we are experiencing today. We can rest assured, the "Inspiration" that helped me write and produce this message of unity continues to influence it! Those of us who are in tune with our Earth and Creator know that eventually, all the world’s citizens will join together, but many of us also realize how much responsibility for that rests with the United States. It may take one or two more catastrophic events to get us to this point, but the energy of compassion, brotherhood, love, and grace will find its way back again into the hearts and minds of the majority. In the meantime, we are the shepherds of this energy, and what we generate will transcend! We must unite, stand firm and hold steadfast in our belief that nothing is more potent than unconditional love. No amount of hate can ever win against us unless we let it. #OneNationsHeart #LetsGetThePartiesStarted https://www.facebook.com/pg/onenationsheart/videos/

At least twice a year my Nana would ask me to move her refrigerator so she could clean behind it. You would think there were dead animals back there, or at least stuff growing out of the coils based on her urgency. "Donna doll, please...would you mind?" Of course I never minded, but I knew before I moved it there would be nothing more than a few dust balls. I loved her dedication to cleanliness, but it made me wonder, 'Am I a slob for not caring what is behind mine?"
Funny thing is, when it comes to finding what's hiding behind my decisions, actions and thoughts, I run with a duster and vacuum hoping to find all the dirt, dust and cobwebs that are hiding under my psyche. Nana on the other hand, never even discussed her past. She never had a need or reason to go "back there." And she didn't seem to suffer because of it. Happy with very little, her entire life consisted of two daughters, 21 grand and great grandchildren, a tiny, one-room apartment filled with animal statues and plants, and Friday afternoon bingo. So simplistic about life that getting cards on the holidays and her birthday made her thankful for the entire year. She was a woman who could spend two hours at a discount store, come home with one statue of a bird, and then spend three days re-arranging her entire apartment just so that one little creature would fit in perfectly. Such joy in so little!
'Was my Nana happy?' I have often asked myself that question. My answer now, after years of learning from her simplistic way of life: The idea of happiness is like a mirage...whatever you want is what you will see, and what you see, you can imagine makes you happy. Is being a little obsessive about knowing what is behind something, albeit an appliance or a mindset, a good thing? Nana would say, "If it makes you happy Donna dear, do it!"

Millennials Show Us What ‘Old’ Looks Like, and I show them what 'Old' really looks like.

We complain an awful lot as a nation about healthcare costs and whether medicine should be socialized or not. Since I'm entrenched in the health/wellness/prevention industries as a coach, I have some opinion on how things got so bad. I thought I would do a little research to show why I don't complain; I get busy and get to work...

From 2000 to 2012, our nation paid out about $133 billion on its smoker's and their illnesses. (As an FYI, Canadians paid $2.8 billion. That shocked me!) All related preventable costs break down to this: For every $7 or $8 a smoker spends on his/her pack of cigarettes, we each pay about $35 for their health related costs, so essentially their habit is our problem. We rank highest in the world, by the way. Here are some other eyeopeners:

Type 2 Diabetes, another preventable disease, has skyrocketed...up 700 percent in the last 50 years. Having a cure (change the diet and start exercising) hasn't stopped us from racking up over $200 billion in healthcare, loss of productivity and disability costs. That is estimated at about $700 a year to each and every one of us.

If you don't think that is eye opening enough, check this out from www.statinusage.com about high cholesterol: By 2030, about 40% of our nation is expected to have some form of CVD. Direct medical costs expected to triple from $273 billion currently to $818. Indirect costs due to lost productivity should increase approximately 60%, rising from $172 billion to $276 billion. This combination comes to more than One Trillion Dollars! The website says that if we could cut those numbers down, it would be like giving every American household a $9,700 check every year.

This is only a sampling of a few preventable diseases, as I haven't even touched on drugs, alcohol, addiction, accidents, and so many of the diseases associated with what we put into our bodies. Did you know that the number one cause of cancer according to the American Cancer Society is no longer cigarettes? It is food.

