1. Feeling Sluggish or Low Energy As the brain processes emotions, it uses a lot of energy. So, it makes sense that the more intense the emotion, the less energy you have. In 2011, a study in BMC Research Notes looked into 2,483 people with fatigue. They concluded that energy levels decreased with higher stress. People who feel overwhelmed may drink less water, eat unhealthily, or not catch enough sleep. All of these actions can contribute to persistent fatigue. Massage is a great way to help us deal with the demands associated with our modern lifestyles and restore our vitality. When you take care of yourself you have more to give and this helps to prevent burnout. 2. Having Trouble Making Decisions Anyone who has ever tried to make a decision while under stress knows just how much more difficult it can be. The more stressed you are, the riskier certain decisions appear. According to studies, a person’s inability to make decisions doesn’t create more stress. Instead, stress has an acute effect on, “valuation, learning, and risk-taking.” In a report published by the National Center for Biotechnology Information, it was theorized that “stress exposure influences basic neural circuits involved in reward processing and learning, while also biasing decisions towards habit and modulating our propensity to engage in risk-taking.” When stress is not relieved it can manifest as illness. By setting aside time on a regular basis for massage therapy our overall health, energy, and mental attitude improves while stress declines and our mental acuity is clearer for making better decisions and interactions. 3. You Get Sick More Often Stress hits your immune system. In 2010, researchers analyzed 27 studies and wrote their conclusions in Psychosomatic Medicine. They found that people with high-stress levels have a higher chance of developing respiratory infections. Another study in the journal Age stated that stressed participants experienced a weakened immune response to the flu vaccine. According to Simple Psychology, the stress hormone corticosteroid can lower the number of lymphocytes in the immune system. In other words, stress prevents our immune system from working efficiently. That's why people tend to become sick during or after stressful periods. Massage therapy has been used as a simple method for attaining and maintaining good health for centuries. Back in 400 B.C., Hippocrates, known as the first physician, wrote about the benefits of massage. 4. You Struggle To Remember In 2018, researchers published the results of a study that they had been conducting since 1948. The Framingham Heart Study followed residents of Framingham, Massachusetts, and their reactions to stress. They concluded that people with the highest levels of cortisol (the stress hormone) experienced the most memory loss, putting them at risk for dementia. According to psychologist Jeffrey Rossman, chronic stress may shrink your hippocampus over time. The hippocampus controls your short-term memory, and damage to the hippocampus can make you struggle with memory loss. In most cases, overcoming your stress will return your memory. Just another reason to get regular massage. 5. You Frequently Feel Bored Yes, it’s true. Feeling bored may sound like the opposite of stress, but recent research suggests that they may be connected. In 2012, researchers at the University of Toronto explored how the environment affects boredom. They found that stressful environments are more likely to trigger boredom. "We know when people are stressed, it makes it harder to focus and pay attention at a very basic, fundamental level," explains John Eastwood, a professor of psychology and co-author of the study. Eastwood says that the more stimuli we have, the less attention we can afford. As a result, we don't feel engaged or entertained. Regular massage can restore your vitality and vigor for life. 6. Stress Messes with The Digestive System When people feel stress, the gut is one of the first bodily systems to suffer. In an interview with SELF, gastroenterologist Dr. Kyle Staller said that patients often experienced constipation and diarrhea during stress. "Your gastrointestinal tract has many nerves and is a nervous system organ much like the brain," he explained. "The brain can impact what's going on in the gastrointestinal tract, and vice versa." In 2009, researchers examined 18 studies and wrote about the results in Digestion. They concluded that stress increased digestive symptoms such as diarrhea, constipation, and exacerbated inflammatory bowel disease (IBS). If you're suffering through bowel irregularity, stress may be to blame. Issues with the gut and the digestion system respond well to a holistic approach. Stress reduction is crucial and a systemic review found that massage works well along with diet and exercise. 7. Your Appetite Lowers and Then Increases Stress can either increase your appetite or decrease it. How does this happen? According to Harvard Health, stress activates the hormone epinephrine that triggers your fight-or-flight response. In the short term, this hormone puts eating on hold. If stress doesn't end, though, cortisol levels will continue to rise, which increases cravings. A 2006 study in Nutrition Research found that 38% of stressed participants had a lower appetite, while 62% ate more. If you're aware of your appetite increase, you can work to prevent unhealthy weight loss and gain with a more regulated system through massage. 8. You Struggle to Concentrate If you're stressed, you may struggle to pay attention or make decisions. A scientific review in EXCLI Journal concluded that prolonged stress lowers cognitive function. Because your brain is already juggling intense emotions, it doesn't have space to focus on projects or brainstorm ideas. Oddly enough, stress can improve your concentration for a short period of time. According to Colorado Christian University, the adrenaline rush heightens your senses for a period of time. But the longer you're stressed, the more energy your brain uses, leaving little energy left for concentration. Dr. Santiago Toledo, Director of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago, finds that his patients who take advantage of massage therapy are often able to sleep better and experience less anxiety. Massage has also been shown to be therapeutic for specific conditions such as Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s disease. A study by the Touch Research Institute showed that adults with Parkinson’s disease who received massage therapy or progressive muscle relaxation twice a week for five weeks performed better in daily living activities and rated themselves as improved in daily functioning. Among the many ways massage aids those with Alzheimer’s disease, perhaps its biggest benefit is through maintaining and rebuilding the nervous system’s response to stimuli to help resist physical and mental decline. In addition, those with Alzheimer’s disease have great potential to respond well to massage therapy as another form of communication with those closest to them. 9. Heart Rate and Blood Pressure When we're stressed, our heart rate quickens. The American Heart Association explains that adrenaline and cortisol increase heart rate and constrict the blood vessels. These physiological changes prepare the body for a flight-or-fight response. Fortunately, blood pressure returns to normal after stress goes away. It has been medically well established that stress-induced blood pressure returns to normal after massage - the sunshine seems brighter, the air fresher, the body feels lighter and the mind sharper. 10. Increased Irritability An increased irritability or becoming frustrated more easily is also a symptom of stress, and one that also tends to build on itself. While irritability is a common emotion, it's escalated in people who are experiencing a higher-than-normal amount of stress. When we're going through a stressful life event, it's more difficult to manage emotions, and we become more easily overwhelmed. People who are stressed can be less tolerant of things and people that usually wouldn't irritate them. The healing touch provided by massage can be beneficial for many conditions including how we interact and communicate with others. It calms the nervous system and reduces muscle tension which causes chronic pain, improves sleep patterns, and boosts energy levels and mental awareness. It has been shown to be an effective and natural solution to the ailments with the process of aging and for handling the stresses of everyday life. Therapeutic massage carries over into all aspects of our lives and our sense of the joy we get from living our lives. I hope that you have enjoyed learning about these ten areas which you may not have realized massage could make a difference. Remember that individual responses to massage therapy can vary, so it’s essential to consult with a healthcare provider or a massage therapist to determine the most suitable approach for your individual situation.
