 I have never really grabbed onto resolutions. As a goal setter, my goals move across years so making a big deal about resolutions for a new year often felt fake. Many years ago, I moved my intention setting to choosing a word to guide me through the year. I allow this word to “appear” before me. Often it appears in meditation or a random conversation in which I leave and one word ends up on repeat in my head. My word for 2020 was Courage. Needed that. It was probably one of my most courageous years to date in the nearly 52 years I have been hanging out here. This year my word came to me in meditation. Trust. Trust sits in the root chakra. I struggle with trusting myself, always have. I also get antsy when things start to flow and go my way. Despite being an achiever, I get all weird when I achieve. I have been sitting with this word for a few days now. Allowing it to integrate into my being, tuning into my roots that keep me grounded and connected to this earth and thus connected to you. I am grounded. I release doubts. I am supported. I am connected. How do you move into the new year? I invite you to make it intentional. What is your word for 2021? Peace & blessings. And trust. Hugs, Sara
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 If can be difficult to know what to do for others when faced with a tragedy. Especially when we are just removed from the difficult time and yet are still impacted by the loss. And, when we are so in it, we forget to take a breath ourselves. Our community is grieving. And, many are grieving beyond our sweet town and for different reasons.
When faced with various feelings, I turn to stillness and love. Tuning into the Loving Kindness Meditation with our Community felt so healing. I could feel the love and I hope you did as well.  I always find it funny how we expect to wake up in a new year and feel different. As my daughter and I chatted this morning about her fun with friends last night, she said, "It's a new year and I don't feel any different.". We were chatting about "planned fun" also called "forced family fun" around here. Expectations are high that this will be the.best.new.year.celebration.ever. Then we wake up on the 1st and not much has changed.
For me, I am still carrying loads that I just don't need to carry. However, I started my new path yesterday with some changes in my routine. I am making choices to move forward on my path. I sat down to take stock of where I am in my life. Seems heavy? It's not when you realize that you have a choice to move the needle. I use the Wheel of Life to take note. Now those stepping into work with me this year will also use it. I have attached it here to download for free, just requires an email to grab it. Share it with your fam and friends. I then make sure my goals are reflecting my focus. For me, health is number one. I don't know how the year will unfold in our journey together at Sara Bird Nelson Healing Arts. I have some ideas around cultivating connection - stay tuned. As I mentioned in my monthly email, I made a plan in September and scratched in December as it simply did not reflect courage and creativity. If you want a first look at what's happening around here, email me get on the list at sara@sarabirdnelson.com. Here is what I do know. 2020 will include the following:
All with courage, a spark of creativity and most importantly, connection. Connection to each of you. Connection to heart. Connection to home. Pure, vital connection. Take some time to go over The Wheel of Life. Where do you want to focus your heart this year? What's your word or statement for 2020? Let's make it feel different. Let's make it ours. Let's create our life. I am here to support you on this journey. Let's journey together. Blessings for an amazing 2020.
 The last ornament that goes on the tree. Given to me by my Great Grandmother. My brother has the same bell - a symbol of our connection to our family Christmas. Your home carries a special energy, in part based on the number it was assigned when it was given an address and also in the energy that you, your family and your friends bring to your home. Included in that is the stuff that sits inside and around your home.