So if we want to be fair about how things got so bad...if we really want to create change, we need to ask ourselves how much our own lifestyle practices are contributing to our ongoing complaints, our stress, not to mention our unhappy bodies. As far as offering healthcare for free...it might be cheaper to offer prevention and wellness for free, because if the old adage is right, a thousand in prevention will be worth a billion in cure.

Bandaids Don't Heal Wounds

Im finding one of the biggest emotionally-charged divisions between the political parties is the word "disadvantaged." One side seems to talk consistently about environment and believes that lack of monetary resources will preclude someone from ever becoming successful. The other side stands firm in their belief that nothing can get in the way of our potential except ourselves, and money won't permanently solve anything. When I hear opinions from people on both sides, I am floored at the dichotomy, because both are true! As a coach, I take into account all the circumstances surrounding each client. Let's face it, the more hurdles someone has to jump over, the more daunted and exhausted they are. I refuse, though to discount the human spirit that resides within every single one of them. I'm not of the belief that just because a person is not succeeding, it doesn't mean they don't have potential; just because someone was raised with few resources, it doesn't mean they can't rise above; just because a young person is not exhibiting innate talent or abilities, it doesn't mean they don't have any.

Speaking to anyone, whether they are a self-professed conservative or a liberal, if they are holding firm in one believe system and unwilling to see another side, it is like trying to argue about the exact hue of blue the sky is with someone who is color blind; they see it only one way, their way and there is no real discussion. As a person who looks at the sky and sees the rainbow, I want to heal the issues, not fight about them! If we truly want to help our kids prosper, we have to assume that where and how they grow up will play a HUGE role in how they view the world and themselves, which has a great bearing on how they choose to live their adult life. We should, however, NEVER discount the human spirit and assume money will solve all their issues. Bandaids don't heal wounds. They just protect the wound so it can have the opportunity to heal itself.

What is true disadvantage anyway? Let's all agree that sexual abuse and incest, learning disabilities, birth defects, lack of mental and physical capabilities, no mother or father, illness, disease, addiction, dueling and divorcing parents, confusion over sexual orientation...issues that are not exclusive to one race, gender, economic status or neighborhood...these are real disadvantages! And yet we have all seen children and adults who were able to rise above. What is the secret ingredient to their success over hardship? What about being raised without the nurturing needed for the mind and human persona? Is there something worse for a child than feeling unwanted and unloved, told they are unworthy or useless and downright bad or perhaps never taught any moral or ethical code whatsoever? Do these issues have exclusivity?

Ask any successful person who was raised in what is deemed true poverty or has less than four limbs, we don't need money to be successful. We need love, values, positive belief systems, nurturing of the spirit and lessons in accountability and humanity. We need role models we can look up to, coaching and coaxing, sometimes a kick in the butt, sometimes a helping hand. We have learned from others what works! Bottom line, as a nation, we need to offer resources to house and feed bodies and educate minds, but if we can't agree on what children really need to prosper, they will never grow into their unlimited, unmitigated and un-wavering Personal Power. They will just grow into adults who may never realize just how much they can prosper on their own. Imagine growing up believing you need someone else to take care of you...that is disadvantage of the worst kind.

Luckily, we can start to create change without having to wait for a politician (democrat or republican) to win a presidential race. We are already in a race of the human kind! We start by being accountable for what we are bringing to the table in our own lives, then our families, then our communities and work outward from there. We can't doubt for one minute that we can help each child rise, but first, we have to stop judging one another's political stance. We need to come together and work together, because this eagle always has and always will need both its wings to fly. <3

We have got to Grow UPP!

The government doesn't make people overeat. They don't make people cheat on their taxes, litter in the street or run through stop signs. They don't make a woman cheat on her husband or a man beat his wife. They don't cause birth defects nor are government leaders responsible for women becoming pregnant when they are not ready for it. The government didn't create our disease or our divorce, force our kids to do drugs or fail their first semester in college. They didn't allow the drunk driver to kill that woman and her baby or give your friend terminal brain cancer. The government was not the entity that caused millions of people to say disparaging words to one another, to text while driving or instigate road rage.