0 Comments
There is an increasing rise in the number of hair problems experienced by men and women, which may be attributed to a variety of factors including pollution, climate, diet, as well as extremes in temperature.
The global working-class population is growing, and with it comes increased pressure, longer working hours, an increased need to travel, an unbalanced life, and less sleep, all of which have eventually led to increased stress on individuals, which in turn has led to an increase in hair problems such as dandruff, hair loss, dryness, split ends, and other similar issues. To maintain its level of energy and vitality, the human body requires particular vitamin and nutrient combinations; in the same way, the sustenance of the hair is vitally necessary. Marea Craig uses only top organic ingredients in the production of HAIR FORMULA I since they serve to fortify hair and encourage its growth. The scalp and the hair directly benefit from the use of these natural ingredients since they enable the production of necessary antioxidants and assist in the elimination of free radicals. Continuous use of chemicals on the scalp and hair will have a deleterious effect on both the hair and the scalp, leading to cell death. Using shampoos and conditioners containing chemicals have negative impacts such as poor hair quality and a rough scalp. You won’t find products with a purer ingredient list and that delivers the highest level of beneficial results, than at Marea Craig. The regular use of the topical vitamins and nutrients in HAIR FORMULA I contributes to the maintenance of the strength of your hair, nourishment of the scalp, encouraging hair development and ensuring that the hair remains healthy. The loss of the scalp’s natural oil and excessive drying of the scalp are both side effects of using products that contain synthetic ingredients. Because of this response, you are encouraged to choose pure organic and honest herbal goods. HAIR FORMULA I, natural hair growth intensive treatment features organic materials and does not contain any toxins such as parabens, silicon, petrochemicals, sulphates, mineral oil, alcohol and the like. It is free from any synthetic substances. HAIR FORMULA I also has no artificial fragrances or colors. The long-term advantages and greater efficacy acquired from the natural ingredients within our unique formula, cannot be overstated. Hair thinning can happen to anyone, no matter your sex or age due to changing lifestyles, increasing pollution, and increasing prevalence of chronic diseases being major factors. Luckily, there are certain products and ingredients out there that can help slow down or even reverse the thinning process and keep hair looking thick and healthy, from prescriptions to over-the-counter (OTC) treatments. In a future blog I’ll dive into the options and the side effects that come with many, so that you can select the best option for your needs. While it may sound spooky, witch hazel is anything but. This anti-inflammatory compound has a host of benefits for the skin that might be just a bit magical. No need to grab any torches or pitchforks for this witch hazel hunt. While witch hazel is no ordinary plant, it definitely has an interesting history and a lot of benefits for the skin. The Beginning While it does seem unusual that this golden flower only blooms in the dead of winter, Native Americans decided to use the plants medicinal properties for their benefit. From treating skin ulcers and sores to soothing sore muscles, witch hazel can actually be used for quite a lot. So, why give this medicinal plant the title of witch? It is believed that the name actually comes from when witch hazel was used for dowsing, a search technique for underground water. It was believed that when water was detected below the ground that the witch hazel stick would bend toward the earth. The actual name was believed to come from Middle English "wiche," from the Old English wice meaning bendable. Pliant twigs were preferred for dowsing, and early settlers often used witch hazel for this practice, which they often referred to as "water witching." The Magic Uses of Witch Hazel Besides its apparent ability to detect where settlers should build wells, witch hazel was also used for healing properties both topically and nutritionally. Here are some of the top benefits and why we include witch hazel in our Refined Sensibilities and why customers have raved how much clearer and refined their skin is using Refined Sensibilities as opposed to much harsher chemical laden toners. Anti-inflammatory. Witch hazel includes anti-inflammatory properties like gallic acid and tannins, as well as antioxidants like quercin that can help to neutralize chronic inflammation. As a strong antioxidant it is used as a natural treatment for psoriasis, eczema and rosacea.
