Category / Health and Wellness

Health and Wellness Parenting The Alchemist's Heart

World’s Gone Crazy? Here’s the Solution You Need!

Hello Darling,

May these words breathe nourishment into your life even though (or maybe especially because) the world looks a bit crazy right now.

On a recent day with “all the things” piling on with no sign of stopping, I came upstairs trembling during a short work break. Shaking, really. My insides couldn’t seem to settle on imploding or exploding.

My next client was scheduled to arrive in twelve minutes.

Did I eat? Hydrate? Help my youngest daughter with the holy hell that seems to be her online school? Melt into a puddle? Reach out to a friend for support? Don winter gear and yak tracks so I could walk outside on the ice for maybe 6 minutes?

I forgot all about the oxygen mask principle and opted to try to help my daughter. Yes, she probably needed it, but I suspect my real motivation was to distract myself from my feelings.

Alarmingly, when I tried to speak, words didn’t actually emerge.

Turns out you have to be able to BREATHE in order to speak, and I wasn’t doing either very well….which is when I realized I was having an anxiety attack – something I hadn’t felt in a very long time.

Not a shining moment.

Except that something magical happened…and it quickly became one.

My diminutive but mighty daughter looked at me with concern. Mind you, this girl kind of hates talking about her feelings and never wants to see a counselor no matter what’s going on. Which can be consternating because I AM a counselor who LOVES talking about feelings.

Turns out she knew EXACTLY what to do.

She got up and wrapped her arms around me from behind while saying:

photo of girl hugging her mom

This is how we breathe.”

And then she breathed me deeply and steadily…belly pushed into my low back, returning to the space I carried her in my womb, reminding me of the most important things – the breath of life, literal inspiration, delivered with love.

Inside of 3 minutes, EVERYTHING felt better.

My nervous system settled, I began thinking more clearly and elusive creative problem-solving came back online.

So Dearheart, if this is a day when YOU need to be breathed (and who amongst us doesn’t!), I’m sending you a GIANT warm embrace.

Please allow your sacred imagination to guide you….to a safe space…. with a safe person…holding you from behind….while taking slow, deep, steady breaths….to remind you that you are loved, you are supported, and you can breathe.

You are worth it!

With Love and Alchemy,

Christy

P.S. Want more? Here are 10 easy ways to nourish your spirits right now.

Health and Wellness The Alchemist's Heart

Alchemy LIVE

Pulled in too many directions and feeling soul-tired because of it?

Do you feel like you’re losing your spark?

Are you scared that no matter how hard you work, it will never be enough?

Worried about becoming a dried-up shell of your former self?

Feel “too sensitive” and wonder why you can’t be happy with the life other people settle for?

Are you called to more but wonder how you’ll ever be able to expand in meaningful ways?

Do you wish someone would show up and take care of you for once?

I see you, Dearheart.

You’re soulful, creative and empathic.

You feel more than most.

People trust you to show up and bring your best – over and over and over again.

You are, by all appearances, successful.

But you feel like you’re losing your spark.

You’re a little afraid that all the things you’re here to do might not happen…that the busy-ness of life is dampening the ONE THING that makes everything possible.

The flame that burns within your heart – your soulfire – is calling you.

It needs tender care, so you can keep showing up in the amazing ways you do…making an even bigger difference in this world…while living in alignment with your essential self.

  • What if you could take care of your loved ones without feeling drained to empty?
  • What if you had way more energy for your day to day life?
  • What if you didn’t feel like you were working so damn hard every day – and you actually felt regular moments of fun, joy, and greater ease?
  • What if you could kiss fear, doubt and confusion goodbye while moving into clarity, confidence, and strength

It’s time to feel alive again so you can connect with the joy, creativity, and giftedness that is your birthright. 

It’s time to feel held and supported in the sacred journey of YOUR life.

Dearheart, it’s time for you to come to Alchemy LIVE.

You hold within you the power to transform your experience of the adventures of daily life while creating positive real-world change.

JOIN ME at the historic Davenport Hotel in Spokane, WA on Saturday, September 21st for a day of spaciousness and soul nourishment so you can connect with what matters most.

  • Experience the power and beauty of your inner alchemist
  • Discover how to create sacred space in any situation
  • Transform your communication through the power of deep listening
  • Grow stronger with truth-telling
  • Experience hearty benefits from the Stillness Solution
  • Open your spirit to transformation with the twin gatekeepers of courage and respect
  • Harness the alchemy of appreciation
  • Develop a consistent routine of self-care that helps you feel nourished and alive

Click here for the beautiful details and simple registration!

Play with the Universe
Alchemy for Adventurers Health and Wellness The Alchemist's Heart

An Exuberant YES to Playing with the Universe

Play with the UniverseAlchemy at its finest!  I was right smack in the middle of a live video coaching session when this amazing autumnal aspen fluttered her sun-dappled leaves, captivating my heart.

My client had just shared a painful conversation in which her partner was more interested in whether the clothes were reliably cleared off the top of the dresser than in connecting emotionally.

I suppose another coach might have launched into a proper intervention.