The banks and wall street did their share to hurt our economy, as well as every big business who takes and steals and robs, but every single person who takes and steals and robs, even if it is an item they forgot to pay for at the grocery store, should also be included. If we want to play the blame game, then we have to play fair. We have to include each and every one of us, along with each and every infraction we create against ourselves, our loved ones, our community, our job, and our country. I know, I know, but the senator that took the bribe should be put in jail, but then so should your neighbor that is not claiming some of his salary so he can collect government subsidies. And those big companies that only pay minimum wage...for sure they need to re-evaluate how they care for their employees, but those employees who only give half effort in their work day, call in sick, come in late or steal goods also need to take more responsibility for their job. And if you think a CEO of a public company shouldn't make a million a year, then you also have to be upset about the executive director of the not-for-profit you donated to who is doing just as well.

If for one day, each and every person could stop playing the blame game and start thinking about what s(he) contributes to our country's woes...everything from littering, polluting our environment, running the car or faucet for no good reason or running a stop sign to overeating and smoking (talk about the high cost of insurance!), to lying and cheating on their taxes, driving while texting or slightly buzzed, abusing their rights as a parent in a divorce scenario...I can write for an hour and take up ten feet of newsfeed on Facebook describing what we do to make life harder in these here Un-United States, but everyone would still need to admit to doing their share before it would make sense. Who is game for that? The best thing I ever did in my life was to realize I needed to Grow UPP (Ultimate Personal Power) and take responsibility for EVERYTHING I bring to the table. I still recognize what participation other entities have, so I work to help create change by writing new programs or instigating new laws that protect us, but it is not about what "they" are doing wrong in as much as it is about what we can do together to make things right. I learned a long time ago that blaming alienates, whereas finding solutions ingratiates.

Ultimately, taking responsibility for our participation in all the situations we find ourselves in is what frees us of the victim mentality, makes us realize our potential, and helps us understand how we co-create and manifest. Doing so opened my eyes to the process of positive manipulation...a process we can use to get over ourselves and our human weaknesses so we can tap into our spiritual strength. Why is taking responsibility so powerful? Because when we take responsibility, we take control, and when we take control, we can finally create change! I don't play the blame game because it is a waste of time and a cop out. It is non-productive and it creates discomfort and dis-ease in my mind, my body and my life. Why would I want to believe that other people have all that control over me, my future or my rights as a human? Nah...powerless is unattractive; not my style; not what I taught my kids; and not what I want for my country and the people in it. No matter what our lot in life, we can start the UPP process. We are not victims; we are victors. We are not turkeys; we are Eagles, and we need to start acting like we each have the potential to do better...that we have the personal power to rise above. I promise, once we start UPP Rising, we will never feel helpless, weak or vulnerable again. <3

Part VI: The Common Denominators of Addiction and how to eradicate them. There is more than hope!
We (body, mind and soul) were made to restore and heal from just about anything. There is no reason to believe our bodies and minds can’t completely eradicate addiction. Up until this point though, we have only used a tiny portion of the tools our body and nature supplied for us. When I started my coaching practice over 20 years ago, it was after discovering my perfect storm, which I believe was brought on by a childhood trauma. My symptoms included ADD, memory loss, fluid retention, severe mood swings, gastro problems, acne, "auditory imperception" (a hearing disability), sensitivity to noise, sugar addiction, negative thought patterns and much more. I went to many medical doctors and various practitioners to try and “fix” all the physical ailments, but after many tests, we had no diagnosis. At the same time, I heard about a bio-chemical nutritionist who worked with amino acids and food to get people back on tract hormonally. I also suffered with emotional distress my entire life, so I decided to go to a psychologist who discovered I had PTSD from the childhood and adult trauma I experienced. I thank God for that diagnoses because I thought I was going crazy. When I set out to find these doctors, it was out of necessity and frustration. I was at a point where I would have done anything to get rid of the symptoms that no one in the past was ever able to help me with. Turns out, no “one” could. I needed at least three.