Acne fighter. The powerful anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties mentioned above, also help witch hazel treat acne. When used as a topical, it can act as an astringent to shrink the pores and contract the tissues while also being able to soothe the skin. Redness reducer. Witch hazel is a vasoconstrictor, which means that it can tighten blood vessels to reduce redness in the skin. Skin damage protector. As previously mentioned, witch hazel is rich in tannins, which has antioxidant properties that can protect the skin against damage like free radicals. Not only does witch hazel treat acne, it’s also tightens the skin, reduces bagginess and refreshes tired eyes. If your eyes are puffy from crying or lack of sleep (or both), then soak two small cotton pads with Refined Sensibilities Bio-fermented Clarifying Skin Softener and put them over your eyes. This can get you back to normal quickly. Moisture sealant: Although witch hazel does remove oils from your skin, it won’t dry it out like commercial toners or astringents that contain a high alcohol content. After you’ve been outdoors doing activities, your skin may get oily and grimy, soak a cotton pad with Refined Sensibilities Bio-fermented Clarifying Skin Softener and use it to cleanse the oil, dirt, and impurities from your skin. It’s not only refreshing, but your skin will glow after you’re done, and you’ll smell clean and fresh too! Use it after your morning shower and it will actually help to lock in moisture that has just soaked into your skin, which is wonderful to help combat dry skin during these colder dryer months. Besides the numerous topical uses, witch hazel can also be snuck into some witch's brew for healing a sore throat or easing some digestion distress. Brew up your favorite tea with a hint of this special ingredient, and it can help to ease some of these symptoms. Just be sure to use one meant for internal use. Natural nutrients added to a cold-weather skin care routine can keep skin fresh, hydrated and glowing. Here are the three natural ingredients that are a must when it comes to fall skin care. 1. Vitamin C Vitamin C boosts collagen production and evens out skin tone, resulting in a brighter-looking complexion. It also has properties and leaves the skin feeling hydrated—especially important as the weather gets cooler. Two products in the Marea Craig Organic Gold skin care line that are especially high in Vitamin C are Bio-fermented Clarifying Refined Sensibilities and Bio-fermented Apple-C which helps in evening out skin pigmentation by boosting collagen production. Both are in the skin softening microbiome step 2 of the four-step regimen. 2. Hyaluronic Acid (HA) Hyaluronic acid (HA) plumps and deeply hydrates the skin, helping it retain moisture throughout the day. As we transition from summer to fall, HA can be that much needed component for keeping the complexion soft and smooth. Walk through any beauty aisle, and you'll find hyaluronic acid as an ingredient in not just moisturizers, but also in blushes, foundations, primers, eye shadow, mascara, lipsticks and lip gloss. Hyaluronic acid is added to foundations and primers to create the appearance of plump, radiant skin and in lipstick and lip gloss to suggest fuller lips. But here’s the caveat. It’s a trick and I don’t recommend products with hyaluronic acid added (read that as chemical synthetic) HA. IT'S A TRICK! Hyaluronic acid’s molecular ability can hold 1,000 times its weight in water. As the days become cooler and dryer or in dry climates, as a “water binding” ingredient it can’t draw moisture from the environment, so instead it pulls moisture out of the deeper layers of your skin. The dirty trick is that it may appear to have plumped your bags and fine lines in the short term, only to cause dryer and less hydrated skin over the long haul. And you the consumer are caught in a cycle of trying to find higher and higher percentage levels of HA, because what you’ve been using no longer is effective to the same level. If you already have dry skin this can be detrimental. Ideally, you want your skin to produce its own hyaluronic acid. The amount of hyaluronic acid in the body can diminish as a natural process over the years or following exposure to environmental factors such as sunlight. Marea Craig’s Organic Seaessence I offers an effective alternative to this vain synthetic cycle. Seaessence I is an effective natural alternative helping to inhibit the breakdown of HA from occurring. Seaessence I contains a biological substance known as wakame, a sea kelp grown in the cold waters of the north pacific. It helps at supporting your skin’s own natural hyaluronic acid production which will in turn maintain your skin’s moisture and plumpness throughout the dryer season. Organic Seaessence I and Organic Seaessence II is the “Enriching” part of the four step Marea Craig Organic Gold Skin Care Regimen. 3. Nutmeg Nutmeg is packed with antioxidants and delivers anti-inflammatory benefits. It's perfect for all skin types, particularly skin that's sensitive. After a summer of sun and environmental exposure, this autumnal spice is an anti-inflammatory superstar. Its anti-inflammatory properties can help improve redness, decreases hyperpigmentation, balance skin and calm irritation. Studies have shown that it’s a strong antioxidant that can help fight pesky free radicals, assisting with reducing and preventing skin damage. Nutmeg is just one of the ingredients in Marea Craig Green Tea Solar Protect that helps to reduce and prevent skin damage, a year round must have to your daily skin care regimen. Please like us over on my Facebook Fan Page facebook.com/MareaCraigUS Exciting news. We're getting ready to launch our hair growth formula soon! Stay tuned to our AuthenticJournal and like us on our Facebook Fan Page, MareacraigUS for the latest news and information.
Our faces are art and as we grow in age they simply shift into another beautiful form of art For years “anti-aging” creams, lotions and potions have been promoted. Estheticians are taught to promote this philosophy without even thinking deeper into the message behind most skin care marketing. Brands base their whole marketing on the “fear of aging”. When I started developing my skin care line I was already in my late forties and was experiencing a myriad of issues, due mostly to the chemical creams and products I was relying on while buying into the “anti-aging” philosophy. Being a student of medicinal botany, I started to question the hype that I was being sold. From the beginning I was pro-aging verses anti-aging. Did I want my skin to be healthy? Yes! Did I want my skin to glow? Yes! I wanted to look the best I could as I accumulated more years, but were these status quo brands and products the answer? I believed that beauty was synonymous with health. I wanted to create skin care that was healthy in order to achieve the healthy results I had in mind. So just as I had begun creating chemical-free perfumes and colognes years earlier, I began developing organic, chemical-free skin care formulas. One by one I created and tested formula after formula for results and put them up against their chemical counterpart and I proved that you can have healthy radiant skin with 100 percent natural ingredients, free and clear of chemicals. I am a fervent believer in pro-aging as opposed to anti-aging. Having reached my sixtieth decade, I can say that a conversation for pro-aging verses anti-aging is overdue. Pro-aging is about being comfortable with the age that you are. Pro-aging isn’t about avoiding skin care treatments and skin care, it’s more about viewing beauty procedures more selectively in a mission to be sure it isn’t harmful to your self-esteem as you grow in age, It’s about choosing how you want to age. Skin care should be about skin health and radiance at any age and taking the time to evaluate our beauty products impact on the planet, people and animals.
