NEW YEAR - NEW BEGINNINGS

Our New Year's celebrations for this year will soon be history. As we embark on creating our life during 2011, I'd like to share some thoughts and feelings about New Year's Resolutions.

Do you make New Year's Resolutions? Do you expect to accomplish them? If the truth be known for most of us we really do not expect to achieve them. It seems that we make them almost in jest.

But what if . . . what if we could achieve them? I suggest there are some tried and true approaches to doing just that.

It is often said that if we fail to plan, then we plan to fail. Many of us go through life without goals, without a plan. We just sort of move along with the tide. So a plan is the first important thing to accomplish our goals.

Have a serious planning appointment with yourself. For most people that should be 3-4 hours in length. I think one should have at least the following big categories:

Health, Wealth, Spirituality, Relationships, and Contribution

Then outline what you would like to achieve in each of these categories. BE VERY SPECIFIC.

Under health would be such things as improved nutrition, exercise, etc.

Under wealth would be career and business goals.

Include under spirituality whatever to you would increase your connection to the Divine, or "your source," however that would be in your belief system. I hope you will all include meditation.

The most important relationship you will ever have is with yourself. It is very important that you love and accept yourself. Also include other relationships in your life - family, friends, people in your workplace, etc.

Now go back over your goals and add time-lines. When are you going to accomplish each goal? You may have both long and short-term interim tine-lines.

Contribution or charity, a sense of giving, is very important to a healthy, well-balanced life, giving of time, talents and money. Nothing enriches our lives quite like giving to others. And it certainly is true that we get back what we give.

Now that you have that outline, go back over your lists and add strategies (what) and tactics (how) you are going to achieve each goal. Any skills you may be lacking, plan for how you will obtain them. Perhaps you may need a consultant, like a trainer if your goal is weight loss, or a business consultant for your business goals. Your level of specificity directly relates to your degrees of success.

And lastly you must be accountable to someone. there is much to be said for the so-called "buddy system." That is one of the secrets to success of such programs as Weight Watchers, Share your goals with someone and get their agreement that you will be accountable on an agreed upon timetable. If they decide to join you in mutual goals you have the best of all accountability arrangements.

Our success in attaining our New Year's Resolutions directly relates to our level of commitment, our belief in our ability to accomplish our goals, and the thoroughness of our plan of action.

Good luck with your 2011 plan.

Please visit my primary website, http://www.bettyshouselifeafterms.com/. You'll find me on Facebook and Twitter.

NON-JUDGMENT - AN IMPORTANT LIFE LESSON

Do you ever wonder what our purpose on this planet really is? Why we are here? It occurs to me that with maturity one gains a different perspective on this serious question.

I have become increasingly aware that perhaps one of the most important – if not THE most important – life lesson is giving up judgment.

None of us were born with right vs. wrong judgment . . . we were taught that by our parents, teachers, and society in general. And of course some of that judgment is necessary in order to have a functioning society. But carried too far it creates divides between not only individuals but all peoples and nations.

It seems that when we were younger we always KNEW what was right in all situations. I say that with tongue in cheek, of course. But with more maturity we learn more and more that we have no right to judge others.

I suggest that as we begin a New Year we recognize and accept that right and wrong do not really exist, but rather that everything just IS . . . whatever IT is! I have come to believe that perhaps this is our major life lesson. And when we really GET that truth, we can truly create a world of peace. A world in which all peoples can live together without any people trying to export their own brand of right vs. wrong.

In 1997 I wrote a book, From MS to Wellness, in which I outlined my belief that our body is designed to be self-healing. In it I chronicled my own journey from a diagnosis of Primary Progressive Multiple Sclerosis to developing a natural life-style approach to healing that incorporated a mind body approach.

Meditation (feeding the spirit)
Qi Gong, Yoga and a Healthy Diet(recognizing the body’s role)

A quote from From MS to Wellness:

“In its most malignant state, constantly judging people, places and events as right or wrong can totally rob us of real happiness and joy in our life . . . I learned from Dr. Deepak Chopra that today is the way it is because the universe is as it is, and that things happen because other things happen. Nothing is isolated. There is a connection to everything and everyone else. And when we fight against today, we are fighting against the Universe, and we can never win.”

I urge you to think about non-judgment as a major life lesson. For me this is an ongoing lesson. At least I have become more and more aware and increasingly cognizant of when I slip up and find myself landing with both feet in a judgmental situation. I can say that I am far less judgmental than when I began to make non-judgment a priority in my life.

Preview From MS to Wellness here. I invite you to my home website, where you may subscribe to my monthly web-based newsletter, Journey to Wellness.

Happy Holidays!

Find me on Facebook, and Twitter.

HOLIDAY GIFT SUGGESTIONS

If you are anything like me, you are always looking for meaningful holiday gifts to share with friends and family. The key word in that sentence is “meaningful.”

Because I am an avid reader, almost compulsive really, I often turn to books. So I’d like to share with you a list of book recommendations . . . books that have been very meaningful for me personally.

1. The Biology of Belief by Bruce Lipton, Ph.D.
2. Many Lives, Many Masters by Brian L. Weiss, M.D.
3. The Spontaneous Healing of Belief by Gregg Braden
4. A New Earth, Awakening to Your Life’s Purpose by Eckhart Tolle
5. The Healer Within by Roger Jahnke, Doctor of Oriental Medicine
6. The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success by Deepak Chopra, M.D.
7. Beyond the Quantum by Michael Talbot
8. The Field by Lynne McTaggart
9. Real Magic and The Power of Intention by Wayne Dyer, Ph.D.

