Videos & MediA</p> — Drops of Wisdom

A Surround Sound Bath? What is it and how does it benefit me?

By Suzanne Bélanger, RMT, Reiki Master, & Sound Bath Facilitator

Pure harmonic tones for effortless de-stress; more calm and peace

A Surround Sound Bath is an immersive relaxation experience (sometimes called sound healing or singing bowl therapy). You recline or sit in a calm, safe group environment. You may then close your eyes and simply witness your state of being as the tonal vibrations of various instruments wash over you. It’s that easy.

The effect is much like a deeply relaxing massage. Anxiety and tension dissolve, you tap into more inner tranquility, and the effect flows long after the end of the session. Participants report an increased capacity to cope, improved mood and feeling more centered.

Typical instruments I often use are crystal singing bowls, brass singing bowls, tuning forks, tingshas, chimes, gong, drum & rain stick, plus quiet words to guide you in grounding and breathing techniques.

Your ears, brain and the pressure sensors of your body register the vibrations of the instruments. It's not about playing a melody, as that would engage your brain to follow along. The goal is to give your hard working brain a rest, a chance to rebalance. This is about surrendering to however the tones flow, allowing your nervous system to simply float with the present moment. This permits a mindful presence with your inner landscape; a type of easy meditation.

Sound baths have a long history of being used for healing and meditation in many different cultures. More recently, they have been employed for those with PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) eg war veterans or survivors of natural disasters, as well as everyday people who benefit from an occasional deep de-stress.

Sound baths entrain brain waves to drop into the Alpha and Delta frequency ranges of ‘Rest and Restore’ (which is slower than the ‘Fight or Flight’ waves). Slower brain waves down-regulate our nervous system, which then signals muscles to relax, shed unwanted toxins and shift our thoughts towards balance.

Unique to the Surround Sound Baths I offer is that instruments are played near and around you. This creates a more present and personal experience.

You’re invited to experience an effortless soothing and reset of your whole being with a profoundly therapeutic Surround Sound Bath.

Nov 2022 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

How to Become a More Intuitive Practitioner : Trapped Issues in Our Tissues. An article I co-wrote with my association, Natural Health Practitioners Association of Canada, Aug 2022

Becoming attuned to another person's needs is a skill that takes refining, especially concerning body treatments through holistic health care. Many practitioners are already intuitive in their practice, but there is always room to grow our consciousness to the whole person.

What Are Trapped Issues? NHPC Member Suzanne Belanger, massage therapist, Craniosacral therapist, and Reiki Master, defines trapped issues as "unprocessed or repressed emotions, thoughts, and beliefs that pile up in our internal environment." "When too much of this energy is stored, it overflows into our conscious awareness as pain, discomfort, or dysfunction."

These issues are not always consciously seen or felt, and as a result, they can impact the individual without their knowledge. Suzanne says, "I've found my clients experience both conscious awareness (such as body pain) and conditions that we don't generally 'feel' (such as high blood pressure)." Possible physical signs or symptoms that clients may experience are sore muscles, headaches, exhaustion, gastrointestinal issues, and difficulty sleeping. "Any disturbance in our physical body is a signal that non-physical tension and stress are impacting our well-being," Suzanne explains. "Body discomforts alert us that our choices are leading us away from balance. Physical symptoms are actually helpful messengers trying to get our attention so we can choose something better." This is one of the reasons why practitioners conduct an initial assessment that involves a question component before treatment begins. Practitioners can take this opportunity to review any issues clients are consciously experiencing. This comprehensive, "whole person" approach enhances the session and produces a more robust treatment plan, helping client and practitioner to discover which techniques may fit their needs.

Treating Trapped Issues with More Than One Holistic Health Practice Although many holistic practitioners already practise more than one modality, holistic health care can often be seen as compartmentalized, as NHPC CEO and Registrar Tendai Nzuma explained in last month's interview. "There is holistic health, but it's very focused on the individual modalities that exist and pushing one over the other as the primary modality to use," Tendai said. Incorporating or blending different techniques can help address your client's needs. "Over time, we will see more modalities merging and there being fewer distinctions. People's needs will push the industry in that direction," Tendai envisioned. Many NHPC practitioners are already recognized for more than one holistic health practice, and it's a trend that is expected to continue. Using different techniques can help a practitioner's career longevity and prevent them from having severe muscle strains from repeated use of a limited set of techniques. Additionally, practicing more than one modality can help practitioners apply key ideas across modalities and approach treatment with a more whole perspective.

