Sleep Well Hypnosis with Professor Jay Tee

After weeks and weeks of sleepless fiascos in the night, I finally decided to try something that I hoped would help.  I actually just saw this downloadable version of hypnosis that I could do and try on myself.  It was from Professor Jay Tee.

I had seen him tweet many times and while I looked at some of his website, I ran across this product.  So, last night, I downloaded it and put it to use.

Before I share how it went, I want to describe a little about my current sleep situation.  For some time, I've been struggling to sleep through a night.  I'll fall asleep for an hour or two, and then my eyes open wide as if to say, we're up - why aren't you?  I would have to come out for a couple of hours and read or play some games, just to get myself sleepy and to the point where I felt like falling asleep.

If I grew completely exhausted, my body would sleep more during the night, but then the following night or two, I'd be right back where I was struggling to sleep through a night.

I tried all the things that had worked for me from melatonin to other deep breathing exercises.  I tried some adrenal fatigue caplets I had.  All of them would give me a little relief, but not really give me a full night's worth of sleep.

One thing to note is that I have done Unified Therapy in the past on a regular basis but due to circumstances beyond my control, this has not been an option lately.  I'm sure some issues and memories are messing around in the old gear box of my brain.  Even the stress level has been elevated for me lately because of life and I know that impacts everything biologically.

I wasn't sure what would happen when I downloaded this.  I figured, if nothing else - I'd hopefully have a little more peaceful night.  I loaded it on to my ipod and put it on play as I went to bed.

The only thing that confuses me is that the background part of it seemed loud while his talking seemed soft.  I know in his instructions, he said to not worry about this because if you strain to hear it, you're using the conscious side of your brain.  I believe that is how he stated it.  If you just let go and not worry about that, your subconscious picks it up.  So that was the awkward part to me and something I don't fully understand.

I found myself drifting off pretty quickly and that's the last I remember.  In fact, I don't believe I got up once during the night for anything.  About an hour after I started it, I don't know if it was at the end of the playlist or what, but I woke up sort of like a surprise.  At that moment, I didn't hear anything playing and so I figured it was done.  That was about all I remember for the night.

When I woke up this morning, I realized I had slept through the night which is a first for me.  Maybe it was because I was completely exhausted from the previous day or maybe it was the Sleep Well Hypnosis with Professor Jay Tee.  I'm inclined to believe it was the Sleep Well Hypnosis.

I'll be trying this again and will post updates as I go.  I know that if you don't get regular sleep, it really messes with the mind and body.  Pretty soon, exhaustion seems normal and without that rest and repair function at night, there is great harm biologically that happens.  Your mind doesn't defrag as well without adequate sleep.

So, stay tuned for updates.  I will definitely try this again and see what happens.  No, I'm not paid to say any of this.  This is just a review of something I'm trying in as an objective way as I can possibly do it.

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Blog Post And Images (c) 2017 by Don Shetterly

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5 Ways I Cut Sugar Back In My Diet

One of the things I have struggled with in my life, is sugar consumption.  If I tried to cut back on sugar from my diet, it would come at me like a zillion monsters attacking me.  The more I tried, the more I failed.

Before a dear friend passed away from cancer, one of the last things she said to me was, "cut sugar out".  It hit me hard and I know that she was correct.

Sugar is great.  It tastes so good.  It is addictive.  It gives me a high.  I love it.  I love it.  I love it and I want more of it.

Unfortunately, too much sugar is not healthy for the body in what I've learned.  No, I'm not some doctor of nutrition or anything like that.  I'm really speaking about my own understanding and comprehension.

So, here I am trying to get off the stuff and the harder I tried, it came back at me like a boomerang effect.  The more I tried, the more I craved it and then it left me feeling horrible and weak and defeated.  I knew there had to be a way.

Here's what I did.  While this may not work for everyone, maybe something in what I'm writing about will help you.

1. Mind Body and Mindfulness 

   This was not about some thought philosophy or mantras or meditation.  Not that those things don't help because they do.  What I'm referring to here is something more than the standard mind body and mindfulness thinking we all preach that we do.  In this case, I went in and started working hard on my inner self and from a cellular body component, I learned to release and let go of things.  It was about using Unified Therapy to go in and face the fears and demons of my past so that I could reclaim my life.  These things are essential for true growth into awareness and consciousness.

2. Mindful Of What You Eat

   What I mean by mindful is to be consciously aware of what you eat.  It isn't about chastising yourself and saying "I screwed up".  It isn't about counting calories or how much you consume or finding something to beat yourself up on.  It is about observing and noticing how much sugar you eat.  Become aware of the sugar content and sources in the stuff you buy.  You'll be surprised at how much sugar is in things you would not think it was.  Just observe and be aware of it.

3. What can you cut back?

   Normally there is something you can cut back that starts to drop the sugar consumption.  Make it something that is small and you think you can do without.  See if you can go a day or a few days, then maybe a week and a few weeks.  Try it small, build up on the success and use that to help motivate you further.  For me, I stopped buying these big bags of candy and having them sit around at my house.  If they were in the house, I was going to eat them.  By not having them at my house, it made it much easier to just say no.

4. The First Thing You Eat

   I noticed and found this by an odd observation, that if the first thing I ate in the morning had no sugar, it helped me the rest of the day.  Without that sugar fix first thing, my taste buds and neural pathways had a fighting chance.  It is almost like my brain found a new pathway to what I ate, rather than getting the early morning addictive fix which set me up for the rest of the day.  The more I did this, even if I followed it by some sugar in cereal or something else, I was more empowered.  I found I ate less sugary stuff and had less of a desire for it if the first thing I hate was without sugar.  I've checked this out a few times on myself and I get the same result.
   
   

5. Splurge

   As much as you may want to cut sugar out completely, sometimes you just have to let yourself go and splurge.  If I said to myself that tomorrow there will be absolutely no more sugar, I'm sure I would be beating myself up very hard.  If I just work to cut it back but allow myself to splurge every ONCE in awhile, then I've got the control.  I'm empowered.  Now, I don't mean splurge every day, but begin to limit it.  

Find alternative sugar and sweet sources that are healthy and delicious.  By searching for these things and reading the ingredients on labels of the foodstuffs you buy, you'll be helping yourself help yourself.  Don't just replace sugar with something that is not healthy because there are far too many products that I don't believe are as good for you as they claim to be.

