SchoolofCT

The School of Complementary Therapies

June 2012 Health Steps ~ Get Physical With Some Love

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Walking the dog ~ an excellent way to add exercise to your life!

Over the years I have listened to hundreds of clients and students make excuses for not exercising—seriously, I think I’ve heard them all. And I always say ‘the key is finding something you love to do’.

So today I’m going to share some of my tips to making exercise more fun:

  • Don’t do it alone. Go with a friend. The buddy system works so well. If you are not feeling motivated, maybe your friend is, or vice versa.
  • Don’t over do it! The temptation to get stuck in and work like mad because you haven’t exercised for a while is so strong. Resist! Go gently. As we say at Feeling Absolutely Fabulous, ‘gentle change leads to permanent results’. Take it easy and you won’t injure yourself. You have all the time in the world.
  • Don’t commit to an exercise regime until you have tried it for a while. Sometimes the initial endorphin rush is mistaken for loving the exercise. See if it works for you and your lifestyle first. Then make the commitment.
  • Do schedule exercise into your daily calender. If you make an appointment with yourself you are more likely to keep it than saying ‘I’ll get round to it when I’ve done everything else’.
  • Do something you can afford. The stress out-weighs the benefits if you cannot afford to do it. Walking is free. Running is free. Doing the housework vigorously is free, which brings me to my final tip for today:
  • Moving your body is exercise. You don’t have to wait until you can join a program or pay for a gym membership. Get physical and clean the house. Get physical and go shopping: park the car away from the mall entrance and walk vigorously around the mall. Make love with enthusiasm—teehee! Get down on the floor and play with the kids/grand-kids/pets. Move it or lose it!
  • And think about what you eat! Good nutrition partnered with some exercise and you’ll soon be Feeling Absolutely Fabulous!
  • And get physical with some love.

Love Your Neighbor:They Are Closer Than You May Know

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The six degrees of separation theory, popularized by American psychologist Stanley Milgram (1967), explains that everyone is one degree removed from people they know, two degrees from people their friends know and no more than six degrees away from everyone on the planet.

6 degrees of separation

Liking scientific explanations I found it interesting that Microsoft came up with the idea of using data from their Instant Messenger client to prove the theory. The researchers took an IM message between two unnamed individuals as a link and then examined how to connect 180 billion different pairs of users in the database. They found the actual number of links was 6.6, although 78 per cent of the world’s population can be linked in seven steps or less. However, some took over 20 links to find a connection.

One of the researchers on the project, Eric Horvitz, said he had been shocked by the results. "What we’re seeing suggests there may be a social connectivity constant for humanity", he was quoted as saying by the Washington Post newspaper. "People have had this suspicion that we are really close. But we are showing on a very large scale that this idea goes beyond folklore."

The results are not only amazing but encouraging. By recognizing that we aren’t that far apart may help us to accept each other and see the interconnections and benefit from truly being aware and mindful. 
In gratitude and service to you,

Alison/Devinder Kaur &
The PranaShanti Team

What, Where, Why, How-Reiki Hands-on Healing?

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Reiki for Pain Management, Stress Reduction and Alleviation of Anxiety

Over the years I have been practicing Reiki the most common question I’ve been asked about it is ‘What is it?’ The quickest answer to this question is ‘The simplest of therapies bringing the most profound results: Reiki is Hands-on Healing.’ But that isn’t enough, so let’s read on to learn a little about Reiki, how it has been tested and is used:

What? Reiki is an ancient natural healing art and a touch healing system using ‘laying-on of hands’. Truly holistic in nature, Reiki healing sessions promote healing on all levels: physical, mental, emotional and spiritual.

Where? The Reiki system of ‘laying-on of hands’ is documented as being discovered and practiced in Japan in the mid-1800s, although it is commonly believed to be traced back to early Tibetan teachings from around 3000BCE. In addition, it is considered by many to be the healing method employed by Buddha and Jesus Christ.

Why? Reiki does not conflict with other health care but enhances its results. It does not interfere with traditional medical treatment but facilitates the benefits and speeds the recover from any toxic side effects. It also may be used in conjunction with other complementary healing modalities and for maintenance of health and well-being.

