Some tips for a better workplace experience:

Many of my students sit at a desk working all day on the computer.  They tell me that their shoulders hurt, their necks are tight, their backs are tired.  Sound familiar?  Here are some Alexander Technique tips to make life in an office a little easier.

• First, take a moment to notice yourself.  Without changing anything, what are you aware of?  Can you tell if you are balanced on the chair?  What are you doing with your shoulders?  What are you doing with your legs?
• Find your sit bones.  These are the bony protuberances at the base of the pelvis.  Let yourself balance on your sit bones, so that they take the weight of your torso and head into the chair.  Notice any tension in your lower back, or across the upper back.  Are you holding yourself up?  Let the chair do the work of bearing the weight of your body.  This should help to release some of the tension in your back.  Be sure that your feet are flat on the floor, with your legs hip-width apart.  If the chair is too high, use a stool or a phone book to give your feet something to rest on.
• Bring your thought up to your head and neck.  Let your neck soften so that your head can float up, lifting slightly away from the spine.  Take a breath.
• Notice your shoulders.  Are they pulled up with tension?  Let them drop slightly and release away from each other.  As you type notice what you do with your jaw.  Do you grit your teeth?  With your lips closed, let your jaw drop open slightly so that your teeth are parted.  Let your tongue rest softly in the base of your mouth with the tip of your tongue gently touching the back of your lower teeth.  Breathe in and out through your nostrils letting your ribs expand and contract as you do.
• Check in with yourself as you work and take short breaks as often as every twenty minutes.  Just standing up and sitting back down will help to relieve stress.

Consider having a lesson to help you recognize and let go of your patterns of tension.

Karen DeHart, M.AMSat

I’ve had a lateral scoliosis (curvature of the spine) that I’ve known about since I was a teenager, so from time to time I experience some pain and discomfort in my back, especially if I’ve had a busy week and I’ve seen a lot of clients.  After my first experience with Raindrop Therapy, many things happened that surprised and delighted me.  The first thing was that the pain that I had before the treatment was totally gone.  Not only was the pain gone, but I could feel as my friend worked on the longitudinal muscles of my back that they had become very soft, and that softness felt like it had gone into the deeper muscle layers of my back.  She didn’t seem to have to work hard to get that deep relief of the spasms, and that impressed me too!  The feeling that I had of relaxation was profound.  I felt like I could breathe deeper because of the muscle relaxation.  The normal nervous tension that I carry seemed to be nonexistent!  And I also had the sense that my body had somehow been strengthened and I felt energized.  I have had many massages in my life that were quite wonderful, but the sense of well-being that I had after this treatment was quite noticeable.

My excitement and enthusiasm from my experience with Raindrop Therapy sent me deep into the study of essential oils.  I read every aromatherapy book I could find.  My husband and I went to France twice to study with Dr. Penoel.  Dr. Penoel is a French physician who specializes in medical aromatherapy.  This specialty is highly regarded in France, unlike in the United States.  The French method of aromatherapy is to use the essential oils undiluted for applications on the skin, for inhalations, as well as in capsules for internal use.  They appreciate the validity of the mind/body/spirit connection and incorporate this respect for wholeness into their use of essential oils.  As I learned more and more about essential oils and studied each oil individually, I now understand why Raindrop Therapy would work very deeply.

Seven essential oils are used for Raindrop Therapy, and two essential oil blends.  Each one of them serves a different and sometimes complimentary function in the treatment protocol.  Some of these oils are reported to have antibacterial and antiviral properties.  Several of these essential oils are immune stimulating; several directly effect the digestive system, respiratory system as well as the central nervous system.  Besides providing relief from pain and muscle spasms the essential oils seem to aid the body in detoxifying, and it all seems to happen with great speed!  I am not a physician, but my observations and my own personal experience tell me that Raindrop Therapy has great benefit for everyone.

You don’t have to be a massage therapist to love essential oils or to use them with your family and friends.  I would encourage everyone to experience a Raindrop Therapy session, and then learn how to do it for your family.  I hope you will join us at Harmony Farm an enjoyable learning experience.

Elizabeth Kisch, LMT

Late one evening I received a phone call from my friend Ann Taylor. She was arranging a large event for Dr Bernie Siegel in Tampa, Florida and needed my help. I landed in Florida the following morning … and I did not realize yet that the Journey Series had been conceived.

We had one week to pull together the finishing details for the big event. I painted a small painting each evening as I settled down from a long day. I did not know this was the beginning of what would become The Journey Series nor did I realize that three of the five small 8″x10″ paintings I had painted each evening would become large canvass paintings that would have such depth of meaning for me and many that see them.

As I painted the larger canvasses from the original eight by tens, the images seemed to penetrate my being and literally take me on a journey within myself. Finally, I knew I had breathed The Journey Series into being. . .I had given life to the series and when I was done I was ready to begin again.

Now I realize I have painted this same series in many different forms but, until now, the painting of it had not birthed me.

The event for Dr. Bernie Siegel was the biggest and best event he had up to that time and it was fabulous meeting him.