100 percent certified organic, chemical-free ingredients, unisex skincare products. In this blog, I’m going to talk about spiritual bypassing. It’s a huge problem and a huge problem in our society today. The term was coined by John Welwood. One of the best descriptions I’ve seen of spiritual bypassing is from Mark Vicente, ex (NXIVM) cult member, whistle blower, producer of "What the Bleep". For more insight into this cult specifically, but also as an example into how the goal of all cults and narcissistic abusers is to undermine and disarm your intuitive gut, I recommend the documentary series The Vow by Oscar-nominated, Emmy-winning directors Jehane Noujaim and Karim Amer where they follow members who joined the self-improvement group NXIVM revealing the emotional toll unfolding of unfolding events on these individuals. Here is Mark Vicente describing spiritual bypassing. “What is spiritual bypassing exactly? This is my understanding, basically a person has some kind of pain or some kind of trauma or something uncomfortable that happens and instead of dealing with it they, in essence, compartmentalize that pain and try to rise above it. Spiritual bypassing is instead of acknowledging that you have pain or have had some kind of experience, you sort of pretend that you haven’t. You’re above it all. There are many, many problematic consequences to this. The person ends up disassociating from this painful or traumatic experience and they then try to rise above it. And look I’ve been an expert in spiritual bypassing in my life. Most of us disassociate to some degree, but what happens is you end up repressing all these difficult feelings that you have and sort of go into this fantasy headspace of like, look I’m above all these things and I don’t feel these things now. What happens is all the dark stuff that we don’t want to deal with just gets repressed and we get more and more afraid of it. Now it was interesting, there was a gentleman by the name of Robert Augustus Masters who wrote a book called “Spiritual Bypassing, When Spirituality Disconnects Us From What Really Matters”. Amazing book, but then it turns out he was abusive to a bunch of his students. There was a whole scandal about that. So, it’s interesting, even having the knowledge or the theoretical knowledge of spiritual bypassing doesn’t mean that you’ve gotten through your [__]. So that, I thought, was kind of interesting. So how does it play out? One of the things that happens is some people sort of have this sort of toxic positivity, where it’s all love and light and they don’t want to look at anything dark. There’s an absolute refusal to acknowledge the darkness. And what happens is, it’s interesting, these people can also become the enabler or the protector of the person who’s abusing people. Because when they see this kind of abuse or when somebody says, look I’m being abused in this way by this person, they, they can’t acknowledge the abuse. They can’t acknowledge that darkness so literally, they end up making excuses for the person who’s doing the terrible things. It also shows up a lot, of course, in spiritual teachers. There are some teachers that have had some kind of, you know, peak or transcendent experience… and they’re like, “oh my God, this is it I found the answer, I found enlightenment, I found whatever.” But they haven’t actually delt with their psychological stuff. So, there’s all the stuff still in their shadow and what they end up doing is pretending that they’re above it all. And often they tend to abuse their students and when their students say to them, this is abuse, they say no, no you don’t understand, because they can’t acknowledge their own shadow. They can’t acknowledge their own [__]. There are some religions for instance, that you know, repress any kind of sexuality completely and it’s interesting that there’s so much sexual misconduct that actually occurs in those religions. I think it’s because they suppress everything you’re not allowed to do. This you’re not allowed to do, that and this stuff starts to boil underneath and eventually comes out in these inappropriate ways. The other issue with this is that you create a kind of hell for yourself. You’re not allowed to feel what you’re actually feeling. It’s not allowed. There’s this sort of code of conduct that you have to have. You have to be above it. You have to be spiritual. You have to be enlightened. You have to be of the light. So, you can’t actually acknowledge what you’re feeling. I found this as the case with people who are in high control groups or cults which I was. You come across as robotic. When I talk to those people, now they seem kind of robotic, like they’re not totally there. It’s like they’re gripping tightly onto some concept of heaven so desperately that they’ve completely disassociated from just being human. It’s a kind of hell, but they don’t note at the time; they still think they’re fighting the good fight and that they’re strong and courageous and all these, you know, noble and spiritual things. But underneath it all there’s all the stuff that they’re still struggling with. The issue of course is that not only is it hard for them, but it’s hard for the people around them. It’s hard for anybody who’s around a person who’s spiritually bypassing, because they start developing this empathy deficit. Because they can’t allow themselves to be fully human. Because they can’t allow themselves to feel these things. They don’t allow it in other people and so when other people come to them with different, you know, problems and issues they have no compassion. Because they don’t allow themselves the compassion for just being human and you become a shitty friend. If you’re especially bypassing, you are a shitty friend to everybody else, because you refuse to be human and so you refuse their humanity as well. The issue of course is that not only is it hard for them, but it’s hard for the people around them. It’s hard for anybody who’s around a person who’s spiritually bypassing...