I think we all chastise ourselves far too much and the shame just fuels what we eat, including the sugar we take in.  Sugar is very addictive and I'm sorry if the sugar industry does not like that, but if you see how much is added to everything we eat, I think the evidence speaks for itself.  If the sugar industry really cared about health, they'd be trying to put themselves out of business.

A little sugar can be good, but right now we are addicted to sugar.  The obesity and diabetes rates have skyrocketed which I feel are a direct result of sugar.  If you can just cut the amount of sugar down in your diet, you done so much for yourself to make your mind and body healthier.

These are 5 ways I used to cut sugar back in my diet.  What have you tried that helps you?  Let's all learn together.  Leave a comment of what has worked personally for you.

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Blog Post And Images (c) 2017 by Don Shetterly

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How Impersonal Can You Get?

I scratch my head sometimes trying to figure out the human species.  We have all these communication forms at our fingertips and yet, it seems like we don't know how to communicate.

We are so busy with our lives, that we don't stop to take a moment and say "hello" or "how are you doing" or some other simple statement.  We just go on and on about how busy we are and how we've got a zillion things to do and how we just don't have time to keep up with any of our friends.  We apologize ad nausea until our repeated apologies sound like a broken record.

Yet, the minute the latest political story of the day comes out, we are on it so hard.  We're tweeting away, we're texting our friends, or we're liking it on Facebook.  It becomes our sole focus and then consumes us, but yet, we are too busy for others in our lives.

Anything more than a simple text or tweet or Facebook like seems to be quite complicated for most humans these days.  I mean, why engage and truly let someone know they matter in your life, when you can just click a little heart or click a like.  How impersonal can you get?  Yes, I know these platforms draw you in to make it so easy to do, but it is the lowest form of communication that you can do.

I see various people that I've communicated with on a regular basis ignore me almost since I'm no longer real active on Facebook.  Without Facebook, it is like you don't exist.  If you don't text people, it is like you don't exist.  Sorry, but how in the world did we ever manage up to this point in time without Facebook, Text Message, and Twitter?  I'm being sarcastic there of course.

If my memory serves me correctly, there is a song that Tracy Lawrence sings (might have the wrong country music artist) but it is about if everyone had a front porch - in other words - people got to know one another and communicate with one another.  It is a thing of the past that I miss.  Yet, in those days, we only saw and heard what we wanted to see as well.  It wasn't always a good thing as we want to remember.

We've become so impersonal with our communication that we barely know one another.  We're more interested in screaming at one another through social media, than we are seeing each other through eyes of love, compassion, and understanding.  We're more interested in screaming our beliefs and opinions at one another than we are just communicating with one another.  We're more interested in hating one another than truly loving each other.

If we don't watch out, we will wake up one of these days and wonder who these other two-legged creatures are around us.  It takes communication.  It takes not being too busy for others.  It takes really making a personal effort by each one of us to make an attempt to see those around us in our life as if they matter.

Are we too busy for others?  Unfortunately, the rhetorical question deserves an answer of YES.  It is up to each one of us to change that.  It isn't the fault of anyone else out there in the world.  Either you're too busy for others in your life or you make time for them.  It is that plain and simple.

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Blog Post And Images (c) 2017 by Don Shetterly

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Leaning On Each Other For Support

My tomato plants are at it again.  They are teaching me lessons, showing what happens in the plant world.  As I observe it, I recognize how it helps us in the human world.

For many of us who have gone through trying and difficult experiences of trauma or child abuse, it can be a daunting journey through healing.  Learning how to reach out is a big part of healing, but when you've been so hurt by the ones that you should be able to look to for support and sustenance, that isn't easy.

Leaning on each other for support is vital, just as my tomato plants showed me quite vividly.  I had put them outside and while the weather was a bit on the chilly side, they did have the warmth of the sun to help.  They are still just 60 day old seedlings that will be planted in the Earthbox soon, so they are a little vulnerable to every day life.

This morning when I put them outside, they looked fine, but a couple of hours later, I went to check on them and noticed they were all scrunched up, hardly wanting to stand up straight like normal.  Their leaves were curled under.

Many were leaning on each other...

Here's the big kicker though that I observed.  As I brought them inside to give them water, I noticed that many of the plants were leaning on each other for support.  Their leaves and branches were intertwined with one another as if to hold each other up.  Some of them were on the outside and laying over because they had nothing to support them.

Many though had found the support of one another to help give them stability and strength to stay standing.  Within moments of giving them water because they were thirsty, I observed them starting to stand straight up on their own.  Their leaves uncurled and stretched out.  It was like they had come back to their normal strong self once again.

They were able to rise again...

It was amazing to see that the tomato plants were leaving on each other for support.  Yet, when they did that and I gave them some water, they were able to rise again.  I think they demonstrated a very valuable lesson.

When we are going through tough times in life, we can try to do it on our own.  Sometimes though, it really helps us when we're falling, to have someone else to hang on to in that moment.  It is at that moment where the strength of another person can hold us just long enough for us to regain our strength.

Healing isn't easy, especially in the early days of coming to terms with what happened in life.  It can be a longer process than we hope for, but by leaning on each other for support, it helps us find our own strength.  Sometimes, we need to lean on each other.  That's the way we help find healing in our own life and I believe that is one of the reasons we as humans have one another.

Let us not only look for the support of others, but be there for those that need that moment when things are difficult beyond measure.  We're all in this world together and together we will make it through the most trying of times and difficult experiences.

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Blog Post And Images (c) 2017 by Don Shetterly

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Triggered At The Movies

(by Survive, Thrive And Conquer, Matt)

As invalidating and frustrating as being triggered is, I also find it a bit fascinating to explore why these memories happen and what circumstances can cause them to pop back up.

My blog normally involves topics surrounding being a survivor of childhood sexual abuse and narcissistic abuse, but I also explore relationships the struggles that survivors often have. After all, being a survivor and simply a member of the human race means that we are involved in all types of relationships.

Triggers can hit at virtually any time, especially early on in recovery and also as we continue on and explore more of our past.  One of those places that can be particularly troublesome is watching a movie or TV show.

One such recent event struck me out of the blue, and although looking back I might have seen it coming, but as always, it’s important not to shame ourselves for what we could have or should have done. Those shoulds and coulds are dangerous waters for survivors.

