“Old habits die hard”…”we’re creatures of habit”…”I’m prey to my habits”. Ah, the judgments we trot out in support of the same old same old. Even the contemplation of change can be a challenge, but we really set ourselves up when we equate ourselves to robotic victims of patterns that we expect we don’t have the capability to shift, and therefore can’t muster the desire. Dropping the defeatist self-talk, we can begin to acknowledge ourselves as powerful captains of the ships of our own lives, with the wherewithal to manifest a sea change towards a more realized version of ourselves.

Habits and addictions are related, but they are not quite the same thing. Where an addiction is often a substitute activity for what we really need (love, light, vitality, emotional freedom), a habit is more of an umbrella concept that includes any addiction, any kind of daily routine or any patterned behaviour that regularly repeats without us contemplating whether it is right time in this moment to enact the habitual behaviour(s). They represent the memory of feeling good, though often they don’t reflect the same level of pleasure. Habit patterns can include strung-together activities such as making coffee first thing in the morning, followed by turning on the computer and checking email, followed by rolling and smoking a cigarette followed by a trip to the store. The majority of an entire day, weeks, or even years can transpire in similar chains of grooved activity. We’re on automatic pilot, and we aren’t checking in with ourselves. Gradually Body loses the will to live, since She is not being consulted in the moment about what She’d like to do right now, and illnesses begin to manifest.

Disciplining ourselves to change the habit without deep understanding of what was fueling it will likely only result in the habit changing form, say from being on the computer first thing every morning to exercise. The goal is not to replace an old habit with another habit that is deemed healthier, but to be able to listen to Body’s wisdom about what She wants to do in each moment. Sometimes when I’m entering a period of free time I will intentionally imagine several scenarios that I might engage in now, and then check in with my Body to see what we feel like doing the most, right now, be it what (or whether) to eat, or what to do. At my best, I might not allow my mind/spirit to imagine first, but simply invite Body’s wisdom to present me an unbidden picture of what She would like to engage in.

There are often emotions hidden beneath the habit that the routine has helped us avoid, that can only be entered into when we allow the habit to lapse in order to see what is running the routine. A crucial element in shifting the roots of habit patterns (without merely changing the form of the habit) is gaining understanding as to why we are engaging in the habitual behaviour, whatever it is, and often we need to clear emotional backlog hidden under the habit in order to truly get why we engage in the habit in the first place.

March 3^rd is Virgo Full Moon this year, and the full moon cycle of March 3-17 is an excellent time to engage a shift of habits, with the assistance of the transformative, healing, magical properties that are the hallmarks of positive Virgo energies.

In my very first Healing and Dealing Article, I mentioned shallow breathing in passing as a key contributor to “various long-term nasties”. But breathing is so important to our health or lack thereof, it’s worth a lot more airtime than a fleeting paragraph or two. You can go a few days without water, weeks without food, years without exercise but go a few minutes without oxygen and you will die. According to my research, as far back as 1947 there were studies done that showed that normal cells can easily convert to cancer cells when chronically starved for oxygen. Lack of oxygen resulting from an overly rapid and shallow breath rate can contribute to heart disease, strokes, depression, sleep issues, fatigue, premature aging and nearly every malady known to humankind.

The stress and pace of modern life, as well as its conveniences, have in many of us led to decreased outdoor activity and increased work inside the home, coinciding with an increase in exposure to pollutants. Restrictive clothing such as tight waistbands, belts and bras compromises the ability to breathe fully and effortlessly and can contribute to digestive, elimination or gynecological issues. These factors combined with the subconscious fear of triggering the emotions stored in our body help create shallow/rapid breathing patterns. Cultivating an intent to face the emotions that can be stirred by continuous proper breathing helps.

Oxygen is the key component in the production of ATP, the chemical basis of energy production in the body. Deeper, slower breathing increases production of ATP. Increased oxygenation also improves blood quality, aiding in the elimination of toxins. It especially improves overall brain function and pineal/pituitary gland rejuvenation. Skin becomes smoother and stress load on the heart is decreased (thanks in part to greater lung efficiency), resulting in lower blood pressure. Increased diaphragmatic range of motion “massages” the heart, liver, pancreas, stomach and small intestine, stimulating blood circulation in these organs.