How? For some time, scientific studies have been conducted in the area of laying-on of hands; however, proven clinically validated studies are limited. The most well known Reiki study was conducted in 1997 by Karin Olson, RN, PhD, from Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. The purpose of the study was to explore the usefulness of Reiki as an adjuvant to opioid therapy in the management of pain. A pilot study was conducted involving 20 volunteers experiencing pain at 55 sites for a variety of reasons, including cancer. A highly significant reduction in pain was indicated following the Reiki treatment. (1)

Little traditional scientific evidence exists. However, Dr. John Zimmerman of the University of Colorado has established that magnetic fields around the hands of healers are up to several hundred times stronger than those fields around non-healers, using a superconducting quantum interference device. (2)

Reiki is completely safe. There is no danger involved in using or receiving Reiki treatments. Reiki has no contraindications, and it has been shown to be effective in cases when there is no belief in it. The recipient does not have to believe in Reiki for it to work; the recipient only has to be open to receive a treatment. That said the only guarantee that can be made for a Reiki session is that stress and anxiety will be lessened. Testimonials are personal, varying with people from slight improvement in disease symptoms to complete wellness. Using Reiki is a highly personal experience.

Reiki is often used for self-help. The first degree or first level of training is primarily for personal use, and individuals often learn Reiki for this purpose. When going to see a professional therapist you can expect to lie on a massage-type table for anything from around 30 minutes to 1.5 hours. Reiki therapists have learned a series of hand positions which cover the entire body, both front and back. However a skilled therapist may use their own stylized set of hand placements and make intuitive adjustments to personalize your treatment. You will not be required to remove clothing and you will not be touched inappropriately or at any time be made to feel uncomfortable by a reputable therapist.

You will enter a state of deep relaxation comparable to a meditative or day-dreaming state. You may have sensations of tingling and pleasant dream-like impressions and many see floating balls of color in their imaginations!

Reiki is not regulated anywhere in the world, however there have been attempts to regulate. These are voluntary and there is a general consensus in freedom in the training and practicing process. Therefore the most effective way of finding a Reiki practitioner or therapist is often through referral. All too often, those who call themselves Reiki Masters and teach others have taken ‘quickie’ courses and are not particularly experienced or well-versed in the therapy. Accordingly, it is customary to ask therapists how long they have practiced and what other qualifications they bring to their practice. Because Reiki is used in conjunction with numerous healing modalities, Reiki Therapists often are versed in other therapies, which can be very useful is assisting patients through the healing process.

At SCT both Founder Jacqueline Fairbrass and Reiki Master/Instructor Adrian McKeague teach Reiki in the classroom and are practising therapists. Contact Jacqueline and/or Adrian for class times and availability.
If you would like to learn more you may purchase the First Degree Reiki Training Manual from us or contact Adrian by phone (613) 203-7343 for a free 15 minute consultation.

1 Olson K, Hanson J: Using Reiki to manage pain: a preliminary report, Cancer Prevent Control 1(2):108-113, 1997
2 Rand WL: Reiki research, Reiki News (summer):1-9, 1995
You may reprint this article and include this information:
Reprinted with permission by Health Steps, the School of Complementary Therapies Education division of Feeling Absolutely Fabulous LLC Newsletter. Jacqueline Fairbrass is the founder of the School of Complementary Therapies, a leader in the field of CAM (Complementary and Alternative Medicine) education. For more information go to SchoolofCT or Feeling Absolutely Fabulous LLC JacquelineFairbrass, call 206.201.2764 or contact us on-line.

Bah-Humbug and all that jazz!

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For so many of us the holiday season is a series of trials and tribulations that we endure each year. Even if you love the holidays I suggest you read on for some ideas about how to truly enjoy yourself this year. For years I have worked with clients and students to explore why so many of us dread the holiday season each year and why we feel so guilty about that dread.

Initially people talk of the ‘expectation’, which comes in several formats. We expect so much from ourselves! We expect to find the perfect gifts, attend or host the perfect events and expect to enjoy our family and friends. Most insidiously beneath this surface expectation is the underlying expecting ourselves to be full of some mystery holiday spirit and sense of love and peace for all.

