Love in a Bottle: Flower Essences for Emotional Spring Cleaning

http://www.edgemagazine.net/2015/04/lower-essences-for-emotional-spring-cleaning/

Sensitive & Proud: An Interview with Merlin the Cat

Flower Essences: A Direct Connection to the Conscious Spirit of Plants

http://www.edgemagazine.net/2015/05/flower-essences-spirit-of-plants/

 The Time is Perfect for Awakening Now: A Channeled Message from Spirit for Sensitive Souls
 http://www.edgemagazine.net/2015/03/time-is-perfect-for-awakening/

 Flower Essence Therapy for the Treatment of Seasonal Affective Disorder: Summer Flowers that Lighten the Winter Blues
 http://www.edgemagazine.net/2015/03/flower-essence-therapy-sad/

Listen to the Strength of Sensitivity Podcast on Edge Talk Radio here: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/edgemagazine/2015/02/23/edge-strength-of-sensitivity-with-kyra-mesich-psyd
In this inaugural episode, I explained a little about why I specialize in sensitivity and what prompted me to create this podcast. My guest was Cathryn Taylor, an author of several books, and an expert in EFT and inner child work. In fact, Cathryn is known as the "mother of inner child work." We discussed growing up as a sensitive child and what we bring forth into adulthood. This episode ends with a relaxing, supportive nature meditation.

Winter's Not Over Yet. Tips for Getting Through the Next Couple Months.

Hi Everyone,

Yes, here is another blog about Winter Depression! Why? I live in sunny, yet bitterly cold Minnesota, so the topic of winter and Seasonal Affective Disorder is near and dear to my heart. I wish SAD didn't end with the word "disorder," though. Someone in southern California must have come up with that idea, because quite frankly, I believe feeling depressed, lethargic, fatigued and irritable is a perfectly reasonable response to 6 stinking months of winter.   So I would call it SAPRR.

Even if you live in a climate with a shorter winter, the change in seasons is still a stress on our bodies. Why do we expect that we should live status quo exactly the same way, doing the same activities, eating the same foods, needing the exactly same nutrition all four seasons of the year? That doesn't make sense. 

We need to take care of ourselves a little differently during the winter. Most of us sensitive people feel the effects of winter quite strongly, so the following tips are for you.

(The infrared sauna links are specific to the Twin Cities, MN area, but you may be able to find similar resources where you live.)

LIGHT THERAPY

I have recommended the Apollo GoLite blue technology for many years because I know the blue LED technology is very effective, is reliable, is easy on the eyes, and requires only a short amount of usage time each day. But the Apollo technology was recently purchased by the Philips company, so the newly manufactured lights are called Philips GoLite BLU

To purchase an Apollo light, search on ebay.com for Apollo GoLite. You’ll find at least one or two gently used up for auction. Carefully read the description though to make sure it does function and has the AC adaptor. Auction prices vary, but they are currently going for around $65.

If you would prefer to buy a new unit that you know is returnable, amazon.com has a few different models of the Philips GoLIte BLU, which range in price from $100-$160.

I have not tested these new models. Read the descriptions & customer reviews on amazon.com for more information.

SAUNA

Infrared saunas in the Twin Cities:

Awaken for Wellness Sweatworks Studio in St Paul. http://awakenforwellness.com   I like their large sauna so I can lie down.

Ecopolitan in Minneapolis Uptown area. http://www.ecopolitan.com/health-services/eco-healing/infrared-sauna

Traditional dry saunas are great too and can be found in many gyms.

VITAMIN D

Researchers link vitamin D deficiency to seasonal affective disorder. Read at http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/286496.php

Interesting fact: Vitamin D is Actually a Hormone: http://www.yourhormones.info/hormones/vitamin_d.aspx

FLOWER ESSENCES

Summer Flowers that Lighten the Winter Blues: Flower Essence Therapy for the Treatment of Seasonal Affective Disorder   Check the Jan 2015 archive in my blog for this article.

DIET & EXERCISE TIPS FOR WINTERTIME

There is a reason we naturally love to use warming spices such as ginger & cinnamon during the winter. They aid digestion and increase blood flow. Drink plenty of warm beverages like hot tea, and limit cold, ice water as much as possible. Fill your menu with easy to digest, cooked foods. Cold foods like salads and sandwiches may be fine for you when the weather is warm, but harder to digest during the winter.

