Thursday, December 31, 2009

2010 ~ Success in Meeting Goals

May I begin with an apology if you have been looking at my blog, hoping for a new entry. I'll admit I do feel a little guilty. The holiday season this year has been especially busy for me: ten days at a mind/body conference, a week in the Green Bay area, plus traveling to spend time with family. So, here I am on the last day of 2009 sharing my thoughts with you. Thank you for sharing time with me.

Here we are hours away from the bridge that carries us from one year to the next. It's a natural opportunity for reviewing our life and determining what about it we would like to be different: a new year means a fresh start. It matters little when you are reading this ~ you can "make up your mind" about your goals when ever you decide to do so.
The important point is this: if you don't decide what you want out of life, it is as if you are living what I would call an "accidental life." Remember, our mind listens to what we say. If we don't give ourselves any instruction, any goals or dreams, our greatest gift (our mind) is left to wander aimlessly.

We are living in an incredible time in history. New information and the ability to be in touch with others near and far is growing phenomenally. But what is even more exciting is something that some of us have known for quite some time ~ it is ancient information that has been all but lost. But soon, very soon, it will be discovered and accepted by the masses: science is now proving that our thoughts create. Literally. Talk about power!
As we begin to realize and utilize the power of our minds, the new gizmos and gadgets that connect us and give us information will be like toys that are left in the sandbox.

Some of you who know me and have been my clients have experienced a taste of how the minds works by utilizing hypnotherapy. This is just one way to begin to harness the power of the mind.
It all begins with relaxation. When we relax, the true powerhouse within us is made available. Our subconscious mind is so awesome. For example, your mind stores detailed memory of every experience you have had since you came into existence: what it was like to be born, what your cake looked and tasted like for your fifth birthday, how you felt when you made your first friend, everything about your first kiss, the bond you felt with your pets.... Better than a computer, your inner mind contains not just the facts (you all have a photographic + memory) but the deep inner feelings of all experiences. It's all there and it can be accessed. It's a great "hall of records."

I believe that we will also get to the point of being able to feel and understand the impact we make on those around us. In other words, when you do something "nice" (or not so nice) you will come to the point of being able to feel what they feel. That either will make you look forward to it, or squirm a little. Thus the adage of be careful what you say --- and do unto others.

But I digress. The point is, you can have the benefit now of using your mind in a more productive way, making life what you want it to be. There are many ways of doing this: setting goals and repeating them daily, making a collage of a goal and keeping it where you can see it regularly, using affirmations, thinking about your goal as you are falling asleep at night, using visualization, imagining how you will feel when you meet your goal, etc.

Don't let your mind wander aimlessly. It is searching for something to think about and if you are wise you will feed it your Best Life Instructions.

When you relax the conscious chattering mind, the subconscious powerhouse part of your mind will accept the suggestions and imagined results you give it. Plain and simple; this is the "magic" of hypnotherapy. The power of suggestion in a relaxed state. Use the above techniques when you are calm and relaxed. Enjoy the process! This is how you will succeed in making your dreams come true.

Try it. What have you got to lose but the opportunity for successfully meeting your goals and creating the wonderful life that is waiting for you.

Blessings and love,
Until next time,
Dr. DyAnn

Wednesday, November 25, 2009

Giving Thanks

There are many things to enjoy about Thanksgiving... gathering of family, friends and neighbors, all the delicious food, and the kick off for the holiday season. Perhaps your family has favorite traditions such as the Macy's parade, watching your favorite football team, or volunteering to feed the hungry or those who might otherwise be alone.

One of the things I absolutely love about Thanksgiving is the very fact that for this one holiday we are reminded to pause and think about what we are grateful for. Too often in our busy life we just don't take the time to do this ~ or we may have something that draws our mind toward situations or events in life that we are anything but grateful for.

When you think about it, for the most part it is often the people in our life that we are thankful for... people, not things, make all the difference. As you count your blessing there are always those special people that make your life sweeter. But have you ever thought about the difference YOU make in the lives of other people? Sometimes we forget that who we are and what we do DOES make a difference for other people. I think it would be so neat if there could be a way that you could see that... if at the end of each and every day YOU could see where you made a difference just by being YOU.
We hear of people who do extraordinary things to help others. And of course their story is amazing and should be applauded. But it is the little guy - people just like you, who quietly do their share on a regular basis without applause; likely even without the realization that you have made the difference to someone.
Maybe you have a boss who doesn't express thanks (or worse yet does nothing but complain or even has you feeling like a number). But each day you go to work, do your job and help your company or organization stay afloat. Don't let the bad supervisor cheat you out of your realization that you are of value. What you do counts. Or maybe you pulled an extra share of duty while someone was out sick, or welcomed the new person, or just greet your fellow workers with a smile. You DO make a difference, even if they forget to tell you!
Family --- oh yes, my sessions and e-mails are so very often about family. I learned a long time ago not to say "I've heard everything!" Because about the time I think that, someone offers up a new and kind of pathetic example of how those with whom we would hope to feel the closest feel instead anything but. Kind of leaves people thinking what on earth a particular situation, remark, or general relationship is all about! "What am I missing?!"
For you, remember that some people are just not as enlightened or aware of their impact on their fellow souls. Makes me kind of wish that just for a day those caustic family members could see the real pain that they inflict. Sometimes I think that maybe the reason for their lack of any consideration and just plain meanness is that they really just DON'T GET IT!

They just don't realize that not only do you have feelings.. but that they are important. If people realized that they are important (and influential) I think they might be better family members. I offer that insight to you in the hope that it will take away some of the hurt and pain. It won't change the family member, but perhaps it can soften the blow especially since many of you will be spending time with family members during the next month or so. (I have seen some pretty miraculous things happen as people finally did realize that they are of value.)
Remember that how people treat you says a whole lot more about them than it does about you. So, just work on forgiving them.
As a counselor I have had the advantage of advanced training and practice in what is called Systems Theory. One of the fundamentals of this work is the realization that if one can change part of the system, then the system itself is changed. I use the example of a hanging mobile. If you lightly touch just one part of it, the whole mobile (system) is moved. The same is true in any system including our family.
I invite you to be that change. Certainly we are powerless to change anyone else, let alone an entire family. But if you change something about you, the system will change even if ever so slightly. Susie, who I talked to recently, has been working on being less judgmental of her family. Yes some of their faults are pretty obvious. But Sue realized she had fallen into playing the role of the judge, who could point those faults out much too often. All it got her was more frustration and even her turn at being the one who was "wrong". :)
When she determined to change the system by changing herself, she got results. She can now see when she is being baited or "invited" to react in her same old way. Remember her reactivity had only served to strengthen the dysfunctional system and increase her unhappiness when she tried to help by pointing things out. No, her family has not changed and perhaps never will. She just wanted to get along better and have a "happier" family. Well, she laughed, when you can't be so easily provoked you just plain feel happier. You really do!

Someone once said that happiness is an inside job... and Susie is definitely happier. She is even beginning to see some of the positive characteristics of her family members....remember ~ what we focus on grows.

As you celebrate Thanksgiving, please know that I am thankful that you have found my blog. I count you, my readers, among my blessings.

Remember, that you DO make a difference in life ~ even if no one remembers to tell you this.

Each night lull yourself to sleep counting your blessings. Not only is it a wonderful spiritual practice, but science now has shown how it helps our physical health as well. It all works together.

Until next time
Blessings and love to you and those you love,
Dr. DyAnn


Monday, November 9, 2009

A Different Meaning of Health Care

Health care...Is that a provocative word these days! But what I am discussing today is not so much what is being debated in Congress, but more so the need for us to look at the role of the mind or our psyche and even our spiritual self in caring for our over all health. Maybe some day we will have the wisdom to realize that these issues all work together for our healing.