As a kid I had a wonderfully naive belief that on Christmas day, ¦a sort of ‘for one day only’ there was no crime or hate or cruelty on the planet. I believe the actual belief initially came from hearing about ‘cease fires’ in the 1st and 2nd World Wars. I then added on my family’s own ‘cease fire’: My parents would do their best not to argue and relatives would be civil at the family gatherings. As my family of origin is highly emotive and flamboyant this sense of civility was a unusual blessing–truly ‘ceasefire’ sums it up nicely! And I believed that the world was a wonderfully safe place on Christmas Day. I remember this belief being totally destroyed one Christmas when I heard of a violent crime being committed by a shop Santa. Yet, still there persists within me a sense of ‘it should be safe’ on Christmas.

Maybe by now you are connecting with one of your ‘holiday beliefs’ and the impact it has had on you through the years?

So my gift to you this holiday season is the gift of peace and allowance. Allow yourself to be at ease with the season. Sometimes all we need is permission to let us off the hook of expectation.

Think about this: how peaceful and loving is your family gathering? It can be an awful lot of pressure to put a group of people into a room or home; people who don’t usually get together but feel because it’s the holidays that they should. What if instead of expecting people to behave in certain ways, we allow them to simply be who they truly be–and that includes ourselves! And if the bottom-line is you don’t really want to be with these people then go be with some people you do want to be with instead. Or spend some time with yourself. Allow you to do what you want to do and to be with people you really do care about!

What about decorating for the holidays? If it brings you joy, do it and have the most fun you can have! However, if it feels tedious and drags you down simply don’t bother to do it. Or find a friend or family member who loves to decorate and invite them to do it for you, and of course to put it all away afterwards.

The same can apply to cooking. If you love to cook, then cook up a storm. If you love to entertain than throw the best parties you can. And if you don’t like to cook there are still lots of other options: let someone who does love cooking to do it, whether that be a family member, friend or a local shop where you can buy pre-prepared yumminess. Don’t like to have people over, then don’t. Love going to parties but don’t like throwing parties, accept every invitation you get and take a fabulous hostess gift. The exchange is complete!

Forget the traditions that don’t work for you and start to change and embrace new traditions that fill your life with ease, joy and glory. Don’t worry about what others will think; most likely they will thank you in the long run. So often when we worry about hurting the feelings of others we are just projecting our own fears on them. For example, last year my husband and I chose not to go to his mother’s family Christmas. We had our reasons and let the family know. After the initial shock it turned out that his mum used the opportunity to do what she really wanted to do: she went off to a coastal hotel with her husband for a few days. It turned out she felt that if she stopped doing Christmas dinner everyone would be upset with her, but after all the years of being the entertainer she really just wanted a quiet Christmas with her husband and someone else doing all the cooking!!! My sister-in-law headed south for a vacation with her husband a day early. Everyone was happy! Check your traditions and ask yourself ‘is this a tradition or is this just a habit’.

So this year I encourage you to have an absolutely fabulous holiday season. Remember my CDs and SCT’s Distance Learning Courses make wonderful healing gifts. And I also offer Gift Certificates for one-on-one fabulocity coaching!

Have a magical holiday.
Blessings and keep well,
Jacqueline Fairbrass RRPr
Licensed Hypnotherapist Health Consultant
Founder, School of Complementary Therapies

You may reprint this article and include this information:
Reprinted with permission by Health Steps, the School of Complementary Therapies Education division of Feeling Absolutely Fabulous LLC Newsletter. Jacqueline Fairbrass is the founder of the School of Complementary Therapies, a leader in the field of CAM (Complementary and Alternative Medicine) education. For more information go to SchoolofCT or Feeling Absolutely Fabulous LLC JacquelineFairbrass, call 206.201.2764 or contact us on-line.

Jacqueline’s Top Ten Secrets to Happiness! Part one

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I am one of life’s optimists. That’s not to say I don’t have my moments of self-doubt etc. but basically I have a positive outlook on life. Have you ever wondered how some people stay cheery, even when things in life are not going so well? I am going to share with you ten simple secrets of happy people to help you. This month we are going to explore my top five secrets!

1. Celebrate good times!

Happy people make every day a holiday! Just think for a moment and feel how excited you get when you are planning a vacation. When we are on holiday, whether exploring a new place, simply chilling out or doing something daring and out of our comfort zone-we are excited and we feel celebratory. Now, what if everyday could feel like that? Life can whiz by and we can get so bogged in the ‘day-to-day’ that we can feel as if life is leaving us behind. Choose to do something today that feels like a vacation. Even if it’s just stopping to have a cup of coffee-don’t walk around with the coffee in your hand-actually stop and relax, breathe deep, enjoy your coffee and watch the world go by. Taking only ten minutes to pause and celebrate life will lift your spirits. And who knows, it just might become a new habit!