The website holisticonline.com describes the “perfect breath” in good detail. It starts with a “lower” breath inhalation that begins in the belly, and proceeds upward through a middle, intercostal breath (the lower ribcage expands to the side), completing the inhalation in an upper or high-ribcage chest expansion. Exhalation reverses this direction, and ends at the bottom of the exhale with a key component – what I call an inner hug, where the lower ribs give a gentle squeeze to the diaphragm. This squeeze not only eliminates the last bits of old air in the bottom of the lungs, but when the ribcage relaxes, the next breath begins automatically! This is where effortlessness can begin. Be in no rush to begin the next breath; pausing at the bottom of the breath for a few seconds brings its own benefits, particularly the resting of Body’s systems. Although oxygen uptake occurs on the exhale and thus slow outbreath is recommended overall, sometimes my body likes to just “let go” the air all at once, without pushing. Allow Body to do either, just because you feel to in the moment.

If executed properly, this breathing style is effortless. Strain and deep breathing do not go together and will likely result in significant “forgetting” or a subtle giving-up by Body if you are pushing yourself. Practice and perseverance will help turn relearning into a new integrated Body function with a huge upside. Try taking the breathing test a few times across time out on breathing.com, another “inspirational” resource, and see if your scores improve. Mine have. Don’t be afraid to care!

The breakneck pace of summer in a tourist economy, or anywhere where speed of life means slipping unconsciously into ways of eating that don’t serve us, requires a balancing time of reckoning for Body. Breaking old consuming habits is a wonderful way to cool down the pace, enhancing our lives and helping us feel good about ourselves.

Fasting gives Body a much needed break from the constant work of digestion, and helps initiate a cleanse of the entire digestive tract. There’s nothing like a fast to break up embedded daily routine (what will you do with all that extra time normally spent shopping, cooking and eating?), dissolve cravings, and court epiphany. Fasting brings periods of detoxification for Body (including mental fuzziness) as well as periods of euphoria and great clarity and energy.

There is no “right way” to fast. Simply going without food for a number of days will help to give Body a break from all the digestion energy she normally expends. Some people fast using supplements and lower bowel tonics, others drink copious water and diluted fruit juice. If significant constipation arises, try taking a spoonful of psyllium twice a day in a large glass of water - or a teaspoon or two of Aloe Vera juice. Master Cleanser, aka “hippie whiskey” is a popular fasting aid, composed of a blend of water, lemon juice, cayenne and a dollop of maple syrup. Whether you choose a fasting/cleansing routine or simply listen closely to what your body wants to do in each moment, heavy liquid intake is a key component in helping cleanse the digestive tract.

Ritually entering a fast helps build and strengthen intention. The new moon , particularly a fire or earth moon (especially Virgo) is a wonderful time to begin, constituting an energetic clearing of the decks and the beginning of a new cycle. It can help to bring other types of intentions to such a ritual, such as intentions for change, healing, or new gifts and desires to manifest in your life. I prefer to fast sometime in the fall and/or in the spring; the extremes of temperature and energy output don’t seem to call for Body to fast in summer or winter.

It is every Body’s choice, moment by moment, as to how long to fast…even a day of fasting can help, though I like a three day minimum. I know of folks who’ve done month-long fasts and felt great. However long you choose, when refeeding time is nigh, introduce foods minimally and gradually build up in volume over the first few days. Notice how your mouth has been resensitized (and how desensitized it had gotten just previous to the fast!). It’s a great time to learn to eat slowly and mindfully, paying close attention to when we’ve had enough, including Body in our food choices, and becoming more aware of how we take in nourishment.

Personal computers enhance our lives in many ways; convenience, ease of networking, commercial and creative advantage. Lots of home computers means lots of people often sitting in one position for lengthy periods. Balance being the key to a healthy lifestyle, we need to proactively take steps to counter this additional sedentary factor.

There are some easy ways to heal and deal around the uneasy marriage of body and computer. Stiff shoulders and necks are a major issue among computer users, especially in the part of the trapezius muscle just inside the topmost/innermost section of the shoulder blade, between the blade and the spine. Chronic tension in this area can lead to calcification, or the building of bone tissue in the muscle, which can lead to a multitude of problems.