Suzanne says practicing more than one therapy (and in some cases, merging them in a single treatment) has helped her find common truths that appear in many of the treatments she offers. "Detecting these common themes solidifies my confidence in the values I resonate with. This deepens how I trust my inner wisdom and insights. I feel reassured that there really are universal principles guiding health and healing," she says. Examples of Applying Intuition in Treating Trapped Issues Many practitioners draw skills and techniques from multiple practices to help grow their sense of intuition and ability to read the body. Suzanne draws from her extensive experience in holistic health care to help identify patterns in her client's bodies. Reiki is one of these modalities that helps Suzanne lean into her intuition and guide her through her practice. "It is subtle and nurturing, connecting both practitioner and client to a greater state of self-awareness (their Higher Self) — inviting Qi, or Life Force energy, to gently nudge and release blocks to wholeness, increase feelings of wellness, and reduce symptoms of physical or emotional imbalance," she explains.

Suzanne has worked with many clients who experience a common pattern. For example, when clients suffer from tension headaches and pain in their neck and upper trapezius, she usually asks if they feel they're carrying "the weight of the world" on their shoulders. "They let out a sigh and reply: 'Yes! How did you know?'" Suzanne says. However, treating trapped issues doesn't end in the treatment room. Suzanne encourages clients to find ways to offload or share the demands on their energy in their daily lives — whether in their professional or personal world. "Ask for help and change habits that are taking up valuable energy," she recommends. Tips for Becoming More Intuitive "People often believe they don't have the capacity to be intuitive," Suzanne says. "However, intuition is something we all are born with. It can be increased or enhanced, similar to muscle strength and endurance." If our physical "container" is out of balance, we're too stressed to process new information.

Suzanne suggests a few tips for practitioners to become more intuitive (which can be helpful for clients, too):

• Maintain the stability of your blood glucose levels (avoid being "hangry"). Consider adding more protein to your diet.

• Provide deep rest for yourself (vacations, retreats, long weekends off).

• Give more TLC (tender loving care) to your own physical body to increase your capacity to hold higher conscious awareness. If our physical "container" is out of balance, we're too stressed to process new information.

• Be curious. A great question to keep in mind is what's the pattern here?

• Access your own inner meditative state, for example, listen to gentle harmonic music, meditate in a sound bath, exercise, or walk in nature.

Take a moment to consider: What other strategies do you use to tap into your intuition, and how does it help you answer your body's needs?

Helping Other Practitioners in the Community. In addition to her regular practice, Suzanne offers workshops designed with health care providers in mind, with topics on Decoding Emotions in the Body, Energy Balancing in the Body, and Becoming a More Intuitive Therapist (which she presented as a mini workshop at the NHPC 2017 Conference). She also facilitates Surround Sound Baths, a form of meditation held in a quiet group setting. "Much gratitude for the opportunity to share what I love to do, and for the values of inclusivity and integrative health the NHPCA truly exemplifies!" Learn more about Suzanne and her practice. Learn more about reiki and other practices that can help release the issues trapped in your tissues in our Holistic Health Guide.

Originally published on the NHPC Blog at https://www.nhpcanada.org/NHPCBlog/How-to-Become-a-More-Intuitive-Practitioner August 24, 2022 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Body Pain Has a Purpose

By Suzanne Belanger, RMT, Reiki Master, Sound Bath facilitator Dec 2021

Published by the Holistic Panda https://www.theholisticpanda.com/blog/bodypainhaspurpose

Companion to live interview on Instagram

In this article, Reiki Master, RMT, and creator of ColourWisdom energy field refinement Suzanne Belanger explains how physical aches or pain contains valuable information - it’s not simply irritating noise or a nuisance that ought to be silenced or suppressed.

What if body pain is a caring messenger, prompting us to ask, “Why is this showing up?”. What if altering our fear of pain provides:

· An early warning system that alerts us to imbalances before they get away on us?

· A reminder that our precious physical “base station” is being taken for granted; that there’s more to Life than just getting by?

· Clues to better serve our Soul Purpose and ignite personal growth?

Linking the Physical with Non-Physical

Health in the human body has been my Life’s occupation. My two hospital-based careers spanned 28 years, followed by 13 years as a massage therapist, energy worker, and educator.

