How to Change Your Beliefs

     "The secret of change is to focus all of your energy, not on fighting the old, but on building the new." ~ Dan Millman, Way of the Peaceful Warrior

     Beliefs are not set in stone.  They are a mental construct. Believe it or not, beliefs can be tried on like clothing and then discarded when they no longer serve you.  You are not powerless to beliefs you were taught as a child, or what you came to believe based on your life's traumatic experiences

     Unfortunately, people cling to their beliefs even when their beliefs make them miserable, and interfere with their relationships, their happiness and their health. Because they don't realize they can change them. Or they think the belief is who they are. I can tell you that you are NOT your beliefs.  Who you really are is your soul...your spirit.

Why it's important to change limiting beliefs

     It's important to change limiting beliefs because energy follows belief. And what you vibrate in is what you focus on. Your beliefs shape how you view the world and life situations. If you are looking for validation that your belief is "right," you will find it!

     If you believe that every time you get ready to step into your power something bad happens and smacks you down, that will probably happen. If you believe that true love doesn't exist, you won't see true love. You will see couples who are unhappy, because that is what you are looking for. If you change your belief to - I believe in true love - then you automatically start looking for it. And you will find examples!

     Some days I try on the belief that everything that happens that day is a miracle. Then whatever happens, I look at it through the lens of that belief. Amazingly, I will start to see the miracle contained within every life circumstance. After trying on that belief, I can decide to keep it.  Because I have the power to do so, and so do you!

How to change your beliefs

     The more we cling to old beliefs that don't serve us, the more we suffer. I use healing affirmations to change beliefs.  A healing affirmation acknowledges your current state with unconditional acceptance, followed by a statement of what you are wiling to do.  Here are some examples:

• Even though I have a belief that there's never enough, I love, accept and forgive myself, completely and deeply.  I am willing to try on the belief that there's always enough, because abundance is my natural state.

• Even though I have a belief that getting older sucks and means pain and declining function, I love, accept and forgive myself completely and deeply. I am willing to try on the belief that I can continue to enjoy health and vitality as I age, because that is my natural state. 

• Even though I have a belief that life is hard, I love, accept and forgive myself, completely and deeply. I am willing to try on the belief that life is joyful and full of ease, because joy, ease and flow are my natural state of being. 

     Trying on a new belief is like lighting a candle, bringing light and energy into what was dark and stagnant. When you try on the new belief, imagine what life would be like if this were what you believed. Experience it as reality, and it will become your reality.

                    CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE VIDEO VERSION OF THIS ARTICLE.  

     For more energy healing solutions for sensitives and creatives, go to my website to opt-in for a monthly energy report to receive a FREE recording "3 Keys to Removing the Blocks to Getting What You Want in Life" and a power-packed Energy Medicine Resource Bundle with handouts for my most effective energy healing skills! While you are there, check out my award-winning books, oracle cards and guided meditations that can teach you everything you need to know to live a healing way of life and awaken your greater health!

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How Drumming is Good For Your Health

     "Life is about rhythm. We vibrate, our hearts are pumping blood, we are a rhythm machine, that's what we are."  ~ Mickey Hart, Planet Drum: A Celebration of Percussion and Rhythm

     
     Drumming is a practice that's been used in every culture around the world since ancient times. It has a wonderful synchronizing effect on your energy and releases energy blocks. It's especially effective at releasing energy blocks that originate in emotional trauma, and releasing the negative emotions that are a sign of an energy block. For situations that are difficult to talk about, or for trauma that occurred at a pre-verbal stage of life, drumming can be the perfect nonverbal energy healing modality.

     Energy is the basis of life. The state of your energy determines the state of your health including muscle tension, pain, the functioning of your body systems and your emotional-mental state. As such, when drumming synchronizes energy, it...

• reduces tension
• relieves stress
• relieves chronic pain
• boosts your immune system

     Drumming is a wonderful way to open the energy centers, or chakras- especially the first chakra. The first chakra is the root energy center at the pelvic floor near the base of the spine. It appears as a red star on the body in the picture below: 

     Blockages in the first chakra disrupt our connection to the Earth and create an ungrounded state. These blockages are associated with:

• cancer
• arthritis
• colitis
• Alzheimer's disease
• inflammatory disease
• heart disease
• high blood pressure
• fibromyalgia
• chronic fatigue syndrome
• sexual dysfunction
• infertility
• endometriosis
• Cesarian Section births

     If you have any of these issues, try incorporating drumming into your self-care practices. Drumming help with these issues by opening and synchronizing the first chakra, and through grounding. Click HERE to read more about why grounding is important and some tips on how to do it. And click HERE for an article about ground through Earthing. 