2. Smile

And the world smiles with you. Have you ever seen a gray, sad face opposite you on the bus or beside you in a line-up and thought ‘gee, I’d like to be that person?’ No, I thought not. It’s a natural feeling to not want to be around people who look miserable. So if you decide to make yourself appear cheerful you’ll soon start to feel it, and then you’ll attract others who are cheerful. And the bonus here is that happy people have a natural inner glow and appear to look younger. Take a moment right now to check in the mirror: are you a naturally happy looking person? If not, decide to change that right now and start smiling!

3. Find a reason to laugh!

Seriously, haha! One thing that has been mentioned to me time and again by clients and colleagues over the years is that it doesn’t take long to be in my company and we end up laughing. Even when things are gloomy, and let’s face it we all have set-backs now and again-that’s life, you can look for the humor in situations. If this one is difficult for you, try detaching a little and look at your life as if it is a movie script. Or as my friend Dave used to say to me ‘I love getting updates on your life-you live in soap opera!’ Imagine a cinema audience watching your life-transfixed by your fate. You can even add a movie-trailer voice over for extra effect. You can’t help but giggle. And remember when you do this exercise that all the best movies have happy endings. Even if you are in the midst of what seems like hell, one of my tips is to go into the misery. ‘Have the best pity party in the world’-you’ll go so far over the top you’ll start laughing! And if all else fails, take a‘time-out’ and go watch an up-lifting movie or re-read a book that makes you feel good and forget about things for a while.

4. Think sexy!

Woohoo! Feeling sexy is a fantastic way to boost your happiness levels. All sorts of things go on with your hormones when you are feeling sexy-sex is an expression of feeling. So go ahead, think sexy thoughts and feel alive. And of course, orgasm is a great way of boosting tension-releasing estrogen and releasing endorphins that give a natural ‘high’. Feeling sexy is highly personal and subjective, so don’t obsess about it, just give yourself permission to feel like a sexy person. A tip here for those of you who have difficulty with this-think about a movie star who is at the top of their game and imagine what it would be like to be them or remember a time when you were feeling attractive, flirty and sexy. Then fake it ’til you make it!

5. Bounce back!

When I was a youngster there were these toys in England called ‘weebles’. They were pretty much egg-shaped creatures and they sang a little song ‘weebles wobble but they don’t fall down!’ When I get flattened by a brutal life experience I sing this little ditty to myself. It’s a natural part of life’s experiences to sometimes feel bad; the trick is to not stay down. Look for the good behind the bad. For example, I was having a whine about having to stay in the house from 1 to 5 today waiting for a repair man to arrive. This isn’t how I planned my day! However, the sun is shining and I’m now sitting with my lap-top on the deck writing my next article, with a nice cup of tea and some biscuits. Simple, really!

If it feels good, do it! I hope you find these tips useful and if you have any contributions to make please let me know and we’ll pass them along to others at SCT. Next month we’ll explore my other five secrets to happiness. In the meantime, keep well and do contact me for an appointment if you would like to explore your own inner happiness further. I am taking phone appointments Monday to Fridays now and would love to help. How may I be of contribution to your life?

 

Secrets to Happiness 6 to 10

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Last month we looked at five simple ways that you can stay cheery even when your life looks or feels like rubbish. This month I am sharing another five of my ‘life-saving’ tips!

6. Happy People Love Sharing Surprises

So, you had a crappy drive to work and road rage is possibly overcoming you. Instead of going into work and having a moan session, just turn it around. This is especially useful to remember if your buddies expect you to whine. Stop and get everyone a coffee or pick up a box of donuts. Being the hero and changing your focus to one of pleasing others will give you an instant pick-me-up! And it will uplift people with you rather than drag them down with you.