My search to understand how body pain/dysfunction is linked with unseen stressors began as I questioned why high-tech medicine couldn’t explain how some people became ill. Yet, others with the same risk factors, or similar situations, did not.

I discovered fascinating patterns related to how the powerful factor of fear drives both mind and body.

Emotional Flooding and the Physiology of Fear

When we experience a fright, a shock, or overwhelming emotion, our adrenal glands pump out a surge of adrenalin into the bloodstream. This floods our whole body, lasts about 20 minutes, and causes the well-known "Fight or Flight" reactions and /or the lesser-known "Freeze or Faint" reactions.

During this phase, called Emotional Flooding, the blood flow to the brain's frontal cortex is decreased (where our logical and reasoning powers reside).

Our reactions during Emotional Flooding (or overwhelm) stem from our reptilian brain (part of our subconscious mind, responsible for our innate self-preserving behaviors to ensure survival). When we can't take any more overwhelm, an automatic, subconscious safety program stuffs this excess energy, storing it in our body.

This was a great survival mechanism in the Stone Age (you'll probably live longer if you fight or run rather than freeze or faint when the saber tooth tiger is eyeing you up as a snack!)

Thankfully, we're past simply surviving as a cave dweller. However, these days, the tigers in our world often are things we can't fight or run away from. The Freeze reaction is so "normal" to us that we barely notice when we "park" or feel overwhelming feelings.

This Freeze reaction has a physical cost. When our tissue is "full up" with stored energy, our body "speaks" as aches, pains, and chronic tension. This includes headaches, stomach aches, irritable bowel, joint pain, exhaustion, anxiety, depression, etc.

The Beach Ball Analogy

This stored energy of fear in our body is like holding a beach ball underwater. It costs us a portion of our life force to keep that ball beneath the surface, to keep pushing it down, to make it look like we’ve got it all handled, that the surface is calm.

Our bodies are wired to push through danger or upset until we’re safe (hold that ball steady!), then ideally, we’re supposed to reset with some kind of rest or release to restore our forces (time to let that ball go!). In this hurry- hurry world, we often forget or deny ourselves the letting go phase that gets us back in balance.

The Ripple Effect on Our Mental Health

Additionally, chronic tension or body pain may appear to confirm negative beliefs, such as thinking we ought to feel ashamed or weak, because “pain obviously proves I can’t handle life.” This type of destructive thinking erodes our state of mind, contributing to depression and anxiety.

DIY Strategies to Counter the Beach Ball Effect

Try these simple everyday tools to get back in balance: gentle yoga, walking in nature, relaxation massage, meditation, sharing feelings with a trusted friend, journaling, dancing in the kitchen, being silly and light, and having fun at every opportunity.

We're All Lumping Along

Owning our difficult emotions is a key to personal growth. So is self-forgiveness. We are all "a work in progress", so we need to "cut ourselves some slack" for our regrets. We must treat ourselves with compassion as we lump along in our challenges.

It's Part of Our Soul Purpose

Note: our ego (which yells its fear-based objections inside our head) may attempt to block us from reaching out for help. This is where embracing a little courage goes a long way.

Our entire lives are opportunities to master all kinds of situations, both positive and negative. Part of our Soul Purpose is to seek clarity about our "spin cycle" emotions, decide what we want instead, and make changes.

A New Point of View

The energy of stored fear is causing spin cycle emotions that shrink your capacity to thrive.

Decreasing body pain without asking what’s the message keeps us stuck in the same patterns - we miss the lesson of body pain.

Part of our Soul Purpose is to face and understand fear, find and embrace our truths, and ultimately accomplish what we thought we couldn’t do.

If you got this far in this article, dear reader, that tells me you’re ready to look deeper inside.

What If I Don’t Know How to Begin?

It’s totally acceptable to seek assistance in sorting out challenges. Everyone needs a little help sometimes.

Substitute the word “helper” with “healer”. There's a saying that goes: “A healer is not someone that you go to for healing. A healer is someone that triggers within you, your own ability to heal yourself.”

Healing is created by many tiny shifts, small course corrections that build momentum and confidence by making choices that align with our truth.