     Drumming is also meditative, synchronizing brain waves and facilitating states similar to sitting meditation. It helps bring you to the present moment. The health benefits of meditation are well-documented. For more about meditation, click HERE.

     Drumming creates connection. It restores body-mind-spirit unity, and when done as a group, connects you to others...and it's FUN!

      There's no right or wrong way to drum unless you are trying to learn specific drumming techniques. If you are just looking to improve your health, you don't need any musical talent! Just pick up a drum and rhymically bang away. Drumming is never too much or not enough. 

     When you're drumming, you might notice a relaxation response. You might feel tingly. Or you might feel a buzzing sensation, especially in your hands and your feet.

     Here is a video clip from a sunset drumming circle on Treasure Island. 

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      For more energy healing solutions for sensitive and creative women, subscribe to this blog and go to my website to subscribe to my newsletter and receive a FREE recording "3 Keys to Removing the Blocks to Getting What You Want in Life" and a power-packed Energy Medicine Resource Bundle with handouts for my most effective energy healing skills! While you are there, check out my award-winning books and energy healing online courses that can teach you everything you need to know to live a healing way of life and awaken your greater health.

     Thank you for supporting this blog by using the amazon link embedded in this article for ANY purchase.  Your support is greatly appreciated! 

      

What To Do When You Feel Lost

       "The more we awaken and evolve toward greater health, the less we find ourselves responding to situations from a smallness of spirit. "  ~ Heidi DuPree,  Awaken Your Greater Health

    "There is a higher more powerful part of you. Your higher self ..." ~ James Van Praagh, The Power of Love

      I take my dogs for a hike to a local forested park several times a week.  I always bring my trail map, which I've highlighted with colored markers and sealed with laminating sheets.  But despite being prepared, it's surprising how many times I lose my way! It's an issue of perspective. Distances between markings that appear very small on the map can actually be a quarter of a mile apart. Indeed, when we feel lost, what we need is a greater perspective....the higher self perspective.

How to Recognize Your Higher Self

     When we feel lost in life, it can be helpful to talk to others who can give us another perspective.  Sharing with friends and family can reduce stress and create connection.  But all too often people will give you their opinion based on what they think is best for them, rather than what is best for you. A true friend will be a sounding board, redirecting you back to your inner wisdom and advising you to follow your heart. If you don't have someone like this in your life, here are some tips to finding your way to your higher self. Its a matter of knowing what to observe versus what to listen to.

      OBSERVE any thought or belief that makes you feel...

• ashamed
• embarrassed
• guilty
• doubtful
• frightened
• anxious
• criticized or judged

                      ...without engaging or agreeing with it! 

     Do not argue with this thought, push against it or try to suppress it. Don't agree with it by using it as a basis for decision-making about yourself or your life. Doing so will get you lost because it is the voice of your small self! And as a small-self voice, it has a small perspective. Instead...

     LISTEN to and focus on any thought or belief that is consistently.

• wise
• loving
• supportive
• empowering
• inspiring

     This is the voice of your higher self. You may experience it as a loving inner voice, gut feelings, or mental pictures that guide you. This is your internal compass that will help you find your way, pointing you in the direction that is in your highest good.  This is the voice to listen to when you feel lost.

     It takes consistent practice to observe your thoughts and beliefs and consciously choose to put your focus on those that are empowering. But the effort is well worth it, because it can reset your energy so that you attract more unconditionally supportive people in your life.

               TO WATCH THE VIDEO VERSION OF THIS ARTICLE, CLICK HERE. 

    
      For more energy healing solutions for sensitive and creative women, subscribe to this blog and go to my website to subscribe to my newsletter and receive a FREE recording "3 Keys to Removing the Blocks to Getting What You Want in Life" and a power-packed Energy Medicine Resource Bundle with handouts for my most effective energy healing skills! While you are there, check out my award-winning books and energy healing online courses that can teach you everything you need to know to live a healing way of life and awaken your greater health.