Complimentary and alternative medicine have become more and more widely accepted in the West. Many people see their physician for health issues, while at the same time visiting a Reike therapist or seeing a person who does acupuncture for example. We still however, seem to differentiate between mind and body. Indigenous people are on the other end of the continuum: they see everything in existence having a physical, energetic and a spiritual aspect. A Shaman for example, understands that an illness gains a great deal of its power and potential from its spiritual aspect. He or she would address the illness from all three levels, realizing the potency of the spiritual aspect. The shaman works to restore the soul of the patient.

Native American healers believe that when someone has seen a healer they should feel better after that experience and/or have a better grasp of how to improve your health or life's quality. It is an ethical issue. The healer helps the one who desires healing to shift their focus away from the symptoms to their relationship with their soul, family and the Creator. What the patient may be seeking is compassion more so than a "cure" or having the symptoms fixed.

When we speak of psychological health Native American principals are quite similar to those of Vienesee psychiatrist Viktor Frankl ( Holocaust survivor, author of Man's Search for Meaning). For Dr Frankl finding meaning and purpose in life surpassed any other phenomena of healing. Dr Frankl developed a method of psychotherapy he called logotherapy from the Greek word "logos" which is defined not only as meaning but also as mystery.

So what causes illness? Shamans believe there to be three basic causes: disharmony (what occurs when life loses its meaning which in turn causes our personal power to diminish), fear (a reduction in our sense of well being), and what is referred to as soul loss. Soul loss is a reference to a loss of the will to live. Some of its classic symptoms are feelings of not being all there, lack of enthusiasm, difficulty in making decisions, being emotionally remote, being chronically negative, suffering from addictions, and chronic depression listed as the most common symptom.
By the way nearly everyone has had some aspect of soul loss (it is a strange term to our ears so please remember this a shaman term). And the good news is that we can recover. Much of the work of shaman healing is in the world of energy or what is more commonly now referred to as energy psychology ~ a fascinating field.

With the purpose of Native American counseling being to find meaning we might ask what causes life to seem to lose its meaning.
"No evil sorcerer can do as much harm to you as you can do to yourself" according to Nu-chah-nulch healer Johnny Moses. Rolling Thunder tells his listeners: Pollution begins in the mind. If you don't change your thinking you're not going to change yourself or your world.
In other words we are talking about negative thinking.
The placebo affect is well known in medicine. If you think a white sugar pill is going to help an ailment, it likely will. But there is also something called "nocebos" which can and does impact our health. It too refers to our thinking. Nocobos are negative expectations and they too have been well documented. There is the amazing case of two patient charts which were mixed up. I don't remember the exact details but in effect patient A and B both saw their doctor for tests. A had cancer B was healthy except for something minor. The charts got mixed up - the healthy person was told incorrectly that he had terminal cancer. He died not too long afterward even though he was actually a healthy individual! If I find the research I will report it to you in a later article.

The word "healing" has its roots in the Old English term "haelen" which translates to mean "to make whole." If we are to make ourselves whole then we need to take care of all aspects of our self - mind, body and spirit.
Guard well the avenues of your mind that you may enjoy all aspects of good health. Here are a few inspirational ideas for assisting you. I don't know who wrote it originally but if you do, please let me know so that I may credit them.. it may be that great author "anonymous"!

When you say I love you mean it.
Memorize your favorite poem.
When you say "I'm sorry" look the person in the eye.
Never laugh at any one's dreams.People who don't have dreams don't have much.
Learn the rules ~ then break some.
Remember that the greatest relationship is one where your love for each other is greater than your need for each other.
Remember that your character is your destiny.
Spend some time alone.
Open your arms to change but don't let go of your values.
Trust in God but lock your car.
Read between the lines.
Be gentle with the Earth.
Pray ~ there is immeasurable power in it.
Share your knowledge; its a way to achieve immortality.
Don't judge people by their relatives.
When you realize that you have made a mistake, take immediate steps to correct it.
Remember that silence is sometimes the best answer.



Until next time,
Blessings and love to you and those you love,
Dr. DyAnn


Wednesday, October 21, 2009

A Scientist, Psychic, Psychologist and Scripture All Agree!

YOU can have a truly happy, healthy, marvelous life. Hold that thought, OK?

Your mind is the incredible power house in which you "make it or break it" in your life. The bottom line is that the level of success in your life (however you define it) has to do with nothing or no one else. That is really the best news anyone can get! No one can hold you back from achieving happiness.
That may seem easier said than done, but I think with some understanding of how things work, it does become much more simple and attainable to forge the life you want. You deserve to be happy and this blog centers around assisting you in attaining that goal.

In his book The Divine Matrix Gregg Braden writes: from the temple walls and tombs in the deserts of Egypt to the Gnostic wisdom of the ancient Nag Hammadi library to the traditional medicine practiced today throughout the American Southwest, the language that breathes life into the possibilities of our imagination, dreams and prayers remains with us.... its human feeling and emotion that affect the stuff our reality is made of - it's our inner language that changes the atoms, electrons, and photons of the outer world....it's the language of emotion that speaks to the quantum forces of the universe...feeling is what the Divine Matrix recognizes.

Sylvia Browne (what a switch from Braden with his understanding of quantum physics to Browne the self-proclaimed psychic!) also speaks of these matters, in identifying that there is an "infinite, unfathomable force field (matrix) , a great uncreated mass we can't begin to understand, a core from which the love and power of God emanate.

Dr. Wayne Dyer, best-selling author of dozens of books has been speaking and writing about how we create our lives for years: recognizing the "availability of an invisible force that can be put to use in solving a problem...."

Scripture - dozens of verses in the Bible tell of our ability to co-create, work in partnership with God, or what ever term you are comfortable with. To begin with we are told that we are transformed by the renewal of our mind. There we are again, back to the mind. Our thinking. That is why Jesus said that if we think lustful thoughts we have done the same as committing the act. The power of our thoughts.

So the scientist, the psychic and the spiritual author and Jesus all are saying the same thing. There is a force and it is used to create. Our mind is how we connect with that force. And so our thoughts and our feelings in effect, create. Make sense?

I think one of the things that we forget is that the tendency toward creating is operating 24/7. We can have a goal for example, as Dennis did. His was to meet a decent woman. He can let his friends know the kind of woman he is looking for, refuse to exchange phone numbers with women he doesn't feel attracted to, and even have counseling to deal with letting go of the hurt of old relationships. But Dennis sat stuck, meeting no one. He wondered what he was doing wrong and if there was no one out there for him.

We explored Dennis's day-to-day thought process. Oh boy, that was where he was stuck. He unknowingly was creating a block to the very goal he had worked so hard on. As I have told countless people, you can have a great goal, intelligent attainable steps to reaching the goal and utilize smart tools. But if your daily thoughts run against the grain of all that, the goal will NEVER be reached. It's the little things (thoughts) that count. Our subconscious mind (and the force field of creation) hears and obeys what we think and feel.

So when Dennis sees a pretty woman go by and thinks she would never go for someone like him - yep, he has created that outcome. A friend and I were talking about the truth of cliches the other day: here's a good one - what you believe to be true is true. As far as Dennis's success: he has now met someone who seems like a good match and things are headed in the right direction. If a guy can be giddy, this guy now is because he "gets it" as to how we create with our every day thoughts and feelings.

Now if you would, go back to the first paragraph of this blog. What were YOUR thoughts when you read it? If you are having a good day, you likely agreed with what I said. If you were having a bad day, maybe not so much. So that first paragraph could serve as a good test as to how well you are using the creative power of your mind via your every day thoughts. If we believe we can't do it, we can't. If we believe we can, we can (even if we don't know how).
Our subconscious mind and the creative power of the universe obeys either way.