I invite you to engage. It’s time. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

What are signs of stored emotions being released from our bodies ?

stomach gurgles therapeutic pulse heavy sigh hiccups cough or tickle in throat "frog" in throat tears crying sobbing suppressed crying ringing in the ears sudden dizzyness temperature changes temporary tingling or "zing" goose bumps twitches or jerks nose drainage colour changes (flushing, blushing) feeling of nausea a memory comes to surface

What is intuition? Intuition is A + B = C

A Previous knowing & skills are tools used to interpret (about 10% of our "knowing")

B new unfiltered information of the present moment (about 90%)

C creates the intuitive, more whole comprehension

Expand Your 3rd Eye

Rub hands together and place hands lightly near, just barely touching your forehead and your occiput. Next, expand your awareness out to the outer edges of your aura. Allow your hands to slowly, gently drift away from your head towards the outer edges of your aura. Take all the time you need, allow the expansion to happen at it's own pace without pulling or forcing. Allow the expansion to stop when it wants to. No need to reach the edge of your aura. Any expansion is progress, compared to believing that all our faculties reside inside our heads. After you let your hands drop to your sides, take a moment to notice how you feel. What has changed?

“ORANGE BALL OF ENERGY” MEDITATION

I received this meditation during a visit to Yellowstone National Park, Sept 2013

Back supported and feet firmly contacting the ground. Feel safe and supported

Check your shoulders for tension. Gently ask them to drift down to where they belong.

Rub palms of hands together 15 seconds. Activates energy centers in your hands.

Close your eyes & breathe deeply. Inhale: pull the breaths up through your feet to the top of your head, and Exhale: the air flows down your body back to ground

Between your hands, imagine an orange. A fat, heavy navel orange. Feel the dimpled, cool, thick peel. Roll it around in your hands. Trace the raised bump at one end. Recall the smell of the tangy spray when you’ve peeled back the skin. Savour the taste of the sweet tangy juice.

Now pretend this is a child’s toy, a battery operated orange. It starts to vibrate against the palms of your hands. Hear the little motor hummm. The motor switches off, then on again. With every humm, it pushes against your palms

Hmmm. Off. Hmmm. Off. Hmmm. Off.

Now your hands fall open onto your lap, palms facing up. The orange changes into another toy, one you played with as a kid. It’s a Slinky. You shift the Slinky, from one hand to the other, back and forth. Slowly, back and forth, back and forth.

You notice that as the Slinky lands on your RIGHT hand, the right palm feels very warm. It just keeps getting hotter and hotter. As hot as if you held your hand up to a bonfire.

Then you notice that as the Slinky touches your LEFT hand, your left palm feels very cool. It just keeps getting colder and colder. So cold it’s like you’ve dipped your hand into a chilly mountain creek.

Continue to shift the Slinky back and forth, feel for temperature changes in your palms.

Now the Slinky puffs up and out between your hands, changing into a balloon. A delicate pink colour. The balloon gently rises up from your palms. Feel the lightness of the balloon as it expands and floats upwards. Extend one finger of each hand. Bounce the balloon back and forth, from side to side. Watch it grow larger and larger until it actually passes through your body.

You’re now inside the large pink balloon. You’re surrounded by pink light. Feel how relaxing and nourishing the pink healing light is. Inhale a big breath of the pink light. Then let out a big sigh. Your shoulders drop, letting go of resistance. Your body feels tingly and light. Breathe deeply of this intensely alive energy.

Now think of one area of your body that really needs this energy. See the area in your mind’s eye. Maybe you feel tightness or pain there. Imagine a giant funnel above this sore spot. See the entire bubble of pink light being sucked into the funnel. (Sucking sound) Deep into the sore area of your body. Feel the tension drain out as the pink light enters.

Take a big breath in and hold it for a moment. This seals the gift of self love into your energy system.

A few more big breaths. Thank yourself for going on this rejuvenating internal journey.

In gentle steps, we will now bring ourselves out, back to the classroom.

Follow my instructions in the sequence of 3, 2, 1.

Number 3: feel yourself whole, centered and refreshed

Number 2: feeling better than before

Number 1: Now slowly open your eyes. Wiggle your fingers and toes.

Rub your hands together. Then bring them up to your face. Gently wash your face with your hands. With just a few words, ask yourself “How is my body feeling”?

BIG kitty cat stretch!

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What are signs of stored emotions being released from our bodies ?

Expand Your 3rd Eye