     Thank you for supporting this blog by using the amazon link embedded in this article for ANY purchase.  Your support is greatly appreciated! 

   

Why You Shouldn't Even Try to Figure Things Out

       "A brain-focused state creates an energy imbalance that compromises health. When we focus on our heart, our heart actually begins to manage the brain. When the heart is in charge, we are in our higher self and gain access to higher levels of health."  ~ Heidi DuPree, Awaken Your Greater Health

     "Keep your plans flexible. The Universe may have others ideas." ~ Diana Cooper, The Archangel Guide to Ascension

     I have been in the middle of a transition in my life since I "graduated" last year along with my youngest child. This end of parenting a minor has prompted a number of changes in my life. The way I work in the world has changed dramatically, from local to global. And I've created an online school of energy healing.

     I thought I had it all figured out. I mapped out this transition, planning every detail of what I expected to happen in the next year or two. I had already decided where I was going to live, when things were going to happen, and what it was going to look like.

     But here's the thing. When we try to find solutions or make plans by "figuring things out" we become brain-focused.  Sometimes solutions or insights do come through when we are thinking things through, but not if we're actively trying to figure it out!  Focusing on "thinking" and "figuring" keeps you in your mental self, separate from your emotional-spiritual self.  This limits the possibilities of how things can resolve and unfold.

     One moment I had it all figured out, and the next moment I realized I didn't know anything! All the plans I made were like a castle I had built in my mind. And now I could see that a castle built in the mind is not stable or sustainable. It was as if it was made of sand. A wave of energy from a total lunar eclipse had swept away my sand castle,  just as an ocean wave washes away everything on the beach with each tide.  Because I hadn't been heart-centered when I built it, and it wasn't in my highest good.

     I felt sad, realizing my plans had been swept away. I didn't make a conscious decision to let go of my plans. They were simply gone. When we ask for things in our life, we don't know how it will unfold. If we ask for happiness and simplicity, we may not realize what will be washed away in our life to create happiness and simplicity.  It may not be what we expected. And it may be painful.

     I had become attached to how I wanted things in my life to happen -- the where, the when and the how. So now that it was gone, I felt a sense of loss.  It was a death of expectations.

     It was time to get back to my heart.

Getting Back to the Heart

     It is far more effective to make decisions and live your life in a heart-centered state rather than a brain-centered state. This is because the heart is five thousand times more powerful than the brain and is a vital center of awareness, intuition and intelligence. When the heart is managing the brain, thinking and feeling states become more positive and we gain access to higher levels of health.

     When you realize you are in a brain-focused state, trying to figure things out, here's how to get to your heart.  I have created a technique for repositioning yourself to your heart called Energy Medicine First Aid.  You can receive a free text copy of this technique by subscribing at the bottom of any page of my website. Or you can download an audio meditation of this technique on Meditations to Awaken Your Greater Health   Here are some tips from Energy Medicine First Aid:

• Place your hands on your heart center located at the center of the upper chest.
• Breathe deeply as if you are breathing in and out of your heart center. 
• Make an audible sighing sound for the duration of each exhalation. 
• Say out loud some heart-centering affirmations, like: "No matter what, I am lovable, acceptable, and enough, just as I am." 

     I imagine myself now, sitting on the beach in a heart-centered state of surrender. The sand castles I built are gone with the tide that came in. And that's OK.  I will wait and see what the waves of energy wash up onto the shore to guide me. It could be anything, because the possibilities are endless!

Click HERE for the VIDEO version of this article.      

   

      For more energy healing solutions for sensitive and creative women, subscribe to this blog and go to my website to subscribe to my newsletter and receive a FREE recording "3 Keys to Removing the Blocks to Getting What You Want in Life" and a power-packed Energy Medicine Resource Bundle with handouts for my most effective energy healing skills! While you are there, check out my award-winning books and energy healing online courses that can teach you everything you need to know to live a healing way of life and awaken your greater health.

      Thank you for supporting this blog by using the amazon links embedded in this article for your purchases.  Your support is greatly appreciated! 