Blessings to you and yours~
Until next time,
Dr. DyAnn



Tuesday, October 6, 2009

Refresh Your Library Card!

Books. We all have our favorites - whether a compelling mystery, a deliciously lazy beach (or sitting by the fireplace) read, or the latest about a special hobby or interest. Books can entertain, educate, uplift, inform, transform . There are even those books which can be a turning point for our life. They seem to speak directly to us.
One of my favorite things to do is to open one of the books I love to a random page, then read the special message waiting there for me. Sometimes I do this in seeking an answer to a specific question. At other times it is simply to get a message to take into consideration. Yes, I do think books speak to us. They feed our souls. Angels come in many forms, you know.

Today I want to share with you about books that have been trans formative in for specific people and why they think this is so. I am hoping you will find something in readinf this that is just right and especially meaningful for you.

Louise Hay, founder of Hay House and the self-help movement. She was a pioneer in the understanding of how the mind/body connect. In fact it was over 30 years ago that she wrote Heal Your Body which has sold 30million+ copies. Ms Hay understands, utilizes and writes about creating our reality with our thoughts. The book that first brought it all together for her is "The Game of Life and How We Play it" (Florence Scovel Shinn). Written in 1926, Shinn was already saying "If you don't realize that thoughts create things, you are behind the times". 1926!! Her book uses many Biblical references for those who are interested. This kind of information may seem "new age" to some, but new age in my book isn't at all "new". It has been taught for thousands of years.


Rudy Ruettiger, the man behind the inspirational movie "Rudy". At 5'6" and 165 pounds it had been his childhood dream to play football for the University of Notre Dame. Yep, I said 5'6". And of course during his whole life he was told how he could never reach his goal. He was told he wasn't smart enough, big enough or strong enough. But he was smart enough to realize that those (or any) repeated messages become self-fulfilling prophesies.
The book that helped changed his life is one of my own favorites: Maxwell Maltz's "Psycho-Cybernetics". Unlike the title sounds, it is an easy read and Ruettiger said that to him it made a lot of sense. He wanted to get out of the box of the life he was living - shift work at a power plant. He wanted to live his dream. "The book made it clear that I hadn't gotten what I wanted in my life because I didn't believe I could do it." He also shares from Maltz's book the secret of taking action and not worrying so much about having a game plan all worked out. Sometimes we waste a lot of time and can miss opportunities as we fine tune our game plan. The message: take action and opportunities will start to open up.

Doreen Virtue PhD ~ author of more than 25 books, Doreen teaches metaphysics, psychic development and angel therapy classes world wide. She has been interviewed by everyone from Oprah to CNN . Her turning point book is from one of my personal favorites, Viktor Frankl: Man's Search for Meaning.
Frankl was a WW II prisoner at the Auschwitz concentration camp. Even with unspeakable losses and inhumane conditions, this amazing man made up his mind that his tormentors could not take away his right to choose his attitude, his thoughts and his emotions. He made up his mind to choose happiness ~ yes, happiness (! ) in life threatening, demeaning situations. And he also trusted his intuition, which saved his life without a doubt.
Dr. Virtue applied what she took in from Frankl's book and it changed her life, giving her the courage to teach what was in her heart, even though she had suffered ridicule for it while growing up. From this book she gained the courage to tell people about the power of the mind and spirit for our healing and creating the life we dream of. But first she had to overcome her fear just as Dr Frankl did.
We all have our own fears - faith is taking the steps to overcome them.

Jack Canfield ~ best known as co-creator of the "Chicken Soup for the Soul" series. He has conducted seminars all over the world in regard to personal transformation.
Jack shares that for a major portion of his life he was pretty much cognitive- he lived inside his head and divorced himself from emotion and spirit. He'd had a negative religious experience with his pastor; concluding his study of the history of religions at Harvard he was pretty much an agnostic.
The book that changed all that in a truly remarkable way was Dr. Raymond Moody's "Life After Life." Moody's book is based on his research as a medical doctor into NDE (Near Death Experiences). Most of you are familiar with this concept as it has since been well researched, documented and written about.
Canfield goes on to state that what struck him in "Life After Life" was a comment from one of the people Moody interviewed. The Being of Light had asked him two questions and then watched along with him a review of his life on earth. Of course I wanted to know - what were the two questions!?
1. What wisdom have you gained from this life?
2. How have you expanded your capacity to love?

Dr. Canfield goes on to say that this book and particularly these two questions profoundly affected him. He went from not believing in God to knowing that we are spirits in the flesh and that there is life after this one on earth. Further, he came to realize and dedicate his life to what he now sees as the main purpose for our being here: to gain more wisdom and to truly become more loving, even to love unconditionally. He began to feed his soul as I like to say. The ways in which he does that are prayer, meditation, reading and service to others. He now dedicates his life to learning and teaching about wisdom and love. His Chicken Soup books are from accounts he has gathered that embody those ideals with the purpose of enlightening and inspiring others.

I hope this blog has been inspiring to you. If you want to read more about the books that have inspired others check out "You've Got to Read This Book" by Jack Canfield and Gay Hendricks.

If you have a book or books that inspire you or have changed your life, value them as the treasures they truly are. And if you would like, share a copy with someone. Remember, each of the people I have written about had someone share a book with them ~ and the book not only fed their soul but changed the course of their life.

Blessings and love~
Until next time,
Dr. DyAnn

Saturday, September 26, 2009

Moving from "Stuck" to Empowered

Difficult feelings. We all have them.

We can gain tremendous strength and control over life and our circumstances by harnessing a strength and capability that is right there in our mind. But it takes awareness and practice.

When is the last time that you found yourself in a situation where your feelings were upset? Throughout the day there are many such scenarios. Your boss gives you a hard time, a friend or loved one disappoints you, or life throws a big curve ball.
There is a process that takes place in our daily experiences: first there is the situation, followed by our thoughts in regard to it. Next comes the feeling based on our thoughts. Over a period of time these thoughts can lead to a pattern which then leads to a belief.

If you would like, think of a time you were triggered into feeling upset. It can be a one time occurrence or something that you have been struggling with.

"Gayle" shared with me that she has difficulty with a friend. As she describes it her friend can be very loving and helpful at times, but other times she seems to just "not get it." As Gayle puts it she might share with "Mary" that she is struggling with her boss at work. Somehow Mary seems to interject into the conversation something really cool that her own boss has done (or in other words what a great boss Mary has). Gayle sometimes wonders whether Mary does this on purpose or if she is just that blind to how hurtful it is. "It is like rubbing salt in the wound." She has mentioned this to Mary in the past about different situations but the pattern continues.

Hurt, anger, resentment - all are normal emotions. But we need to know what to do with them. What to do that is HEALTHY.
There is a line from a play that really fits the situation. ( I don't know who to credit it to so if you do please e mail me at d.buechler@yahoo.com .) The essence of it goes something like this: Holding on to anger (or hurt) is like drinking a cup of poison and expecting the other person to die.

Our thoughts become our reality. That is so powerful. If Gayle's thoughts about Mary run along the lines that Mary is inconsiderate and selfish, it will be those thoughts that eventually will destroy the friendship. What we focus on grows. She will be like a heat-seeking missile, just waiting for the next time Mary "proves" that she is selfish and self-centered. This is called "cognitive dissonance". It means that we don't like to have thoughts that are confusing. If we have confusing or conflicting thoughts about someone or something, our brain will work to come up with a bottom line or what is "true". We like things to fit into neat packages- rather like sorting them and fitting them into files or folders. When they don't fit, it forces us to rethink how to make them fit. Maybe put them into a new, different file or folder. This is how we learn and grow.
So if Gayle basically sees Mary as a good friend, every time Mary's behavior seems to prove otherwise, it forces Gayle to re-sort which file the relationship belongs in. The friendship may end if Mary's behaviors don't change. Or Gayle may have to find a way to deal with her own thoughts, creating another folder.

