BE THE CHANGE Giveaway!

  

“Surround yourself with people who make you a better person.”

–unknown

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In honor of a love and gratitude-filled time of year, this little lark is launching a very special giveaway! We all know that inspiration comes in all different shapes, sizes, and circumstances, and a lot of the time from the ones we love so dearly. What we might not do nearly as much as we’d like to, is acknowledge how incredibly inspiring, amazing, and motivating these people really are to us. If you have a sister, brother, mother, father, friend, acquaintance, co-worker, partner, grandparent, aunt, uncle, pet, companion, grocer, mailman…(catch my drift?) that has changed your world for the better, here is a fun opportunity for you to take a moment to share your sweet sentiments!

• Write a story, description, or poem… (it can be as short or long as your heart desires!) on how someone (or yourself) has “been the change” in your world. E-mail it to: thislittlelark@gmail.com.
• Throughout the next few weeks your story may be randomly chosen to be displayed on TLL’s facebook page; which means you will also receive a special wellness gift from one of our generous donors (see below) as our appreciation for you taking the time to appreciate someone else.
• At the end of the day, over 4000 people may be reading your words and most likely be inspired themselves to “be the change” in their own unique way. See how this works?

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GIVEAWAY ITEMS

Here are some of the items that these amazing people in our community are donating to you. Please show them some love! <3

• Organic & Fair Trade Blossoms of Health Tea & “5 Lessons in Health and Wellness” CD by Sarah Greenwell of green well BEING. 
• A 45 minute phone or skype Health Counseling Session combined with distance Reiki healing with health counselor, Kristin Haas.
• Cookbooks written by Alissa Segersten & Tom Malterre, MS, CN of  Whole Life Nutrition: 
• Beautiful Earrings made by Jewels of Eden: http://www.etsy.com/shop/JewelsOfEden?ref=top_trail
  
• Essential Oil products via Snow Lotus Aromatherapy.
• A 3-Week Shift Cleanse via Sprout Health with full meal plans, grocery lists, videos & information, and access to a private forum. For more information: http://www.sprouthealthlifestyle.com/shift1/

… and more to come!!

Have fun, be creative, and I look forward to reading and sharing your inspiring stories! : )

patience, patient.

“Have patience with all things, but chiefly have patience with yourself. Do not lose courage in considering your own imperfections but instantly set about remedying them – every day begin the task anew.” ~Saint Francis de Sales

Hello from rainy PDX! I have been busier than ever in my last year of school; with graduation on my mind and all the obligations that fall in between. I am currently interning at 3 community clinics in SE Portland and I couldn’t be more thankful for having the opportunity to work with such a diverse population of people.

Being present with each of my patients is essential in order to honor who they are and what they are presenting on any given day. My mission is to never take anyone for granted, especially when it comes to thinking about what their expectations or thoughts might be surrounding each treatment.

I thought it might be fruitful to share several thoughts on what I think is important for you  to hear in order to encourage you to make your experience as a current or future Chinese medicine patient as wonderful as possible. This is only the start of what I can foresee as an extensive list of ideas, so please feel free to share your thoughts, ideas, and experiences!

• Be patient. Rome wasn’t built in a day and your body did not develop all those stresses over night. Deep transformation and healing requires a realistic expectation that may take weeks or months to target. Unfortunately we are in a “quick fix” society, so it is often hard to change this mindset. With the right practitioner, each treatment will provide a space of relaxation and forward movement. With time and patience, your body will  readjust, cleanse, heal and aim for harmony. The key word is time. Perhaps this is why we are called patients; to be patient.

• If one practitioner doesn’t resonate with you, it does not mean the entire medicine doesn’t resonate with you.  We all have specific needs in life and this is what makes diversity so beautiful. Keep in mind that Chinese practitioners are not one and all the same. We have many different styles and specialties of practicing. Doing your research and asking the appropriate people in your community for a good referral is a great first step (I am always available to help!). If you are unsatisfied for whatever reason after your treatment, see if you can find someone else.  :) As in any relationship, we have to try things in order to know what is really best for us.

•  Speak up! If you are uncomfortable in any way,  have any questions or concerns, or have positive feedback, say something! Whether the room may be too cold or too warm, you like the music and ambiance, or the needle in your leg feels funny, I encourage you to speak up and let your practitioner know. This will only improve the quality of your experiences and help facilitate your body’s relaxation response for deeper healing. It is empowering to speak up for yourself. This time is all for you, make every moment worthwhile.