You cannot actually help them because all you’re going to do is try and band-aid it. …tell them to, you know, change their state, or up level, or don’t be so low vibe, or whatever it is you want. You’re going to tell them to raise their vibration when they probably have some real pain or some real trauma, some real difficulties that is not just going to be bypassed by just thinking differently. Spiritual teachers sell this love and light kind of approach and it’s very appealing to just feel good, to just sort of override your difficulties. But there’s a lot of problems with this, I mean one of the teachings that I’ve heard you know many times and I think certainly I believed this for a while, is this whole idea of parallel realities. You know there’s parallel timelines and every choice you make takes you into another timeline. Some people teach the idea, if you’re having a problem all you have to do is go to that version of yourself on a different timeline and then you’ll be fine. That’s another form of spiritual bypassing, like well just don’t acknowledge what’s going on for you right now in the present, go into this fantasy space where there’s another timeline where you don’t have that issue. You know, go to the timeline when you’re rich, go into the timeline where you’re beautiful, go into the timeline where you’re, you know, healthy. Whatever it is and so you completely bypass where you actually are, where actually the healing could take place. My sense now, seeing other people do it more and more, I understand that the only way out is actually through the problem. You can’t actually work on yourself when you’re bypassing, because when you’re bypassing you don’t have any problems, you don’t have any trauma, you don’t have any difficulty, and you have to explain away any response and reactions you’re having as some kind of other anomaly or other spiritual reason other than just I’m struggling because I got triggered by something or because I have trauma or because I haven’t been able to resolve something. The truth is we haven’t been able to resolve it because we just refuse to look at it. We refuse to acknowledge the existence of whatever the struggle is. What does this avoidance of darkness do? For instance one of the issues I see is we don’t want to believe that our leaders might be doing bad things. Because to even look at that means we have to open up the can of worms inside ourself and look at our own .shadow which we don’t want to do. I’m beginning to believe that a lot of the world’s problems are due to bypassing pain, avoiding pain, and then, in essence, disassociating from just being human. We then completely deny and avoid our own shadows. We avoid all the things that we think are unacceptable. If I go back to the sort of spiritual journey I see that what we’ve done as a species, trying to become enlightened, is this endless, endless journey. Because we’re not dealing with the real, we’re not dealing with our real self, we’re dealing with a fantasy version of ourself. That fantasy version is unacceptable that we’re not perfect. That’s what this spiritual bypassing is related to. It’s where we’re trying to be perfect rather than just acknowledge, yeah, I’ve you know, I have this struggle or I’ve had that struggle. One of the most profound things and what broke spiritual bypassing for me, because here’s the funny thing, even in ESP in NIXIUM I was talking about spiritual bypassing, because I thought it was a huge problem, but I didn’t realize that it was endemic to the entire organization. One of the greatest things that happened to me is hitting rock bottom. Rock bottom is an amazing place in some ways, because at rock bottom finally the bypassing shatters. You can’t pretend anymore, because [__] is so bad that you cannot maintain this fantasy of yourself, this façade and it cracks. The moment for me that it cracked, which was around 2017, I realized how my entire life I had been bypassing all these difficult emotions and as an artist it limited me so much. Because I wasn’t willing to allow my characters to go through the kind of hell that everybody normally goes through, because I was so busy trying to be above myself. So, my characters, I found actually some of them were kind of wooden as well. So, it helped me as an artist tremendously. The sort of hitting rock bottom and finally finding a version of myself, you know warts and all, that is quite magnificent and real. That’s the important thing. Bypassing is talking about, in essence, living a fantasy. It doesn’t have to be about spirituality, it can be about whatever; it’s living a fantasy and you’re completely disassociating from your true self. Your true self and all the [__] in your shadow are where all the great gifts are of our life. That took me awhile to understand. I highly recommend something that I’ve been doing recently which is just sitting with what exist and sitting with like what you feel… it’s allowed. Getting in the practice of allowing everything is allowed, because it actually is there. That’s something I realized, I’ll have a feeling sometimes that I don’t want to be there and then I realize, it doesn’t matter if I don’t want it to be there, it is there in reality. It’s already there, denying it’s there doesn’t do [__], so I’m starting to work on just sitting with, okay there’s that feeling and even sitting with the feeling of like resisting the feeling, go oh, there’s the resistance to the feeling. It’s changed a lot for me, and I can tell you I’m far happier just acknowledging that I feel certain things, that I struggle with certain things. It’s kind of like a new life in many ways.” - Mark Vicente There is a difference between living life as an armored and dissociated soul and one that is fluid and rooted in reality. Your authentic purpose arises from living life from presence. Spirit is every emotion, even our darker, our more painful ones, they are our guides of information imploring us to ask ourselves “what do I need”. Spirituality is the ability to connect with others as well as ourselves. It is presence and authenticity, plain and simple, no more, no less. We must create a kinder, more compassionate world where there is no shame when someone replies, “it hurts” when we ask them, “are you okay”. I’d love to know your thoughts. Have you experienced this phenomenon of toxic positivity? Do you have difficulty expressing your down moments to others? Please leave any questions or thoughts in the comments below. Most importantly if you've experienced physical or emotional trauma or injury, be it human, animal or vehicular, or an abusive relationship, narcissism, undue influence of a cult or spiritual group, or you want help regulating anxiety, stress, and overwhelm from the load of your everyday life - help is here. Let's set up a time to talk. The holidays can be a stressful and overwhelming time of the year. They can be chaotic creating a lot more physical work and increased demand on our time. But, with a little planning, boundary setting and prioritizing of our bodies and minds, we can be sure to find the joy of the holiday season. Getting Organized A focused plan and strategy to successfully navigate through this time is key to making your life less stressful through the holidays. At this time of year, we all need to be micro-managers, even regarding our own personal lives and work schedules. It is important to recognize and set reasonable expectations so that we can feel successful this holiday season. The best way to alleviate holiday stress is thorough preparation. To have things run smoothly ask yourself what will bring you the most joy this holiday season. Is it surrounding yourself with time-honored traditions or making new ones? If you have a spouse or partner, I recommend