It may be difficult enough to end a friendship - what if your scenario involves a boss, your husband or wife, or a close family member? Not as easy to say it will end! But not tolerable as it now stands either, especially if you've tried all the problem solving techniques available.

Difficult feelings. We all have them. We can gain tremendous control over such circumstances... There is enormous strength in being able to tolerate a difficult feeling.

One of the ways to do this is to practice what is called mindfulness. One way I think of mindfulness is that it is witnessing myself - my thoughts, my feelings... Just like sitting on a river bank and watching them go by like leaves on a stream. Not acting nor reacting, just watching. Seeing it as my own personal experience. Not he said, she said, not what someones agenda might have been. Just breathing, allowing whatever to arise, examining it, going back to breathing..... I pay attention to and honor my emotion, but I don't react to it. I see it for what it is. A passing emotion. I don't deny the truth of what I am feeling.

Two keys: staying with the breathing (a sure sign I am staying mindful vs being reactive) and staying with simply observing, watching, witnessing (vs analyzing or judging).

It takes practice to be mindful, but it brings peace, centeredness and clarity. It breaks the old patterns and feeling stuck or helpless.It resolves the emotion. It opens energy to be used productively. This is one of the ways we can gain strength and harness the power within our own mind. The results are truly amazing.

Until next time,
Blessings to you and yours,
Dr. DyAnn

Friday, September 4, 2009

Creating Happiness

As I write my blog I think of you... the people I know, those who have told me that they like hearing from me this way. It is almost as though we are sitting here together. Those thoughts and feelings inspire me as I write. I write also for those who just happen to come across my page. My wish is that by reading this blog you will receive something positive which will assist you with your life journey.

What have the last few weeks been like for you? From the people I have been connected with there is such a variety of scenarios:

Sandy has wrestled in the area of relationships and has lots of people giving her advice, pulling her this way and that. I talked with her about listening to her own inner voice. Who is right/wrong and is she walking into a trap? Julie (all names have been changed for privacy) just shared with me that her summer has been a struggle to regain balance of her brain chemistry... after a doctor gave her medication that pretty much had her, as she said, "talking out of her head"!! Peter and his wife came to the agonizing decision to draw a line in the sand with an emotionally abusive family member. We discussed the backlash that will come from that and the losses Peter and his wife will likely sustain. Is it worth it? Randy was just told that he will no longer be employed come the end of October - we're talking about what he needs in order to stay "clean and sober".

Everyone has a story. Life has its ups and downs and some of the stuff of life can be pretty severe. We all have things we are trying to figure out and deal with. Once we figure the lessons out, we make our life a lot easier. We can breathe easy.

A big lesson is about releasing. When we release those things that make us sad or angry or guilty, we truly do free ourselves.

That lesson is so powerful. But it can be sooooo difficult to grasp!

Our feelings/emotions are pivotal to our well being. I think everyone pretty much knows that when we feel happy our brains release chemicals that help our body to heal and operate in the way it was intended.

On the flip side, when we feel a strong negative emotion (and fail to release it), different, equally powerful chemicals are released and there is a negative impact on our body.....and our life.

An example would be if I persist in being angry about something that has happened and then find myself suffering from a headache. I might think : " Oh great, now on top of all this stuff that is happening, which really pisses me off, I have a dang headache!" But that is not how it works! ( Thankfully!) The headache is NOT an additional negative on my pile of stuff that is happening to me. Rather, it is something that I have created!

That is how the Law of Attraction (and our mind/body) works. If I put anger (or any other emotion) out into the world, I attract more of the same back to me. If I choose to be angry because of this, that or another thing, I will pull more negativity and things that "make" me angry into my life. It can become a vicious cycle.

This is also about how the subconscious mind works. The judgments I make about the events in my life, and how I feel about them are pivotal. Vital. Remember the subconscious is the power house. But it has no ability to judge what I put into it. It will support what I think and tell it no matter what!

I think everyone wants to be happy. But if I tell myself "I will never be happy" (because of someone or something in my life), for example, my subconscious believes and carries out this "order". The subconscious is the creative part of our being. It doesn't so much hear what we want ( I want to be happy) as what we feel and believe. Thus when we let go of negative emotional reactions, thoughts and beliefs, we are free to create the life we truly desire.

This is one of the greatest and most empowering truths about life.

Namaste
Until next time,
Dr. DyAnn

Friday, August 14, 2009

That Voice!

I feel a little sheepish about this but I have an embarrassing confession to make. It is a perfect example of how we can get off track and unwittingly create havoc in our own life. I had one of those days recently when nothing went right. You know, we've all had them. It seemed to be the culmination of a week with a number of things not going the way I wanted them to go.

When something occurs that we get off track and don't correct it, it seems just as night follows day, that we don't live our life in a genuine way. We are not being being true to our self. Our life journey. Not only do we suffer, but those in the wake of our energy (who aren't wise in handling this) also might suffer.
So how do we know we are getting "off track"? And what can we do? Those are such pivotal life questions. We can get off track for a moment, a day or sadly, even a lifetime.

We are meant to be happy and live a fulfilling life. Part of the key for doing that is to live "authentically" or in other words, living in a way that is true to our self and what makes our heart feel good. When we don't do that, and become enslaved to doing what we think we should do, we suffer. Our soul becomes wounded. We lose our way. We lose track of who we truly are and all the richness we have to contribute.

That was where I got off track, and I did not even realize it was happening. There is something insidious about how this can happen.

And so earlier that morning I had what I call a "mini meltdown." I am usually a calm and serene person, I study and live the laws of the Universe ~ since I have been doing that my life has been much easier. But like I said, I got off track. How it played out is that I have been working on a couple big projects (with due dates) and they require the use of my printer. Yep, you guessed it. I couldn't get it to work. A number of other things had been occurring that week that seemed to be contributing to making my journey difficult. I wasn't getting the hint that I was going off track for what my life is meant to be. I was going my own way, doing the shoulds even though they were getting more and more difficult.
The whole problem could have been stopped a lot sooner except that I was forgetting to trust that inner voice.... The one that said to put away the CD for installing the printer in case I ever needed it again . The one that said to play more. The one that said to get up and walk outside instead of pushing so hard at my desk. You know That Voice!

We all have one you know. Among other things it is called intuition. It also registers in our bodies at a cellular level. And our emotions are a powerful indicator of whether we are on track and living life authentically.Listening to our God given inner wisdom that knows what we need in order to have a happy and fulfilling day.Was it Shakespeare that said to thine own self be true...? Poets and great writers are another help along the way to assist us with our listening to that wisdom. Their words speak to our hearts. It all keeps us on track.

My meltdown occurred when the printer would not work no matter what wizardry means I used (OK I called a neighbor who is the true wizard). WHAM! I became so upset and frustrated that I flung a file across the room...well and I also slammed the printer against the wall. Damn thing getting in the way of my deadlines! In abject emotional pain I wondered why things were happening as they were!

Not exactly a wonderful example of how to live life....but a very human one. This true example that I share contains within it a simple and yet profound truth. I was the one who made myself miserable. I was the one who caused my own meltdown. And that is true for all of us no matter what the circumstances. It isn't your boss, your rough childhood, your illness. your relationship, or the many little details in life that cause our misery. It is what goes on in that magnificent place of true and absolute power - Our Mind!

