More on Muladhara Chakrah, EARTH ENERGY

http://hinduism.iskcon.com/tradition/1203.htm

Chakrah system analysis

The Mindful Gym™'s creator, Alison Leigh Siegel, MFT, Somatic Psychotherapist and wellness educator, refers to the Chakrah system as being one of the most powerful tools in healing emotional issues. In a typical body/mind session, she will guide you through your energetic "emotional body" system, and give you a detailed awareness of what areas of stagnation you are holding.


1st Chakra: MULADHARA meaning ‘root of our support’
Commonly known as the base centre
Location: perineum, base of spine
Colour: Red
Element: Earth
Governs: The kidneys, adrenals, pelvis, hips, knees, lower back, sciatic nerve, bowel movement.
Traditional development ages: 0-7 years

2nd Chakra: SVADHISHTHANA meaning ‘your own dwelling place’
Commonly known as the sexual centre
Location: between the genitals and naval
Colour: Orange
Element: Water
Governs: The genitals, reproductive organs, bladder and prostate.
Traditional development ages: 7-14 years

Key Words: Self Worth and Emotional Boundaries

3rd Chakra: MANIPURA meaning ‘dwelling place of jewels’
Commonly known as the power centre
Location: at the solar plexus
Colour: Yellow
Element: Fire
Governs:: The spleen, liver, gall bladder, stomach and pancreas
Traditional development ages: 14-21 years

Key Words: Power and Ego

4th Chakra: ANAHATA meaning ‘that which is ever new’
Commonly known as the heart centre
Location: at the centre of the chest
Colour: Emerald Green
Element: Air
Governs: The physical heart, lungs and thymus
Traditional development ages: 21-28 years


Key Words: Giving and Receiving

5th Chakra: VISHUDDHA meaning ‘purest of the pure’
Commonly known as the throat centre
Location: at the throat
Colour: Sky Blue
Element: Ether or Space
Governs: The vocal chords, thyroid and voice
Traditional development: ages 28-35 years


Key Words: Communication and Creative Expression.

6th Chakra: AJNA meaning ‘command’
Commonly known as the third eye
Location: on the forehead between the eyebrows
Colour: Indigo
Element: Light
Governs: The pituitary Gland
Traditional development: ages 35-42 years


Key Words: Perception and Self Reflection.

7th Chakra: SAHASRARA meaning ‘thousand-petalled lotus’
Commonly known as the crown centre
Location: at the crown of the head
Colour: Violet, Gold orWhite

Element: Consciousness
Governs: The pineal Gland
Traditional development: ages 42-49 years

Stop the perfection and BE MESSY!

Are you feeling anxious, angry and can't shed that emotion? Try our all girls (women) Messy Girls Club...we have fun and meet new messy gals ... "Don't be perfect, be messy!"

The Messy Girl Club

CAT got your TONGUE?

Perhaps you feel choked up, not heard or plain, just too tired to verbally reach out. So, you want to say something but you just can't. Okay, then. Follow these steps toward accelerating the vibration of your voice.

1) Use A-E-I-O- and U with different voices. Say them out loud if you can. Now, say them again, but this time, use a different voice. Perhaps someone you know or in the tone of a song you like. The main objective is to use different vocal tones to begin to listen to yourself.

2) After saying it, now take your hand and put it on your larynx. FEEL the sensation of the vibration...a-e-i-o-u. Feel silly yet? Don't. It works. Do it again until you can really feel each vowel like you are saying it for the first time. Get used to your voice. Perhaps something else will come out as well.

3) Go look in the mirror at yourself. Good. Now, do it again. I know- you may feel funny, but again, trust me. It works.

4) Write down all the feelings that went through a) your head and b) your body and don't forget to write down all the judgements, fears, anxieties too. When you are finished- look at what you wrote and then email me your thoughts, expressions. You have now completed a very awkward exercise however tap into how you feel now compared to how you felt when you started. Sure, there might not be a huge shift, but i can tell you there will be a shift even a small one counts.

