How to look younger, feel better and project the best you

All of us have experienced that "one" moment when you realize that you don't look like you thought you did.  Men and women alike experience the anxiety of aging and suffer the repercussions of low self-esteem and lack of confidence.  Fret no more!  There are easy tricks that you can use to look younger, feel better and have everyone around you notice the difference.  So if you want to make a better, brighter impression on others, keep on reading.

Exercise 1

--Think of what you like about yourself most.  (If that's too hard, think about what you really liked about yourself).  This has to be a personality trait, characteristic or talent.  What is best about you?  Do you give good advice--a mini Freud?  Do you prepare your own taxes--a mathematical genius?  What are your great qualities?

--Now that you have identified your great qualities, notice how you feel when you think about these great attributes.  Notice how your body stands taller, how relaxed your muscles are, how you're probably smiling.  Your body is a master healer and so wise.  Listen to how your body reacts when you compliment yourself on these real and true qualities that you have.  

--For the next two (2) weeks carry all your qualities with you when you walk out the door or interact with people.  For example, I am an empathetic person with a sense of humor.  Just saying that and acknowledging it brings a smile to my face and I feel light-hearted.  As a result, whenever I meet people, I'm relaxed, easy-going and ready for a chat.  This not only makes my day more entertaining but people react nicer to me.  My friend is very detailed oriented, great with numbers, and a great problem solver.  When he thinks of these qualities he feels proud of himself and comfortable in his own skin.  The result is that he feels confident--just the way he is.

People notice when someone is happy, comfortable and confident.  That somebody should be you!  Is it?  If not, follow the easy trick.  The world responds in such a positive way to authentic, true-to-self individuals.  Be proud of yourself and love yourself.  Regain your self-respect.  Train your brain to follow who you are! 

Exercise 2

Now that you know how to "carry" your great qualities and you notice how much better your mood and body are, try this fantastic projection trick.  Before you leave the house, imagine and envision in your mind's eye how you want to look.  Once you envision it, merge with this image by either stepping into it or allowing it to rest on top of your face.  This is the image that people will feel.  Don't be surprised if you receive compliments on how young you look, how beautiful your eyes are or what a nice smile/laugh you have.  The results are phenominal.  For work-related events I always add a few inches to my height, enlarge my smile and envision a warm, sparkling glow around me.  You could not believe how many people think I am actually taller than I am and that I'm "sunny".  Try it!

For more information and to learn how to perfect your projection skills, visit www.spiritbeyond.com.

Blessings for Healing: Water Blessings

Water has long been a subject of much interest to me.  Within religious context, water has been used to join the body with the (holy) spirit.  This is a baptism.  Traditionally, when one is sick they take a warm or hot bath.  Water is also a medium for infusions, remedies and homeopathic medicine.  Most importantly, the human body cannot survive without water.  The healing power of water seems to magnify, or at the least, complement, the healing power of herbs.  If we only become aware of how abundantly we depend on water then we could begin to understand the healing powers along with how to effectively utilize them.

Our bodies are mostly composed of water and as such, it is only natural that we properly honor and respect water.  First begin by blessing all the water you ingest and all the water that you use throughout the day.  Start off by holding the glass of water that you are about to drink in your hands and give thanks.  Continue the blessing by stating out loud that the water is for your health, for cleansing, and that it will serve only the highest good in your body.  Do so everytime you drink water and everytime you eat water based foods (soups, teas).  Take it a step further and perform the blessing whenever you take a bath, have a steam facial, place fresh flowers in a vase, water the plants and other daily occurances.

Always note how you feel before and after the blessing.  After a period of time, say 2 weeks, note how you felt before you started blessing water and how you feel now.  I personally have noticed that I feel lighter and more connected to spirit, I eat less because I feel full faster, and I have more gratitude for Mother Nature and life.  I am constantly reminded that as I bless the water that I give to my plants, they in turn bless me with full foliage, vibrant colors and their company.  The same goes towards my animals.  I also value my clothing more.  I notice the quality of the fabric and the way it feels on my skin. (I bless the water in my washing machine and thank it for cleaning my clothing).  Overall, I feel blessed!  Now you give it a try!