Drs. Lipton and Weiss, both trained in traditional medicine and both medical school professors, now travel the world teaching what they discovered about the connection between science and reality.

All of these books are classics. Michael Talbot (now deceased) and Lynne McTaggart helped those of us who do not have a background in science to learn about and accept quantum physics, which today seems elementary.

Eckhart Tolle, Deepak Chopra and Wayne Dyer have given us masterpieces of understanding of our role in the Universe.

Dr. Jahnke’s The Healer Within is a classic easy-to-understand exploration of the how and why of ancient Chinese Medicine and Qi Gong’s healing techniques.

If you are facing a physical challenge, I respectfully refer you to my primary website, and my own books From MS to Wellness and Four Steps to Overcoming Multiple Sclerosis, in which I share my own healing journey to overcome multiple sclerosis. Both these books are about healing and natural health, and are applicable to any physical challenge. They feature my own exploration of Qi Gong and Meditation, which played important roles in my recovery.

Happy Holidays

to all

Betty

THE BREATH

Do you take your breath for granted? Most of us have a tendency to just equate the breath to one of the autonomic nervous system functions, which simply means automatic. But I suggest to you that our breath is so much more than that.

Learning the “real” function of the breath, and how we can use it intentionally, can positively change our lives. Its simplest effect includes stress reduction and relaxation, and if we only utilized breath control for those goals, we would experience tremendous health benefits.

But I suggest to you that at the highest end of the spectrum the breath is the physical expression of our soul, our connection to our Source or the Divine.

Right now, sitting where you are, inhale deeply to a slow count of three, then exhale very slowly to a slow count of five. Repeat several times and then listen to what your body tells you about how it is feeling. Learn to repeat this simple breath exercise several times throughout your day.

Let’s look at our personal history with our own breath. At the instant we exited our mother’s body, if we had not taken our first breath, we would never have been born. In Genesis the bible says God breathed the breath of life into Adam, and he became a living soul. So the breath is clearly an expression of our soul.

Learning breath control can indeed open a door to our Source, the powerful creative energy of the Universe. I encourage everyone to learn breath control and begin to experience our connection to all that is, your personal:

Healer Within

I first learned the power of breath control to heal through Qi Gong and Hatha Yoga. Both disciplines employ breath work. Breathing exercises have been a major cornerstone of my recovery from Primary Progressive Multiple Sclerosis. I cannot imagine my life today (after 15 years of daily practice) without the powerful healing energy created by Qi Gong.

We all have a healer within . . . we just must learn to go within to connect with it. How does one do that? Meditation and such disciplines as Qi Gong and Yoga opens that door for everyone.

"I frequently hear people say, "I can't meditate;
I have tried many times and nothing happened."
If you are one of those, I have good news for you.

For some people learning to meditate is easy, and for others it seems illusive. I was one for whom it did not come easy. But I learned that persistence was the key. Learning to meditate is simply teaching your mind a new habit – that of stillness and silence. In that silence profound insights begin to happen.

Check out my primary website, www.BettysHouseLifeAfterMS.com for details of my story. There is a free “meditation” report available there. Print it out and get started learning the incredible restorative powers you possess.

If you choose to make a small donation to the work of Betty’s House and its companion newsletter, Journey to Wellness, I’ll gift you with a very powerful four minute video on Spirituality. Response to that video has been phenomenal.

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday, surrounded by those you love.

Betty

IT IS WHAT IT IS - A Great Life Lesson

IT IS WHAT IT IS . . . Now that I am considered a senior citizen, it seems appropriate to review life lessons I am learning or have learned. Some time ago I heard a lecture entitled, “It Is What It IS . . . then move on.”

I cannot but think about all the times in my life I have wasted precious energy agonizing over something that ultimately proved to be irrelevant. For instance, isn’t it interesting how often we worry about what someone else will think, when the truth is that they rarely think about us at all!

When I was a young housewife and mother, I literally cowered in the presence of my mother-in-law. After all, I had been taught that mothers-in-law were “the enemy.” As I think back on that, all those years ago, it is hard to believe that I gave what she thought any consideration at all.

A few years later as a young single mother and business woman I was concerned that I always portrayed the best image of women in the work place. That was years before the so-called women’s movement. In truth, I just simply concentrated on doing a good job, and ended up advancing further than most of the men with whom I worked.

At this stage of my life I perceive that one of my most important life lessons is . . . still today . . . “IT IS WHAT IT IS . . . and then move on.” I was attempting to teach this lesson to my almost 15-year-old grandson the other day, and he looked at me as if I had lost my mind. He is a classic worrier. I told him that I am working on that lesson, and he said something like, “I’ll be watching, grandma.”

It occurs to me that “IT IS WHAT IT IS” is a great life lesson for all of us. I challenge you to think about developing that lesson even as I have. I believe it to be worth all the effort.

In my daily morning meditation I have added that as a primary goal. And in the evening, when I do my Qi Gong nighttime routine, just before I go to bed, as I do that relaxing and meditative routine I now think about my IT IS WHAT IT IS goal. I wish I had learned that lesson years ago, but I am equally grateful that I become aware of its importance at this stage of my life.