Fortunately I know some ways to bring myself back into balance. I have shared them in this blog column. And my confession is that I failed to use them and created my own little downfall. My mini meltdown. I did not like the experience - but what a wonderful thing it turned out to be....
The printer still isn't working, one project still isn't done, a few other things have occurred in a way that I would not have chosen, but the awesome truth is that "I got it!" The experiences taught me that I had to use my mind to have a good attitude and not feel sorry for myself. The instant- and I mean INSTANT I recognized this, everything changed. I once again became calm and serene. I remembered in a deep and profound way that for all of us, we are guided, protected and loved. And a key way in which that is done is within our Mind.

Until next time ~ may you use well the magnificent mind to stay on track. It will obey whatever you tell it and create what you are thinking - good attitude or bad - in your outer world.
May the world you create be wonderful!
Dr. DyAnn

Tuesday, August 4, 2009

"Watch Your Attitude"

"Watch your attitude!" Ever have your parent or teacher say that to you? It tends to have a negative and even shaming connotation to it. Especially when it is accompanied by the body language of someone shaking their finger at you. But in truth it is good advice. Today I will share with you an expanded and healing version of what "attitude" means and how you can use it to make your life sweeter and better.

Because I am in a healing profession I end up hearing a lot of personal stories about the pain people are in. In addition there is the type of pain a whole community or group of people may be in. A town with a mill closing down, a small community where a home town hero was killed in the line of duty. A dear school crossing guard that everyone knows, and then you open the newspaper and read that they have passed away. Everyone of us touches and is touched by the people in our life, no matter how (mistakenly) insignificant we may think that relationship is. In our busyness it just may not register on the surface.

In the end all of us have challenges in life. Sometimes we do well in handling them and other times we may find our self stretched to the max. We may be riding high and then BOOM something unexpected happens. This happens all the time and you never know when it might be your "turn".
What makes the difference between those who languish and those who are able to get past it and make their life even better? One of the keys is "attitude" ~ that very piece you may have been threatened with when you were a youngster. But now let me share with you a better, more helpful way of understanding attitude.

Think of getting dressed each morning. You want things that match...no stripes with plaids. It all has to flow or go together. Our mind operates the same way. It has a flow to it. It has several components. How we THINK, which goes with how we FEEL which goes with how we BEHAVE which goes with what we BELIEVE which goes with how we THINK etc. Just like getting dressed, it doesn't matter where you start, it all has a flow.

"Attitude" enters in under the piece of how we THINK. And it ends up being so closely related to how and what we believe. You see, the subconscious mind BELIEVES what we tell it. And we are giving it messages constantly! (Among other things it is called "self talk". ) I think the reason why it is so easy to dismiss this information is that it seems too simple to have any real power.
We could even take that last paragraph as run it thru the THINK, FEEL, BEHAVE, BELIEVE cycle. So if I think my self talk is not that important, I might feel disregarding of my own words, which might lead to allowing my behavior to be careless as to my own thoughts, allowing my thoughts to be all over the map and not controlled by me, which feeds into the belief that I don't have control over my mind and therefore my life. This one thought can spread out and like one drop of poison in a gallon of water ~ it can be lethal. What if the thought is "I am not smart enough" or "I am never going to get this" or "my entire life sucks"....

Research has proved time and again in so many interesting experiments that what we think about (including attitude) feeds into what actually occurs in our life. Said even more profoundly our thoughts create. It is so real it is almost kind of scary.. unless of course you choose to use the information.
A commonly quoted experiment is one in which volunteers know only that they agree to being part of an experiment and are given very basic information. There may even be a false "study" to throw them off and have them believe that that was the experiment. No longer on guard, the real experiment begins to take place: it is kind of like being "punked". Several people who are in on it take turns influencing the subject. One may remark that he or she looks a little pale, one may talk about the flu going around (when it isn't) while another may even tell the subject that his or her hand feels clammy. I am pretty sure you can guess the result. If the experiment is set up correctly, most people will be convinced to believe that they are not feeling well.

Now how we are influenced on the outside by advertisers, politicians, and even our family, friends and co-workers is one thing. But where we have undeniable POWER is how we influence our own self.
So if you want to apply this information to make your life better, here is how. Take any problem, concern or even goal, hope or dream you are presently dealing with. What is the thinking/self talk/attitude that you are feeding to your mind about it? Correct any negative thinking, because you cannot afford to have that going on in your mind. The bottom line is that our vast and wonderful subconscious mind is awesome and powerful.. BUT it does NOT judge the information that comes in. What YOU tell it, it believes! And that is one of the simplest, best kept secrets to making your life sweeter, better and what you want it to be.

So yes do "WATCH" your attitude and make it one that works for you rather than against you.

Until next time,
Dr. DyAnn

Thursday, July 23, 2009

A Mid-Night Visit

"My mother came and sat on the edge of my bed. It was the middle of the night and I was sound asleep but the gentle movement of the bed awakened me. I wondered why she was here in my room speaking to me. It was hard to understand what she was trying to tell me, but I knew she had deep concern for my dad's welfare. "
As a therapist I often hear this sort of introduction to a client's issue or concern. However, as "Ray's" story unfolded, it was clear it was no ordinary story. Ray's mother had died many years prior to her visiting her son. And this wasn't the first time she had visited. Ray needed to explore and understand what was going on.

How do we explain these sort of occurrences? What goes on in the mind? There are some occurrences which we might pass off as coincidences, an over active imagination, wishful thinking, or some sort of odd dream. But there are some, such as Ray's experiences (more on that later) that are so powerful that they cannot be so easily explained away.
Researches find this a fascinating area of study. Not only modern researchers and psychologists, but sages and philosophers thru the ages have weighed in on topics which include the study of the mind. Where do thoughts come from? How do "coincidences" take place? How is it that we sometimes "know" information that guides us in life? How do miracles take place? And how on earth do we explain paranormal experiences such as the one Ray shared with me?

At this time in history more and more people accept the presence of angels and are more open to the idea of paranormal experiences.The book shelves are filled with accounts of special messengers and comforters. NDE (near death experiences) are talked about openly, but before the publishing of Elizabeth Kubler-Ross's work with death and dying, people having these experiences hid away their true life accounts. No one talked about these sorts of things.
What is on the book shelves is all well and good, but when it is you that has a paranormal experience, it can be a little unhinging! So, what is going on and might a clue be in studying how the mind operates?

An interesting theory is that of Edgar Cayce, a Christian mystic philosopher and intuitive healer to thousands. Although Mr. Cayce had only an eighth grade education, he was able to diagnose illnesses of those who came to him for readings and offer successful suggestions for healing. Considering that Mr. Cayce died in 1945, his holistic philosophy of life and attention to the blending of Eastern and Western traditions were well before his time.
His model of the mind and how we might traverse our spiritual quest was based on a dream he had in 1932. He received all of his information by going into a deep relaxed state. A stenographer took notes on what he said, and he did not remember the information when he came back up into normal awakened state. How was he able to be so accurate and ahead of his time?

Cayce saw the mind as being three levels: the conscious, the subconscious and the superconscious. He deemed the superconscious as the "heavens". In a very relaxed state he would quiet the conscious mind, pass through the subconscious mind and finally make a connection with the superconscious or "all knowing" mind. Mr. Cayce noted that this is where we make a connection with our higher self or the divine. However, note that we pass through the subconscious. In other postings I have shared that it is within this part of our mind that we face all our memories and emotions, fears, desires and resentments. For those of you who are interested in psychology this would be what Jung refers to as the "shadow self".

But the overall point is this: In more than 99% of Cayce's readings the source of his outstanding knowledge was within himself. It was as if he reached his way into an all-knowing Mind ~ and he thought of himself as no one special, because for that matter this same journey through the levels of the mind lies within all of us.

