Looking at the foundations of optimal health and overall well-being, it is safe to say most of us, whether having endured chronic illness or not, understand that it’s more than just the food we eat and the exercise we choose. Our physical body and the structural state of our person, the environment we reside in, our emotions – they all play a role in the delicate balance within our body. Just as important and often underrated, the subtle body, or our energetics, also contribute to our health and vitality. In a perfect world, these factors all come together in harmony, to allow us to be the healthiest version of ourselves. Balanced, happy, well and at peace.

When our health is out of balance, we can’t expect to simply change our diet, take some supplements and hit a yoga class or the gym and BAM we’re back to 100%! Sadly, it is never that simple. We are complicated beings, with many layers and levels of complexity that come together to create a unique and very special bio-individual. Ultimately, we seek to maintain balance within our body, but if we are holding onto anything, energetically, it can create blockages which keep the free-flowing nature of our truest self, challenged.

As part of my current healing plan, I have been approaching my health from all avenues, honoring every modality presented to me and every opportunity to heal. Beyond my yoga and meditation practices, recently I have added reiki to the energetic side of my healing protocol and I am so very fortunate to have an incredible friend and reiki master, Brook Albrigo  living very nearby. I have been spending time celebrating the moon cycles each month, at Brook’s sound healing ceremonies here in Long Beach and now seeing her for one-on-one reiki sessions.

What is Reiki?

Have you ever noticed that your first reaction to an injury or pain is to put your hands on that area? Or that when a loved one is suffering, you automatically hold their hand, touch their shoulder or embrace them? We all have this instinct to use our hands to comfort, heal and console.

Simply put, Reiki (ray-key) is Japanese for universal (rei) life energy (ki). It exists in all living things. When our life-force energy, or ki, is free-flowing and balanced, we experience a true sense of self, harmony and good health.

Reiki takes our hands-on-healing instinct and moves it a step further by opening a channel in the Reiki practitioner where life-force energy can move through their hands and reconnect to the recipient. The Reiki energy knows where to go and balances on every level. There is no religion or belief system required to experience the benefits of Reiki — and they truly are limitless, since it operates on every level of well-being.

Brook takes the Reiki concept and incorporates shamanic healing through intuitive guidance.  Shamanic Healing is one of the oldest forms of medicine and is based on the belief that everything has a spirit- plants, animals, directions, etc. It expands on the Reiki concept by allowing guidance and healing from the wisdom of nature. By working closely with these nature guides and Reiki, Brook can help align you with your own ability to heal.

Chakras

Often following a reiki session, you will be advised you may be blocked, deficient or excessive in a certain chakra or chakras. Our chakras are spinning wheels of concentrated energies within our body. The chakras exist where the three nadis (energetic pathways in which energy moves throughout system) intersect at seven places.  (read more about the chakras here)

For my recent reiki session, we were working on clearing my Navel Chakra. The Navel Chakra is located between your navel and the bottom of your rib cage. It is your 3rd chakra and also known as the Solar Plexus Chakra. The Sanskrit word for this chakra is Manipura Chakra and it means “city of shining jewels.” The symbol associated with this chakra the yellow lotus with ten petals.

The Navel Chakra is where your strongest sense of self is stored. Here is where all your personal boundaries are set. It is the chakra of self esteem and willpower. Your personal growth and change stem from this chakra. It is the key to transformation.

The good news is that we have the power and knowledge to clear, charge, and balance our chakras to heal them, at times before physical symptoms ever develop. This is one of the most incredible things about energy medicine — you can address issues in your field before they manifest in your body. It is also an incredible option for those working on a healing plan that hasn’t yet yielded results for some of the unexplained physical symptoms. Working with a energy healer, like Brook, through reiki, can help you determine which of your chakras needs balancing and for many people it will be several chakras. With this knowledge and information you can then target your efforts toward the energy center that needs the most help. Making your food choices for the health of your chakras is another way to get started healing your chakras, and your life.

Nourishing Energy – Eating to Heal the Chakras

Energy is the foundation for everything on this planet, and as you may recall from science class, energy cannot be created nor destroyed; it can only be transformed. When we need fuel, we need to eat food. But, did you know that you can choose foods that have specific vibrations that correspond to certain chakras, thereby aiding to raise that chakra’s vibration and recharging it? With this knowledge, you can eat for nourishing bodily fuel and eat to support your chakras. After my recent session, Brook advised that I consume more yellow foods to help clear and balance my Solar Plexus. I also felt called to warming spices to stoke my internal fire and voila this beautiful, vibrant recipe was born.

This creamy, warming soup has a subtle heat and many layers of complex flavors and textures with the creamy tartness of the coconut yogurt swirled on top. It’s finished with the sweet crispy crunch of the roasted maple turmeric pepitas again bringing one final splash of the golden yellow hue.

With this warming, vibrant, sunny-colored soup, allow the heat of the curry to stoke the “fire in your belly” and guide you to manifesting your hopes and dreams into action.

If you are in the Southern California, contact Brook to schedule a Shamanic Reiki Session, Sound Healing Sessions and more. If you are not local, Brook also offers Distance Healing Sessions, as Reiki energy transcends time and space.

[print_this]Curried Butternut Squash Soup with Maple Turmeric Roasted Pepitas {gluten-free, paleo, vegan}

serves 4

• 2 tablespoons coconut oil, ghee or olive oil
• 1 small onion, diced
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh peeled ginger
• 1 1/2 – 2 pounds butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into chunks
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 tablespoon curry powder
• 2 cups homemade or canned, store-bought low-sodium chicken or vegetable stock
• 1 fifteen-ounce can full-fat organic coconut milk
• juice from half of a lime

Garnish:

• freshly chopped cilantro or chives, for garnish
• coconut yogurt, regular yogurt or coconut cream, for garnish
• maple turmeric roasted pepitas, for garnish (recipe below)

Heat oil in a large Dutch oven or pot over medium heat. Add onions and cook, stirring, about 2-3 minutes. Add the garlic, and continue to stir; then add ginger. Continue cooking until onions are soft and translucent, about 3 minutes. Stir in squash, salt, and curry powder; cook for 10 minutes.

Raise the heat to medium-high, and add chicken stock. Cover, and bring to a boil. Immediately lower the heat, and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring every few minutes. Add the coconut milk and continue cooking for another 10 minutes. Add the fresh lime juice.

Using an immersion blender or in batches using a high speed blender such as a Vitamix, puree until smooth.

Reheat soup, seasoning with salt. Garnish with cilantro, a swirl of yogurt or coconut cream and the Maple Turmeric Roasted Pepitas and serve immediately.

Maple Turmeric Roasted Pepitas

• 1 cup hulled pumpkin seeds (also known as pepitas)*
• 1 tablespoon coconut oil (melted) or olive oil
• 1 1/2 tablespoons maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• sea salt to taste

Preheat the oven to 350ºF.

Combine the pumpkin seeds, oil, maple syrup, turmeric and black pepper in a bowl and stir to coat.

Spread the seeds out on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and cook for 10 minutes. 
 Stir the seeds and cook another few minutes or until golden and crispy (make sure to keep an eye on them in the last few minutes of cooking so they don’t burn). 
Let cool and serve.

RECIPE NOTES: I used sprouted pumpkin seeds, as these are much easier on the digestion (see this post)

 

[/print_this]