Suggestions: 1) Type with your hands low. Your hands on the keyboard should be no higher than about one inch below the level of your solar plexus; any higher forces your shoulders to stay poised above their lowest possible resting point, creating unnecessary tension. Stay aware of what that lowest resting point is, and either use a shorter table, pillows to raise yourself up, a taller chair, or the keyboard on your lap. 2) Take regular breaks to raise and lower your shoulders in superslow motion. Start at the bottom of the lowest resting point of the shoulders and very gradually raising your shoulders as high as they will go (up around your ears), then very gradually lowering them to the lowest resting point again. Repeat this motion several times, the slower the better. 3) Undulate in your chair from time to time. I know that sounds weird, but try it…move from your trunk and at all your joints, all at the same time; for greatest benefit, move as slowly as you can. Bodies need to move often to stay happy. 4) Get up at least once every 30 minutes to move around. 5) Get regular bodywork.

For the men: Sitting a lot in an office-style or any hard chair can mean more prostatic stress. Nearly all men run into prostate issues at one point or another, and not just the elders among us. Notice the flow of your pee; is it strong from start to finish? If not, or if you seem to have the urge to go a lot even if you’re not drinking many fluids, it’s time to deal. For the full-meal-deal, locate on your body what the ancient Chinese referred to as “the million dollar point”, or the soft tissue just underneath and adjacent to your anus. While sitting in your office chair, put the middle and ring fingers against this point and use your body weight to allow yourself to sink onto your fingers, as deeply as you can without it hurting. Rotate your fingers three times clockwise, then counterclockwise, repeat both directions about five times, then switch hands for comfort and do it all again. If it’s easier, you can stand up or lay on your back and perform the move that way. This is a do-it-yourself prostate massage, a great proactive tool for keeping your prostate healthy and disgorging any trapped fluid buildup in the gland. This is best accomplished with clothes but not through jeans.

Other ways to support a healthy prostate include kegel-style pelvic floor squeezes, again best done slowly (ask a mother what kegels are!), occasionally and intentionally squeezing off the flow of pee, ejaculating at least semi-regularly, and being moderate with wheat, refined sugars, alcohol and caffeine.

        Rotating bodyworkers can, in the long run, maximize healing for every part of your physical and emotional bodies. My own experiences receiving massage have recently reaffirmed for me that every bodyworker has specific strengths that work for particular parts of my body, but no one has the whole thing down. For example, where one person I might see does wonders for my legs and hips, another affords my upper back and neck just the right pressure and motion to encourage maximum healing.

We tend to stay with one practitioner because they do good work overall, and there is nothing wrong with that approach. Yet, when we try a session from another practitioner, we find that certain areas of the body get addressed in new and different ways. It’s important to put the body’s overall needs ahead of long-term habit patterns. Many of you may be doing this already, but for those like myself who recently awoke to my own pattern of seeing only this person or that person for massage, only to find new healing epiphanies for various parts of my body I didn’t even realize were that much in need, I offer the possibility.

Remember that barter suggestions and asking for what you need in terms of sliding scale can sometimes be keys in finding a win for you and Body. Options that many bodyworkers are open to include partial payment combined with partial barter, or time payments with a stated end time. Not every situation will meet your needs, but keep trying. Your intent to get the healing touch you need will pay off in right timing, even if money is an issue.

    Tips for long-term Body health: to aid in liver detoxification and as a preventive measure, I like to start off my day with fresh-squeezed organic lemon juice, wedge and all, in an unsweetened cup of herb tea. Whenever I take in or do anything with an intent for health lately I’ve been cultivating the habit of either thinking or saying an affirmative statement out loud. With my lemon tea I might say to myself something to the effect of, “I am clearing myself of toxins.”

         We have to overcome a lot of negative conditioning from the media and our past about what happens to us that “we have no control over.” We can tangibly reverse this negative flow by making statements to ourselves that we can feel the truth of, believe in, and enact a positive “placebo effect.” With a gulp of the green powder drink that I consume after my morning tea, I like to say “I am taking in a magic restorative elixir of healing life force from Earth.” You can stretch this even further by saying “I drink life and the fountain of youth” every time you take a drink of water. See what comes up for you when you say this! It could be some sneering voice in your head – it’s alright. Use all the tools at your disposal to address this voice head-on.

Great Healing and Dealing Related Website: http://www.rightuseofwill.com

The author of this new site is one of my main sources of material discussed over time in this column, regurgitated through my own levels of understanding, of course. She has brought forth eight books on the kind of emotional healing and dealing that I feel is crucial in these times. The FAQ page I find particularly clear and informative.