As for Ray, the gentleman who came to me so that we might explore and find an understanding about his mother's visits ~ the one I shared with you, in which she was concerned about Ray's father's welfare, came just prior to his father dying in a grizzly accident.
Somehow, we all inner-connect beyond time and space. Because Ray somehow knew that his father's well-being may be at risk, he made sure that he let his dad know how much he loved him and how thankful he was for all he taught him. Though he was deeply saddened at the loss of his father, he was at peace with it. And he was very thankful that although his experience with his mother's visit was out of the ordinary, that he respected the message she brought to him.

May we all respect the wonderful gift of our minds and mysteries they hold.

Until next time,
Dr.DyAnn


Monday, July 6, 2009

Our Prison Keys

Anyone who knows me, either through my work as a clinician or by my writing, knows that I am fascinated with the power of the human mind. I believe my purpose is to bring that information to others. With it, you have the keys to make your life so much better ~ so much sweeter. You have true power.

At times I share with you about my own life, or my work with clients. Today I want to share with you an amazing account, one of the most provocative I have ever read, about the power of the human mind. If it doesn't make a believer out of you, I don't know what will. Dr. Maroslav Borysenko, Tufts University School of Medicine, and visiting professor at Harvard University, cites writer and psychologist Jeanne Achterberg's 1980 case of a young girl who was kidnapped, raped, tortured, and left for dead with both of her arms cut off (Bill Moyers, Healing and the Mind, ed. Betty Sue Flowers and David Grubin. New York: Doubleday, 1993) 187. Here it is~


"Miraculously she walked miles to safety without bleeding to death even though both radical arteries were severed. When asked how she managed to save herself , the girl replied that she thought of herself as the bionic woman, an invincible character in a popular television show of the time. This young girl, who survived through the power of imagining herself bionic, had inadvertently used an indirect form of hypnosis to staunch the flow of blood. While meditation has to do with emptying our minds of images, bringing forth the nonspecific healing physiology of the relaxation response, hypnosis is about creating vivid mental images that our bodies respond to specifically. About one in twenty people are so capable of absorbing themselves in fantasy that their bodies can respond like that of the girl mentioned above."

Dr. Borysenko defines meditation as the removal of mindsets so we can perceive the world freshly. Hypnosis, in contrast, is the cultivation of a particular mind set. Dr. Jon Kabat-Zinn, founder and director of the Stress Reduction Clinic at the University of Massachusetts Medical Center and Associate Professor of Medicine at the University's Medical School, states: The mind that has not been developed or trained is very scattered. That is the normal state of affairs, but it leaves us out of touch with a great deal of life, including our bodies. All of this is happening below the surface of awareness, which means that our unconscious thoughts are creating kind of a prison which regulates a lot of our behavior.
Thankfully we don't find ourselves in the horrendous situation such as that of the young girl described above. But, what kind of prison do you find your own mind in? Where do your thoughts and feelings take you? Are you in a place of calm relaxation which leads to self control and empowerment? Or do you at times think of yourself as dis-empowered with life and its circumstances?
I will confess that at times in my life I have been in that dark valley in which I have felt very discouraged and dis-empowered. Just like you I have felt an overwhelming sense of loss. I know that right now many of you are dealing with discouragement. I have come to realize that it is not our circumstances, but our response to them that makes ALL THE DIFFERENCE. When my family relocated almost two years ago, my plans suffered several strong, harsh blows. I had losses that brought me to my knees and the brink of despair. About the time I pulled myself up and out, another blow would come my way. I began to wonder if it was endless - would I ever find my way out. I was caught in the web of that prison described by Kabat-Zinn.
Most thankfully, I also had within me the knowledge of the power we each carry within us. And even though dark days sometimes turned into weeks, I always knew that if I hung on, hung in there and worked with what I knew, I would be okay and I could turn things around.
I speak/write frequently about "feeding your soul" and that is a staple for me. When we store up positive thoughts in the form of verses, poems, stories and quotes, (and there is a storage unit so-to-speak in our mind) we can call upon them when we are in times of trouble. They will help to break us out of that prison. Here are a few of my favorites for you to ponder:
Hope is the feeling that the feeling you have isn't permanent (Jean Kerr).
Life is a wilderness of twists and turns, where faith is your only compass (Paul Santaguida).
God puts rainbows in the clouds so that each of us - in the dreariest and most dreaded moments - can see a possibility of hope (Maya Angelou).
When you come to the end of all the light you know, and it's time to step into the darkness of the unknown, faith is knowing that one of two things shall happen: either you will be given something solid to stand on or you will be taught to fly (Edward Teller).
Know that wisdom is thus for your soul; if you find it, then there will be a future, and hope will not be cut off (Proverbs 24:14 NASV).
I hope you will continue to join me on the incredible journey into the understanding of your magnificent mind.
Namaste,
Until next time,
Dr. DyAnn


Monday, June 22, 2009

Are You Smarter Than ....Your Plants?!

Metaphysics ~ When you hear the word what comes to mind? Gurus in flowing robes? New age nonsense? Touchy-feely stuff that has no place in the real world?
In actuality meta-physics bridges quite seamlessly with hard science. One example is the field of bioenergitics which involves the study of invisible, intelligent energy - energy that actually communicates! Those who understand metaphysics realized long ago what science is "discovering" and "proving" today.

For example, plants can think. One of the first scientific studies in this realm was startling at that time. The study, published by Peter Tompkins and Christopher Bird revealed what was to become known fact about the hidden abilities of plant life. In this experiment one of two plants was destroyed by the researcher. Six people were then brought forward in a sort of criminal line up; among them was the person who had destroyed the plant. The surviving plant correctly identified which of the six was the guilty party. Pretty amazing, but touching only the tip of the iceberg.

This sort of experiment is one of many which now reveals that we live in a world of intelligent energy and that all life is connected. Energy may be invisible but it surrounds and lives within every plant, animal, rock, blade of grass and person. Energy is what you are sensing when you get goose bumps, whether it is because of something that is a warning of danger or of the sort that is a positive recognition that you can't cognitively identify. Either way you are sensing energy.

We continually pick up energies unconsciously and we can learn to recognize and identify them in the same way that your commonly known five senses are picking up cues from the environment. In other words, we know we pick up information through what we see and hear but we can know so much more by learning about the world of the invisible. Understanding the natural world of energy enables us to have so much more power and control over our own world. For example you can learn to notice and get ahead of negativity; you need not be impacted by other people's bad moods or motives and you can work with energy to create more positive outcomes around you.

One of the best ways I have heard our personal world of energy described is like that of a radio. We can receive many stations and we can choose what we tune in to, depending on what we pay attention to. Conversely we are each a broadcast station with our own frequency and mind set. Sanaya Roman in the Earth Life book series says it like this: The way you perceive, judge, and react to your thoughts throughout the day grounds you in your reality and is the basis upon which that reality is created.

The key notion here is in regard to our thoughts. It's like a chain reaction: we have a thought and in a flash we react to our own thought. We "create" our own mood and eventual outcomes in an ever widening rippling effect. Thoughts too are energy.

More and more information has been available lately about energy. As a species we are evolving. We see colors today that primitive man could not discern. The frontal lobe of our brains has enlarged giving us new abilities and awareness. Our greater senses are awakening and we have a choice to learn about them and how to use them. Our awareness of higher energy realms is awakening. That awakening is present in you or you would not have been drawn to read these words. I would not have been drawn to studying what I have studied. It all works together in the most amazing symphony.

You can begin now to use the power of your mind to work with energy. One of the most basic tools at your fingertips is visualization, which can transform any negative energy around you to positive energy. Just as important is the tool or state of relaxation for this is the springboard from which so much begins.

Nora and I spoke recently. Though she had no actual proof she worried that her job was in jeopardy. She said that things were going from bad to worse. I listened so as to determine whether she was putting herself into a state of anxiety or if she was reading the energy around her . Nora told me that the business was changing hands, the manager brought in new help and she sensed she was on her way out the door. She felt powerless. I advised Nora to keep doing what she had been doing which was to "fly under the radar". She needed to relax for two reasons. One was so that she did not create undue anxiety. The other was so that she could indeed sense more deeply what was going on and what she might do. We didn't need her thoughts creating fear and negative outcomes!