Find a fun way to keep your energy circulating: Yoga. Dance. What have you wanted to try?

Harvard Unveils MRI Study Proving Meditation Rebuilds the Brain's Gray Matter:
http://www.feelguide.com/2014/11/19/harvard-unveils-mri-study-proving-meditation-literally-rebuilds-the-brains-gray-matter-in-8-weeks/

Listen to Dr Kyra's interview on Edge Talk Radio's Happenings with Cathy Jacobsen. We discuss Dr Kyra's upcoming Edge Talk Radio podcast, The Strength of Sensitivity. Cathy asked Kyra several insightful questions about her work with sensitive people. Click the link to listen on blogtalkradio.com. http://www.blogtalkradio.com/edgemagazine/2015/01/22/edge-happenings-with-cathy-jacobsen

Summer Flowers to Lighten the Winter Blues: Flower Essence Therapy for Seasonal Affective Disorder

If you find that winter hits you hard, and you struggle with symptoms like depression, irritability, and fatigue throughout the cold months, you are nowhere near alone. Many people are in the same boat and have found natural approaches such as light therapy, saunas, and supplementation with Vitamin D & fish oils to be helpful for keeping body and spirit up throughout the winter. But there is one other lesser known treatment that can make a world of difference to ease winter blues, and that is Flower Essence Therapy.

Flower essences are energetic remedies made from the flowers of various plants and trees. Because the name sounds similar to essential oils used in aromatherapy, people tend to confuse the two, but flower essence therapy is a unique type of energy medicine in a class all its’ own. Essences are made co-creatively with nature. Flowers are gently harvested from the plants, which are otherwise unharmed and respected. Then their energetic pattern is transferred to water which is bottled and taken in drops. Although they may sound delicate, flower essences provide powerful healing support to transform emotional and spiritual issues. You can find a flower that wants to help you heal from just about any issue you can think of: overcoming a history of abuse, adapting to major life changes, managing anxiety, buffering hypersensitivity, or revitalizing after burnout. Calix: International Journal of Flower Essence Therapy has published several studies which demonstrate the effectiveness of flower essences in the treatment of depression.

When you think about it, taking a remedy that holds the energy of a summer flower in bloom is a unique gift to give yourself during the winter. There are several flower essences that bring healing light to the winter blues. I make a mix I call “Happy Winter Drops,” which contains 3 FES brand flower essences: Rosemary, Chamomile & Saint John’s Wort. The short definitions of these flower essences from the FES Flower Essence Repertory are as follows:

Rosemary brings positive qualities of a warm physical presence, full embodiment into the physical body, and a feeling of vibrant incarnation.

Chamomile helps the personality shift toward emotional balance with a serene, sun-like disposition.

Saint John’s Wort helps us balance the effects of too much or too little light. It provides protection and strength for sensitive people’s psyche and can be helpful for those deprived of light, such as in Seasonal Affective Disorder.

Flower essences need to be taken several times per day to consistently introduce their healing energy and thus make the emotional shifts you seek. It’s easiest to put the drops in a water bottle or herbal tea and sip it throughout the day.

The FES essences mentioned above are just a few of the flower essence remedies that you may find helpful to ease your winter depression. There are many other brands of flower essences as well. Some other flower essence brands found online are Alaskan Essences, Desert Alchemy, Green Hope Farm, and Pacific Essences. (If you purchase flower essences at a co-op or herb shop, please make sure you are actually purchasing a flower essence, and not an herbal tincture or extract.)

All these brands have individual essences or a mixture that is targeted to relieve the symptoms of seasonal depression.

Kyra Mesich, PsyD is author of The Sensitive Person’s Survival Guide. She offers holistic psychotherapy with flower essences, energy healing, intuition development & nutrition guidance to clients in Minneapolis/St Paul MN & by phone consultation. Please visit her website at www.DrKyraHolisticTherapy.com

Seasonal Affective Disorder: Natural Ways to Ward Off Winter Blues

by Kyra Mesich, PsyD in Natural Awakenings Magazine
http://www.natwincities.com/Twin-Cities/January-2015/Seasonal-Affective-Disorder-Natural-Ways-to-Ward-Off-Winter-Blues/