I did nothing of the sort.

Something RADIANT was happening, so I asked her to wait for a moment.

Grabbing my camera, I climbed right on top of my desk so I could get the best angles.
Because when the Universe says Come Play With Me, I do. 
I highly recommend you do, too.
Something good ALWAYS comes from it. 

With glistening eyes and a buoyed spirit, I returned to the conversation with exactly the message my client needed to hear.

tired
It’s exhausting just thinking about it!

You see, at the heart of her challenge was the idea that as a responsible adult, there was no room left for experiencing daily magic.

That somehow, if she just buckled down, she might somehow discover a deep longing to generate financial spreadsheets and a passion for having a home that was perfectly tidy all the time.

And those messy, inconvenient art projects her spirit is prone to wander into? They could be set aside for “someday” when it might be more practical for them to be tended to.

Except that none of these ideas fit.

The truth is that her partner fell in love with her BECAUSE of her creative spirit. And being open to the tiny, magical moments doesn’t mean being irresponsible, it means being ALIVE! And there is more than enough space in their lives to accommodate what each of them needs most.

honor your growth
Come ALIVE again

So this, Dearheart, is a call to being ALIVE – and to EMBRACING whatever it is in your life that people around you might not understand. Chances are extremely high they have simply forgotten how to re-member (to put back together) their own essential selves….and the answer is NOT for you to shrink down to more “manageable” proportions, but to step into your own alchemical power and REMEMBER your own uniquely magical qualities….which, in turn, will help them remember theirs.

If you can use more tiny, magical moments as you create a life that is big enough and beautiful enough for your spirit, come play with me! I am opening up TWO spots (yes, only two!) for 6 months of private coaching. If you are interested in deeply transformative alchemy for your life, comment now and let me know. I will respond personally and schedule a no-obligation 30-minute heart whispering session to see if this is right for you.

body screaming
Alchemy for Moms Health and Wellness Humor The Alchemist's Heart

Body Screaming at You? What You Need To Know Now

body screamingIs your body screaming at you? Out beyond the altar of doing more, faster, there is a space of awareness, wisdom and compassion. I’ll meet you there. May these true confessions of an alchemist guide your way.

Ever look at yourself with a sense of humor?
I had a bumper crop of that recently, three days post-abdominal surgery.
I was under general anesthesia, complete with a breathing tube. Since I was released from the hospital the same day, I expected I would feel fine and have a great excuse to take a few days off and bond with my kids.

Check out my weekend to-do list:

Make fresh yogurt from scratch,
Teach my kids how to make natural facial sprays and masques,to do list Watch a thought-provoking movie w my daughters followed by a life-enhancing discussion,
Re-cover the antique footstools from my office,
Complete my personal tax prep,
Write an article on “The Mystic” for a new online magazine

Want to guess what actually happened?

None of the above.

Bet you saw that coming.

Surgery went well, but nausea threw me to the floor.
Great news: I guarantee I’ll never become addicted to codeine, torodal, or whatever the hell else they gave me.
(Cue hysterical laughter.)

My kids got the super-fun throw-up mommy to play all weekend.
(This is definitely not one that you want to buy for your kids during holiday season.)
I got exactly no nourishment, as everything that went down, came right back up, including the anti-nausea medication.

tired
Going somewhere? I don’t think so.

Monday was better, but better is a relative term.
I concluded that if I wasn’t well enough to drive my kids a mile and a half to the bus, seeing clients would have to wait.

After gritting my teeth and rescheduling, I had a good talk with myself.
I asked myself the same tough but loving questions I ask my clients.
And I realized something important.

I was treating my recovery process as an inconvenient interruption of daily life.

That is some really screwy logic that deserved to be flipped on its head.

So I re-decided. My priority was to fully and completely heal at all levels….even though his meant taking more time off than I wished.

To be clear, by “time off” I mean being still instead of pushing against the necessary boundaries my body screaming alerted me to   when I ignored the whispers.

Which meant there was no freshly prepared yogurt, no eco-friendly skin care line and the tattered (but beloved) foot stools will be here a bit longer.
Tax prep was delayed and that article may or may not get written in a timely fashion.

But it also means I listened to my body, rest when I needed to, recovered as quickly as possible, and walked my talk about self-care.

self love
love yourself

What good are pretty words if the the tongue they’re rolling off of isn’t true to their message?

So I ask you today, what will help you move into alignment with your healthiest self? Peek behind the fear of not being good enough, fast enough, strong enough, and inquire with love: “What do I need most in this moment?”  With love and persistence, you will find yourself beginning to listen and respond to the subtle whispers instead of your body screaming. These blissful mind-body wellness strategies can help immeasurably, as can this tip on reconnecting with your body to find your joy!

Give yourself permission to take a step (or two) back and tend your deep needs right now.  You are an amazingly bright being and I guarantee the world needs you WHOLE! And if you’re willing to join my true confessions, please share – where are YOU being guided to walk with more gentleness and compassion?