to also do this as a team. Start by taking a piece of paper and writing down on one side the pros, the things that light you up about the season to help you set an intention surrounding the holidays. On the other side list the cons, specifically the things that overwhelm and frazzle you, the things you do because you think you should do but would rather not have to. Do you want to eliminate them or call on another to handle these task, freeing you up to do more of the things that truly inspire you and that you’re good at. Be mindful of what is most inspiring and meaningful to you and be sure not to judge yourself. Once you have your list of pros and cons you can plan with these things in mind. Will your holidays be filled with special gifts, hosting or attending holiday parties or events or a get-a-way travel excursion? Get that all squared away before the holidays arrive. Take care to sort through or purchase supplies and decorating needs and create special menus as early as possible leading up to the big events. Getting these "big ticket items" off your plate early will allow you to be more present and enjoy the holidays themselves when they arrive. Get a calendar and some notepads. First schedule the big events or days of importance that are taking place. Second, mark off the days and times that will not be spent working, but rather doing the important things you enjoy this holiday season. Write down all the big family events that you have coming up, the days up to and after the holiday that you would like off, the days you’re decorating your house, the days you’re wrapping gifts and the days you need to shop, bake or do holiday prep. Get those on that calendar right away. Never underestimate the power of lists. They are very important in keeping you on board and in the flow, especially during this hectic time. By creating relevant lists, you can prioritize what needs to be done urgently, offering much more clarity when tackling tasks. Should shopping be done by a certain date? Interested in seeing the Nutcracker Ballet or baking cookies? Does a weekend heading to the snow, volunteering or going to the movies sound ideal? Back to your original pros and cons list, think of the things that will truly inspire the holiday spirit and what’s important for you. Then, add those items to the lists and mark them off the calendar. Scheduling and Over Booking Now that you have your calendar figured out with the most important days and events appropriately scheduled, focus on sticking to the plan. Schedule the rest of your workdays with the open days of the calendar, remembering to not work too many days per week or too many hours in the day. Exhaustion is a huge factor that can lead to feeling overwhelmed during the holidays. Set your work hours and stick to them; it is up to you to police your days and times. Take control of your schedule, don’t let the schedule control you. This will prevent overbooking and overextending yourself. Remember that no means no, especially when changing times or days to accommodate others. Follow your schedule! Saying “No” can be very difficult to carry through on, especially for women, because our society encourages women to be selfless “to mother” in service to. So many of us, not always women, struggle to communicate this basic boundary which is why I have specific exercises that empower you with the ability to say no when appropriate. Sometimes we overcomplicate it and other times we avoid it altogether. If we don't say yes authentically, then we say yes regrettably, and that leads to far more problems than if we'd said no in the first place. Fortunately, like so many other emotional wellness skills, the right tools and practice can make all the difference. It’s important to remember, at any time but especially during the holiday season, the idea of finding honor and nobility in putting yourself last, does not hold weight. The fact is an empty cup feeds no one. Clarify your boundaries whether that is time, money or energy. These resources aren’t limitless, so it’s up to you to use them wisely. Taking time to get clear on your boundaries, and practicing asserting them to others, is one of the best ways to set yourself up for a less stressful, more supported season. Sure, it might be impossible to plan for every holiday stressor, but chances are there are certain sources of stress you already know about. Book personal holiday appointments now, while the calendar is out and appointments are available. Implementing a plan can make this season run more smoothly and be a successful one. Neglecting yourself can lead to feelings of overwhelming stress and exhaustion. In addition, exercise, staying grounded, staying in your power center, scheduling a massage, and taking breaks, will lead to you being more productive and able to take in and enjoy the season for all it has to offer. If you struggle at setting boundaries or would like help addressing physical or emotional concerns that could keep you from enjoying this holiday season, contact me and set up an appointment today. In person or remote appointments are accepted.
The fall months are an ideal time to come for a skin consultation and update your home care regimen. Season changes also mean a change to your skin. Sensitivities, dehydration and dryness are a common result of cooler weather. During your skin consultation I'll check your skin’s barrier and assess the skin for any additional concerns including fine lines, dehydration or hyperpigmentation that may have appeared due to prolonged sun exposure over the summer. Many people experience sensitivity and redness during the cooler months. I recommend a weekly regimen of Apple-C and Vitamin B Crème to reinforce the skin’s natural protective barrier and balance the skin’s microbiome. Another concern during the cooler weather is dehydration and dryness. To address this concern, I suggest a natural exfoliant to help remove the outer layer of the stratum corneum which allows for optimum absorption of beneficial products to the skin. My weekly 'Friday' application of Apple-C and Vitamin B Crème addresses these concerns. Apple is a natural source of malic acid and acts to promote smoother, healthier-looking skin by increasing the rate of cellular turnover and renewal when Apple-C is applied. Additionally, Apple-C is loaded with the beneficial vitamins and phytonutrients of quercetin, epicatechin, vitamin C, vitamin B-6. Vitamin B Crème is essential to maintaining a healthy glowing complexion. It has over twenty-five organic ingredients vital for energy production and detoxification to address the problems that can arise in the cooler months of the year. As Vitamin B Crème absorbs and disappears into your skin, you’ll begin to notice the life and luster return to your face. Vitamin B Crème together with Apple-C Bio-ferment Skin Softener is a powerful dual against sensitive, dry, droopy skin. Make an appointment for your skin assessment and fall facial and receive a healthy spicy pumpkin smoothie for a great start to the season ahead. You skin will feel noticeably softer and appear brighter, boasting a fresh glow for fall and the season ahead. Apple C
$26.99
ORGANIC SKIN SOFTENER FERMENT