• You are in charge! What this means is that it’s up to you to take care of yourself in between treatments. The road to health involves medical supervision, but most importantly involves a lifestyle change. With a good practitioner, you will be sent home with dietary modifications, exercises, and/or suggestions on mental-emotional support. You are paying for this advice, and it is solely for your benefit. Your practitioner is not there by your side each day to see what you are doing, so you need to make a commitment to do your work and show up for yourself each day. Some things come easier than others and the most important thing in this process is to stay completely open and honest with yourself and your practitioner in order to continue receiving the support you need. You are in a safe, judgement-free zone!

Have a wonderful, healthful day!

in the midst of change.

“Sorrow prepares you for joy. It violently sweeps everything out of your house, so that new joy can find space to enter. It shakes the yellow leaves from the bough of your heart, so that fresh, green leaves can grow in their place. It pulls up the rotten roots, so that new roots hidden beneath have room to grow. Whatever sorrow shakes from your heart, far better things will take their place.”  ~Rumi

This year has been the year that the universe has offered me challenge after challenge… one after another, incredibly valuable lessons learned in the mysterious workings of my personal journey.

The last 3 weeks have presented another shift for me; another perspective check that is uprooting me and opening the expansiveness of the world for me to choose my next adventure. I embrace the change with all that I am, and through my process, I wanted to share a few reminders that have helped me along the way this year.

1. Ask for support. A great friend reminded me that any big transition or change in life can be likened to the death of a loved one (or very well could be because of a death of a loved one); for the first few weeks, our support network is there, readily available, to make sure you are taken care of. Then, as many things go, life resumes for most people, even though this may be the time you need your loved ones the most. The best thing you can do is reach out and ask for support. You’ll be grateful you did and so will your loved ones!
2. Cry when you need to. It is unfortunate that we live in a culture where, for many of us, crying is extremely hard to do in front of others. We may feel like “burdens” or feel shame for not being our usual chipper selves. Please gently remind those inner voices to quiet down… crying is releasing and part of the natural grieving process of life. If we don’t release what’s inside, it stays there and can compound over time and prevent us from moving forward. Your loved ones love you for all that you are… chipper or not. There are no judgements when you are being true to yourself.
3. Trust yourself. You will be more than OK. You are still breathing. Just as many other things have, this too shall pass.
4. Keep your heart as wide open as possible. There is a time when we  protect our hearts because of the fear that they could be broken again. Let this be a reminder that when our hearts are broken, we can take time to open them to the light, the possibilities, and the joy that can and WILL lie ahead. These qualities will fill in the spaces and start clearing away the fears that love the darkness we often create.
5. We are what we think. Allow yourself ample time to be angry, sad, mad, upset, worried, and/or fearful because these are all very natural emotions that occur during a period of change. When you are ready to move forward, even if only a baby step, remember that you eventually become what you are thinking. You are beautiful, bright, and hold a very special place in this world. Remind yourself of that daily. 
6. Live! Don’t forget the things that you thrive off of. Do good things for yourself (and only yourself) daily. Who knows, you may even start to enjoy your own company…
7. Breathe. When you are feeling overwhelmed with emotions, breathe through them. The best thing we can do is take deep breaths, making sure every part of our body is getting nourished and not holding on or tensing up.
8. Hug! I think we should all get 5 hugs minimum per day. Hugs are one of my favorite forms of affection. From the right people, this contact exchanges warmth, love, and goodness that is proven to brighten your day. I can guarantee that. Even watching them can be heart warming: Free Hugs Campaign …

You are never alone… With so much gratitude and many blessings to you!

 

 

gratitude exercise.

“Be thankful for what you have; you’ll end up having more. If you concentrate on what you don’t have, you will never, ever have enough.”
– Oprah Winfrey

Yesterday, I had a lovely surprise chat with my amazing friend, Sarah (of green well BEING). I say surprise because moments after I woke up, I turned on my computer and signed onto gmail to soon hear the ringing of a video chat initiated by her. Even though I had a final to prepare for, I accepted the call, and I’m so grateful I did! We caught up about our busy lives and the ups and downs that have been occurring. It was a nice reminder of how grounding it is to check-in and gain perspective from the special people in my life. One wonderful suggestion I really appreciated hearing from her is what I’m about to share with you. 

There is an exercise called “Early Morning Pages” (inspired by The Artist’s Way: A Spiritual Path to Higher Creativity by Julia Cameron) that prompts you to do several written exercises in the early morning that include stream of consciousness journaling, a dream diary, and a gratitude list. It is believed that if you wake up a little earlier than when your body is used to, you are in a state of being half-awake and not quite fully conscious. This has always been a suggested time to meditate, do breathing exercises, or practice qigong because it is when we have the most access to the inner workings of our mind. We have the potential to tap into a place that can ground us and clear away what isn’t needed to fulfill the day ahead. The same goes for the premise of Early Morning Pages. 