And in case you need more evidence of the power of water, take a look at the image below.  I was with family on New Year's Eve.  We were enjoying the night and each other's company.  When we looked out the window we noticed how the condensation on the window from the earlier fog began to freeze in the cold of night.  The beautiful image that resulted was so inspirational, jovial and intricate that all of us were stunned.  To me, this respresented the good energy in the house.  It was a visual respresentation of how we all felt that night.   

To learn to perform your own blessings and to experience the healing spirit of blessings, contact Adriana Kugman at spiritbeyond@gmail.com or visit www.spiritbeyond.com.

Intuitive Guide--Water Meditation and Self Hypnosis

This is indeed a wonderful picture that I took while visiting Yosemite National Park.  It is a perfect picture to stimulate your mind, spark creativity, enhance your intuition, induce a guided meditation and self-hypnosis.  Another gift this picture gives us is the connection to nature and to nature spirits.  So much healing in such a simple image--if only all of us would act in spirit.

This will take only a few moments.  Sit in a comfortable position, quiet down and state out loud that you set the intention for healing.  Take a few deep breaths until you begin to feel a calmness in your body and look at the image.  Begin to describe it.  Is it a big or small body of water?  Describe the motion and speed of the water.  Describe the temperature of the water.  Imagine how it might feel if you touched it.  What time of day is it in the image?  What is the season?  

Now begin to tell the "story of the water".  Describe where the source of the water is and where this water is going.  Notice the feeling you have as you look at the image and let the water convey to you it's message.  What does the water communicate?  Take a few moments to aborb everything.

What does the water convey about you?  What words of encouragement or support do you receive?...

Could you believe how much information you received?  Could you believe how much calm, peace, grounding, even love, you received?  Believe it!  You used your intuition and imagination, you followed a guided meditation, you applied self-hypnotic techniques, you healed parts of you that respond to nature and best of all, notice how you feel.  That is the best way to measure the benefits of guided meditation and hypnosis.

For those of you that are curious to know how good your intuition really is, below is a picture of the full image.  

For help meditating, learning self hypnosis and developing your intuition visit www.spiritbeyond.com.

 

The Importance of the Higher Self

The Higher Self is the greatest source of wisdom and love that a person can have.  The Higher Self is infinite.  It is a link between earth and other dimensions; ultimately, it is the God in all of us.

One can find the Higher Self when looking within.  In the daily routine of our lives we rush, we over perform, we normalize working 8, 10, 12 hour days, work under fluorescent lights, eat fast food every day, and experience so many other unnatural states of consciousness.  Many of us experience a need, a “hunger” for meaning in our lives that stems from a source deep within us.  This source is honest, truthful, open, and aware of our needs.  It is the Higher Self expressing its protective and helpful nature, trying to give our bodies, our minds, our souls exactly that which it needs.

As a hypnotherapist, one of the first things I do is facilitate introducing clients to their Higher Selves.  This might take the entire first session but it is critical because once clients are aware of their Higher Self and know how to contact their Higher Self they always have who to turn to for advice.  Clients then realize that they are never alone and have a "best friend" that can offer wonderful advice.  Sometimes, after the client learns to communicate with the Higher Self, they can let the Higher Self guide the session toward areas that need healing (and not necessary what the client initially presents).

Once you discover your Higher Self you become open to meeting other helping guides, such as Spirit Guides, Animal Guides, Nature Guides and many more.  The discovery of the Higher Self truly opens the door for a full sensory experience and increases your sprit and state of mind.  As a result, you have more energy and your vibration increases.  The higher your vibration, the better and easier the communication is with all your helpers.  With so much help and support available, how can anyone ever feel alone or disconnected in this world?  Trust in your Higher Self.

To discover your own Higher Self visit www.spiritbeyond.com. 

Methods to integrate a hypnotherapy session

After your hypnotherapy session give yourself some time to process the session.  This is essential because we are multidimensional beings and have many layers of processing.  Experiencing the session just once is not enough.  Review the session in your mind for a few days and begin to apply anything you learned from the session immediately.  By doing so you gain insight and you begin to heal yourself.  Any tools gained during the session should be used on a regular (if not daily) basis so that you practice using them, benefitting from them and gaining expertise.

The following are a few methods to fully integrate your session and achieve the greatest results.  Ask yourself:

--How did I feel when I began the session?

--How did I feel afterwards?

--What was most profound for me during the session?

--What points did the hypnotherapist seem to stress?

--If there is a difference between what I found most important and what the hypnotherapist found most important, can I see things through another perspective?