7. Happy People Love Ticking Things Off

Sometimes even the most cheery of us are daunted by an enormous task. For example, I just moved into a new home that needs completely redecorating. The thought was rather overwhelming. So, I made a ‘to-do’ list. By making a series of steps out of moving in and redecorating I’ve made a series of small manageable pieces instead of one huge and overwhelming one. The way that worked for me was to pick one room at a time and unpack that. Now that I have worked through all the unpacking and moving furniture around I have a real sense of accomplishment. Next, I’ll pick a favorite room to start decorating and it’s become fun! Ticking off the to-do list makes me feel proud and gives me a real sense of accomplishment which leads to ‘what’s next?’.

8. Happy People Love Caring for Others

Double your luck by cheering up others! Sometimes it becomes too easy to be obsessed with our own lives, especially when we are feeling down on our luck. By looking outside of ourselves and caring for others we get a chance to put things into perspective. One of the things I recommend to clients with anxiety is to get out in the community and do some volunteer work. Studies indicate that people who volunteer have a stronger sense of self-worth and value. Even caring for a beloved pet can be a real dose of sunshine as well as a wonderful reason to get out of bed in the morning.

9. Happy People are Flexible

You are out shopping with your heart set on getting a new pair of red shoes and you miss out on the fabulous orange shoes on sale. Ouch! Do not set your intentions too firmly. Allow life to surprise you and take off those blinkers. Too often I see clients and students who are working the Law of Attraction by fixating on something they want in their lives. While they are so busy waiting for the exact image on the vision board to turn up they are missing all sorts of fabulous opportunities, just like the orange shoes.

And my Top Ten Tip for bringing oodles of happiness into your life:

10. Happy People Love to Live for Fish & Chips

This doesn’t mean live on deep fried foods, although occasionally they are delicious. Living for fish and chips is a state of mind. Back when I was a kid in the UK fish and chips were served in old newspapers. (Great for recycling but a bit iffy when it comes to hygiene!) Living for fish and chips is a reminder that today’s news is tomorrow’s chip wrapper! Let the past go. We all make mistakes, we all screw up, and we are all some times disappointed in ourselves. Just let it go and move on. I often remind clients and students alike ‘you did the best you could with the information you had at the time’.

Start each day afresh and let the past be the past. Here’s one of my ‘Pearls of Wisdom’ from the Feeling Absolutely Fabulous Program:
Allow the past to be the past. Start each day as if it were the first one on this beautiful planet. Ask yourself ‘who am I today and what grand and glorious adventure can I have?’ and let the past go…
And don’t forget that I love hearing from you, so if you have stories to share or need some help please contact me

What contribution can I be to your life?
Jacqueline Fairbrass
CEO Feeling Absolutely Fabulous LLC
Founder, School of Complementary Therapies

You may reprint this article and include this information:
Reprinted with permission by Health Steps, the School of Complementary Therapies Education division of Feeling Absolutely Fabulous LLC Newsletter. Jacqueline Fairbrass is the founder of the School of Complementary Therapies, a leader in the field of CAM (Complementary and Alternative Medicine) education. For more information go to SchoolofCT or Feeling Absolutely Fabulous LLC JacquelineFairbrass, call 206.201.2764 or contact us on-line.

This Time Next Year

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“If you always do what you’ve always done, you’ll always get what you’ve always got.”

Does this sound familiar? We tend to start the New Year setting Resolutions for the year to come, i.e. I will lose 20 lbs, I will go to the gym, I will give up smoking, I will start a new career path, etc. And by the end of January, or sometimes by the end of January 1, we have given them up and life goes back to normal. At some points during the year, we’ll re-hash our dreams and wishes for the year to come, but for most of us at the end of the year we are exactly the same as we were a year ago! How would you like to change this? If you are interested in some simple steps to help you make some permanent changes in your happiness, health and well-being for the year to come, then read on.

Start here: If this year, you are still challenged by the same issues you were dealing with last year, what are you going to do differently in the year to come to move beyond them? Take a moment to imagine where you could be NOW if only you had overcome these problems last year!

1)         The first step is to accept. The way things are is the way things are. Do you look in the mirror and hold in your tummy? Do you not look in the mirror at all? (And that can be a metaphorical mirror!) Are you being honest with yourself? Pick something that you have been ‘sweeping under the rug’ and get honest. Choose one thing about you that you would like to change and begin by accepting that is who you are right now.
“The measure of success is not whether you have a tough problem to deal with, but whether it’s the same problem you had last year.” – John Foster Dulles
(My CD Acceptance is designed to help you with this step: All improvements in life begin with accepting that things aren’t working the way we would like them to. By accepting that life is one way we are not locking ourselves into that way for ever, we are taking the first step to change. The Acceptance CD takes you on a guided journey to allow yourself to “let go” of the way things are and create an opening in your life to let in the new.)