What really stood out for me was the gratitude list exercise. Rather than the standard prompt “write what you are grateful for”, the author suggests you “write 10 things you are grateful for from yesterday.” Our minds can have a tendency to focus on what isn’t going well in our life and when we wake up, it can become automatic to go to that place that feeds our stress, anxiety, and uncertainty if we are not careful. We easily forget the little things that can often be taken for granted. Wouldn’t you agree that by taking time to appreciate what happened yesterday, we could start today off on a better foot?

With all that said, here is my list:

10 Things I’m Grateful For From Yesterday (6/22/12)

1. I’m grateful for taking the time to learn the material for my scalp and ear acupuncture final… I passed it!
2. I’m grateful for the public transportation available here in PDX. It is accessible, economical, and cuts down on the carbon footprint we all would be making. I made it to school on time, too!
3. I’m grateful for opening my heart in a conversation that had much fear around it. In doing so, I gained clarity and perspective.
4. I’m grateful for the barista that made my hemp latte. It makes me so happy to drink one, especially during finals time… wait, who am I kidding, it makes me so happy to drink one all the time.
5. I’m grateful for Sarah calling me when she did; her unconditional love and acceptance for me and being someone I can completely be me in front of… which often turns into laughing until I’m crying.
6. I’m grateful for my Qigong teacher/practitioner that I saw for my weekly appointment. Another safe space that is created for my personal growth.
7. I am grateful for finding a baby picture of myself. I looked at it yesterday and saw the pure joy in my 10 month old eyes. I understand a lot from looking at that picture.
8. I’m grateful for pandora’s “Claire de Lune” station.
9. I’m grateful for my sister being available for me, no matter the time.
10. I’m grateful for the school library collecting all the books I put on hold so I could go in with 3 minutes to spare and pick them all up. I didn’t realize how wonderful this convenience is, and am thankful to have had this exercise to reflect on it.

That was very heart lifting. See how you feel after you try, especially first thing in the morning! Please share your list in the comments below, if you wish. For more information on Early Morning Pages, check out the book “The Artist’s Way: A Spiritual Path to Higher Creativity by Julia Cameron or contact Sarah Greenwell, Health and Wellness Counselor here or here!  Many grateful blessings to you!

a reminder to breathe.

“When you own your breath, nobody can steal your peace.”  ~Author Unknown

On average, we take in 21,600 breaths each day, most of the time without any awareness because it is an autonomic function of our body. The lovely part about breathing is that we have the ability to turn our awareness inward at any given moment of the day to connect with our breath and check-in with our state of being. The more we practice this awareness, the easier it gets, and it soon becomes second nature. I thought it would be fun and beneficial to list some facts about breathing; some common and some that may be new. The most important take-home message I continue to pass on to my patients (and work on myself) is to breathe. It is a resource we have for our entire lives and can make some big shifts in the way we carry ourselves on a daily basis! 

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1. When we breathe, we typically use one of 2 patterns; abdominal/deep breathing, or chest/shallow breathing. Stop for a moment and observe the next 3 natural breaths you take. Where do you feel the most movement? You might notice that children tend to use abdominal/deep breathing while adults shallow breathe. There is much to learn from children. Watch how they breathe.

2. Breathing exercises have been found to reduce many common ailments; anxiety, depression, irritability, muscular pain and tension, headaches, poor concentration, IBS, fatigue, and digestive disorders. It is great to  take time for some deep breaths, especially when you feel any of the above symptoms are getting triggered. Start by sending the breath to fill up your lower belly and back, while gently expanding your ribs. Remember to always do what’s most comfortable for you. It is easy to overdo it and end up with soreness or being out of breath. Try not to force your body to do more than its capable of at any given time. With practice, it will become easier.

3. The body requires about 550 liters of pure oxygen per day. Oxygen is one of the most important elements to sustain life. Not inhaling enough oxygen or exhaling enough carbon dioxide is what makes us feel fatigue, mental fog, and decrease our tissue function. 

4. Breathing massages your organs. While deep breathing, the movement of your diaphragm massages the stomach, small intestine, liver, pancreas, and heart. Massaging these vital organs will increase blood circulation which will allow your heart to rest easier.

5. Your lungs are strengthened when you consciously deep breathe. This will help prevent respiratory problems and your lungs will be happy! 

6. Deep breathing will lift your mood and energy level! If you are in the middle of an argument, stressed out about a deadline, or perhaps a little sleep deprived, take time throughout the day to count to 10 and breathe. Breathing induces pleasure-producing neurochemicals in the brain to elevate your mood and bring you back to your center.

Keep these facts and ideas in mind as you continue to navigate the inner workings of your body. Your breath is essential and well worth focusing on for an improved quality of life!