If you haven’t discovered the incredible healing and restorative powers of Qi Gong, the ancient Chinese healing form of Tai Chi, I encourage you to discover its healing capability. I think of Qi Gong as a healing meditation. It is one of the most important healing tools I have used to overcome multiple sclerosis.

I invite you to visit my primary website, http://www.bettyshouselifeafterms.com/, to read more about my story. I truly do believe that our bodies are innately able to heal themselves, and indeed are designed to do just that. And if I can do it, so can anyone else!

Meditation is an Effective Healing Tool

Nothing I have learned on my own healing journey is more important than developing a daily ritual, which includes meditation.

Early on in my quest for how to overcome my multiple sclerosis, I began serious meditation, not really knowing where it might lead. Meditation for me has developed into a great teacher.

Once I learned to tap into my inner knowing (higher self, spirit within, soul, or whatever you may wish to call your inner guidance), almost nothing in my life remained as it had been before.

Sixteen years ago, when I was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, I knew almost nothing about meditation, and I thought it was something mysetic, monks, etc., practiced. Today it is widely practiced by people in all walks of life. People who practice meditation range from those who are seeking stress relief, to those for whom it is a serious spiritual practice. During my experience of meditation I went from one seeking stress relief, all the way to being a serious seeker of deepening spiritual realization through this practice.

Simply put, meditation is training your mind to tune out the ceaseless mind chatter which engages our mind most of the time, and teaching it to re-learn mental silence. Dr. Wayne Dyer talks about the gap between our thoughts. Finding that gap is the goal of all serious meditators. It is in the gap that wonderful things occur.

On the physical level, whether one is interested in a spiritual practice or not, there are many benefits to be found through meditation. Here are a few:

• Helping lower blood pressure
• Decreasing heart and respiratory rates
• Increasing blood flow
• Enhanding immune function
• Reducing perception of pain
• Relieving chronic pain
• Maintaining a level mood
• Bringing awareness to everyday aspects of life

Pioneering pschologist Dr. Carl Jung said:

"Who looks without, dreams.
Who looks within, awakens."

The disciplines of Qi Gong and some forms of Yoga incorporate meditation as an important part of their practice. Some of these practices are literally moving meditations.

If you would like the simple, easy approach to meditation that I began with 16 years ago, please go to my home website: www.BettysHouseLifeAfterMS.com/Meditation.htm. I promise you that if you will make meditation a part of your lifestyle, you will find it as meaningful to you as it has become to me.

If you tend to equate meditation with religion, please know that I am not religious. To me religion is about dogma and rules, and I want no part of that. I am, however, a deeply spiritual person, and there is a big difference between the two. Learning to go within and connect with the spirit side of our nature is truly a life-enhancing experience.

Click here to visit my home website.

That's all for now.

Betty

Attitude - Food for Thought

What is your attitude today?

Some of my favorite quotes regarding attitude are from author Charles Swindoll:

"The remarkable thing is we have a choice everyday regarding

the attitude we will embrace for that day. We cannot change our past . . ."

"We cannot change the fact that people will act in a certain way.

We cannot change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is play

on the one string we have, and that is our attitude."

"I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% of

how I react to it. And so it is with you . . . We are in charge of our attitude."

When we fight against today, the things we cannot change, we will never win. But when we accept the inevitable and accept that we get to make a conscious choice how we will process what happens, that is the meaning we attach to what happens, then everything changes.

It seems to me that the foundation stones of a healthy life are attitude and belief. And I truly do know that I am in control of both! One of my favorite motivational speakers, Zig Zigler, is fond of referring to an attitude adjustment as a "check up from the neck up!"

However stated, I truly do know that we can take control of our attitude . . . not once in a while but all the time.

I apologize to regular readers for the inactive status of this blog in the last three months. I promise there will be frequent updates in the future.

JUST WHAT IS HEALING ANYWAY?

While thinking about natural healing today, it occurred to me that healing is a difficult-to-define word. I talk and write about it all the time, rather assuming we are all on the same page about what it is.

There is of course physical healing of our body, but there is much more to healing. In a broad sense I define healing as "changing whatever you need to change in your life."

Perhaps we need to "heal" a relationship. Perhaps it is a psychological or behavioral challenge we need to heal. Then there are those who have a sickness or any one of numerous addictions. Most of us, if we are truly honest with ourselves, will admit to being or having been addicted to some thing at some time.

All of the above in a broad sense are sicknesses. And of course there are many more. Sometimes we just need to heal how we handle certain situations for which there seems to be no solution. I do believe, however, that most of the avenues to ALL HEALING have very common denominators, while keeping in mind that there are definitely no magic wands, although some healing tools seem almost to fit that definition.

CONNECTING WITH OUR SOURCE: Mending and/or strengthening our connection to our source, creator, the universe, God, or whatever one chooses to call that all powerful, all knowing energy that fuels our universe. I believe the best way to connect with our source is through meditation, which is in a way a form of prayer.



Meditation and visualization can open the door to healing on all levels. If you haven’t already done so, I urge you to make the time to practice meditation at the start of each day. A habit very soon becomes a routine or ritual, and this is one that will very soon become a highlight of each day.