2)         Decide what change you would like to make. Where would you like to be this time next year? Really, take a moment and think about this. If we go back to the ‘losing weight’ analogy—what would you realistically like to see changed by this time next year: January 2011. Instead of looking at numbers, go with ‘how would you like to feel’. For example, how would you feel if you were wearing something that was well-fitted and you were feeling healthy and attractive?
If you have been thinking about taking some courses to add to your profession or to start changing your career path, what is holding you back? Imagine how it feels to be doing something you love for a living.

3)         It’s time to take action. Make the commitment to you that ‘it’s time to take control of life and start making some serious decisions about what kind of life you want to live’. This is the easy part; decide to change one thing and then start to make the change! This can be joyful, exciting and easy.

The most important thing to remember is: You have to choose to make a conscious decision to make something different happen. That’s all you have to do is make the decision. In your mind, once you have made a decision that’s it. There is no back door escape hatch. You simply cut yourself off from any other possible option.
If you are not sure what that feels like, think back to a time you were certain about something. Perhaps the day you decided to marry your partner, the day you decided to train in a particular job path, the day you decided ‘yes, this is where I want to live’. Now think about what you want to change in your life—does it feel like ‘yes’?

4)         Follow through! When you have found something you are prepared to change and made the conscious decision to make the change, it gets easier and easier to follow through. People, circumstances, thoughts, ideas and solutions will suddenly begin to show up as the Universe aligns and makes the path for you. All you have to do is pay attention.
So, I ask you again, ’where do you want to be this time next year?’
Here are some affirmations to help you along the way:

  • This year I agree to do only the things I intend to follow through with
  • This year I am making ME a priority

If these affirmations don’t feel right for you, create the ones that do. The important thing to remember is that ‘you have to mean it’! Believe and know!

If you feel the time is right to start making changes and you would like some help you can either contact me for personal one-on-one coaching and facilitating to help you make these changes, or you can purchase my CDs and start working with me by listening daily and allowing your subconscious mind to start the process.
I sincerely wish you the best year ever! May your wishes and dreams come true! Start, by believing you can change. Gentle change leads to permanent results.

What does January 2011 look like?

You may reprint this article and include this information:
Reprinted with permission by Health Steps, the School of Complementary Therapies Education division of Feeling Absolutely Fabulous LLC Newsletter. Jacqueline Fairbrass is the founder of the School of Complementary Therapies, a leader in the field of CAM (Complementary and Alternative Medicine) education. For more information go to SchoolofCT or Feeling Absolutely Fabulous LLC JacquelineFairbrass, call 206.201.2764 or contact us on-line.

All you need is LOVE

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This October I am writing a ‘short and sweet’ message as last month was a time of celebration and vacation for me.
It’s a simple reminder:

You are the most important thing in your entire life. Put your arms around yourself and love yourself for all you’re worth.

Whatever is happening in your life take steps to simply surrender.
Let go and let god/goddess.
Relax, breathe deeply.
All is well.
When you are tired, rest.
When you are in pain: lean on a friend, a loved one, a family member, a therapist or a Life Facilitator.
When you feel like having fun, play.
When you are feeling sad, simply sit down and cry.
When you are lonely, connect with a loved one, a friend, a family member, your Life Facilitator or a therapist.
When you are in need of pampering, do whatever nurtures you. (My personal favorite that lifts my spirit is a bubble bath, with a glass of wine and some beautiful organic chocolate.)
Take some time to ‘smell the roses’ and slow down. You have all the time in the world.

And this month’s final reminder: be grateful for the things you have and more will come to you. Don’t focus on what you haven’t got; focus on what you do have.