The ideal pace for the body to receive healing touch is very slow. Bodies can move quickly, yet speedy physical movement can sometimes lead to staying in one’s head, a sense of rushed anxiety and even injury. This can become a self-perpetuating cycle. The massage table is a perfect place for body to cycle down and become re-imprinted with the health benefits of deliberate movement. Ideally, a healing touch practitioner aids this slowing down process with an unhurried application of the hands. Don’t let guilt, caretaking, or habit prevent you from switching practitioners, even if the relationship is long-term, if your practitioner does not help you adjust the pace of your life downward — or for any reason at all.

Becoming a good receiver is crucial to maximizing the pleasure and health benefits of bodywork. No matter what modality, an optimal bodywork session is one in which you the client are loosely, non-mentally focused and aware inside your body. To facilitate this “locus of focus”, talking should be kept to a minimum, centered on moment-to-moment needs and requests. Feel free to make lots of those! A bodywork session is a time to allow all your immediate physical needs to be addressed, and a good practitioner welcomes your petitions for water, kleenex, lighter touch, or another moment or two on that foot. If your practitioner initiates conversation and you notice that you are not as able to stay present in your body, let her know that you are finding conversation distracting. If she persists, make that session your last with that person – a bodywork practitioner must aid you in becoming more embodied, not take you out into your head.

Find yourself endlessly spinning thoughts and visions during your session? It’s an organic occurrence, as bodywork connects the mind, spirit, emotions and body more efficiently than during untouched moments. As best you can, remind yourself that you can pursue that picture of the ideal job possibility or tough issue with your spouse after your treatment, and return your awareness to your body, breathing deeply. Slow, effortless breathing, especially the outbreath, aids in muscle relaxation and is most called for during deep tissue massage of a particularly tight or painful muscle.

My first masseur (the masculine form of the popularly but malapropriately applied feminine form ‘masseuse’) back in 1989 gave me a guideline that I continue to repeat to my clients to this day: “Never help the practitioner”. Raising your head or your legs to aid in pillow adjustment is a no-no: worst case scenario has just-released muscles spasming worse than before from being forced to go from a state of deep relaxation to one of sudden contraction. Become “heavy-limbed”, and allow the practitioner to move your body parts for you – practicing surrender of control does a body good.

Sometimes a bodywork session will stir old emotions as a result of a particular area being touched, rocked, massaged or otherwise manipulated. I recommend taking advantage of this by fully allowing vocal, non-verbal expression in moans, sighs, cries, tears, and involuntary jerking (also known as kriyas). A sensitive practitioner will ride this wave with you, compassionately yet matter-of-factly supporting you in those moments; another reason to switch practitioners if this is not the case.

Nearly every receiver finds her or himself at one time or another having a sexual response to non-sexual healing touch. This can be embarrassing or confusing, but such a physical response is perfectly normal. Significant sexual energy is stored in hips, buttocks and legs and can spontanously begin flowing during a session when those areas are addressed. If this happens to you, continue deeply breathing, stay in your body, allow your response to run its course without comment, and the responsible practitioner will do likewise.

I’ve been hearing about this great mixed drink. Unlike most mixed drinks, I hear the more you drink, the clearer you get. Heavy indulgence doesn’t result in getting tanked or a crippling headache the next day. You don’t have to wait in line downstairs at the Co-op to get some, and even minors can indulge freely. How do you make it? Four fingers hydrogen, 2 oxygen. Hey, barkeep, set my friends up over here…it’s on me.

Make sure the glass stays full…as soon as you knock it back, top it off, as a visual cue for the next time you pass by your tankard, that there’s more to be had. Guys, it’s okay to chugalug it like a triple shot. Drink and pee, drink and pee, all day long. Feeling hungry a lot? Down a big glass, wait 15 minutes, and then see if you’re really still hungry. We’ve grown so chronically thirsty for so long, we sometimes mistake our body’s signal for more as a call for food. For best results, drink a lot at room temperature on an empty stomach to give your body the highest high, and don’t mix it with anything else — juice is not the same thing. They don’t call it a watering hole for nothing! Esp. if you’ve just received bodywork, had a big cry, or have done a lot of physical activity. Flush those toxins!