Anyway, I’ve been triggered before while watching TV or at the theater, and while it’s always a bit of a predictable experience, I have learned to sit with the feelings, not stuff them, and validate myself what I feel. It will usually pass in a relatively short period of time.

This recent experience last a bit longer than recent past triggering events, but the deeper part of this event was that I triggered feelings of past relationships. Specifically, a marriage that ended about 3 ½ years ago,.  While it’s been awhile, I admit, it’s still fresh in mind more often than I care to admit.

This was a situation that I shared with a trusted friend when I felt those familiar feelings of guilt, sadness, and wondering what will become of me in the future relationship department.

Sitting in the theater with my popcorn and diet coke, nothing really took hold in my mind until near the end of the flick. As the final climatic scenes unfolded, the flashbacks of what once was also began unfolding.

This was the same type of movie that I would have watched with my wife; the kind of movie that she would have had to convince me to go see. I would have come up with every excuse not to go, in fun of course, knowing full well I was going to see it anyway. It was a game of sorts, a tradition that became part of who we were.

It was something we would laugh about and became part of who we were as a couple. Those types of memories aren’t easily forgotten.

As the movie ended, I felt overwhelmed with emotions as I quickly exited the theater. Part of me wanted to stay, while the other part of me wanted vacate that place at the speed of light.  Making it to the car, I sat there in the quiet darkness reflecting of how things would have been if she were there with me.

She would be crying at the end, halfheartedly trying to hide the tears, while I sat there trying to act like it was no big deal. I’d look over and give her that predictable look and say:

“You aren’t crying, are you?”

“No”, she would say as she began to smile and laugh.

“What did you think?” she says…

“It sucked” I replied.

“I knew you would like it” she would say.

Of course, I usually did like it, but I always played along because it was our thing.

I couldn’t sit here and tell you that I wasn’t affected even if I wanted too. I’m not ashamed one bit to admit it.  I miss those times, and even though they are long gone, I still fondly remember things just like that.

This particular trigger will likely pop up again in a similar situation. It reminds me of a time when things seemed good, normal, and safe. Even though the marriage ultimately ended, it’s one of the many good memories that I will cherish. They aren’t tainted because of the ultimate outcome, and it wouldn’t be fair of me to think that they should be.

Movies and TV can affect us as survivors, not only in relationships, but also causing memories of past abuse, invalidation, fear, and loneliness. It’s nothing to be ashamed of or sorry for, it’s part of who we are. Stuffing them aside won’t solve anything, and will only cause them to hit us harder the next time they resurface.

No matter what you get triggered by, know that it’s okay and that there’s nothing wrong with you. It doesn’t mean that you are taking a step back in your healing journey, nor does it mean that you’ll never feel peaceful and fully whole again.

The ebb and flow of life as a survivor of abuse, a survivor of a relationship that didn’t turn out, or anything else, is part of what shapes until the person we are becoming, post trauma.

No matter what friend, you’ll make it through that next trigger whether it’s the result of a movie, or any other situations. Sit with it, validate the feelings, learn from it, and use it to help yourself and others in the future.

If you would like to join Matt on his Twitter weekly chat, just watch for his announcement around 10:30am on Sunday mornings.  @SurvivingMyPast

-Matt (SurvivingMyPast.net)



 

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Matt is a regular columnist on Mind Body Thoughts.  He writes Survive, Thrive and Conquer monthly column.  This article is written by Matt.

To learn more about him and see all his other articles, go to Matt's Page, Survive, Thrive And Conquer.

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Blog Post And Images (c) 2017 by Don Shetterly and Matt

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Life's Beauty Surrounds Us

In our days, we often miss the beauty that surrounds us.  We get too busy.  We fail to stay aware and conscious and so life's beauty passes us by.  If we're not careful, we will wake up and wonder where it all went.  We will wonder where the years have taken us and how they seem to have disappeared.  Let us behold the beauty in life that surrounds us each day, giving us life and joy and an experience that can never be fully repeated.  It is in the simple moments of observing life's beauty that we come to know the richness of living our lives.


Other #MindBodyThoughts

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Blog Post And Images (c) 2017 by Don Shetterly

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We Still Stand To Fight Another Day

We Still Stand To Fight Another Day


We all have those moments in life where things get rough.  Sometimes it feels like they will take us under in the moment.  Sometimes we feel like we cannot go on.  We question when they will end.  We question how we will make it through them.  No matter what, sometimes battered by the storm, we still stand to find another day.  Our courage and determination to not give up will see us through to the other side of the storm.  Yes, it may get rough.  Yes, it may be difficult, but we will stand to fight another day.

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Blog Post And Images (c) 2017 by Don Shetterly

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I Choose To Ignore

There is far too much going on in this world to worry about it all.  If you're not careful, you become wrapped up in other people's negativity and toxicity.  It will render you into a crying mess of an existence.

I choose to ignore it.  It is the best thing I can do for my own sanity.  Engaging with people that have no desire but to destroy themselves and others does absolutely no good for me.  It is unhealthy and if I'm not careful, it attempts to suck me down into the mud pit they are in.

I choose to ignore some of the most hateful comments and tweets and shares that I see.  For some are not up to the goal of being human.

I choose to ignore the ones that just try to bait you to get a rise out of you with their hurtful statements, thoughts, and language.

I choose to ignore the memes that provoke your compassionate side because someone needs attention and they get it by playing on your sensitivities.

I choose to ignore the people who think they are the experts and instead of being authentic, they show their own ignorance with a half-baked idea and plan.

I choose to ignore those that only see one side of an issue, not because they haven't seen more, but they choose to not see more.  Only one side is all they wish to see.

I choose to ignore those that seem to want to hurt others and that it is okay with them in how they do this.  They may think it is okay, but it does nothing to help a fellow traveler along in this world.

I choose to ignore being ignored by others because their life is too busy or they don't care or they just don't value my time as an individual.

I choose to ignore the hatred, the mean-spirited and the grandstanding in this world because it serves no purpose and the more I give it a container to grow in, the more I'm a part of its growth.

I choose to ignore the single focused obsession with only one view in life.  I know there is so much more and so it serves no benefit to me.

I choose to ignore the one side pitted against the other because instead of helping one another, we stand opposed which ultimately weakens all of us.