OUR MIND IS POWERFUL: Recognizing the incredible, awesome power of our mind! Paraphrasing Henry Ford, "If you think you can, you are right, and if you think you can't you are right also! The thoughts we think, and the words we say, are more powerful than we can even imagine.


INTENTION IS PARAMOUNT: Healing will never occur unless and until we set our intention to heal. That encompasses our belief and attitude. Brian Johnson of PhilosophersNotes.com (whom I very highly recommend) talks about being diligent, passionate, persistent, and playful. My experience is that one needs all those attributes in order to succeed at healing. Connect with Brian at PhilosophersNotes.com. He is an awesome young man.


BUILD YOUR BELIEF: Everything else is built on a foundation of belief and attitude. Read transformative books and create positive affirmations to aid in all the above.


THE PHYSICAL ASPECTS OF HEALING: Cornerstones of healing must include a commitment to nutrition, exercise, and restorative sleep. The physical side of healing must be part of any wellness program.

~ I will until! ~

PERSISTENCE: Persistence is extremely important. In his book, Real Magic, Dr. Wayne Dyer says you can have instant transformation, which he calls satori, or you can take a few years to accomplish that goal. In either case, you get to decide which path you take!

WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR!!!

There is no such day on any calendar as "tomorrow." We only have today. I hope you will have the courage to start on your own healing path today.


I invite you to read my healing story at www.BettysHouseLifeAfterMS.com. You can heal and transform your life. The power you possess is awesome!


Connect with me on Facebook and Twitter.

OUR BREATH - A Powerful Healing Tool

We all need to learn how to breathe . . . or perhaps how to breathe properly. OK. I know you are probably asking, why do I need to learn anything about breathing. Doesn't my body do that automatically? Well, yes and no!

It is true that breathing is a function of the autonomic nervous system, which means that it functions without conscious instructions from us. So why the big deal about breathing? Quite simply, breathing properly is the easiest healing tool to master.

I believe in the KIS - Keep It Simple! - approach to healing.

I am not a scientist, nor am I a medically trained expert, but I have learned to heal my body and maintain natural health. I believe that we do not have to understand how everything works in order to accept and use the techniques.

Breathing, properly that is, really is a huge deal for our body. While food feeds our physical body, the breath feeds our soul!

Our life began "officially" when our mother gave birth to us and we inhaled our very first breath. And our physical life will continue until we breathe our last conscious breath and we move on to our next experience. We call that death.

Just like most things in our life, breathing can either be conscious (deliberate) or unconscious (on automatic pilot).

I like to simplify breathing by thinking of inhaling as taking in life-giving energy (oxygen) into our body, and exhaling as ridding our body of left-over residue (carbon dioxide). But our breath also fills many other functions.

Ancient Chinese medicine teaches that our body is inherently electric, and that energy meridians direct the flow of that energy, which they called qi (or chi) throughout our body. That theory is the basis for acupuncture. Out of that theory came the development of the precursor to Tai Chi called Qi (energy in Chinese) Gong (work in Chinese), that is energy work.

The theory behind most Chinese medicine is that blockages or disruptions in the flow of our body's energy are responsible for most dis-ease in our body. Qi Gong is a system of breathing patterns combined with specific flowing movements and self-massage to restore and/or correct that energy flow. Qi Gong is often referred to as a moving meditation.

I equate our breath as the outward manifestation of our soul, inasmuch as the breath is the initial manifestation of the beginning of our life on this planet and the final manifestation at the end of our life.

When I first began to study how powerful breath work can be, my first question was, if breathing is more or less automatic, how and why could it be a big deal? The answer is that our stressful life style today, sort of living on overdrive as most of us do, puts huge demands on our autonomic nervous system. And one of the demonstrations of that overload is shallow breathing, which does not instigate relaxation and renewal of many body functions. Shallow breathing also is thought to contribute to disruptions in the flow of our body's chi or life force.

Here are a couple of very powerful yet simple and easy breathing techniques that I learned from Qi Gong:

• Always breath deeply into the abdomen. This is called abdominal breathing. Just imagine you are inflating a balloon in the lower abdomen, then exhale slowly as the balloon deflates. Repeat after one normal breath.
  


• First inflate the lower half of the lungs - hesitate a couple of seconds - then inflate the upper half of the lungs, inhaling all the way to the top of the lungs while raising the shoulders and pulling them back in order to fully inflate the lungs. Then exhale very slowly, making an audible "ahh" sound as you exhale. Repeat after one normal breath.

Those of you who know my story know that I healed myself of Primary Progressive Multiple Sclerosis, for which there is no recognized medical treatment. One of my primary resources was learning to use Qi Gong every single day, and now, 14 years later I am totally symptom free. I still practice meditation and Qi Gong daily. Modified yoga also played a significant role in my recovery. Yoga also emphasizes the role of our breath and what it calls prana (life force).

It is important to note that whatever physical challenges our bodies develop, the effective healing tools remain the same - daily breath work, gentle exercise, meditation, and careful nutrition.

Please see my primary website, www.BettysHouseLifeAfterMS.com for details of my story.

You will find a very simple beginning meditation at this website, which may be downloaded.

LET'S CONNECT ON FACEBOOK, TWITTER, OR BETTY'S HOUSE.