Then there’s the frozen form of this elixir of life. Be cool. In fact, be cold. Get yourself one of those soft packs, wrap it in a hand towel, and put it on anything that hurts. Strap it on if it’s going on a hard-to-balance place. Yeah, I know it feels better short-term if it’s hot, but nothing brings that curative, long-term, deep secondary blood flow like Ice. 10-15 minutes on…then take it off for another 10-15 mins. Then on again, then off again. A total of three rounds, twice a day. Just chill those aches right out.

No sweetie to wrap yourself around at night? Or s/he doesn’t like to cuddle during the dreamtime? Didn’t know you could heal while sleeping? Yes, Virginia, the healing answer is lots of pillows. Soft gooshy ones. For side sleeping, I like one pushed up against my back, right down to my tailbone. And one in front of me, to curl up with. And one between my knees. Or under my knees if I’m on my back, or under one raised hip if on my belly. All this allows joints and muscles to more fully relax and let go completely into that soft support, else butts, backs and shoulders wave in the night breeze causing muscles, tendons and ligaments to max out from having to work while the rest of you is off partying with Wynken, Blynken and Nod. And yes, that back-to-the-womb feeling one gets from all this pillow snuggling counts for a lot as well in the relaxation department.

You know that whole “my body” thing, as if some master self in me “owns” my body, as if my body isn’t really me but is more like a vehicle to be maintained? “My” body doesn’t like that…she’s a sovereign, sentient, fully spiritual part of me with as much say-so and right to lead as mind or spirit. She is not a Toyota, she’s a magical, loving, human ecosystem, made of Earth (a female)! Ask “your” body’s name, see what you get, and play with that. Talk to her, ask what she wants. Ask her opinion. Include her in your decisions. You may be very surprised at what comes up in response to doing that.

Last thing…remember that stretching is a wonderful injury preventive for any type of physical exertion. Stretch shortly after you’ve begun to exercise. For example, on a long walk, be sure to stop and stretch any time you start to feel pain in a muscle or an area of your body. Stretching after exercise is just as important too.

I’m going to look at all aspects of the self, starting off by talking about some of my ideas, notions, beliefs and judgments about this so-called ‘vehicle’ that is our flesh and blood, in the hopes that it will help get people (including myself) thinking, feeling and acting on changing and releasing the old habits that encroach upon us as we walk the planet.

I’ll start close to home - I’m a massage practitioner by trade. I’m a firm believer in healing touch. Get yourself some bodywork this winter - it’s as crucial as anything else you might do for your body. There are many modalities of healing touch on the island, from massage to reiki to shiatsu to reflexology and beyond, available from many wonderful, loving and experienced practitioners. Talk to five friends, and you are bound to get a practitioner recommendation, either first or second-hand. Bodies need to be touched — loving, safe, healing touch. It’s as important as breathing or exercising. Being touched with healing, honouring intent encourages the body to thrive and want to live, and live fully. Being touched aids in warding off depression and is a wonderful preventive for dis-ease and dis-comfort that untouched bodies sooner or later manifest. No spare cash, you say? Approach a bodyworker with a few creative ideas for full or partial barter, and I guarantee you that within your first 3-4 attempts you’ll have scheduled yourself a session. Everyone has something to offer, and if you need and desire bodywork, you will find it.

I mentioned breathing and exercising. We live in a culture of shallow breathers who have forgotten that breathing is meant to be a conscious activity. Shallow breathing starves the cells of our body and leads to all sorts of long-term nasties. I recently made a bunch of coloured art focused around forms of the printed word “Breathe” and taped them up around my place. We need to breathe fully and deeply, all the time…expanding our chest or belly fully on the inbreath, contracting our ribcage fully on the outbreath, letting the breath simply fall out slowly instead of pushing it out, to avoid hyperventilation…and create a newer, healthier habit for increasing our body’s vitality than the one we were raised on — subconscious, shallow breathing. It’s a process. You will forget many times a day to fully breathe. It’s alright.

Don’t want to exercise? Don’t “should” on yourself. Follow your body’s urges as unconditionally as you can, and pay attention. Ask your body if s/he wants to go to that dance, or hike the mountain today. Ask, and listen inside. If the answer is no, follow that…don’t let your mind lead. Mind has led the way long enough. Body has rarely if ever been given the chance to lead! If the answer is yes, go for it. Every body’s need is different, there isn’t any “right way”. Can’t tell what your body wants, and feel frustrated with that? Accept that about yourself, that you can’t hear clearly from your body right away, in that moment…and ask again later.