I choose to ignore those that preach love and acceptance and respect, but then go out and do just the opposite through their own words, actions, and thoughts.

I choose to ignore those that just try to get attention in any way possible and by doing so, they disrespect all those that need a little extra in a day.

At this moment, I'm not willing to engage with people in many of these things.  If someone is truly wanting to engage and try to understand, then I will be there with bells on.  However, I see far too much disrespect and hatred these days that I have no desire to be a part of in my life.

I see far too much fear and if fear is not harnessed and learned from, it becomes a poison that spreads to every member of society and every cell of the body.  When fear rules, we lessen the overall human experience and we degrade awareness and consciousness down into a nutrient-less bubble.

May we rise above and may we see more than the world we currently see.  We've got to be better than this as humans.  We've got to be better than this as a world.  For if we continue to stand opposed, we will never be able to stand up against the things that life brings into our view.

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Blog Post And Images (c) 2017 by Don Shetterly

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The Choice Is Up To You

One of the things that I learned a long time ago was just how much I could either impact my life in a good way or continue to go down the path that basically got me nowhere!  The choice was up to me in how I lived my life, how I let go of things in my life, and what I allowed myself to see.

There are far too many operating on autopilot following the crowd of beliefs, opinion and ways of looking at their own health.  Original thought and discovery has for the most part exited the building.  Understanding that we make choices is like a foreign concept.

Yes, people give lip service to these things and then they follow it with a "but" this won't work for me.  Many want to claim they are all knowing and are doing the most they can do, BUT they include the reasons and excuses that it won't work for them.

We are all entitled to our reasons and/or excuses of what works in our life and what doesn't.  I'm not suggesting that whatever reasons we have are invalid or inappropriate.  They may actually have a good basis for existence.  Unfortunately, the reasons become more who we are, rather than who we truly are.

I proved them wrong...

If I would have listened to the doctors years ago, I would have never recovered from Conversion Disorder, walked again and held a job again.  The doctors were reacting from my situation at that point and drawing upon their medical knowledge in the moment, but I proved them wrong.  I was not about to stay down in life.

There have been many times throughout my healing that I felt like I would never make it.  The odds were too great and the struggles were too difficult.  If I would have made the choice to just feel like I couldn't go on or find another way, I would not have made it this far.  I could have done that, but it was a choice that I had to make.

Some might tell me, "you don't understand" or "you're special" or you are different than everyone else.  I've heard many of those reasons of why I made it and others could not.  Yet, I was in those same shoes, doubting and wondering if I could make it.

Believe beyond myself...

It required me to believe beyond myself and keep moving forward even when I could not see what was lying ahead.  It required me to let go of all that I thought I knew and believed and felt was fact in my life, to see what else I was missing.  It required me to go in and not accept the condition I was in, so that I could find the way forward.

Is this easy to do?  No, it is not!  It takes a lot of determination and courage and strength.  It takes someone never giving up even when the odds are stacked against them.  It takes seeing outside of what you think you know to be true that is beyond the blinders we all wear.

The choice is up to you in what you do with life.  Sure, some of us are going to stay where we are no matter what.  That is our choice.  Some of us will try to go into healing and find how difficult it is and stop for an extended rest.  Some of us will shed the shackles were bound with and through determination not stop until we find greater peace in our life.

In my view, healing from atrocities sucks!  I wish no one had to go through anything, but to this day, the only way I've found to conquer it is by healing through it.  I've learned that I have to muster up all the strength I can and fight through it as I discover things I never knew existed.

What we do with our mind and body is our choice.  Just don't let that choice define your entire existence.  Go beyond it and see what is possible - what is healthy - what is freedom and peace.  Go into the darkness of the unknown so you can find the light of all that there is.

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Blog Post And Images (c) 2017 by Don Shetterly

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How We Treat One Another

Some days I feel like I'm writing for the heck of it.  It is almost like my words mean nothing and fall on deaf ears.

I see the hatred shared online from people who despise the hatred.  I see people getting angry acting as if I should only post stuff that they like and God forbid we don't see things the same way.

How we treat one another these days is mind boggling.  How we censor others is mind boggling.  How we get up on our pedestals and somehow demand others treat us as if we have all the answers is mind boggling.

We have replaced love with hate.  We have replaced our religious beliefs with intolerance.  We have denigrated those that wish to speak up by making them out to be horrible people we make fun of and call names.

What gives here? 

Where is our humanness?

Where is the love we proclaim we have?

We can't walk down both sides of the fence at one time.  We can't proclaim we love others and we want tolerance if we throw mud at those who disagree with us.

Aren't we better than that?  Don't we realize that the more we do this online that we're just being anything but human?

Seems like I have more rhetorical questions than there are answers.  Maybe the answers are there, but no one wishes to see it or hear it.

Heck, I don't have all the answers either, but I at least try to not make fun of others.  I try to not degrade and mock other people.

Our social media accounts show our true nature I think.  If someone wrote a book about us based upon what we share and like online, I've got a feeling that many people would be doing damage control.

It is sad.  It angers me to see the way we treat each other, especially online.  It angers me to see people talk about love and respect and tolerance, but then they go and do the same thing they despise.

It almost, no it does, remind me of the house I grew up in with the church-going-family who hated everyone that didn't think like them.  Maybe that's why this bothers me so much.  I have already lived this once in my life.

Little did I know, I would have to relive it again.  Where's the spaceship - I want to find a new planet that has tolerance and love, not hatred disguised as love.

May we all try a little harder to share a little less online and love a little more.  That's my hope!

Maybe we could work to be a little bit more conscious and aware.  After all, those things are not evident because of words, but because of the actions we portray.

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Blog Post And Images (c) 2017 by Don Shetterly

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Online Obsession

Every day I try to log on to my social media accounts, I see obsession with particular individual or world events.  No, I'm not going to name them because it is secondary to what I am writing.  The obsession online is mind boggling.  It seems to be all that anyone can talk about, focus on or share with everyone.

I just don't get it.  Unless everyone is locked into the trauma of the situation, isn't there more to this life and the world?  Does every waking moment need to be about one person or one event or one whatever it may be?  I know, that's a rhetorical question.

Of course, social media tends to be for the most part about superficial topics.  We go from one sensationalized headline to another, one celebrity to another, all the time oblivious to what our life is really like.