I wondered what connection was there between the paintings and the event or if it is literally that everything is connected someplace some way. Was that journey to Tampa solely for the birthing of The Journey Series? . . . Then of course there is the journey within each one of The Journey paintings.

Floyd Anna Hattery
Art Studio Seven
www.artstudioseven.net

Journey Number 1

 

Journey Number 2

 

Journey Number 3

 

Journey Number 4

 

Journey Number 5

the greatest thing
you’ll ever learn
is just to love
and be loved
in return.

Unfortunately, many of us defend ourselves from the true unconditional spirit of love, where boundaries don’t exist and love is all knowing, all giving, all encompassing. Whether we have felt the pains of rejection, felt invaluable, or the untruthful conditions of love, in some small or large way we now run our human energy field to protect ourselves from feeling these pains and past sufferings. These defenses can block the true gifts of unconditional love. And yet, our greatest longing may be to love and be loved.
Brennan Healing Science is a laying on of hands energy healing method that works with life’s realities and misconceptions, bringing one’s energy system into wholeness. Unhealthy consciousness manifests itself in one’s energy field resulting in dis-ease of the physical body. Brennan Healing Science brings an individual’s energy system into balance. It is a journey of restoring harmony.
Essentially our whole life is a journey toward wholeness. No matter what we have endured on our life journey so far, we are love. We are great beings of light capable of deep understanding, beauty, compassion, and deep love. We are made up of divine threads of truth, joy, hope, passion, tenderness, love, and unity.
I would like to end with a meditation by Barbara Brennan from her book Seeds of the Spirit 2001.

Return to Unity

Align with your purpose in being here,
Center yourself deep within your heart.
Within the sacred heart of the sacred Now,
Where all love exists and communion
With all that there is,
Is your natural state of being.
Sit within the heart of Now.
Being yourself.
Simply being here now in the moment..
In this sacred moment of the Now, all of life exists.
Simply be here in this moment with us.
Continue to return each moment
To the center of the Now in your heart.
Continue the moment’s choice
To return to unity
In the sacred moment of the Now
In the center of your heart.

Left to right: Cheri Dinsmore, Charles Griffin, Liz & Keith Keyser, Barbara Brewer

Harmony Farm’s transition from traditional farming practices involving chemicals to organic and biodynamic practices has been greatly supported by OEFFA’s educational opportunities. OEFFA (Ohio Ecological Food and Farm Association) was formed in 1979 as a membership-based grass roots organization dedicated to promoting and supporting sustainable, ecological and healthful food systems. They are involved in education, provide organic certification for growers, offer an apprenticeship program, support research and development, farm and farmer preservation, policy making and product promotion.

In addition to their keynote speakers Joel Salatin (speaker and author) and Chef Ann Cooper (chef and author), the conference offered over 60 individual workshops throughout the weekend. One of the highlights for our Harmony Farm attendees was to experience Charles Griffin from Enright Ridge Urban Ecovillage in Cincinnati. Charles spoke about the foundations of and practicing biodynamic farming and gardening. We appreciated the opportunity to meet and network with other farmers involved in organic and biodynamic practices.

In January we travelled to Mockingbird Meadows, a biodynamic honey and herb farm near Marysville, Ohio. Dawn Combs and her husband Carson describe their acreage as “an example of a small-scale partnership with the Earth”. They specialize in products made from their honey, herbs and heirloom vegetables. Dawn is also an herbalist and offers classes on everything about herbs from first aid and skin care to women’s health.

In February we were honored to welcome Dawn and Carson to Harmony Farm. We had the opportunity to tour the buildings and share our vision of expanding the healing work that we’ve done for the past 20 years through bodywork and education to healing the land through organic and biodynamic agricultural practices. We are learning about growing and utilizing the herbs from our land and envision sharing the products and information with our clients. We are excited to learn from Dawn, planning on attending her classes this Spring, and we look forward to working together on future projects!

Participants experienced a “taste” of services including an Alexander Technique demonstration by Karen DeHart, Tai Chi by Rick Beck and 30 minute massages. Special thanks to all the practitioners who donated their time: Lori Angel, Ronda Bennet, Vicki Reynolds, Megan Rue, Danielle Ware, Wendy Wilson, Laurie Davis and of course Karen and Rick. Heart healthy food was provided by Coldwater Café (www.coldwater-cafe.com).

This was a wonderful opportunity for Circle of Red members to conduct their meeting amidst the beauty of the farm and explore some of the healing arts. Harmony Farm celebrates the commitment and dedication of this group to such a worthy cause.

Karen shares….

“I had a great time leading Saturday’s workshop!  The group was intelligent and engaged as we explored ways in which our own movements and thoughts had been causing tension and pain.  I think we all enjoyed discovering new approaches to everyday activities and finding that our movement could be effortless, buoyant and graceful.”

Harmony Farm looks forward to hosting future workshops. Private Alexander Technique lessons can be scheduled by going to our website or calling us a 937-667-8311.

May your new year be filled with peace, love, joy and healing.
For a Hara healing please contact Harmony Farm at 937-667-8311 to schedule a Brennan Healing Science Session, or visit Brennan Healing Science on our website.