Organic Gold Skin Care Regimen, Step Two, Friday Morning, Evening - Skin Softener Organic Apple C Skin Softener Ferment brings volume and lift to slack facial tissues. A natural defense to the damaging effects of stress and pollution. It is packed with phytonutrients and flavonoids like quercetin, epicatechin and vitamins - C and B6. The organic compound complex found in Apple C works to RESTRICT THE BREAKDOWN OF COLLAGEN, protect the integrity of the skin’s elastin, improve the appearance of scars and prevent and reverse the appearance of wrinkles. HELPS TO: • prevent oxidative damage to the skin and the breakdown of collagen • defend against photo-aging • stimulate collagen formation in the skin • improve the elasticity of the skin • prevents the appearance of wrinkles • smooth existing wrinkles and scars • creates volume to slack tissues Application: SHAKE BEFORE EACH USE Your next step after cleansing is to soften both morning and night. Apply Apple C, every Friday, both morning and evening to hydrate and treat slack tissue. Pump a few drops of Apple C into the palm of your hand. Press hands together to distribute the product evenly, then press onto the face, neck, and chest until the product is absorbed. Apply extra to target spots such as corners of mouth, jawline, brows, hairline. Once distributed with the palm of your hands, press face gently, holding it up for about a minute. Allow to dry before applying Vitamin B Creme. Note: Our special fermentation process increases the effectiveness of the antioxidants in the formula and the ability of your skin to absorb these nutrients, making it even more powerful, thus slowing down the unnecessary, premature-aging process of your skin. You may experience a blast of product coming out upon the initial application. This is perfectly normal and means the product is active and effective. UNISEX 50ml / 1.69oz Vitamin B Creme
$48.00
RESTORE moisture and youthful volume. A deep weekly detox to RESCUE dried, wrinkled, slack, sallow, grey, blotchy skin.
Organic Gold Skin Care Regimen, Step Three, Morning and Evening, Weekly each Friday - PROTECT Vitamin B Crème’s organic complex formula helps to maintain the skin’s DNA integrity by supplying the necessary enzymes responsible for plentiful cellular energy and lipids that create that YOUTHFUL VOLUME. Without these crucial enzymes oxidative damage occurs, and the skin begins to decline and deteriorate. Repair your skins DNA and improve its ability to remain hydrated and retain its youthful volume while creating a defense against pollutants and other irritants. Declining, deteriorating skin becomes authentically healthy, radiant and glowing!
Application: Replace your Marea Craig day and night products once weekly with Apple C Skin Softener Ferment followed with Vitamin B Creme. After cleansing with Pure Cleansing Oil, apply Apple C Skin Softener allow to dry and now apply the Vitamin B Creme. Take a small amount in the palm of your hand and distribute to your fingertips and press evenly onto your face, neck, behind ears and chest. Once distributed with the palm of your hands, press face gently, holding it up for about half-a-minute. In the beginning a daily application may be necessary until sallow, slack skin has responded and youthful volume returns, after which a weekly regimented application is recommended. UNISEX 30ml It was the perfect mid-April evening. You and your wife have plans to attend a friend’s birthday celebration at a locally owned restaurant . You’re having a great time, enjoying the mild evening, celebrating with your friend when someone makes a joke at your wife’s expense. It was loud enough that everyone attending couldn't have missed it. What are you going to do? You imagine the hurt and embarrassment your wife is feeling. You feel the heat rise through your body and the urge to leap from your seat and go up to this brute and show him a thing or two. Understand, there is always a sliver of a time between when you feel the response of your visceral system signaling to you that there has been a threat, when the body is getting primed for either flight or fight and the moment when you decide what you’re going to do. Are you going to “ignore” the offense, act like it didn’t happen? How would that workout for animals in the wild? Maybe you decide your only defense is to stomp your feet, scream obscenities, rush at the bully and plow him down in an attempt to “protect” your spouse? How dare he speak to your wife like that! Well, even wild animals only strike as a last defense.
Let’s stop for a moment and look a little deeper at the choices your body is signaling. Choice number on - ignore it, pretend you didn’t hear it. But it did happen, you heard the derogatory remark, everyone present heard it and most of all your wife heard it. Think about it, if you decide to ignore the situation are you and your wife going to avoid this person and any events where they’re included in the future? Are you going to cut yourself off from your social network and that part of your life? You can run, you can pretend, but pretending a problem doesn’t exist doesn’t make it go away. Wishing it would just disappear and take care of itself is like wishing a tiny spark on a pile of dry leaves after months without rain won’t start a fire. Would you be okay with burning your trash on a windy day through a drought hoping for the best? You’re smart, I don’t believe that’s what you'd do at all. I believe if you saw the tiniest glow in the pile of leaves that you raked last fall, next to the woods by your house, you’d immediately get your hose and douse those leaves until you were sure there would be no chance of a fire starting. You wouldn’t stand by and hope for the best. Ignoring a problem is impossible, because you’ll be carrying it around with you in the back of your mind. That spark on those leaves, had you walked away, you’d be thinking about it the rest of the day and night until you did something about it. The mental gymnastics you have to undergo when you ignore a problem affects you in unseen ways. It can cause you to feel stressed, anxious, tired and can even lead to depression. The dissonance is exhausting to your internal resources and cuts you off from an ability to be fully present and connected with yourself, with life and others. The problem you ignored hasn’t gone away; it’s still hanging out waiting to present itself to you again and again and again until you do something with it and until you get it right. Choice number two fight. You're upset, the adrenaline is coursing through your limbs, you’re puffed up and ready to stand up to this bully, in the name of protecting your spouse, and give him a counter punch that will put him in his place. After all your pride is at stake and this is the manly thing to do right? Well let’s consider for a moment that there are other choices that you could make. First, let’s think about what certain behaviors tell us. If you believe something, anything, whether it is a person, an idea, an institution, or a structure, needs protecting, then you believe it to be vulnerable. By definition vulnerability means something or someone is weak and helpless. If an entity is vulnerable, then it is weak and helpless. If you rush in to protect your spouse, then you are signaling that she and possibly the relationship with your wife is weak and at risk. In management, if vulnerabilities are found in the structure you’re managing you want to work to remove them. Ignoring them and hoping for the best isn’t an option. Using brute force hasn’t proved to produce a positive outcome either. In any relationship you don't want weakness to be the vanguard of the relationship, the marriage structure/relationship is no different? The question is how do you work to ensure that your wife and marriage isn't vulnerable? The answer is straightforward; you do it by caring. Caring is the antidote to vulnerability. When you care for your spouse on a day-to-day bases there is little need for protection. The only time when actual protection would be called for is in a case of physical attack. What are the components of caring? We know when someone is caring that they are kind, warm, tender, thoughtful. But what are the actual behaviors involved in a caring person, in this case husband? What are the actions present when we feel someone is caring for us?