If you can't tell, I don't follow 99% of that stuff online.  We don't have cable anymore and from what I see playing out in social media, I don't think I'm missing a thing.  I don't watch the TV news - not any of the TV stations, so I don't get swept up into the frenzy of fear most days.

There is good online...

Yes, there is some great stuff online in social media where it is truly trying to make a difference.  This obsession online though with the repeated over and over single focus drives me insane.  It serves no purpose, but everyone has to eat, breathe and depend upon what is being fed to them.

I'm not saying you have to give it up but maybe it is more helpful to find some balance in our day.  It doesn't do your mind and body any good to stay this engaged in the fear and hyped up engagements of the day.  It isn't good for your nervous system, your overall health and your mental health.  It is damaging if you stay in this stuff every day.

Yes, I know it isn't easy walking away from it.  Everyone thinks they have to like, share, and post it all day long.  If you go to YouTube it is there.  If you go to websites, ads pop up with all of it.

Another world outside of this...

If you can begin to step away from it, you'll find that there is another world outside of this.  There is a world that exists which is much more deep and fulfilling than this online obsession.

It reminds me of a city I lived in, who had to build up the barriers between the cars on the expressways.  If there was an accident or a car stopped and people going the opposite direction could see it, traffic would back up.  It was like everyone had to just look and see the accident, even though it was usually horrible to view.

We are like that online.  Even though we think it is horrible or it makes us fearful, we stay so engaged to it.  It is like a deer in the headlights.

We need balance and we need it badly.  No, it doesn't begin with everyone else.  It begins within each one of us.  What we choose to take in each day says so much.  If we are engaged in that which we so despise, then we are just as much a part of the problem as that which we complain about in our day.

#OnlineSocialMedia 

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Blog Post And Images (c) 2017 by Don Shetterly

• Permission required before any part of this blog post is reprinted, reworded or used in any form. 
• You are welcomed to share the LINK to this blog post.  

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Oracle Cards, Spiritual Readings and You

(by A Happy Medium, Amanda)

This month I thought I’d talk about oracle cards and spiritual readings. In my readings, I prefer to work with oracle decks since they feel like they are higher vibrational and a little more straightforward than the tarot decks that you usually see out at parties.

I’m talking about the Rider-Waite Decks, not that there’s anything wrong with those, but I just haven’t found one I’ve connected with yet. However, my friend has just moved and found a deck of the Rider-Waite cards in a wooden box which she is gifting to me. Maybe this is the deck that’s meant to come to me. I did purchase a Rider-Waite deck a while ago, but I just haven’t connected with it, so it sits with my other decks and I don’t use it.

My favorite oracle deck is the Ascended Masters deck by Doreen Virtue. I use it in all of my readings and for all of my free online readings that I do over on my Facebook page (shameless self-promotion alert!). I find that I resonate the most with this deck. It’s one of the first decks I purchased and I remember standing in the store where I purchased it and feeling the cards calling to me and practically buzzing in my hand. If you are going to purchase cards of any kind, I recommend “feeling out” each deck. Which one feels good to you?

What is the difference between Oracle and Tarot cards?

In the traditional Rider-Waite tarot decks there are 78 cards. The cards are divided into the major arcana and the minor arcana. The minor arcana are divided into suits: cups, wands, swords and pentacles. Tarot decks have more structure and I think a lot more room for interpretation. Oracle cards are usually in a 44 card deck and are usually themed (angels, spirit guides, spirit animals, lovers, etc.).

Oracle cards also usually (but not always) have messages written right on them, or key words that explain the essence of the cards.  It can jog your memory when you are reading them for a client, but you should make sure that you are primarily using your intuition to read the cards. How does the card make you feel? Do you feel compelled to say anything to yourself or the client?

It’s normal to look at the guide book for your oracle cards and to disagree with what’s written as the card interpretation. These are tools for you to use in your own intuitive practice and the cards may have a different meaning for you than they did to the creator of the deck. Go with your intuition and your readings will be authentic.

I also like oracle cards because I don’t have to remember any fancy spreads or the significance of each card in the spread. You can give effective readings with a three card spread or even a one card spread. When I do readings, I usually use my cards at the end just to confirm everything the client and I have discussed and it’s interesting that those cards often do reiterate the key points highlighted in the reading.

So why should I get a reading if I can do this myself?

You don’t have to get a reading. You could go out and purchase a deck of cards that feels good and start your intuitive journey tomorrow if you want.

Heck, if there’s a place open right now, get out there and open yourself up to the wonder of card reading.

Aren’t psychics just snake oil salesmen who want to take my money?

I don’t like the term “psychic”. It smacks of con artists and charlatans and things on fishing wire floating around the room. It makes me think of séances, which is totally not what I do by the way.  You should feel comfortable with the person that you’re asking to do your readings. If you find that person on the internet, look for a website with testimonials. Go ahead and call the person for a more in depth discussion of what they do.

The person should be open to answering your questions and if they determine they aren’t the correct person to do your reading, they can refer you to a practitioner more suited to your needs. A genuine spiritual medium (that’s what I call myself) wants the best for you and wants you to get as much as possible out of your reading. I would rather send you to someone who is a better fit and let them read you than do a poor job myself.

Remember that the medium’s job isn’t to convince you that mediumship is real and your own intention contributes more to the outcome of the reading than mine does. If you come in and you’re closed or skeptical that I am worth my salt, you’re going to be very effective at blocking the information coming in.

Getting The Most Out Of Your Reading

To get the most out of your reading, come in open and ask ahead of time for any spirits you are hoping will come through to come through. Write a list of questions for your practitioner so that you will get the most out of your session as possible. In most cases, readings last about an hour, which can really fly by once you get going!

Readings can help you by giving you a perspective from someone outside yourself. Practitioners have suggestions for taking care of your mental health and your spiritual health that can be helpful and can show you a perspective or solution you may not have considered before coming. Perhaps you have unresolved issues around a person you have lost or you are struggling to deal with grief over a loved one you’ve lost.

In my readings I have three goals:

1. To provide as much comfort as possible to my client;
2. To provide as much closure as possible to my client; and,
3. To provide as much clarity as possible to my client.

There’s a lot you can get out of a spiritual reading and tons of ways they can help you. Remember that your practitioner is glad to be of service to you and wants you to walk away with the best experience possible.

Go in with an open mind and an open heart, and I’m sure you’ll walk out optimistic and comforted, perhaps with a brighter outlook and different perspective.