 

30 in 30! *TLL Fundraiser!*

*When we are in circle with others, the energy stays contained within the group giving back to all.* ~DailyOM

I will be turning 30 years old in 30 days! I’ve spent a great deal of time wondering what I’d like to do to celebrate life. While I will definitely do something special with the ones I love, I decided I would also like to include something that will benefit us all in one way or another- a gift that can keep on giving.

As I get older and approach this new decade with open arms, I am realizing it is a priority to do as much as I can with the strengths that I have in my personal and professional life. I am grateful to be enrolled in a school that gives me the foundations and resources to soon practice and provide holistic medicine to all, and I am grateful for the opportunity to share my thoughts and ideas through this amazing health and wellness community this little lark has created.

Through this journey, my eyes have opened wide to the real traumas we all suffer with on a physical, mental, and emotional level. Through events like natural disasters, accidents, war, & crime, we are all in need of support but don’t always have the accessibility (whether it’s lack of insurance or resources) to receive it.

So what can I do to be the change right now? One step is to train with Acupuncturists Without Borders’ (AWB) Healing Community Trauma. “Acupuncturists Without Borders’ vision is to foster the creation of stable, peaceful global communities through its community-based acupuncture services and training which interrupt the cycles of unresolved trauma.” With this training, I will become a volunteer to any and all communities that are in need of physical, mental, and spiritual support in the aftermath of a traumatic event. The training includes the following:

• How to set up a Mobile Clinic
• How to create teams that flourish together
• How to work in a disaster situation
• How to work with severely traumatized communities and individuals
• How to recognize and manage acute traumatic stress
• How to set up a community acupuncture event in your local area
• Ethical and safety issues.
• Qi gong instruction and practice for reducing stress in toxic situations.
• Logistics and practical application of a Community Style acupuncture session.

It would be a great pleasure to be able to make a difference in this capacity and what I am asking in the next 30 days (before my big 30th birthday on May 26th) is that you donate to support the cost of this training.  I see this, not only as a gift to myself, but also to our global community. As the quote in the beginning of this post states, *When we are in circle with others, the energy stays contained within the group giving back to all.*  I want to do more and at this time I’m asking for your support to help make my dream a reality. If you are unable to give financial support, I appreciate your well wishes and positive thoughts that I will achieve my goal!

Click on the paypal *Make A Donation* button below, on the homepage of this site, or contact me at thislittlelark@gmail.com if you would like to send a check in the mail.  If by the end of this fundraiser I am so blessed to receive more than the price of the trainings, I will set the money aside to be used to support further this little lark service projects. Many, many blessings to you all and thank you for making this upcoming birthday of mine the most special yet. I do feel we can all contribute to making this world a better place! 

*For more information on AWB, visit their website: http://www.acuwithoutborders.org/

 

Cost of Training I: $349
Cost of Training II: $820
Total Fundraising Goal: $1169

wounded healer.

“Only the wounded healer can truly heal.” –Irvin D. Yalom

Journey of the Wounded Healer by Alex Grey

Spring is in full bloom here in Portland, OR and posts from this little lark are back! In the last few months, I’ve been focusing my energy inward more than usual to heal and work through several life shaking events that have occurred. Now that I’m approaching the other side of that tunnel, I am realizing the incredible growth that has happened within me and am thankful I took the time to listen to my body and my needs.

There are stressful events, in my case a car accident and house break-in, that are completely out of our control. Our bodies have natural reactions in the form of adrenaline and cortisol spikes to take protective measures, and symptoms of PTSD can happen anywhere from immediately after the traumatic event to days, weeks, months, even years later. On top of our regular daily stresses (school, work, children, finances…etc) this can really over tax our bodies and break us down.

Throughout this process,  my qigong teacher made sure to reassure me in saying that the universe never hands us a challenge that we cannot handle. This was hard to believe at first, but after taking time to reflect and feel what was really going on in my body, I knew. Once I identified the fears and woundings, I had something to work with, something to transform and strengthen.

I am fortunate to be surrounded by a community of practitioners that are supportive in every sense of healing; mental-emotional, physical, and spiritual.  Seeking support and allowing time to process and just be was the best thing I could have done for myself. I learned how to be the calm amidst the storm which has taught my body to react less and be present more. Each day has been easier as I take time to breathe, be gentle, and navigate my feelings. I can only hope and keep working hard in my personal life so that I can provide this sense of safety and empathy for my future patients.  There is a wounded healer in all of us and with that we can shine so much light on others who experience similar woundings.

I am now in my last term of my 3rd (of 4) year of Chinese medical school and am happy to report that I recently passed the clinic entrance exam so I will start as an intern in July! I will continue to write and ask for guest writers for this little lark, so if you would like to share your story, please e-mail thislittlelark@gmail.com! I have so much gratitude for this community and am so excited about the direction it is going! Thank you for providing the space for me to share my thoughts and feelings. Many, many blessings to you all!