This time of year, our focus on home is amped up. Kids come home, you welcome friends and family into your home, you decorate your home. Many dress their home up with lights and decorations during the holidays. Whether you bring out a special candle or dress your house up like it is a Macy’s window, you are shifting energy with these changes. Making sure these energy shifts are supportive is key. Stuff in general holds energy so make sure those decorations have a positive meaning to you. Don’t hold on to something that brings back painful memories because it has been in the family for years. Look at your surroundings as if they are a mirror to your life. Because they are. What you surround yourself with represents how you see the world and how the world sees you. Keep it lovely, positive and in good condition. If this time feels stressful for you, cut back on the energy you put into decorating and buying and keeping up. Find flow in your holiday. On the years that we travel for the holidays, I cut my decorating back significantly. This allows us to come back to a relatively simple clean up and on the holidays we spend at home, the decorations feel more special as we have not seen them in some time. I also pair back each year, letting go of the items that just don’t resonate any longer. My decorating has changed over the years as the kids get older and we travel more. This also allows me to thoughtfully add to our holiday collection. Holiday or New Year’s cards and letters, gatherings and gift giving bring focus on connection and relationships. How is your relationship area of your home shaping up these days? First locate this area of your home, stand at your front door and determine the back right corner of your home, including the attached garage. What does this area look like? If it is messy - take stock of the drama (mess) in your relationships and get to tidying up. Stat. Does it reflect partnership? Look for the message that your decor, including art, is sending. Does if feel stagnant? Does it feel lonely? Shift some energy and call in partnership. Clean the grime away, move things around, make change, be open to welcoming new connections. You have the power to clear, create and connect. This time of year can also be a big drain on our finances. Check out your wealth corner, back left of your home when you are standing at your front door. Again, tidy up! Is there movement for energy to flow in this area? If you have too much stuff, including added holiday decorations, do a quick declutter. We want flow in money - in and out in a healthy manner. Bathroom sitting in this area? Close the toilet lid to prevent money from going down the drain. Seriously, it is all energy. Make sure the little (stunted) Christmas tree or plant is not in this corner - we want to call in growth of finances, not stunt them. And, my mantra to my sweet husband - keep the wallet neat and clean. Respect the wallet, the keeper of the flow of money. Stay centered during the hustle and bustle. Keep flow in the center of your home. Back off on the added holiday decorations here in order to keep chi, or energy, moving easily. Or, if it feels like chi is rushing by this area of the home, create some stopping points for the energy to rest - artwork, mirror, table, chair, etc. You will know what will fit that space as you tune in to the energy of your home. As the holidays wind down, I encourage you to declutter as you pack away your lights and decorations from the season. No sense in holding onto something that no longer serves you or the energy of your home. Lastly, three deep breaths in and exhale out the stress. Reflect (meditate) on the magic of the holidays, the connections and most importantly the love that surrounds you. Cheers to a peaceful and lovely holiday! Sara P.S. Back to your address…download this free numerology guide to learn a little more. 
Imagine taking a pause in your day, tuning into your heart and receiving healing just where you are in that moment. A feeling of calm comes over you as you walk into your next meeting, cook dinner for the family or cozy up in bed. You relax into this feeling as you move through your day or lay down to rest. You feel energized yet peaceful. A fog seems to have cleared. You feel grounded with a strong sense of self to move forward. Reiki flows to you and reaches just where you need it.
Distance Reiki allows for beautiful, light energy to reach you where you are and exactly where you need peace. It’s hard to imagine that we can experience the power of Reiki from afar. What we need to remember is that everything is energy. When we become aware of the energy that we carry and the energy that surrounds us, setting an intention and tuning in becomes more tangible as we begin to feel the energy shifts within our lives. Distance Reiki provides an opportunity for those that want an extra boost in their energy yet cannot get to my studio on a regular basis to benefit from this healing art. Yes, it does feel like you are sitting on a cloud as expressed by a group distance Reiki participant. For those who have experienced Reiki in a private session, in my studio or from afar, they know that feeling of peace and forward movement that comes with a session. Over the last few years, I have been offering group distance Reiki sessions to people around the world. My most recent group distance session was at the Autumnal Equinox. Every time I hold a group session, I am asked for more opportunities for distance healing in a group setting. In order to do so more consistently, I am thrilled to offer a group Distance Reiki Membership. This monthly membership will bring group distance Reiki to you on a monthly basis. Reiki has a cumulative impact so bringing this more consistently in a group setting allows for this amazing energy to reach more people. This monthly membership includes:
Creating sacred space for you and your healing is my jam. I am thrilled to bring this opportunity of healing to so many more. I would love for you to join me on this journey. We kick this sweet membership off on October 27th, 9:00 PM EST for our first group session. The monthly fee is $11.99 and you may cancel with ease at anytime. Blessings, Sara
"Really nice.