-    Amanda (Metaphysical Musings.Wordpress.com)

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Amanda is a regular columnist on Mind Body Thoughts.  She writes A Happy Medium monthly column.  This article is written by Amanda.

To learn more about her and see all her other articles, go to Amanda's Page, A Happy Medium.

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Blog Post And Images (c) 2017 by Don Shetterly and Amanda

• Permission required before any part of this blog post is reprinted, reworded or used in any form. 
• You are welcomed to share the LINK to this blog post.  

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How Pain Is Felt In The Brain

Join Jim Fazio as he discusses "how pain is felt in the brain" with Dr. Paul Canali of Evolutionary Healing Institute.  This is part of an ongoing series of interviews Jim did with Dr. Paul Canali on chronic pain, PTSD, Healing Trauma and Unified Therapy.

Discover All That You Are

Go deeper into your life and discover all that you are.  If you just sit at the shore of the ocean, you'll never feel the power of the waves.  It is only when you go deeper that you discover more, past all the fears, struggles, pains, and past experiences you have encountered.


Other #MindBodyThoughts

We Are What We Take In

It seems like far too many humans go on autopilot these days.  I don't think they mean too, but they just do it.  It seems to be more of an unconscious action to me from what I observe.   When we do this, it keeps us from fully realizing what we take in and what we are.

We all seem to know that what we take in, we become.  It is like the old proverbial saying, "Garbage In - Garbage Out".

In fact, I remember learning that saying in a computer class where if you put garbage numbers in, don't expect something good to come out of it.

Healthy Body...

If you want a healthy body, but you put bad food in constantly and plenty of it, more than likely you're not going to get a healthy body.  If you don't read the labels and know what you're putting into your body, it is impossible to expect a healthy one.


Healthy Mind...

If you want a healthy mind, but you take in all the latest sensationalized headlines of the day, the latest bombastic political headline and all the fear that is propagated each day, the mind will definitely struggle.  You might be a little oblivious to how much it impacts you, but from observing others, I think it is pretty easy to see.


Healed Life...

If you want a healed life, but you fixate upon the horrors only, it will make it difficult.  No, I'm not saying ignore them because when you've been through trauma, ignoring it will not make it go away.  I know it isn't easy to reverse the impact of trauma on your life, but to have a healed life, you have to go in and take that control back, pushing past into and past the fear.


Peace...

If you want to have peace, but you constantly engage in the hateful rhetoric of the day, most likely you're not going to find peace.  There is far too much unconscious hate that is being spewed these days online and if you don't limit it, it will overwhelm you and take you as far away from peace as is possible.


Expanding Mind...

If you want to have an ever expanding mind, approaching life with excuses or reasons why something won't work, will keep your mind limited.  Far too often we approach new ideas and new ways of looking at things as foreign objects that are our enemies, rather than potential friends.  Yes, not every idea out there is a good one for us to explore, but if we automatically decry anything new, we're holding our mind back.


More Of A Human...

If you want to be more of a human, than it is best to learn what being a human means.  It involves respect and compassion for one another.  It involves seeing others through the eyes of love, not the darkness of hatred and fear.  Being human is more of an endeavor to realize that we are all on this planet to succeed and by working together in common bonds, we will be better than we are today.


We Are What We Take In...

We are what we take in to our body, mind, spirit, and overall existence in this world.  Even if we are unconscious of what we do every day in this regard, it is still part of us and still activity that we embrace.

It requires a conscious effort to be aware of all that we are in the mind and body, not just what we think we are.  Consciousness is born out of awareness and the more aware we become, the more fully our life shows up

In my view, it is part of the human existence to become more aware and more conscious of who we are.  It is part of our overall growth and experience.

Each day, we get the opportunity to discover a little more about the world we live in and who we are as humans.  May that process never stop and may we challenge ourselves to be more today than we were yesterday.

#Conscious

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Blog Post And Images (c) 2017 by Don Shetterly

• Permission required before any part of this blog post is reprinted, reworded or used in any form. 
• You are welcomed to share the LINK to this blog post.  

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Dealing With Stress Showing Up In The Body

Note where you may have pain, discomfort or issues happening in the body.  That is the key to dealing with stress showing up in your body along with making the connection to what is happening in life.

The first thing to do when you notice some pain or discomfort is ask this simple question.  What was happening in my life just before this?  Then create a timeline of events.

You don't have to make this a difficult exercise, just go with what comes to your mind in that moment.  Usually the important facts are right on the tip of your tongue.

If you haven't read the other part to this blog post, make sure you read
Where Does Stress Show Up?

If you start to look at what is happening around the time the pain or discomfort is showing up, you might just find a key that helps you interact with your life differently.  Awareness of what is going on helps lead you to the point of making different choices.

Without that knowledge or awareness, you're missing key bits of information that could alter and change your physical reality or even your mental reality.  We can impact our lives so much and our physical bodies even though we forget that we can.

Go in and feel...

When you think you've discovered what the events were that brought on the pain, try to go in and feel that.  Take a look at it.  Is there anything you can change or alter?  Is it trying to show you something?  It it attempting to connect you with something that you need to do differently in life?

Feel and sense the pain in your body while making the connection.  See what movement or connection you can make to help let it go.  Sounds and very slow connected movements can do wonders to help alleviate stress in addition to breath work.

That's the first part and after that, it is up to you in how you proceed with the knowledge and awareness you have.  It is up to you how you find ways to work with letting that physical stress go. We can of course keep beating our head against the proverbial brick wall, but if we understand that we can interact with our own biology, than we're on the road to making positive changes in our life.

Dealing with stress showing up in our body takes us out of numbing and disconnect.  It brings us back into our body where we can interact with it in a much deeper level.  Someone once said, "Know Thyself" and through the body interaction with pain, we will truly begin to know thyself.

Unfortunately most of us go on autopilot every day of our life trying to get from one activity to the next, one job task to the next and ignoring the greater parts of our life.  If we just stop and notice at some point during our day, we could alleviate much of our suffering.  Numbing and disconnect gets us nowhere, but as humans we tend to keep repeating that which does not work.

This is not just a mental exercise of thoughts and thinking positive.  This is learning to interact with not only our thoughts, but their connection in the body.  If you stop and notice and observe, you will see them, but if you only focus on the mental aspect, you will miss half the healing that is readily available.