How the Divine Feminine Can Heal the Patriarchy

   "Divided, women perpetuate patriarchy. Together, women can heal patriarchy."
             ~ Megan Hollingsworth

     "Tbe deep Feminine, the mystery of consciousness, She who is life, is longing for our transformation as much as we are." ~ Lucy H Pearce, Burning Woman

     We are witnessing a modern re-emergence of the divine feminine after a millennia of suppression. The divine feminine is the highest expression of authentic feminine power and essence. But how can this expression of divine feminine heal the patriarchy? First, let's explore healthy masculine and feminine energy vs toxic. 

   
Masculine and Feminine Energy

     All of us, men and women alike, have healthy masculine and feminine energies that are equally valuable. 

     Although both men and women have these qualities, men are especially gifted with these masculine energy traits:

• independence
• focus
• integrity
• direction
• confidence
• strength
• logic
• freedom
• passion
• stability
• discipline 
• awareness

    Although both men and women have these qualities, women are especially gifted with these feminine energy traits: 

• affection
• tenderness
• radiance
• surrender
• empathy
• loving
• patience
• nurturing
• receptivity
• flow
• sensuality
• sharing
• intuition

     The problem is that in a patriarchal society where men have authority over women, these feminine  traits are viewed as "less than" and even held in disdain. This creates a toxic imbalance.  Let's explore this further 

Issues in Patriarchy

     Although patriarchal systems where men have authority over women have been in place for thousands of years, they are not based on inherent biological differences between men and women. Rather, they are a social construct. Systems that give men control and dominance over women cause an imbalance of power that permeates every facet of society, creating an environment ripe for abuse. 

    Without the balance of healthy masculine-feminine energy, the patriarchy fosters toxic masculine and toxic feminine energy. Toxic masculine energy is characterized by:

• aggressiveness and forcefulness
• competitiveness
• egocentricity
• mechanical approaches
• arrogance
• insensitivity
• spiritual emptiness
• greed

      Toxic feminine energy is characterized by:

• dependence
• neediness
• moodiness
• manipulation
• lack of focus
• excessive sentimentality 
• irrationality
• weakness

     In seeking gender equality and success in a patriarchal society, women disown their healthy feminine qualities and adopt toxic masculine traits. Not only does this not work for women, but it has far-reaching negative effects. 

     When women adopt unhealthy masculine traits, they live out of alignment with their authentic healthy feminine energy, which becomes suppressed. Suppression in energy systems has widespread effects on physical, emotional, mental and spiritual health. This is because health is a direct expression of energetic flow and frequency. When energetic flow is disrupted and energetic frequency is diminished through suppression, the result is poor health on every level.  In this state of energetic disruption, the intuitive, radiant gifts of women are blocked and diminished. 

     The use of unhealthy masculine approaches is especially toxic for highly sensitive women, spiritual women, and healers and coaches. For these more evolved women, the repercussions of living what amounts to a "lie" about who they are is even greater. The more conscious, the more awakened, and the more evolved we are -- the more we are unable to tolerate living in lack of energy flow with diminished frequency without physical, emotional, mental and spiritual consequences. I can tell you this from personal experience.  

     When I became a published, award-winning body-mind-spirit author, I was presented with fear-based, toxic masculine marketing programs that appealed to the ego, valued sales over service, and profits over passion. These toxic masculine traits were present even in marketing programs purporting to be spiritual! Although I observed other authors engaging in these programs seemingly without issue, each time I made an attempt to implement a toxic masculine approach, it would create tremendous disruption in my energy systems. Each encounter with these programs left me shaken and feeling like a failure. Ultimately I rejected these approaches entirely. 

     The good news is that the toxic imbalance and suppression created by patriarchy can be healed by women sharing their feminine gifts.  In Awaken Your Greater Health, I wrote about sharing my own gifts: "My goal is no longer how many books I sell. My 'goal' is peace, harmony and happiness. My ministry is to offer my awakened presence as a gift to hold the space for others to awaken from their amnesia- the same amnesia that I was afflicted with that made me forget that I am innately whole."

The Needs of Women

     When both men and women are present in an environment, what typically emerges is toxic masculine energy. This patriarchal effect is well-documented in business and educational settings. Men tend to become competitive, and can aggressively dominate discussions by interrupting and speaking over women. And males in authority positions tend to show favoritism in their actions and decisions, giving preference to the males under their authority rather than the females. 