If you need some help, I’ll be back in the office from October 14th and will be happy to be of assistance. Email for an appointment

Blessings,
Jacqueline Fairbrass
Founder, School of Complementary Therapies
Life Facilitator
CEO Feeling Absolutely Fabulous

You may reprint this article and include this information:
Reprinted with permission by Health Steps, the School of Complementary Therapies Education division of Feeling Absolutely Fabulous LLC Newsletter. Jacqueline Fairbrass is the founder of the School of Complementary Therapies, a leader in the field of CAM (Complementary and Alternative Medicine) education. For more information go to SchoolofCT or Feeling Absolutely Fabulous LLC JacquelineFairbrass, call 206.201.2764 or contact us on-line.

February 2009 Love

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Believe in the Magic of Love

February being the month to celebrate “love” with Valentine’s Day on February 14th had me thinking about “love”. My mind went off in many tangents and I thought I’d share some with you. When we think “Valentine’s Day” most of us think about “romantic love”. That’s the sort of “couples” love that for many signifies the immediate interpretation of the word “love”. Valentine’s in our culture has come to signify a day of celebrating a romantic connection with someone special. But not all of us have that someone special in our lives to celebrate with. Does that mean some people should get left out of this celebratory time? I don’t think so.

So, what does “love” mean? The Oxford Illustrated American Dictionary defines love as “any number of emotions and experiences related to a strong sense of emotion”. In fact, the word “love” may refer to a whole range of different feelings. From the ambiguous “I love that sweater”, to the enthusiastic “I love chocolate”; the platonic “I love you buddy” of loving your best friend, to the passionate love of a sweetheart or significant other, “I love you darling”. In fact, we use the word “love” a great deal.

And then if you start to research St. Valentine, it all becomes even more confusing. It appears there were many different St. Valentines and that the February 14th celebration might actually be a cover-up for a pagan celebration.  My brother insists that St. Valentine’s Day is nothing but a marketing scam and that we should ignore it. But how can we ignore a day for the celebration of love, when it is so diverse and meaningful in our lives?
This Valentine’s I suggest you make the day a celebration of love as you choose to make it. If that’s dinner and a movie with your sweetheart, go for it. But don’t think that’s the only way to celebrate love. Start with yourself! How often do you admit to loving yourself? Not enough, I expect. Without love of self we can’t accept love from another, and we don’t know how to love another.

If you were to treat yourself as the most important loved one in your life for one day, this year being St. Valentine’s Day, what would it look like? How does your day look? Will you rush out of bed into the shower, grab a coffee on the road and head into work. Or will you set the alarm clock a little earlier, have coffee in your robe, maybe read the paper or watch a little breakfast TV? Why not make a lunch “date” with a friend or your kids? And what about the pet in your life, will you celebrate with them? Perhaps an extra long walk or snuggle by the fire?

One of my favorite movies and one I recommend to clients when they are feeling that the world is an unlovable and unloving place is “Love Actually”. Okay, so it’s a Christmas movie as it is set at Christmas time, but I watch it year round. Although it’s classified as a “romantic comedy” it really is much more than that. It is about all types of love. One of the most memorable parts for me is when Hugh Grant is doing a voice-over talking about how when 9/11 happened no-one was phoning out messages of hate. Those trapped and able to connect with the outside wanted to let the people they love know that they loved them. (There is also a part about a lobster in the nativity play at school that absolutely appeals to me, but it doesn’t reinforce the love theme!) Getting my husband to watch Love Actually with me, I suggested he suspend belief and just enjoy the movie. But secretly, I rather like to not suspend belief, and for a while ‘believe in the magic of love”.

This Valentine’s begin by loving you and then let everyone and everything that is important in your life and that you “love” know that you love them. Don’t wait for a catastrophe; in fact, don’t wait until the 14th! Just for today, get out and tell people that you love them! Let people know how much they mean to you. Feeling alone? Find a place to volunteer and get out and meet people. Watch uplifting movies and TV shows—I know CSI is entertaining, but it doesn’t actually leave you feeling warm and fuzzy about people! Make a choice to bring more love into your life and to be more loving.

The real magic of love is that the more you give it away, the more you get. How cool is that?
I’m in Ottawa at the moment, so if you’d like an appointment to see me just let me know 206 201 2764 or jf@jacquelinefairbrass.com. And don’t forget, my Hypnotherapy/Clinical Hypnosis CDs make fabulous Valentine gifts for you or your loved ones.