How to GROUND and Center Yourself

Feeling stuck? These mindful and grounding exercises will help you be in the moment, breathe and develop a better sense of self.

1) The number one thing to do first is:
To honor yourself first. That comes before taking care of anyone else...remember, you are first! This may look or sound just like just words because so many of us hear people telling us that; however what it means for you is this: Accept where you are now, today, because it took you many years of struggling to get here. You made it here! think about that! What that means in terms of accepting this mindful and conscious state is to go ahead (i’m giving you permission) to embody that on a level that has not reached you in a while. We will do this together through our work. You will be performing the touch piece though, since i’m not there. Even if i was, you can do this on your own. You have the power to change yourself, don’t forget that.

2) Acceptance.To be more detailed, you might say, “I accept my body the way it is now. You might repeat this while lying on the couch or somewhere comfortable and putting your hand on your stomach. Breathe in with your “buddah belly” (the area just beneath your belly button allowing your belly to rise with great breath and fall with each exhalation. It might look like something like this (see video)

3) Add words. While you are breathing in big deep breaths (and make sure they are big and deep), you will say to yourself quietly or out loud, “I accept myself now”. Then after really getting this, do it more, with more words. “I accept myself now and my body as it is right now”. Then, “I accept myself now, my body now and I accept my body as a whole”. Keep doing variations of this meditation, each time adding more words, but not too many words that it clutters the mind. The point is to keep vibrating at a level of comfort for you. If you feel something in the middle of any of these affirmations, stop and rest. Your body is telling you something. Listen.

4) LISTEN AND Feel it. Next step is while you are breathing, to actually feel your breath (which is a different motion), and accept this gift you are giving to yourself on all levels of sensations. Give yourself permission to allow any emotion, sensation or feeling to arise without any judgement (from our inner critic). That means if something comes into your mind, like, “i don’t believe myself, this is not true for me, etc” is then to continue hearing that voice and then commenting inside to yourself, “Oh, that is interesting”. Allowing yourself to just notice and not judge will help that thought gets its “fill” and since you don’t give it any power, it won’t last. It will just release from you. Then, continue back to your original state of breathing in acceptance of your “whole body” and then releasing with ease (inhalation through nose, exhalation through mouth)

5) Pace yourself, go at your own pace.I want you to try this for a bit because we want you to take this process slowly. Due to the injury of the body/mind connection from the trauma, we want to control our own pace. That means that we do things with incredible detail to pace. We don’t go fast, or too slow. We only go how we want to go. We are back in control of our bodies now in this time and we need to allow for that pace.

6) Repeat. All of these points are really important, so try and do them over and over again. To repeat, find somewhere comfortable to sit/lye, and then place your hand to the part of your body (stomach now) and begin taking deep breaths. Then, feel the inhalation/exhalation and then begin your affirmation (s).

The last piece is the most crucial, which is to “see what comes up” from this. The point then, is to make allowance for the feelings that were lost/stuck in our past and now give it a new freedom point for which to take off and for which to land.


Let me know how it goes.
Much love and respect to you and your sacred body temple.

Alison Leigh Siegel, MFT
2121 26th Street #202
San Francisco, Ca 94107
http://www.justbegoodtoyourself.blogspot.com/
askalisonleigh@gmail.com
415-377-9851

Healing Affirmations/Meditations for Releasing "Stuck" emotions

There are many steps to healing ourselves and our bodies. Many people ask me, "what can i do when i'm not in session?". I love that question because it #1) shows me you are taking responsibility for your own healing which is really hard to do! So, first, congratulations! To begin with : i will explain some small steps you can do at home or own your own time when you feel "stuck" and really just need to feel yourself, calm down, or get in touch with your emotions.