It is truly up to us what we allow ourselves to do and how we interact with our biology.  We make the choice.  We can choose to avoid it or we can choose to go in and take a look, thereby giving us a greater awareness of the body we inhabit.

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Blog Post And Images (c) 2017 by Don Shetterly

• Permission required before any part of this blog post is reprinted, reworded or used in any form. 
• You are welcomed to share the LINK to this blog post.  

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Where Does Your Stress Show Up

We all have stress.  Unless you're superman or Jesus or someone that is no longer alive, we all have stress.  Yes, there can be good and bad stress, but I'm talking about some of the normal stress we experience in our life.

For each of us, stress shows up differently and in different parts of our body.  No two people are alike, although there are similarities between one human to another.

Here's a little secret that you might not be aware of while we're talking about stress showing up in the body.  If you get real busy and have yourself burning the candle at both ends, there's a good chance you won't feel the stress in your body.  Your body just automatically numbs and disconnects from the stress.

As humans, we are good at numbing and disconnecting.  Imagine if a doctor had to work a 48 hour shift in an emergency room, but could not do it because he was feeling stressed out in his body.  In that case, numbing and disconnecting would be a good thing.  Yet, like the doctor, we all do this and when our 48 hours shift is over (if it ever is), we forget that it is time to feel.

Or what if you had to get to your job, take care of your kids and care for someone that is elderly.  Most likely, you wouldn't have time to feel pains and illness in your own body.  You would numb and disconnect from it in order to function.  Yet, when we need to do this we forget to stop and reconnect with the stress in our body to let it go.

When stress in my body kicks up....

For me, I feel stress in a couple of places, but sometimes it shifts to other places in my body.  I'll really feel it in my neck and shoulders at times.  Boy, when that kicks up, I feel like punching things and some days that really gets painful.

I've also had times where it shows up in my low back or comes on as a headache.  There are many different ways it shows up including sometimes causing digestive issues and stomach pain.

Yes, there are some that say if this part of our body hurts, it means x, y, and z.  While it may be connected to that and I don't discount that it is, you have to be careful that as the observer, you don't impact the observation.  Sometimes simplifying life down to these little "facts" becomes more detrimental than helpful.

There are a couple of very good books on the subject.  One is by Dr. John Sarno, The Mind Body Prescription.  The other book is by Dr. Peter Levine, Freedom From Pain.

I remember doing chair massage in an office one time and one of the people would complain of constant low back pain.  Sure, I could have applied the simple truth to why she had backpain because it was something in her life causing it.  However, I would just observe her at her desk.

I noticed that she had the computer monitor to the right on her L-shaped desk and her keyboard to the left.  She was constantly twisting her body all day long, but was not aware of it.  Once I pointed it out, she relocated stuff on her desk.  He body physically changed as a result. Before this, you could physically tell the spine was twisted and after it, the spine straightened out more.

Sometimes we have feet issues and there are many times that when you see feet pain come up, the individual is struggling with where to go in life.  They are having difficulty finding the right steps in their life.  Now, it may not have to mean something as simplified as what I just made it, but I've seen this show up many times.

For me, when frustration hits me and I'm struggling to figure out what is going on, I feel it in my body as if someone was punching me.  Often I've been told that I beat myself up seeking perfection in what I do.  Many times I have to stop and realize that if I just give myself a break and quit beating myself up, my body feels better.

There is a word for converting stress into physical symptoms and that is called somatization.  Yes, you can literally create pain and illness in your body by allowing the stress to continue. We do this to ourselves while hardly recognizing that we are doing it.

So instead of trying to apply facts that other people come up with to explain pain, go in and become acquainted with who you truly are and observe what is going on.  When you feel the pain in your own body and connect to it, you're really given yourself some good information that is very useful in life.

The next blog post on March 16, 2017 will tell you more about how to deal with stress showing up in the body. Make sure you read Dealing With Stress Showing Up In Your Body.

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Blog Post And Images (c) 2017 by Don Shetterly

• Permission required before any part of this blog post is reprinted, reworded or used in any form. 
• You are welcomed to share the LINK to this blog post.  

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Nobody Listens In This World

As my mom used to say to me, "we have two ears and one mouth - use them appropriately."  Yet, these days, we seem to act as if we have two mouths and one ear.  We talk more than we listen.  Listening is a part of our society that is vanishing.  Nobody listens in this world.

We are in a society that thinks everyone has to scream and rant and rave all day and every day about the latest headlines.  We're not in listening mode - we're in speaking mode.  If you observe and watch closely, you will see that no one is truly listening to each other.

I often watch little kids in public places just trying to get the attention of their parents.  They just want them to care and show that they are listening to them.  Far too often, I see the parents texting someone or glued to their phone and the poor child is feeling very neglected.

On social media, everyone wants to tell everyone what they should do it seems or how they should think.  Everyone thinks that everybody else wants to read the regurgitated rhetoric over and over throughout the day.  This not listening at all.  It is people speaking far too much and in many ways, not adding anything to our world.

Be a friend and listen...

Often people just need someone to listen.  They don't need them to formulate some meme or happy thought.  They don't need them to tell them what to do or how to think or what to say.  They just need someone to be a friend and listen.

Listening can be so healing and helpful.  It can give courage and strength to those who are struggling in difficult times.  Listening can open up a compassionate heart by removing pain that is too difficult to bear.

Listening can give courage and strength to those who may be struggling to hold on in their day.  Just the act of listening says I care and sometimes that is more than enough.

We all take listening for granted, but in communication - it is a very powerful tool.  Without listening, the words spoken between one another would have no place to land.  Without listening, we'd never understand another's point of view or their thoughts or emotions or ideas.

Listening is so important.  Let us all try to remember that we have two ears and one mouth like my mother used to say.  If we use it in that proportion, than we should be listening more than we are speaking?  How's that going in your life?

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Blog Post And Images (c) 2017 by Don Shetterly

• Permission required before any part of this blog post is reprinted, reworded or used in any form. 
• You are welcomed to share the LINK to this blog post.  

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Urinary Tract Infections Be Gone - UTI

(by Natural Healing Gal, Marie)

Ok, I do not know about men (sorry guys) but I do know that many women are familiar with these three letters. If you are not, lucky you!