The Science of Change

MAKING QUANTUM PHYSICS SIMPLE

For many years I have had an inner knowing that I and only I determine (at some level) everything that happens in my life. I also somehow knew that I didn't need to understand how that worked in order to accept that it indeed does work.

I came to believe and accept that we all make choices every minute of every day that determine how our lives turn out.

Through quantum physics we have learned that our universe - everything in it and on it, including you and me - is made up of vibrating energy. And scientists have determined the vibration level of most things. We now know that there is a yin and yang, a positive and a negative, to everything, including our thoughts, intentions and beliefs. These energies determine what we create in our lives.

If we want to change what we are creating,

we must change our thoughts, attitudes and beliefs.

What a great big "a-ha" that is.

Actually this is all rather simple. The first step to making positive change is accepting that we are beings of choice; that is, we make choices ever minute of every day that determine how our day and ultimately our life turns out.

We do not have to be victims, like a ship without an engine or a sail. One of my favorite motivational speakers, Zig Ziegler, says we are only victims of our own "stinkin' thinking."

Remember that homily that goes something like, "If you always do what you have always done, you will always get what you have always gotten!" By applying quantum physics to this simple analogy, we have a formula for changing what we are creating in our life. In other words, you gotta put the good stuff in, in order to get the good stuff out!

The more positive our attitude, thoughts, intentions, and belief, the more we will create what we want in our life, as opposed to what we don't want.

I can hear you saying, "That may be well and good Betty, but what about the how to? I suggest:

• Recognize that you can change
  
• Make a conscious decision to change
  
• Be stubbornly committed to changing
  
• First thing every morning set your intention for the day
  
• Look nose-to-nose at yourself in a mirror and talk to yourself - the innate you that resides deep inside - "I am happy, healthy, abundant, and at peace within" is a good place to start
  
• Gradually build an internal dialog with yourself - this is one of the most powerful tools for change that I know
  
• Begin the daily practice of meditation - slow deep breathing in a quiet place for 10 minutes is a good start

Remember that meaningful change doesn't occur rapidly.
The salient phrase is, "I will until . . ."

I invite you to visit my main website, http://www.bettyshouselifeafterms.com/ and read my story of reversing primary progressive multiple sclerosis. I am walking proof that self-healing is possible. If I can do it, you can do it too!　

The Ultimate in 2-way Communication

. . . between us (our mentality) and our body

In order to have communication there must be a sender and a receiver. Let's first look at communication from our body to our us. I call the instigator of this dialog our Internal Guidance System or IGS.

Actually our body is communicating or "talking" to us all the time, but unfortunately we tend not to pay attention most of the time. Our IGS communicates with us in lots of ways. The most obvious is through pain, like when we have a headache, or we have indigestion, shortness of breath, perhaps muscle cramps, or we feel dizzy. But unfortunately most of the time we either ignore what our body is trying to tell us, or we go in search of a "pill" to make our discomfort go away.

When we experience these uncomfortable symptoms (communications) from our IGS, what it is really saying is, "I'm not happy down here. Help!" All too often we give it a band-aid and hope the discomfort will go away.

I suggest that the appropriate response to our body's call for help is to analyze why and/or how it is uncomfortable. I we have indigestion after a spicy meal, then our IGS is telling us that we should avoid that food. It doesn't need a band-aid in the form of an antiacid. The same is true for an aspirin or other pain reliever when we experience pain. The pain reliever just masks the problem.

At a future time we'll cover a lot more about our IGS and how we may easily learn to recognize its various roles in our lives.

Our body was/is designed to be self-healing. Medical professionals tell us today that the vast majority of every dis-ease is preventable with lifestyle changes. That is where we become the sender and our body is the recipient in this two-way communication.

Interestingly not only is our body communicating with us all the time; we are also communicating with our body.

I can hear you saying, "OK Betty . . . I get that my body has ways of talking to me, but how do I talk to my body?"

I'm glad you asked! Actually it is very simple. The way we do or do not take care of our body is a very important way we communicate:

• Feeding it healthy, nutritious food
  
• Exercising it appropriately - like by daily Qi Gong or Yoga practice
  
• Learning a few deep breathing exercises
  
• Getting sufficient healthy sleep

Putting these all together they simply add up to a healthy lifestyle.

These are the most basic ways we communicate with our body. But in adition we need to learn the ultimate 2-way communication with our body is achieved through meditation.

The most important thing I learned in my own healing journey to overcoming multiple sclerosis was to get acquainted with the healer within through meditation.

Yes, that's right. We all have a healer residing inside of us. As I learned to tap into that internal intelligence that I call the healer within, everything in my life began to change, and then I began to heal physically.

I learned the daily practice of modified hatha yoga, but most importantly the powerful ancient Chinese healing wisdom of Qi Gong. For the last fourteen years it has been a part of almost every day of my life. Check out the archives of this blog for more information about Qi Gong.

I learned the truth behind this quote from the first book I wrote about my healing journey, From MS to Wellness.

We don't see things as they are . . .
we see things as WE are

As I write this it is Easter Sunday, and I hope you all are having a lovely holiday. Blessings to all.

I invite you to visit my main website, wwwBettysHouseLifeAfterMS.com.

THE THREE FACES OF HEALING

Self Healing is both Simple and Easy!