#1) HONOR yourself and your process FIRST . That comes before taking care of anyone else...remember, you are first! This may look or sound just like just words because so many of us hear people telling us that; however what it means for you is this: Accept where you are now, today, because it took you many years of struggling to get here. You made it here! think about that! What that means in terms of accepting this mindful and conscious state is to go ahead (i’m giving you permission) to embody that on a level that has not reached you in a while. We will do this together through our work. You will be performing the touch piece though, since i’m not there. Even if i was, you can do this on your own. You have the power to change yourself, don’t forget that.

2) Acceptance.To be more detailed, you might say, “I accept my body the way it is now. You might repeat this while lying on the couch or somewhere comfortable and putting your hand on your stomach. Breathe in with your “buddah belly” (the area just beneath your belly button allowing your belly to rise with great breath and fall with each exhalation. It might look like something like this (insert picture, video, etc).

3) Add words. While you are breathing in big deep breaths (and make sure they are big and deep), you will say to yourself quietly or out loud, “I accept myself now”. Then after really getting this, do it more, with more words. “I accept myself now and my body as it is right now”. Then, “I accept myself now, my body now and I accept my body as a whole”. Keep doing variations of this meditation, each time adding more words, but not too many words that it clutters the mind. The point is to keep vibrating at a level of comfort for you. If you feel something in the middle of any of these affirmations, stop and rest. Your body is telling you something. Listen.

4) Feel it. Next step is while you are breathing, to actually feel your breath (which is a different motion), and accept this gift you are giving to yourself on all levels of sensations. Give yourself permission to allow any emotion, sensation or feeling to arise without any judgement (from our inner critic). That means if something comes into your mind, like, “i don’t believe myself, this is not true for me, etc” is then to continue hearing that voice and then commenting inside to yourself, “Oh, that is interesting”. Allowing yourself to just notice and not judge will help that thought gets its “fill” and since you don’t give it any power, it won’t last. It will just release from you. Then, continue back to your original state of breathing in acceptance of your “whole body” and then releasing with ease (inhalation through nose, exhalation through mouth)

5) Pace yourself, go at your own pace.I want you to try this for a bit because we want you to take this process slowly. Due to the injury of the body/mind connection from the trauma, we want to control our own pace. That means that we do things with incredible detail to pace. We don’t go fast, or too slow. We only go how we want to go. We are back in control of our bodies now in this time and we need to allow for that pace.

6) Repeat. All of these points are really important, so try and do them over and over again. To repeat, find somewhere comfortable to sit/lye, and then place your hand to the part of your body (stomach now) and begin taking deep breaths. Then, feel the inhalation/exhalation and then begin your affirmation (s).

The last piece is the most crucial, which is to “see what comes up” from this. The point then, is to make allowance for the feelings that were lost/stuck in our past and now give it a new freedom point for which to take off and for which to land.


Let me know how it goes.
Much love and respect to you and your sacred body temple.

Alison Leigh Siegel, MFT
2121 26th Street #202
San Francisco, Ca 94107
http://www.justbegoodtoyourself.blogspot.com/
askalisonleigh@gmail.com
415-377-9851
http://www.alisonleigh.net/

5 ways to destress during work or at home:

1) Use your 5 senses:
a) SIGHT: Use your eyes: The sense of sight helps us recognize each other and learn about color, motion and distance.what do you see around you? Navigate your playing field, or relaxation field by tuning into your eyes, your sight, your vision. If that was all you had right now, what would you see? Take inventory on these things around you. Breathe in deeply and with an allowance to letting go...count in three breathes, and then let go visualizing these or one of the colors you choose. Do it again increasing both the frequency of color and the intensity. (photo by:Joe Tilson
Transparency, the Five Senses: Taste 1969 )
b) HEAR/LISTEN: Use your ears: The sense of hearing helps us learn from each other through communication. listen closely to all around you. Feel it in your body if you can. What do you hear? Can you listen closely to your breathe? can you hear your heartbeat? Can you hear yourself in your own silence? What comes up for you when you LISTEN?
c) SMELL: The sense of smell helps us to enhance our fruitful experiences and helps us detect potential risks.Nose: Smell and take note in what you sense through your nose. Is is sweet, succulent? Take a big inhalation, breathe out in counts of five. Use your body to really feel into that motion of sensing with your nose and embody the rhythm of this movement. Repeat.
d) TOUCH/FEEL: he sense of touch helps us learn about our world by feeling it and learning the size, texture and shape of things.try and listen with your whole body. what sensations do you feel? Can you feel the warmth of your skin? Can you feel the air blowing in your hair? go ahead and inhale with full breath and then allow yourself a deep and relaxing exhale. Don't hurry. It feels better when slowing down.
e) TASTE: Taste helps us determine what we like to eat. This is one of many favorites. It's not only how it tastes, but what does it taste like? compare your tastes to that of other tastes. Can taste also be felt? Seen? Go ahead and use your other senses to enhance your sense of taste. Inhale mindfully, being present with every breath, and then slowly eat or chew your food. Slow food...it's where it is at.

© 1998 - 2009 Mindfulmeditations/askalisonleigh - All Rights Reserved.

Mindfulness: askalisonleigh

Please visit:
http://mindfulgym.blogspot.com

Planet Mindful, "Your place to be"

At Planet Mindful, we take "being" seriously; however we don't take ourselves too seriously. Our plan is to bring forward conscious awareness (mindfulness) into every day situations. By allowing ourselves and others to "just be", we create an atmosphere of non-judgment, radical acceptance and peace. All too often we find ourselves stressed out and hurried. We don't have the time or patience to really "hear" ourselves. If we listen closely, with full attention to the body, mind and spirit, especially in silent meditation, then we can entertain the notion that "doing" may be just a means to an end; where "being" is practicing the present vs. focusing on end results. My goal for planet mindful is to ultimately reach the masses through education, humor, personal stories and reality based manifestations of earthly desires. (that means "stuff"). My job is to educate you in the reality of your own existence, as you are here on this planet. I can do that through talking, walking, meditating, dancing, creating, circulating, transforming, igniting, and so many other different avenues. Your job is to relate to me what you desire in yourself as you will be the active participant.

In theory, nobody can help you but yourself. We've all heard that before. But, it's really true. When i work with people it's often so they can come to terms with the fact that they have missed some true meaning in their life somewhere along the way. It is my job to help you find yourself, your life's purpose and do it with consciousness, awareness and with mindfulness.

I am writing this blog on the eve of a beautiful full moon and hope that our Planet receives all that it has give which is an endless supply of acceptance and love.
"If you can't do, then BE"

Planet Mindful, Inc.
Alison Leigh Siegel, MFT
2121 26th Street #202
San Francisco, Ca 94107
Meetup with other like minds...RED HOT
http://www.meetup.com/Red-Hot-Minds-A-Mindfulness-Meetup-Group-San-Francisco/

mindfulness

PLANET MINDFUL: Blissed out mindfulness...just add JUICE

PLANET MINDFUL: Blissed out mindfulness...just add JUICE

Blissed out mindfulness...just add JUICE

Being mindful means being here (in the present moment) and conscious of it- right now.
That term, however can be used before or after an adjective. Try, "mindfully blissful". Do you know what that means? I do. It means that not only are you mindful, (in this moment) but in addition you are also present of being blissful. When you add this cocktail together, what do you get? Pure heaven! Try it sometime. It's good for you!


When your done being blissful, try to move mindfully...that works too!
http://movingmindfulness.blogspot.com/

Moving mindfully and gracefully...

If you are sitting right now..get up and move. I don't care where or how, just do it! You'll see your perspectives are always changing depending on where and how you move. Sit up, stand up, get up and move!

http://movingmindfulness.blogspot.com/

Practice loving kindness for YOURSELF and random thoughts

Be grateful you are here. Think of the alternative. Say thank you five times outloud. It multiplies and you will receive even more. it really works.