     In a co-ed environment, more than likely women's needs simply are not met. Women need to feel COMFORTABLE, SAFE, and SUPPORTED. And that happens naturally when women connect to each other in women-only environments because:

• Women are hard-wired to relieve stress by nurturing other women.  
• Female friendships are vital to health, healing and well-being for women. 
• Women have a special gift for compassion, empathy and intuition that they naturally use with other women. 
• Female-only environments foster confidence in women.
• Women-only gatherings are therapeutic for women.
• Women simply feel safer in women-only environments.

    I recognize that men are also struggling with the toxic effects of patriarchy. But when a woman heals, that healing radiates to everyone she is connected to. When a woman heals, her radiance heals the world. In intentional women-only groups, the magic that happens is the emergence of the divine feminine.

    The Emergence of the Divine Feminine

     When women gather together in groups with the intention of healing, support and connection -- something amazing happens. Sharing begins. Intuition and nurturance flows. Energetic frequency rises. Mystical energy radiates. Healing happens. And women blossom. The magic that occurs is the emergence of divine feminine energy.

    The divine feminine is the highest expression of authentic feminine power and essence. These are the archetypes most frequently associated with divine feminine energy:

• Mother. You do not have to be a mother to embody divine mother energy. This highest expression of mother births and brings forth new life both literally and figuratively.  She is patient, devoted, selfless, forgiving, nurturing and unconditionally-loving to those she cares for.
• Goddess.  Goddess energy is the flow of wisdom, intuition and mysticism. She inspires, renews and guides others with grace and intuitive knowledge.
• Priestess. The priestess is connected to source and channels this divine energy for others. She facilitates the spiritual growth and conscious awareness of others through ritual and ceremony, and teaches through her personal example. 
• Lover.  Divine feminine lover energy is passionate, affectionate and deeply sensual. She appreciates beauty in all forms, and relishes sensory experiences.
• Warrioress.  Grounded, confident and calm, the warrioress is the selfless and courageous fighter for the highest good for all. She liberates and protects those in need. 
• Queen.  The Queen is the highest expression of feminine power and authority. She brings order and balance with compassion and a sense of fairness.

      You can call forth your own divine feminine energy by contemplating the qualities of these archetypes. Focus on the expressions of archetypal energy that you recognize in yourself now.  And then imagine what it would feel like to have qualities of the archetypes that you are less familiar with.  By imagining how you would think and behave if you embodied these archetypes, you bring forth more divine feminine qualities within yourself.
   
     Anyone can see that the world is deeply troubled.  We don't need more toxic aggression. The world needs the gifts that women have -- the gifts that emerge when women connect to each other in groups. 

      For more energy healing solutions for sensitive and creative women, subscribe to this blog and go to my website to subscribe to my newsletter and receive a FREE recording "3 Keys to Removing the Blocks to Getting What You Want in Life" and a power-packed Energy Medicine Resource Bundle with handouts for my most effective energy healing skills! While you are there, check out my award-winning books and energy healing online courses that can teach you everything you need to know to live a healing way of life and awaken your greater health.

   Thank you for supporting this blog by using the amazon links embedded in this article for ANY purchase.  Your support is greatly appreciated! 

    

What to Expect When You're Ascending

   "Each and every person who lives from their higher self raises the consciousness of the planet."
~ Heidi DuPree, Awaken Your Greater Health

     "When you're born, you get a kind of amnesia. One of the things we're doing on earth is remembering what we forgot."  ~ The Afterlife of Billy Fingers

      I have previously written a post about ascension symptoms, which occur during the process of "upgrading" to a higher vibrational frequency and a higher state of consciousness. You can read that article HERE.  But you may wonder what to expect once you've integrated that upgrade, and what it means to be at a higher level of consciousness. Because when you are going through a tumultuous ascension upgrade, it helps to know what awaits you on the other side!

     Here is an excerpt from the award-winning Awaken Your Greater Health on what to expect as you ascend.