I write and teach about healing all the time, and frequently people say to me that I make it seem almost too simple and too easy. When I first began writing about my own healing journey of overcoming multiple sclerosis, I learned that in order to be "believable" I had to make everything I wrote fit neatly into those two categories. That is, say everything in the simplest and easiest terms possible. I still try to adhere to that formula.

Let's see how simple I can make it!
We are three-part beings, SPIRIT, MIND and BODY,
and if we don't address all those areas our

self-healing is not likely to be successful.

MEET YOUR HEALER WITHIN

Early on in my healing journey I developed a daily ritual of at least half an hour of meditation, and I still maintain my daily meditation 15 years later. As a matter of fact I consider it very important on many levels. Initially it was a way of reducing stress, but as my meditation practice matured I learned that it was a way of connecting with the healer within. The healer that resides in each one of us.

Shortly thereafter a friend gave me a Qi Gong/Tai Chi video program. It took me a couple of years of working daily with that simple Qi Gong routine and reading about Qi Gong and its ancient Chinese healing wisdom, to begin to understand that Qi Gong can be a very effective moving meditation.

And the longer I have continued my daily Qi Gong practice the more I have become "tuned in" to all the healing benefits it offers. Qi Gong addresses all aspects of the healing triangle of BODY, MIND and SPIRIT, all rolled into one simple, easy-to learn practice. I urge everyone to explore the many benefits Qi Gong offers.

The Chinese believe that dis-ease in our body is caused by disruptions and/or blockages in the natural flow of Qi (energy) along meridians that follow very specific patterns in our body. Qi Gong's goal is to correct that energy flow. Acupuncture and acupressure disciplines are also founded on the body's energy meridians.

Other healing disciplines such as kinesiology have their origins in an understanding of our body's energy and how it works to help us stay healthy. Unfortunately, many of modern medicines techniques interferes with that process and thus inhibits natural healing.

A look at the so-called "side effects" of medicines
provides evidence of how pharmaceuticals
interfere with natural healing.

Next week I'll share information about our body's Internal Guidance System, which provides 2-way communication between our body and our conscious mind.

PROBIOTICS VS. FIBER

THE WITCHERY OF THE MEDIA

Sometimes it seems that we go from one "magic" food to another. So much of what we consume in today's society is determined by the "in" food or item of the day. The really interesting thing about that is that the popularity of all these foods and/or items is created by the media.

Do you ever stop to think that in many ways we are robots, driven by the media? This is especially true for all drugs, both pharmaceutical and over the counter, as well as supplements.

And the pharmaceutical houses are such hypocrites . . . they complain to the FDA that supplements are not regulated and therefore recommendations for their use are not reliable, when actually a large percentage of them are manufactured by those same pharmaceutical houses!


Let the truth be known - the market for these "in" products of the day are created by clever ad agencies. I could list dozens of these relatively useless products that have come and gone over my lifetime. But today I want to talk about a current one, about which we are being very cleverly misinformed . . .

Probiotics

While healthy intestinal flora is important to our overall health, today it is being touted in the media as an almost magic ingredient. Let the truth be known: Unless you have taken a round of antibiotics, which kills off not only the bad "bugs" but also the good ones in your digestive track, YOU DO NOT NEED PROBIOTICS!

The yogurt makers say they are adding small amounts of probiotics to their product, and "guaranteeing" that it will increase your immune response, as well as correct just about every digestive condition there is, from indigestion to constipation. Here's the real truth. Any benefit one gets from ingesting yogurt with probiotics added would get the same benefit from plain healthy yogurt! And if you are eating the "fruit added" kinds you are probably eating high fructose corn syrup used in a jam-like product added to the yogurt. READ THE LABEL! And if the product is touted as low calorie, it is probably sweetened with a very unhealthy sugar substitute.

PLEASE HEAR ME - YOGURT WITH
PROBIOTICS IS NOT A HEALTH FOOD!

Does the food industry want you to think you
need to ingest probiotics? Of course!

They are not in business to help you be healthy,"
they are in business to make huge profits.

So what is the answer to a healthy intestinal flora, as well as all kinds of digestion problems? We simply need to eat a plain, old-fashioned high fiber diet, just as we did before processed, packaged foods arrived in our supermarkets. This means a diet consisting of lots of fruit, vegetables, whole grains and legumes (beans and peas), lentils, nuts, seeds, etc.


There are different types of fiber. Oats for example contains a type of fiber that benefits the heart and circulatory system, while other types of fiber work to clean out the intestines and remove the sometimes toxic by-products of digestion as well as viruses, and other bacteria.


Probably the best and most noticeable benefit from eating a high fiber diet is it prevents constipation. What's not to like about that! But just as importantly, a high fiber diet keeps your gut healthy, and your immune system strong.

In the future I'll write more about the benefits of a high fiber diet. In the meantime, let's forget the marketing hype about probiotics. Just remember, yogurt with probiotics is not a health food!

I invite you to share your experiences with diet modification.

Please visit my primary website,
http://www.BettysHouseLifeAfterMS.com.

INTRODUCTION TO MEDITATION

Meditation is a really powerful tool for healthy living. It means different things to those of us who practice this discipline on a regular basis.

What is Meditation Really: I have been practicing meditation regularly for a lot of years, and I define it at its most elementary level as "stilling the mind chatter" that we all experience all the time. The goal is to reach the alpha state where the mind is quiet.