By her keeping a low profile and staying calm and as relaxed as possible we could buy some time to let things play out. As it turned out Nora indeed had been reading energy accurately. She found out that the manager, who Nora considered a friend, had lied about her to the new owner in order to get into his good graces. This came straight from the new owner! Isn't it interesting how this turned out? I strongly believe that the manager was living in the energy of fear. He was so gripped by it that he tried to control the outcome by making some unethical moves. I don't know yet, but I suspect that the new owner may have a skill in reading energy. He may not call it this - maybe something more like business savvy.

But clearly what occurred for Nora was that she trusted that in all likelihood she was reading the manager's energy and that it was negative. Especially toward Nora. She did not like what she was picking up from her energy field and did not want to believe it. After all they had become friends and knew one another for several years. But in her wisdom Nora trusted her instinct and inner ability to read energy rather than what was going on on the surface. (Some call it a hunch.) She took protective measures until the situation played it self out.

When we develop and trust our ability to read energy, we have coupled with tools that help us to evolve. Reading energy will enable us to protect ourselves and to tune in to that which will help us as it did in Nora's situation. I heard from her recently and she got a much deserved promotion from the new owner. The manager is gone. But I think that what makes her most happy is the realization that she trusted the Universe/God and the instinct within her (and all of us). After all is a plant can beat the odds and detect who or what is harmful, shouldn't we be able to do the same thing? Invisible intelligent energy communicates with us if we will only listen!

Until next time, enjoy listening in to all the signs of intelligent energy which present themselves to you. And remember to be kind to your plants!

Joyously Yours,

Dr. DyAnn

Friday, June 12, 2009

You, the Healer

Who and exactly what is a healer? What comes to mind when you hear the word?

I have many friends and acquaintances who are "healers". I'm speaking now in the formal sense: psychotherapists, doctors and nurses, Reiki masters, Qigong instructors. Quite literally they have a distinct understanding of what their line of work is and what it is they wish to accomplish. Some "always knew" they wanted to be in the arena of healing while others had a journey which was more circuitous....

I had lunch recently with a young woman who had been a client of mine as a teenager. Vivacious and energetic, one would never guess what a tough time she had with her own healing journey. She was so intensely caught in the grip of fear and anxiety she was like a beautiful songbird in a cage. Rachael's fear manifested in such a way that she could not travel alone. She always had to depend on someone from her small trusted inner circle to be with her anytime she traveled. I'm not talking major trips cross country on Southwest Airlines here. I mean to a gathering across town! So certainly, when she was drawn toward a career as a nurse I am sure there were those who doubted this would ever happen.

As we talked our way thru our salads at a popular local restaurant I asked Rachael about her career. Her face literally lit up as she talked about the hands-on medical responsibilities she has as a home health nurse. Think about it... that field of nursing does a lot of traveling as they come to the assistance of their patients. And like I said, one would never guess that the confident, competent woman who now shared the excitement of her career with me had once been crippled by the fear of leaving home. She healed and became a healer. Pretty amazing stuff!

The whole point of Rachael's story is about focus. Even with the seemingly insurmountable problem she was facing, she had a focus. And even though she had the aid of medication while she went thru the darkest time, as well as the assistance of therapy, I am sure that the deciding factor in her success was what went on in her own mind.

So we might call it focus or perhaps determination, but I think it was something richer and more mysterious ~ perhaps even elusive to our common form of understanding. Did the therapy heal her? Or did it merely spark something more profound within.

I think we all have that magic within us. I am so fortunate to work in my chosen field; I have literally seen countless miracles ~ feats of magic~ common everyday people like you and me overcoming obstacles in our pathway.

There are so many ways to overcome obstacles ~ everything from starting with a small step like finding a work of art and using that as the benchmark of creating a loving peaceful space in your home. And there you can rediscover the greatness within you. Or on the other end of the spectrum having the courage to take on a big corporation that wrongly let you go....or choosing to let go of it and turning your attention to what you love and what inspires you. It's all about healing.

Life is rich with choices for healing. And in the end we are our own healers. The rest is just friendly assistance along the way.

Watch for and embrace the many methods that wash you in healing energy. Life is so much easier that way.

Until next time,
Blessings of healing
Dr. DyAnn




Monday, June 8, 2009

Think About It

What is your heart's desire? Right now, at this time in your life, what is it that you want and need? Are you using the Universal Laws to create what you want and need in life?

Whether we realize it or not, the Universal Laws are always in operation. The life circumstances that you are living in right now are what you have created. That is both an inspiring and somewhat daunting idea! But, we need to take personal responsibility for what is going on around us. More and more we are hearing about the way in which we truly do impact our own life in both big and small ways. It isn't just a passing notion or current popular book idea. The bottom line is we have tremendous power... the power to create.

What we focus on grows. Matter/form follows thought. Right now, think about your left foot and the pressure of your shoe or the feeling of the surface you are on. You now have created awareness. If you take the experiment a little further and notice the temperature of your foot... notice if it is just a little too warm or cool... Suddenly your foot, which a moment ago was not in your awareness, comes to the forefront of your mind. You could take the experiment even further by enhancing whatever feeling you desire, right there in your left foot: cool it if it's too warm, for example. Have a little fun with it and see that you can create a sensation like an itch, tickle or buzz. (This is about directing energy.)

Now for a moment turn your awareness to what you think about on a casual daily basis. Do you pollute your life with toxic negative thoughts? These "little" thoughts do matter! Remember, the Universe is neutral in following your thoughts, which turn into real things.

Katrina came to me for help with her esteem and her marriage. While we worked together I noted that her hands were always cold and she held them rigidly. At times she was in pain as she suffered from a disease which created this discomfort. I had Katrina lean back on the couch, close her eyes and do some deep breathing. I guided her into a gentle state of relaxation, assisting her in going to a beautiful warm place with her imagination. While there I asked Katrina to focus on her hands ~ to notice that her hands felt wonderfully comfortable. Even as I said this I noticed that her shoulders relaxed and her breathing deepened. As I quietly reassured her that she was completely comfortable I noticed that her hands now relaxed, releasing their tight grip.

When Katrina was ready she came up to a fully awakened state. She smiled pleasantly. After a moment, and another deep full breath Katrina noted that her hands now felt completely comfortable, warm and cozy.

What changed? How did it happen?

Yes, I did assist in helping Katrina to enter into a deeper relaxed state. And I provided the suggestion that the physical environment that she entered was cozy and warm. I used my voice along with soft background music to provide an atmosphere of comfort and calm.

But all the rest was accomplished by Katrina. Once her conscious mind was relaxed her deeper subconscious mind went to work bringing to her what she wanted and needed ~ warm hands.

All of us have this power within. The "Secret" is to relax the chattering conscious mind. That is the pure and truly simple secret to Yogi Masters changing their heart rate or walking on hot coals.

And that secret is within you, just waiting to be used to create your own heart's desire.

What we notice or attend to is vitally important; it connects us to the Laws of the Universe ~ the magic of creation. It is core to our very being. When we add passion (strong feeling) to our thoughts we ramp up the magic of our ability to create. The Universe is really neutral about what we create. In other words, the end product can be as delightful as that "ahhhh" experience of finding something (or someone) you have been searching for and dreaming about, to a scenario that really "sucks!" Be careful about what you "accidentally" create!

We need to remember how the mind works. And by understanding how the mind works, we understand how the Universe and its laws work.We have been given the tools to create a fantastic life, starting with something as simple as warm hands.