Health and Wellness The Alchemist's Heart

Release Limitations and Embrace Your Amazing Growth

celebrate growthDarling, it’s time to release limitations and celebrate your growth. Chances are high that your old boundaries no longer fit. Have you ever had a moment like this?

My daughter burst into tears on the way out the door this morning. When I asked what was wrong, she exclaimed “Everything!

I bent down to hug my normally happy 11 year old with a mixture of feelings.

Compassion, remembering moments when I’ve thought exactly the same thing.
Amusement because she was so darn cute trying to shove her feet into shoes that were easily two sizes too small. Which I have also done.

She’s sprouted up rapidly – gaining on her older sister (and me)!
She’s requested this of the Universe during years of being the smallest kid in class….but it has brought some unanticipated challenges.

With growth comes change – like outgrowing some of our VERY favorite things.

Which got me to thinking….we’ve ALL done this at some point in our lives. So I asked myself these questions, and offer them to you:

What is your equivalent of the trusty sneakers that no longer fit?

Gift yourself with room to grow

Where have you grown mentally, emotionally and spiritually – but haven’t yet created space in your life to accommodate your beautiful growth?

Because as comfortable as those old boundaries may have been, they no longer fit.

It’s time to release limitations, as familiar and “comfortable as they may seem.” Give yourself some room and celebrate your growth!

I’d love to hear your answers – I’m right here with you!

With Love and Alchemy,
Christy❤

P.S. I’ll be presenting a Soulfire Session workshop at Fairy Congress this year at the Skalitude Retreat Center in Winthrop, Washington. This is a marvelous gathering from June 22nd – 26th – you can come for one or all of the days. Take a peek and let me know if I’ll get to embrace you in person!

Health and Wellness The Alchemist's Heart

How To Give Yourself A Powerful Gift

Can you believe it? The turn of the seasons has arrived, bringing new possibilities into our lives right now!

It’s been a rough few months for so many amazing souls. Somewhere between the exceptionally long winter and the head-spinning news cycle, we almost forgot Spring was coming. But here it is! With a beautiful opportunity to see and feel the energy shifting.

I’ve learned a lot that I can’t wait to share with you.
For now, I offer you one very specific gift.
Throughout the turmoil of winter, this is the gift that has kept me steady.
Consider this a blessing from the Goddess.

Alchemy for Moms Health and Wellness Inviting Aphrodite Mind-Body Fitness The Alchemist's Heart

Lost Your Joy? How To Find Your Happy!

find your joy It’s time to reconnect with joy!
Sweetheart, listen up:
YOU belong. YOU are important. YOU touch the lives of people around you in ways you can’t begin to imagine.  YOU are a force for good, a node of Divine connectivity enriching our greater experience, and I LOVE YOU.

You and I are among the amazing souls showing up and caring deeply about ways to create alchemy in your lives…but we aren’t necessarily embodying this knowledge. Too many bright spirits are sharing a feeling of being profoundly isolated…like they just don’t belong anywhere in this world.

Today I’m taking a stand to help you reclaim your joy by connecting with your greatest physical ally:

seasonal affective disorder
Alchemy for Moms Health and Wellness Postpartum Survival Strategies The Alchemist's Heart

Want to Reclaim Your Health? Speak Your Truth Now!

reclaim your truthThis is the truth I never thought I’d tell.

I offer it to you as inspiration and encouragement to reclaim your health.

A winter child born with a propensity for Seasonal Affective Disorder, I used to DREAD this time of year. The 30-day window between Solstice and my birthday has been fraught with challenges.

Lest you think it can’t be that bad, here’s a sampling:

My grandfather’s suicide right before Christmas. The death of my only true childhood friend on my 12th birthday. Severe postpartum depression. Repeated bouts of suicidal ideation. Biochemical storms and precious little outer light in my favored northwestern climes left me exhausted before the season began.

This time was known only as THE GAUNTLET.

make love to the sun
Health and Wellness The Alchemist's Heart

How To Heal Your Heart By Making Love To The Sun

heal your heartReady to heal your heart by making love to the sun?  (or….Why I sunbathed topless in 55 degree weather on Election Day )I have a confession to make today.

I voted by mail on November 3rd, and had a last minute client reschedule, so I was unexpectedly FREE during the afternoon of our U.S. Election Day.

I had an hour and a half before picking up the kids from the bus, and I felt the urge to DO SOMETHING with a chance of helping our country – and our world.

Watching the craziness mass media was showcasing was clearly not an option.
So I asked myself (as I’ve learned to do daily), “Honey, what do you want?”

Health and Wellness The Alchemist's Heart

I Surrender My Heart To Tears Of Gratitude

autumn love bench

Gratitude fills my heart and mind today. May this intimate peek into my life bring nourishment for your soul.

I want to remember this moment.

There are tubes everywhere – attached to his hands, leg, face…and more. Bringing life giving fluids and oxygen, helping to circulate blood, carrying toxins away.
I have been strong.

I did not wring my hands while he was in surgery.
I sat in the wide, sunlit windowsill.
I breathed. In…and out…and in again.
I prayed. I meditated. I felt the love of our invisible energetic allies.
I talked to the fairies in the garden outside my window.