To some meditation is merely a tool to help them learn to relax. Today research has linked a regular practice of meditation to reduced levels of anxiety and stress, in addition to improved immune function as well as a host of other health benefits. Many physicians not only practice meditation themselves but recommend it to their stressed patients.

On the other hand meditation is a powerful tool for self-awareness, centering and spiritual development. Either of these two extremes - and anything in between - are worthy goals of meditation. The longer we practice meditation, however, the closer we tend to be drawn to the self-awareness and spiritual aspects.

It is very important to note that spiritual is not necessarily religious. I am not a religious person, in terms of practicing any religion, but I am a deeply spiritual person, and the longer I practice meditation the deeper it has taken me into developing spirituality.

I personally was not successful in my early attempts at meditation. It took me quite a few efforts to finally learn that I had a misconception of not only what meditation is, but I also had a misconception of what was supposed to happen when I meditated. Then when "nothing" happened I felt I had failed. I became convinced that I simply could not learn to meditate.

Actually thinking one cannot meditate is like thinking one cannot breathe! Meditating is a perfectly natural state, and everyone can do it. I suppose one of the first lessons I learned when I finally "got it" was that nothing is supposed to happen, or rather whatever happens is what is supposed to happen!

Here is a simple introduction to meditation :

Preparation: If possible, have a special place and time of day to meditate. Mid-morning is the best time of day for me, and I have a very comfortable swivel rocker in my bedroom where I have meditated for years. Remove your shoes; loosen any tight clothing, etc. before you begin.The very easiest and simplest approach to beginning meditation for anyone is:

Step 1: Begin with several very deep, slow breaths. Inhale deeply and exhale as slowly as possible. The breath is the key to relaxation, as well as going within.

Step 2: With eyes closed, relax your entire body by focusing your attention first on your face and head, neck, shoulders, arms, chest, abdomen, upper back, lower back, hips, thighs, legs, and finally feet.

Step 3: Then imagine a bright, white light entering the top of your head. Imagine that gradually it moves ever so slowly down your body, saturating each cell with the wonderful healing and rejuvenating light, following the pattern of your relaxation above. Imagine that the light is energizing, healing and rejuvenating every cell, system and organ of your body. After your entire body is saturated with the light, then imagine that in addition there is a halo of the white light surrounding your entire body, and that you are sitting in the center of that light. Bask in the essence of your entire body as a being of light.

Step 4: Then imagine that you are descending a beautiful staircase. With each step as you descend, allow yourself to relax more and more into that light. At the bottom of the stairs is a magnificent garden with incredibly beautiful trees, shrubs and flowers, and perhaps a fountain. Hear the sound of the water in the fountain, as it trickles into a brook that runs through your garden. Hear the sound of a breeze in the trees, and the birds chirping in your garden, perhaps a frog in the background. Now notice that there are comfortable places in your garden to sit (I see a white marble bench).

Step 5: After being seated, begin to repeat a mantra, a repeated word or phrase, silently to yourself. Examples are "OM," "I AM," I AM LOVE," "I AM ONE WITH ALL THAT IS," or whatever is meaningful to you. You may also just concentrate on your breath. The purpose of the mantra is to mentally focus on something so that you still the mind chatter that clutters our minds. I find "I AM LOVE" to be very effective. If you find your mind wandering to other thoughts, just gently bring it back to your mantra.

I suggest that you not go beyond Steps 1 through 5 until you are really comfortable with the process, and it becomes a habit. That may take weeks or months, perhaps even years. The more consistent your practice, the sooner you will develop the skill.

And also, please remember that you must be determined to stay with it until you "get it." Half an hour should be your goal, but when you first begin 15-20 minutes is a good goal, or perhaps just 5 minutes. You will develop the technique much more rapidly if you are able to have two meditation periods each day, in the morning and again in the early evening.

If you are a person who has a very difficult time relaxing and getting into meditation, you may make the first step just playing some lovely, relaxing background music, while you sit quietly and just listen. If you do that for half an hour, I’m sure you will learn to quiet your mind. Then you can move into Step 1 of this meditation guide.

Meditation is such an important self-healing tool. I hope each one of you find that healing place inside yourself. It is worth all the effort to get there.

There are also forms of moving meditations, combined with breathing patterns, which are centered around Qi Gong and/or Yoga, and which I highly recommend. We'll explore those in future blog postings.

I invite you to visit my home website, www.BettysHouseLifeAfterMS.com. There you will learn how I overcame Primary Progressive Multiple Sclerosis.

WILL YOU DO IT?

The Decision is Yours to Make!

I frequently have telephone consultations with newly diagnosed people with Multiple Sclerosis. His/her first question usually is, "Will your program work for me?" My response, "I don't know." Then I continue, "But you have asked the wrong question; the appropriate question is, will you work at the program?" Thus my answer to their original question is, "I DON'T KNOW." And the answer to my question back to them,"Will you work at the program?" is also, " I DON'T KNOW." Only you hold the key to that answer.

In the 13 years I have been counseling people about self-healing, it seems to me that the most challenging task they must overcome is first their search for something or someone outside of themselves. The concept that they hold the Kay to their health, that they are the creator of their universe, may be new to them. And if they are a fundamentally religious person who believes in praying to some power outside themselves, sometimes that concept is difficult to overcome.