Although all these practitioners never even met, they were unknowingly working together to help me. I was taking their findings, test results, and diagnoses and putting together the pieces of the Donna Martini puzzle. And trust me...I was not initially aware that I was embarking on a “new age” odyssey of holistic healing. No, I will admit to being dumb as a stump, but necessity dictated. As a newly divorced mom, I needed to be strong and whole for my kids. I needed to provide for them. Bottom line, our survival depended on me being "fixed." That was my prayer, and this is how God decided to help me. He gave me a gift far beyond spontaneous healing. He gave me knowledge I could take with me to help myself and eventually to help many others. And so where the story ended was also the beginning of what I call a FISHing expedition: A Fully Integrated Synergistic Healing of the body and mind. If it took many factors to create my perfect storm, it made sense to believe I needed to heal out of many factors in order to calm it.

That was over 20 years ago and since I made such strides, others came to me for help for their undiagnosed issues. I was happy to lead them to my doctors and my findings. Without effort, a coaching practice emerged, and since what I was finding out was not something you could learn in school, I decided not to get any type of degree. Instead I documented everything the doctors and I were doing with each person and came up with some consistent findings in all the addiction cases: Imbalances in organs and glands (most significant being the adrenals and thyroid), deficiencies or excess of hormones (most important being cortisol, estrogen and testosterone), bio-chemicals and neurotransmitters (of course there was always a dopamine issue), amino acids, vitamins, minerals (most specifically aspartic acid and glutamine, but all essential and non essential nutrients). These physical imbalances perpetuated addictive tendencies and kept people trapped in their mental and emotional trauma. So trauma started the imbalance in the body and the body wanted resolution. That is what self medicating is all about!

Some practitioners use psychotropic drugs to try and balance the mind and body, but it is like a game of “try and seek.” The rhetoric goes something like, “If this one (pill) doesn’t work, we can try another.” I have a problem with this. Unless someone is so bad off only a drug will keep them from harm (I have seen this a few times in my practice), why aren’t we investigating the entire body as a whole BEFORE we attempt to put another substance that may imbalance something else? Why aren’t we going for complete restoration instead of bandaids? A fully integrated system (body/mind/soul) needs a fully integrated approach. The mind can’t function properly without a clean body. The body can’t function properly without clean, powerful fuel and a clear head. Nothing can happen without the will and we can’t get and keep the will without a fortified body! A vicious cycle! And let’s all think about this: We are taking drugs so we can change the body. Why would we try that before we try to get rid of what changed the body in the first place?

I hear and read about treatment centers that take a holistic approach (YEAH!), but the majority are still using and replicating traditional methods that are only working on a portion of the population (and I am sure that is why so many insurance companies don’t want to pay for them.) In addition, we need to upgrade our beliefs on what addiction really is. With AA being established in 1935, way before we understood anything about our bio-chemistry and genetic predisposition, shouldn’t we be open to a more full-spectrum approach to healing that incorporates the body as well as the mind and spirit? If AA is working on the spirit and expecting the body to come around, that might be why it isn't working on every person.

As far as I am concerned, if a program like AA or any treatment outlets are only working for a percentage (be it large or small) of addicted people, we shouldn’t be blaming the addicted people who can't hold onto sobriety for not being able to stay sober. We should be addressing the programs. Should we be blaming someone for not having the will to attend or stick with a program when the number one symptom of the condition we are trying to treat is not having the will to stick to a program?!? Put this way, doesn’t our approach sound a bit inane?