You may experience a decrease or cessation altogether of the following:

• triggers
• worrying
• self-sacrificing
• negativity
• resistance
• judgment and criticism of self and others
• doubt, shame, guilt, apathy, grief, fear, desire, anger and pride
• fixing, care-taking, tricking, converting, impressing, cheerleading, rescuing, projecting and people-pleasing

You may experience an increase in the following:

• sense of physical, emotional, mental and spiritual balance
• expression of health
• ability to love and accept all aspects of self and others
• ability to see divinity in others and all situations
• recognition of signs and messages from spirit
• positive interpretations of life experiences
• sense of fulfillment, effectiveness and efficiency
• courage, neutrality, willingness, acceptance, reasonableness, love, joy, peace enlightenment and grace

You may experience a shift in the following that can change your identity and how you see yourself:

• from reactive to proactive
• from rigid and restricted, to expansiveness in body, mind and emotions.
• from outside-in orientation to inside-out
• from living in the past and projecting onto the future to being in the moment
• from lower-self authority over self to self-governance by spirit authority
• from materialism to spiritualism 
• from seeing and experiencing life as lacking to experiencing life as unlimited
• from surface orientation to deeper meaning of life
• from victim to creator, from persecutor to challenger, and from rescuer to facilitator
• from surviving to thriving

    The similarity between the title of this post and the title of the book What to Expect When You're Expecting is no accident. Because as pregnancy is an expectation of birth, ascension is an expectation of rebirth, a rebirth to a higher state of being.  If you are experiencing ascension symptoms, then you have chosen on a soul level to ascend and rebirth. And like birth, ascension can come in waves and involve uncomfortable "labor."

     Ascension is an incremental process that begins with an initial soul-level awakening. Awakening is waking up from illusions and false beliefs by remembering who we truly are - spiritual beings of energy and love! The awakening and ascension process involves a series of adjustments to higher vibrational frequencies. The increases, decreases and shifts outlined in this article give you an idea of what awaits you on the other side of each ascension "upgrade."  If you would like to read more about the experience of being in your higher self, click HERE. 

  For more energy healing solutions for sensitives and creatives, subscribe to this blog and go to my website to subscribe to my newsletter and receive a FREE recording "3 Keys to Removing the Blocks to Getting What You Want in Life" and a power-packed Energy Medicine Resource Bundle with handouts for my most effective energy healing skills! While you are there, check out my award-winning books, oracle cards and guided meditations that can teach you everything you need to know to live a healing way of life and awaken your greater health!

   Thank you for supporting this blog by using the amazon link embedded in this article for ANY purchase.  Your support is greatly appreciated! 

Two Bronze Medal Winners in the 2016 Readers' Favorite Book Awards

    "The world wouldn't be complete without ALL our stories." ~ Jacqueline Woodson, Each Kindness

    I am thrilled to announce that The Other Medicine That Really Works won a bronze medal in the Health-Medical category from the 2016 Readers' Favorite Book Awards, and Awaken Your Greater Health won a bronze medal in the Spiritual category.  Both books have won numerous awards, including a Silver medal in the 2015 Nautilus Book Awards for Awaken Your Greater Health. 

     Health at its highest expression is not just the absence of disease and illness symptoms. It comes from living from your heart instead of living in fear or living small.  The stories, techniques and information in these books can help readers unleash the energy being used to just survive, enabling them to thrive and experience true power, health and happiness.

     Readers' Favorite receives thousands of entries each year from contestants that range from first time self-published authors to New York Times bestsellers, and has earned the respect of renowned publishers like Random House, Penguin and Harper Collins. Readers' Favorite has received the Best Websites for Authors and Honoring Excellence awards from the Association of Independent Authors and is fully accredited by the BBB with an A+ rating.

    I am deeply honored by this recognition and the opportunity it affords to bring the message of hope and healing to more people who need it.

     Unfortunately someone took my copy of The Other Medicine That Really Works from the display so I didn't have it for the ceremony or pictures.  But I do hope they enjoyed it! Here is a video I put together with clips from the awards ceremony in Miami, Florida:
   

      Heidi DuPree is an award-winning author, holistic nurse, Certified Traditional Naturopath, and transformational entrepreneur with a deep appreciation of nature, a passion for knowledge and a mission to challenge how we think of medicine. She is the founder of the DuPree School of Energypathy Healing®, an online school that offers courses to highly sensitive women who wish to master their energy, and programs leading to certification in Energypathy Healing®.

   Thank you for supporting this blog by using the amazon link embedded in this article for ANY purchase.  Your support is greatly appreciated!