Please understand that I am not a religious person, in that I am not affiliated with any formal church, but I am a deeply spiritual person. If you can get your head around the following, I guarantee you will be successful at helping your body to heal itself. Incidentally, my definition of healing is simple: CHANGING WHATEVER ONE WISHES TO CHANGE!

PHYSICAL TOOLS

• Learn to feed your body wholesome, healthy, natural fuel (foods). Do it in steps, first eliminating processed sugars (of all kinds, as much as possible) and bleached fours, and everything made from them, and emphasizing fresh fruits and veggies.


• Gentle stretching exercises combined with specific breathing patterns. Your breath works in tandem with your body's chi (energy system), which is the physical expression of our soul. Remember that our physical life begins with our first breath and ends with our final breath.

MENTAL TOOLS

• No more powerful tool for healing exists than meditation . . . everyone can learn this technique.


• Accept the concept that you can have a two-way conversation with your body.


• Our body talks to us all the time, through pain, discomfort, fatigue, etc.


• Learn to talk back to your body. We do that with thoughts and spoken words.


• Affirmations are powerful "voices" with which we can talk to our body. Who are we talking to when we say affirmations? Ourselves . . . that creative genius that exists inside each one of us. It doesn't matter what we call it. I choose to call it the God within. It is this genius from which we create everything - health, wealth, relationships, etc - in our lives.


• Learn to use the power of your mind through visualizations - another powerful communication tool.

The Universe has given us a whole "toolbox" of skills. They work for everyone, all the time, no matter what we wish to heal (change) in our lives. Remember that we are creating our lives every minute of every day . . . either consciously or unconsciously. LET'S CHOOSE TO DO IT CONSCIOUSLY!

I hope I've inspired you to heal you life. Check out my websites, http://www.bettyshouselifeafterms.com/, and www.FourStepstoOvercomingMS.com

Betty

Healthy Longevity

Senior Citizen! I love this stage of my life, but I find it easier to say "mature" or "aging" rather than senior. I know that it is a societal prejudice, especially since we are all living longer. I keep reminding myself that aging is not optional!

Perhaps our aversion to being a senior is because at some deep level we spend much of our life in denial. As we watch parents and friends age, that is sort of something that happens to "them," not us. Then one day the big 70 rolls around and we must admit that we are now "them."

Now that I have reached that magic time of life, and I am very healthy and active, I think a lot about how to age well, and what that really means.

AGING WELL: What is it, and what can I do contribute to aging well myself?

First we need to accept that we can age well, and that we must take responsibility for doing that. Health and happiness are both things that we create. Conversely being unhealthy or unhappy are also states that we create, either consciously or unconsciously. So I see my major task is to be certain that I am CONSCIOUSLY contributing to my health and happiness.

I live in an age-55-plus community where I serve as treasurer of our home owners' association. I also am a regular volunteer at the Senior Center in the city where I live. Volunteering in recent years has added great meaning to my life. Both these volunteer activities provide lots of opportunities to observe mature people at all stages of their advancing years.

Some are always negative, while others are always positive. Some are always unhappy, while others are always happy. Some have a reputation of always being troublemakers.

Some are always complaining about their physical ailments, while others never complain. Some are eager to learn new things, while others just "go with the flow," in their same old rut.

Some are old people at 60, while others happily look forward to their century mark birthday. I believe that for most of us the choices we make every day determine how our lives turn out. The key word here is CHOICES. Choices are something we and only we must take responsibility for.

I see nutrition and physical activity as the two biggest physical aspects to aging healthily. A healthy diet and relative normal weight, coupled with consistent moderate exercise, are the cornerstone of my own healthy lifestyle program. I have practiced Qi Gong (chee kung) seriously for about 12 years, for at least half an hour 5-6 times each week.

QI GONG CHANGED MY LIFE! I am passionate about fitness. I like Qi Gong because it utilizes my body's own energy as a healing tool. It improves the quality of my sleep, improves my energy level, as well as the functioning of my immune response. Actually, all areas of my life function better because of my practice of Qi Gong. I also highly recommend Yoga.

THE ULTIMATE EXERCISE, of course, is the simplest - WALKING! It doesn't require any special instruction or equipment, and no one can say, "I can't do that!" All one needs to do is have your desire to be healthier in good order, and then put on a pair of good walking shoes and head out the door. Such a deal!

If walking is a challenge for you, then begin by taking a few steps inside your home, extending the number of steps each day. Soon you'll be outside enjoying the fresh air and your neighborhood.

REACHING THE CENTURY MARK: I have a friend, a retired medical doctor, who just had his 100th birthday, and here are some of his suggestions for longevity:

o You must stay active, both mentally and physically

o You must make good food choices

o You must remain physically fit, with some kind of regular fitness program

o You must maintain a positive attitude

o You must take responsibility for all the above

I have decided I want to be just like him when I grow up!

WHAT IS IMPORTANT IN LIFE: One of the most important lessons I have learned in my mature years is that the things I thought were important when I was younger are not and never were really important. Such things as the accumulation of things come to mind. I have also come to know that the most important things in my life are relationships. I treasure the relationships I have with my daughter-in-law and grandson, especially since losing my then 42-year-old son three years ago, and also many friends. They are all important to me.

I have learned that the best things in life really are free. I have learned that when all is said and done and our life is over, the only thing that remains is the love.