I don't want to get off of this cloud."  Although the official start of Fall is a few weeks away, here in Maine, you can feel the crispness in the air. The gardens are bursting with their final harvest and trees are showing signs of turning. Days are noticeably shorter. What a beautiful celebration of Summer as we take in all that the Earth has provided. As we move through Fall, we prepare to go inward.
For me, September feels like the start of the new year, an exhale of the year past as I prepare for this coming year. I always carve out time to reflect and plan during this long weekend. I use a quarterly planner that gives me the flexibility to start a quarter at the beginning of September. This helps me to finish the year strong and move into the new calendar year with clarity. As I reflect on my past year, I look at my routines, my progress on my goals (personal, family and business) and what I want to accomplish moving forward. With each season, my focus changes. Fall and Spring are a time for us to tend to our home on a deeper level. We declutter and check our list of home to-dos to determine what projects we can tackle in the next few months. Winter brings solitude for study and projects that keep me cozy, next to the fire. Summer is in the garden, on the trail or at the beach. If you are feeling like a fresh start is in order, looking for clarity and want to finish the year strong, take some time to look at the last few months of the year and make a plan. As Elenor Roosevelt said, “It takes as much energy to wish as it does to plan.” Download my basic Clarity Plan to kick off your New Year - no matter when it starts…or restarts. Use this a jumping off point to start planning and acting on your future. Focus on morning and evening routines and rituals. This signals that it is time to start and end our day. Having a routine or ritual brings consistency and predictability. This structure allows us to find flow in our days. Focus on goal setting. Writing our goals down helps solidify what we really want to work towards. This allows us to organize our thoughts so that we feel less chaos in moving forward. Use the space on the worksheet to record no more than 2-3 yearly goals per section. You can then detail each goal out on another sheet, creating tasks and timelines to support that goal. Use the Notes section for to-dos, inspirational quotes, timelines and tracking progress. Just get started and start now. It is never too late to make a plan.  Often times, the weight we are carrying is not physical weight. It is energetic. Those times when you wake up and just feel off or you are having a hard time moving forward are often related to stress, anxiety, fear, nerves. Really, old stories that we have told ourselves over and over again that support the fear and stress that we feel. Some of these stories play out so subtly in our minds that we don’t realize they are holding us back.
When we are feeling stuck, unsure, stressed our body’s natural ability to heal follows your feelings and begins to get stuck as well. That’s when physical symptoms may creep into our lives, manifesting from the stress of it all. You may be told to “calm down, breathe, have a glass of wine”. The quick fix list goes on. What if, instead, you let go of those old stories so that you can create a new one? What would if feel like to freely move forward and create your life? My healing work is grounded in my belief that we are the creators of our life. Sure, tough stuff happens. When we can meet our lives, the good and the bad, with love and compassion, we are better able to move forward and just keep creating. I have been leaning on Reiki (ray-key) for support in moving from old stories, creating new ones and approaching life with love and compassion. Reiki is the laying of hands healing system. We all carry Reiki energy, universal life force energy. It is a natural reaction to lay our hands on ourselves and others when we are hurt, a way to soothe the pain. When attuned (trained) in Reiki, all obstructions to the flow of this life force energy are cleared and channels opened for this energy to flow. Attunement to Reiki energy is available to everyone through training. When one experiences Reiki, their supply of this life force energy increases and begins to clear the stagnant energy and bring flow to their mind, body and soul. This is important as without the flow of energy, tension builds up in the body. This build up of tension prevents us from moving forward and living a life of peace and ease. Reiki allows the mind and muscles of your body to relax which in turn promotes deep healing, both physically and mentally. Reiki may address your insomnia, headaches, muscle aches, and release feelings of fear, anger, sadness, replacing them with confidence and peace. Many find that they sleep well the evening of a session. The impact of Reiki continues and sets in for a day or two