With respect as the first principle to aiding your wife or anyone for that matter, she is going to be your focus and a self-expert. With her as a self-expert and you as a helper, you both bring in your own expertise. You are two experts working in collaboration trying to solve a problem as equals who each bring an abundance of life experience to the problem. This is what respectful collaboration looks like. So far, we’ve established that caring for your spouse means building self-respect and confidence in yourself, supporting her interest, accepting her by recognizing her absolute inherent worth as a human being, affirming and acknowledging her value and autonomy, and respecting her. There are two more components to caring. They are empathetic listening and compassion. Empathetic listening is when you listen to understand, so that you may be of service not in the way you’d want to be supported in a similar situation, rather the way that your spouse wants to be supported. When you listen with empathy you are seeking to understand her pain or negative emotion without taking too much of the emotional feeling on yourself. When you take on too much of your spouse’s pain and emotion, it pulls you out of your own center at a time when she needs you to have the wear-with-all to support her. It doesn’t support her if she receives visceral feedback that her sharing has caused you pain. Maintaining grounded boundaries and remain centered during empathetic listening is crucial. While Empathetic Listening is listening to understand, Compassion offers a calm state in which you surround your spouse with ‘safety and acceptance’. When you express compassion towards your spouse you are respecting both her suffering (and her joy) in any moment. You are honoring her capacity to experience her own pain without being driven by a need to “fix” her or the situation. Rather, you are bearing witness without “sharing her pain”. Dr. Stephen Porges, author of the Polyvagal Theory, and Distinguished University Scientist at Kinsey Institute, Indiana University, and Professor of Psychiatry at the University of North Carolina states, “when we take over another person’s pain, as we do when we over empathize, it can lead that person to feel fear or shame.” On the other hand, when you listen to understand and offer safety and acceptance you are a neural resource for co-regulation for your wife. These are wisely chosen actions to engage with your spouse that doesn’t unintentionally suggest that she is broken or weak. This takes us back to the top of our list of components for caring. In order to extend compassion to someone else we must begin with attending to our own pain and suffering first. So much of the pain and suffering we experience is because people aren’t prepared to listen, to witness in a compassionate way. However, when caring is fully expressed and received well your spouse comes to know that you are on their side, she knows that you have her back, she knows that you trust her to be able to work through whatever situation comes up, she knows that you respect her and wouldn’t intentionally do anything to make an uncomfortable situation worse. There is no vulnerability present calling out for protection, no weak structure and nothing to prove. What there is, is the presence of confidence, lightness, generosity, thoughtfulness, altruism, and benevolence. This is where the “gentleman’s code” comes in. You’ve been here before. You’ve had to make decisions in the blink of an eye. This is the time between the event and how you respond. Where you can choose flight, fight, freeze, or something else. You can choose to not be hijacked by your amygdala. In that sliver of time, you stand centered slowing things just enough to ask yourself, just as you have done on multiple occasions before, who am I and what do I want? What’s important here? In this fleeting moment you think about your wife and how she might be feeling. You ask yourself is there something I can do to deescalate the scene and reduce my loved one’s discomfort? You set your pride and your ego aside. Suddenly, you begin unbuttoning your shirt, you jump up, pull down the sleeve of your shirt, exposing the recent tattoo you got and announce, “oh that’s nothing look at this, look at my sweet, pudgy baby boy”. Everyone turns. Seeing your exposed flesh, they begin to roar as they stare at the wrinkly little man who was supposed to resemble your progeny! Everyone is now laughing at you and not your wife. This is what a gentleman does. He does what he has to do to take the negative attention away from someone that he loves instead of bringing it front and center, flashing like a neon sign. A gentleman is always present to the feelings of those around him. A gentleman will take a negative, uncomfortable situation and transform it. Of course, this is not just limited to men. Anyone with a bit of attentiveness can use distraction as a way to draw the attention away from a topic that may cause harm to those present or not present. A self-confident, respectful person who has some communication skills under their belt might add to this by discreetly going to the person who made the offensive remark and saying “I’m sure you’re not intentionally doing this, but your remarks are hurting my wife and I’m asking you to stop.” You can learn how to transform the difficult moments of your life with the proper skills. It’s not as difficult as you may think if you have the right tools. The Code of a Gentleman - Catholicism.org The Gentleman's Code (jacknjillive.com) by Marea Craig Welcome! I want to talk about soap, more specifically, our soap - what sets it apart from the commercial cleansing bars, body-washes as well as other soaps. And show you why you should be incorporating it into your daily routine of caring for your skin and your health.
|