Keep well,

Jacqueline Fairbrass

You may reprint this article and include this information:
Reprinted with permission by Health Steps, the School of Complementary Therapies Education division of Feeling Absolutely Fabulous LLC Newsletter. Jacqueline Fairbrass is the founder of the School of Complementary Therapies, a leader in the field of CAM (Complementary and Alternative Medicine) education. For more information go to SchoolofCT or Feeling Absolutely Fabulous LLC JacquelineFairbrass, call 206.201.2764 or contact us on-line.

Chocolate Recipes

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Chocolate Recipes
It has been said that eating chocolate instigates a biochemical reaction in the body that causes us to feel emotions of “love” and sometimes “lust”. These “feel good” hormones can be stirred-up with some of our favorite Chocolate Recipes…our disclaimer: enjoy with care, you never know what will happen!

Jacqui’s “Hot” Chocolate
Good old-fashioned hot chocolate is great in the winter, but these choco-tinis can be enjoyed anytime…

Godiva Chocolate Liqueur
1 oz Godiva Chocolate Liqueur
2oz good vodka (I prefer Grey Goose)
Godiva chocolate powder and/or fine shavings
Optional garnish: sprig of mint, Ovation chocolate stick, orange peel, any type of berries or cherries on a cocktail stick or a Hershey’s Kiss

Take your martini glass and rub a piece of orange around the rim. (If orange isn’t your thing you can use any juice, or even plain old water.) Then dip the rim of the glass into the chocolate powder of shavings.
Pop your liqueur and vodka into a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake well to chill.
Strain into the martini glass.
Garnish with any of the suggested garnishes or sprinkle some of the chocolate powder or shavings into the centre of the drink.
Bottoms Up!

Chocolate “Covered” Orange Martini
½ oz Godiva Chocolate Liqueur
½ oz Grand Marnier Liqueur (or substitute with Cointreau or Triple Sec)
2 oz golden rum
Suggested garnish: twist of orange peel, orange flavored Ovation chocolate stick, canned mandarin oranges on a cocktail stick or a slice of Terry’s Chocolate Orange

Pop your liqueurs and rum into a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake well to chill.
Strain into a martini glass.
Garnish with any of the suggested garnishes.
Enjoy!

Little Chocolate Balls of Love (Rigadeiros)
1 cup sweetened chocolate powder
1 stick or 1/4cup butter
2 cans condensed milk
1 cup chocolate sprinkles
Mini cup-cake cases or sweet cases

Put half the butter into a saucepan over a low heat until it melts. (You may choose to use a double-boiler for this recipe.) Then add the condensed milk along with the chocolate powder. Turn the heat up a little. Mix well with a wooden spoon and keep stirring. Simmer over a low heat and keep stirring, for approximately 15 minutes. By now you should be able to run the spoon through the middle of the “goo” in the pan and it will take a few seconds for it to fall back together.
Take the pan off the heat and put aside. You are going to let it cool for about 10 minutes or so.

Prepare your work station. I put grease-proof paper on the kitchen counter, so clean-up is easier.
Put the chocolate sprinkles into a shallow bowl (a soup bowl is good).
Put the other half of the butter on a small plate.
Place a large plate or tray in the middle of your work space.
Have your cup-cake cases on-hand also.
Bring your pan of “goo” to the workstation.
Butter-up your hands.
Using your dominant hand, and usually your fore-finger, thumb and middle finger, pick up some of the “goo” and roll it into a ball in the palm of your other hand. Make the ball any size you wish, but most recipes will say something like the size of a walnut…you know, kinda truffle-sized.
Roll the ball in the chocolate sprinkles and pop into a cup-cake case.
Continue until all the “goo” is used. You will have to re-butter your hands a few times so they don’t get too sticky.
(Note: this is not a recipe for people who don’t like to get their hands dirty!)
(Note: don’t do this with kids…they’ll keep licking their fingers and the result will be “germ balls” not “love balls”.

Leave at room temperature for about one hour and they are ready to serve!

Okay, so the “love” isn’t just about the chocolate in this recipe…you really have to love someone to make them these. If you are making for yourself and you run out of steam, the “goo” is good straight out the pan, just eat with a wooden spoon! Haha!

Welcome To The School Of Complementary Therapies

jacqui

Hi, I’m Jacqueline Fairbrass—licensed Hypnotherapist, holistic wellness therapist, vivacious health coach, and founder of the School of Complementary Therapies.