after a session. Reiki releases the old stories that hold us back. It restores and rejuvenates us. During a session, you lay on a massage table, fully clothed. You are under a blanket for comfort and warmth. After getting a sense of any blocked energy in your body by focusing on your chakras (energy channels), we get to work. With a light eye mask over your eyes, spa music playing, lights low, I begin at your head. You will feel my touch around your head and ears. From there, I hover from your throat to your knees. Moving to your feet, you will again feel my touch. Even those that are ticklish, are so relaxed that I have not had a case of the giggles take over. Once I have cleared stagnant energy, I am back at your head to seal in the healing and flow of energy. With a closing ceremony, while you peacefully rest, I end our session. We then gather to chat about your experience and I share any messages that you are meant to carry with you. Clients have expressed various feelings while we are in a session. It brings some to tears and important emotional release. Others snore right through it, some see color or feel a pull of energy and then a release. Sensations such as hot, cold and vibrations may be felt as well. It is different for each person and different every session. Clients share that they are more centered, relaxed, feel more creative, feel a sense of peace that they have not felt in a long time and are better able to face what they need to face. I am witness to remarkable shifts in my client’s and their lives. They inspire me everyday. The first time experiencing Reiki often comes with nerves and excitement. Reiki is gentle and brings such balance to our soul. I recommend a minimum of two sessions to begin with, approximately a week or two apart. This allows for the full experience of Reiki to be felt as each session builds on the previous. Reiki brings you back to self. Back to soul. Experience Reiki. Book a session with me here.   Oh, the power of a Vision Board. It is a beautiful place to post our dreams and goals. Our visions for our day, week, year and life show up in various way - a list of goals, a few pictures saved on Pinterest, journals, brainstorm sessions, etc. They are all in some way or another about a vision we have for ourselves, our families, our business and our work. All are important and guide us on our journey.
Stop for a moment and take a look around - you are living and working in your vision board. What do your surroundings look like right now? Is there anything broken? Cobwebs? Stuff you don't like? Do your surroundings inspire you? Are you comfortable? Do they represent who you are or who you aspire to be? What if your home reflected your vision? Feng Shui ignites the power of vision in your space. It brings awareness to your surroundings. Everything that surrounds us is an unconscious reminder of the life we are living. Hmmm, now look around again. Feng Shui is a practice and one that moves with your life, your dreams. Your home should be a nurturing space that holds you as you reach for your goals. Your workspace should be one of support. Your surroundings should represent your life and your journey in the most beautiful way - nurturing, secure, comfortable, supportive. Feng meaning wind and Shui meaning water, are associated with good health and bring the energy of good fortune. Feng Shui is based on the Bagua Map, which represents aspects of our life. Each aspect is aligned with an area in your home. In the BTB School of Feng Shui, the Bagua Map is aligned with the entrance to your home. The Bagua Map is divided into 9 sections or Guas that represent the following areas of our life.
Each Gua is supported by one of the five elements in Feng Shui; earth, metal, water, fire and wood. The elements represent the opportunity to shift energy. Through the cycles of the elements, energy is transformed in order to expand the energy and fortune of life. Bringing in the practice of Feng Shui allows you to bring balance to your surroundings. Our souls crave a sense of balance. When we find this balance in our surroundings, we feel at ease and supported. What better way to feel as you move forward in creating your life? I have seen clients shift energy in their homes that then reflect in their lives - new love, a boom in business, ease in family relationships, deeper connections, a focus on wellness. They each create their own, unique vision board within their home, often with items that they already own. This expanded awareness of their surroundings and the elements supports them in moving closer to their personal vision. Download the Bagua Map Vision Board. Jot down your dreams and goals in alignment with the 9 aspects (Guas) of your home. Take a look around your home and note where you need to declutter and how that area of your home represents that area of your life, your dreams and your goals. Move towards your vision. |