Bathe...breathe....and relax. take a bath. smell a vanilla candle. do something gooey for yourself. rub lotion all over and feel good! Do it right in the middle of the day. don't wait for your hub/wife or SO to help. do it yourself!stop reading this and go eat cake. (:


http://www.linkedin.com/pub/alison-leigh-siegel-mft/b/2b/b2b

Migraine got you?

I have suffered for an entire decade from migraines, but here is a holistic tip for those who need to "get back to work"...
1) Take a small nap if you can...it works wonders
2) Massage your temples, lay down and breathe!
3) From a metaphysical perspective the "third" eye is "blocked" during a migraine which may mean numerous things. Louise Hay describes this area of tension as "invalidating the self"...ask yourself, have you said anything nice to yourself today? If not, try.
http://www.louisehay.com/

Just Be Therapy and Healing Lounge
2121 26th Street #202
San Francisco, Ca 94107
askalisonleigh@gmail.com
"she'll tell ya!"

Mrs. Bubble makes her own ...

Another way we can be good to ourselves is to bathe. Use your senses. Begin with your favorite body shampoo and fill the tub with warm bubbles and begin to melt your body into the heated water. Gently begin by taking deep breathes in and out until you can really feel yourself floating. Imagine yourself in a safe, beautiful space, alone or with your mate, and smell the air, feel your skin and allow your breathe to continue to flow until you feel deeply relaxed. "A picture is worth 1000 words, but a bath doesn't need any but a long deep sigh" alison leigh, pretend poet

3 effective self massage techniques

For PMS, Body blues and just deep relaxation

1) check out acupressure points: good guide
http://www.acupressureonline.org/iPMS.htm
for PMS and other femalecentric ideas.
2) Take a deep breath and hold it for 5 seconds, on the exhale, press between your index finger and your thumb and let out an "ahhhhh"...
3) Take your hand, clasp your neck from behind and squeeze the muscles to release tension. You should feel this all over your body.

COMING SOON: alison leigh will be demonstrating these techniques on UTUBE.
check back in July for more details.
askalisonleigh@gmail.com
http://movingmindfulness.blogspot.com/

Massage, Mindfulness, and the way of the warrior princess

To be pink, is to be proud. To be free is also a proud expression of love in the community of healers on this planet working feverishly to produce new ways of integrating movement, dance and the arts into creative expression for healing women all over the world.

think globally act locally...and we do.
Do you have a gal/women friend who you know is doing great things for herself and then turning that into more empowerment for others?
Send me some links and i'll include these women and their efforts on this blog.
http://justbegoodtoyourself.blogspot.com/
http://movingmindfulness.blogspot.com/

don't forget to check out the MESSY GIRLS CLUB of San Francisco
will be holding their first launch party on June 28th, 2009
at
Just Be Therapy and Healing Lounge
2121 26th Street #202
San Francisco, Ca 94107
http://www.yelp.com/biz/alison-leigh-siegel-mft-san-francisco-2

Sexual Trauma transposed using Integrative Medicine

To offer intellectual solutions for women (and men) whom have had their bodies (and minds) altered, drugged, and sacrificed would be just another western medicinal attempt at fixing the problem to rape, cruelty and incest. Western tactics and medical science view the body as not a whole entity, but pieces to be "fixed". The attempt at fixing each part is completely contrary to what integrative medicine is trying to solve. Coming from a somatic perspective, we treat the whole body/mind as one entity. That means that if someone comes to us for help, we look at all cause and effects of the human experience at large.

To be more detailed, treating someone of rape doesn't fit into a medicinal body of pills, but rather in movement and creative somatic expression. Take Elayne Doghy, MFT of http://brightbeautifulwomen.blogspot.com/ whom is helping Congolese women "move through" their trauma. The same can be said by using mindful practices in every day life. http://movingmindfulness.blogspot.com/
For more information on somatics, somatic psychotherapy, mindfulness, contact
askalisonleigh@gmail.com or elayne_doughty@hotmail.com