--What have I learned about myself?  How did I portray myself during the session?  Does it match who I really am?

--Even if I'm already familiar with what came up during the session, why would this come up again?  Is there anything "new" about this "old" topic?

--Even if I already know this, how can I further integrate this information?

--How did I feel about this experience?  (Relieved, calmed, happy, light-hearted, emotional, magical, etc...)

--Do I follow what I discovered/learned during my session?  Do I apply this information on a regular basis?

--Is there more that I would like to know/heal about myself?  If yes, maybe I am ready for another session.

To learn more about how to integrate your hypnotherapy session or how to apply hypnotherapy techniques and tools, visit www.spiritbeyond.com.

Tools for the Sprit: A Step-by-Step Guide for Hypnotherapy

While many of you have heard about the fantastic results you could get with hypnotherapy, the reality is that hypnotherapy is still a mystery.  For those interested in learning more about hypnotherapy and what to expect, this is a step-by-step guide to get you ready and going (from a real hypnotherapist to a real person).

Step 1: Definition.  Hypnotherapy combines the process of hypnosis and open communication during the hypnotic process between the client and hypnotherapist.  This means that a conversation will occur, and yes, you can do it!  No, you will not lose or fall out of trance.  So what is trance exactly?  It's a process of allowing your body to relax.  There is no reason to be nervous or to treat the session with such high intensity.  This leads to nervousnes and pretty soon both your brain and your ego take over.  Take it easy, get comfortable and listen to what the hypnotherapist says as if you are listening to an old CD that you have already heard.  The whole point is to follow along and participate.

Step 2: Expectations.  Ask yourself what your expectations are.  Hypnotherapist cannot diagnose or treat illnesses, they cannot mind  control you or take away your power and most importantly, they cannot make you do what you don't want to do--including relaxing and opening yourself for a trance state.  Always assume responsibility for yourself and what you bring to the session.  The hypnotherapist uses words to communicate with you.  It is your responsibility to process the words by using your imagination and integrating this imagery within your body.   

Step 3: Guided Imagery.  This is by far the easiest thing to do.  Guided imagery is simply using your imagination.  A commonly used image is that of a pathway in a forest.  "Imagine walking on a pathway, soft grass underneath your bare feet, a crisp breeze brushing your cheeks, the sound of leaves rustling in the wind, the smell of pine in the air.  As Mother Earth guides you on your journey deep within, notice how you feel."   The hypnotherapist tells a story and you simply follow along and envision this story.

Step 4: Choice.  To enter a trance is a choice.  It has less to do with the hypnotherapist and more to do with your willingness.  You choose to get the most out of your session and that implies being a full participant.

Side Note: Do not try to control the session.  Just follow along with the hypnotherapist.  If you try to control how the session will run or if you have demands about what you want, you actually block yourself from entering a trance.  You're limiting your imagination and most likely are setting harsh and unrealistic standards or expectations.  Instead of resisting an image flow with it.

Step 5: Let go.  It's natural to have strong emotions of excitement and anticipation, even a slight fear of the unknown.  Put these emotions aside and remind yourself that your session is an opportunity for self-expression, healing, mind-body-spirit wisdom and getting to know yourself.  The more you do it, the better you become at it.

Step 6: Everything is important.  At times clients will say after a session "I already knew that".  Does this mean that the session is less valuable or less extraordinary?  Not at all.  My reply is that if they already knew that, why is it coming up again?  Maybe they are not really listening to how profound their thoughts and feelings are.  Maybe that is why "But I already knew that" has come to mean "I know that but do nothing about it".  Don't limit yourself; there is always room for further integration.

Step 7: Appreciation.  Appreciate yourself for being responsible and attempting to heal your body and spirit.  Bless yourself and the session and allow your body to integrate the information.

Step 8: Process.  Hypnotherapy is a process because you have to integrate the experience and the information within your body.  This can take some time.  A process implies that a few sessions will more fully address an issue.

Now that you have a better understanding of what to expect, go for it!  You can learn to be your best friend through hypnotherapy.  The benefits include gaining access to your wisdom body and your higher self, changing thought patterns, gaining insight and solutions, healing the mind-body-spirit, and making yourself a better you!  With all the techniques you learn you can soon rely on yourself for your healing.

Ready for a hypnotherapy session?  Visit www.spiritbeyond.com.