Like everything else, nothing is one size fits all. Since we only know a tiny percent of what we should know about the human body and mind, we can’t take anything for granted...not the cause, the effect or the method we use to bring people out of it. But again, not to blame any person or agency. I am not blaming, judging or faulting. And I will note that every practitioner I meet is fully entrenched and dedicated to helping people. What most were not considering (or taught) is that we need to bring EVERYONE from every facet together and be open to all discussion...willing to work together to heal each person and the epidemic as a whole. I send people to AA for spiritual direction, so that is proof that I believe in the 12 steps, but expect me to be "in your face" if you tell me AA is the only way. It was and is “the” way for many, but it was not “the” way for most or we would have no addiction issue. My point being, if there is an epidemic in a macro system, we have to address the macro as if there were many, many micros, and each micro is in and of itself a macro! With the millions of people we treat, we have 1,000 times that in variables for each person's body. How can we think we can heal everyone with one methodology?

Next, Part VII...The 12 Steps and a few strides: How we can address the body and mind as we lift the soul.

Part V of Addiction: How do we begin to calm the Perfect Storm?
I always say, we can’t have a clear head without a clean body, so let’s start with asking, “Are we clean?” By understanding that we are all working at a deficit (meaning, we live surrounded by sabotaging factors our bodies were not made to handle), we can begin to unravel the not so mysterious answer to addiction. Do I have to list them all from exposure to radiation, electronic and microwave emissions to inhaled and ingested plastics, chemicals and nutrient deprived foodstuff? Suffice it to say, we are not living wholesome. As adults we can manipulate our bodies out of some of these influences, but thousands of negative influences in a day, week, month then years...? And what of a child’s body...while it is in the process of growth, are we kidding ourselves about how compromised they are? To make it even harder on our physical selves, we aren’t being fortified daily with nature’s offerings, exercise and truly wholesome, nutrient rich, chemical-free fuel. So we have much working against us and not much working for us. Where would our minds go from there?

And then there is the biggest trigger...one that is evident in 100% of the people I have worked with and (proven to be) well over 90% of those treated by professionals; namely a traumatic episode. Experts will agree that trauma altered the mind, but many have yet to link the fact that it imbalanced the body enough to sabotage it (which makes it the key to healing the person). In children (and adults) the trauma can trigger addiction to a substance or to a behavior like anorexia, cutting and picking the skin or hair. While at a conference on anorexia, I listened to this testimony from counselors. I was excited to hear their discovery (I already knew this from the countless people I was coaching), because I thought they were going to talk about new methods of treatment. When they finished speaking and there was no mention of the physical effects the trauma might have caused; namely, cortisol imbalance, I asked them why. I also asked, “What is being done about it?” The answer I got was, “We are looking into it.” This is not what I was expecting! I will keep asking questions, though, to all involved in addiction treatment...those with the wherewithal and doctorate, “Why aren’t 100% of the addiction population being tested and treated for cortisol imbalance? Why do we think we can mentally talk someone out of physical addiction?”

Whether it was a big trauma like sexual or physical abuse, exposure to death and despair, a life changing event like divorce, or what I call a “Little T” (not to diminish any trauma!), like a car accident, loss of a pet, bullying at school, etc., it all plays out in a similar way in the body. Stress and trauma produce a cortisol pump, putting the body in a cycle that never ends until we attempt to re-balance it. We know now that some bodies are already at risk (genetically predisposed) to addiction before a trauma is introduced, and then there are many people who go through severe trauma and don’t become addicted...or do they? Beyond drugs and alcohol, pot, cocaine and heroin, there is love and sexual addiction, computer games, food and gambling to name a few. Some don’t consider overactivity of something seemingly good for you to be addiction, but in my practice I see addiction to exercise, sports, religion, even Facebook! Some have a constant need to seek out metaphysical practices, like going to psychics, and one of the biggest issues...a need to constantly reiterate events from the past. (I call that being a re-call-a-holic.) Negative thoughts about past events can keep re-instigating trauma in the body and fuel the fire of addiction.
Depending on all ancillary factors like how we were taught to deal with life’s episodes, how well we are supported, how our minds perceive it, and the healthy or unhealthy state our body is in...our perfect storm gets created, and in order to calm it, we have to recreate ourselves, mind AND body, or the storm just keeps going, creating more and destruction as it passes through.

Next Part VI: The Common Denominators of Addiction and how to eradicate them. There is more than hope!