I know them all too well. I was plagued by urinary tract infections for many years. Back and forth to the doctor’s office, urine samples, waiting for treatment with that awful, burning pain. Of course, the antibiotics, which always resulted in a yeast infection, and I had to learn to manage that with probiotics/more medication.

I had them so often, I knew what it was the very moment it started. The problem was, it would progress to unbearable pain so quickly, and when I traveled I was away from my doctor and I could not get help fast enough. If it was a weekend, I ended up in the emergency room and could barely walk.

UTI’s (Urinary Tract Infections) are one of the most common infections. According to Dr. Mercola:

“Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are the second most common type of infection in the body, sending more than eight million people to their health care providers every year in the US alone.  Women suffer from UTIs far more often than men, and more than 50 percent of women will develop a UTI during her lifetime.” (Source:  Dr. Mercola)

UTI’s are also common among the elderly in nursing homes.  My mother in law was in a nursing home at 89 years old. While she was there, she had UTI’s on numerous occasions and it was quite challenging, although the care that she received there was wonderful. In the elderly, the complications can become severe, and they often cannot express their discomfort.

Look up the antibiotics used for Urinary Tract Infections online…there are so many of them and the list is growing. The bacteria are now becoming more resistant to antibiotics, and they are becoming more and more difficult to treat.

I tried everything to prevent them. Gallons of water, cranberry juice, (no need to mention the other things here, we will save that for another blog!  You name it, I tried it! Nothing seemed to work on any kind of regular basis. Even my female pets got them, thankfully it was not common for them.

There are homeopathic remedies that will work, but I found something quicker and easier for this one. D-mannose.  See Dr. Mercola's Treatment for Urinary Tract Infections.


I learned about his treatment many years ago, and I was desperate to try anything. I did not care whether the research said it worked or not! If it was safe and natural, I was giving it a go. To me, it was a miracle.

“D-mannose  is a naturally occurring sugar that sticks to the E. coli bacteria that most commonly causes UTIs, so it can be effectively “rinsed” out when you urinate.” - Dr. Mercola

Well, it worked. Every single time. It is always in my first aid kit. When I found it was safe to give to dogs, I used it for them and it worked just as well! Although it is a natural sugar that is related to glucose, it does not act the same as sugar in the body.

I thought everyone knew about it by now; but if I mention it to my students for their dogs, to this day, most people have not heard of it.

You can find it in a health food store or online. It comes in capsules or powder. I currently use Soloray that I buy on Amazon. I have used many brands over the years, but this brand seems to work the best for me. D-Mannose with CranActin Solaray 60 VCaps by Solaray

 

At first sign of an Urinary Tract Infection, I take two capsules three times a day. I can prevent them by taking one or two a day, if I think I am at risk.

My doctor did not know, and no one else told me, but I'm glad I discovered these on my own.

If you have a wonderful doctor, (or veterinarian, or health practitioner of any kind) as many of us do, treat him or her with respect and courtesy! They work hard and have a very difficult and a very stressful profession. They can be your ally. But they should also treat you with the same respect. I will always ask lots of questions, do all of my own research, and make my own decisions, because my health is in my own hands.

Doctors practice medicine, and they do not know everything, no one does. If I come across one who thinks they do, I am out of there and on to the next one. I am responsible for my own health and I take it seriously. I am not a doctor, but I am not a mindless sheep and I am not made from a cookie cutter. We are all different, and what works for someone else may not work for me.

I have been using d-mannose for almost 18 years, and it has just been validated as a treatment in the last couple of years. My discovery of it helped get me off of the antibiotic merry go round, and on to more pleasant activities!

Marie (www.mikamar.net)

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Marie is a regular columnist on Mind Body Thoughts.  She writes the Natural Healing Gal monthly column.  This article is written by Marie.

To learn more about her and see all her other articles, go to Marie's Page, Natural Healing Gal.

Check her page out to see the Medical Disclaimer

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Blog Post And Images (c) 2017 by Don Shetterly and Marie

• Permission required before any part of this blog post is reprinted, reworded or used in any form. 
• You are welcomed to share the LINK to this blog post.  

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Stop And Rest Today

Stop And Rest Today

Take some time out of your busy week and just stop and rest today.  Make it a day where you recharge, refresh, and renew your mind and body.  It is good for your mind and the body will thank you immensely.

To the health of your mind body!

Awareness Has No Limits

Awareness Has No Limits

Often we try to place limits on what we know and think we have arrived at the truth.  In many ways, truth is just the awareness we have in this moment.  In order for truth to exist, there must be no limits on awareness.  For what we see today, may be more than we saw yesterday and not as much as we will see tomorrow. 


Other #MindBodyThoughts

Terminated on Blendtec Affiliate Program

Up until yesterday, I was an affiliate for Blendtec.  I thought they had a superior product and in fact, our Blendtec Blender has gone many years.  It works well and is something I use almost everyday, so I recommended it.

Unfortunately as of yesterday, Blendtec terminated my affiliate account with no warning and without reason.  So far, they have not taken the time to reply to me with why they took this action.  As far as I know, I've not done anything wrong.

The commissions that I had earned with them are gone and they have blocked me from seeing any history with this or any data.  Amazing how they just take the money you earned without a shred of decency.

Blendtec recruited me a few years ago to be an affiliate, so how I went from that point to this lack of respect is beyond my comprehension.  The previous head of their affiliate at least tried to help you unlike the one they have now who could care less.

However, with these affiliate companies, they hold the cards and if you sneeze wrong, they'll drop you like a rock.  They don't care if they explain anything to you or not.  They just treat affiliates very badly.

One of the things I despise online with affiliate places is how they force you almost to write glowing reviews about their products as if there are no deficiencies.  If you try to read the reviews online, you won't see the actual reality and truth.  You'll see the one sided viewpoint.

I really try to be honest in all that I write and share what works for me.  If it is a product you see me post on this blog, you can bet that I use and one that I love to use.  I don't play the games and maybe that is what got me in trouble here.  I don't know.  Unless they respond, I'll never know.

In the meantime, I will be working to scrub my site of their links.  If they don't deem me as valuable to their organization, I don't want them associated with me.  Please feel free to buy any other products than Blendtec and support places that treat people with respect.

In the future, I will not be using or recommending Blendtec products.

If a company such as this is going to treat its people in this way, there is no value in continuing the relationship.