Until next time ~
Blessings and love to you and those you love,
Dr. DyAnn

Tuesday, June 2, 2009

Blue Ribbon Project

I just had the most strange and amazing experience. I was sitting at my desk, writing my blog. I always meditate and do a lot of thinking before I write. I want it to be meaningful and helpful for those of you who read it. But this morning I was struggling with what to write. Nothing seemed to come out right. My thoughts would scatter and go in a completely different directions like dandelion fluff in the wind. It just wasn't coming together.

I had written quite a bit on the creative energy of thought. But it felt dry and forced; I erased the whole thing and started over. I decided to write about an amazing person in my life and how she wasn't a likely person that would end up being such a blessing for me. What a lesson that is. Aha I thought, I am finally on my way to a successful post!

My computer screen started to blink erratically and then it went blank. Yikes!!! My first thought was that some sort of worm had invaded! But in the same mysterious way that the screen went blank it jumped back to life again, as if it were awaiting my writing. I took it as a sign however, that this was not the right time to be writing, and went about some other tasks. Because I have learned to "let it go" thru a series of hard lessons I was able to joyfully go about my list of other things to do today; in the back of my mind I flirted with topics that my readers might find interesting and helpful.

When I came back to my desk I checked my e~mails. When one brought me to tears I knew it was what I needed to write about. And of all things, it was one of those "forwards" that circulate round and round. Often times I don't even bother to open them.

This one was a story I had heard before but it had pictures that made it come more alive. An abbreviated version of the story goes something like this:

A teacher in New York decided to honor her seniors by telling them the difference each of them had made. Each was called up to the front of the classroom and given a blue ribbon which read Who I am Makes a Difference.
The class decided to do a project to see what kind of impact recognition would have on the community. Each student was given three more of the blue ribbons with the instruction to go out and spread the "Acknowledge Ceremony."
One boy gave a blue ribbon to the Junior Executive who had helped him with career planning. He asked the executive to pass along the other two ribbons, finding someone to honor. The Junior Executive went to his boss who had a reputation for being kind of a grouchy fellow. He told his boss that he admired him for being a creative genius. The boss seemed a little surprised as he accepted the ribbon which the Junior Executive pinned above his heart. And the boss was instructed to take the remaining ribbon and pass it on, honoring somebody else. He explained that "The teenager who gave me these is doing a school project and we want to keep the ribbon ceremony going and see how it affects people."

The boss drove home and sat down with his 14 year old son. He explained what had happened. "He gave me the extra ribbon and asked me to find somebody else to honor. As I was driving home tonight I started thinking about who I would honor with this ribbon. I thought about you and I want to honor you. My days are hectic and when I come home I don't pay a lot of attention to you. I yell at you for not getting good enough grades and for your messy room. Somehow, tonight, I just wanted to sit here and well, just let you know that you do make a difference to me. Besides your mother you are the most important person in my life. You are a great kid and I love you."

The boy looked up at his father and said through his tears, "Dad, earlier tonight I sat in my room and wrote a letter to you and Mom explaining why I took my life and I asked you to forgive me. I was going to commit suicide tonight after you were asleep. I just didn't think that you cared at all. The letter is upstairs. I don't think that I'll need it after all."

The boss went back to work a changed man. He was no longer a grouch but made sure to let all of his employees know that they make a difference. The Junior Executive helped many other young people with career planning, one being the boss's son and never forgets to let them know that they make a difference in his life. In addition the young man and his classmates leaned a valuable lesson: Who you are does make a difference.


And so my dear readers I pass along to you what CJ passed along to me via the story of the kids in New York. Her e mail meant so much to me and I hope that the same energy and love is passed along to you as you read this blog.

Please know that I think you are important or you would never have received this "message" in the first place.
Who you are does make a difference. I 'm passing the blue ribbon on to you.

Let's continue with our own ceremony and see what a difference we can each make in acknowledging others in our life.

Until next time,
Love and blessings to you and those you love,
Dr. DyAnn

Tuesday, May 26, 2009

Soul Knowledge


While I was recently home visiting, a dear friend and I took a walk in Pamperin Park. As we strolled along, going deeper and deeper into the woods, we came upon a beautiful patch of Lily of the Valley which covered the forest floor. Delicate and fragrant, they are one of my favorite flowers! How strange, I thought, to find them deep in the forest; I never knew they grew in the wild. In fact, I had been kind of pining the realization that the people who purchased our home built a large workshop right over the top of my beautiful Lilies!

The logical part of my mind looks upon the discovery of the Lilies as just coincidence. But a higher, wiser part of my being sees them as a gift. "Coincidences" are a very spiritual occurrence. They bring phenomena together that aren't statistically likely to occur.

Once we begin to understand this concept we can explore other possibilities that are beyond the realm of our five senses. Psychology, for example, has sought to heal what ails us by studying our thoughts and feelings and behaviors ~ in other words, our perceptions according to our five senses. However, did you know that "psychology" means soul knowledge?

Perhaps we are finally evolving to the point where we realize that when we (yes you and I) are in pain ~ feeling hurt, anger, rejection, guilt, remorse ~ it is our spirit that is hurting, sometimes even to the point of being shattered. Our mission then is to understand and heal our spirit.

Just like the lilies in the forest were brought to my attention for a purpose, so too does every thing in life come to us for a purpose... that is to heal our souls. You see, when Em and I were walking in the forest, we were talking about healing from childhood abuse. What more meaningful sign of purity and cleansing of the soul could there be than those Lilies?

So my dear friends, realize that all around you many experiences exist that aid in the healing of your soul, bringing you to enlightenment. While some come in a beautiful form, others may be something we don't really welcome.

Marie's transforming experience began with a phone call: her sister in California was in a coma - the result of a pedestrian accident. I have great admiration for Marie. She could have turned her back on her sister. After all, her sister had turned her back on the entire family, living out West and losing the battle with the demons of alcoholism. However, Marie made it her mission to assist her sister whose mind, body and soul were shattered as she lay alone and destitute in a coma.

"And the rest of the story" isn't so much the healing experience of the sister, but what it brought Marie. Her transformation is clearly visible. She has an exiting new career that came about as a result of her choice to reach out to a destitute soul. I could hardly believe the difference in her energy; Marie sparkles with life! And as she said, she feels totally alive for the first time in her entire 40+ years!

Who could of known that such an unwelcome phone call would result in such a miraculous, life-transforming experience? The Universal Energy of Love brings us exactly what we need. We just don't always recognize it for the gift that it is. But once we do, we are transformed immeasurably, moving easily beyond the details of the experience.

So if you are in the middle of an experience that is less than desirable, ask God and your Higher Self for understanding. It makes it so much easier than muddling around in pain, taking it personally. Who knows what miracle might be in store for you?

Until next time,
Blessings and love to you and those you love~
Dr. DyAnn

A special thank you to all the people of the Green Bay area who shared your stories, your energy and your soul nourishing love on my recent visit !

Friday, May 1, 2009

A Lion's Tale


Whether as a child being read to at bedtime, or an adult caught up in a popular novel, stories are entertaining. Not only that, we can learn so much from a story. Because of the way in which our brain takes in information, a story often times will convey a message in a much more powerful manner than pages and pages of information might do. It is our subconscious mind which transforms the story; it connects it to our own memory all the way back to when our soul first came into existence, as well as to our dreams, imagination and the power of symbolism. This is where "art" and "science" truly connect.

That being said, today I want to share a story with you. I came upon it by way of a favorite author of mine, Emory Michael in his book The Alchemy of Sacred Living.

The story takes place in ancient Egypt two thousand years ago, with our hero Androcles. Being a slave, Androcles wants his freedom above all else. "Late one starry night he makes a daring getaway, hiding out in fields, swamps and forests as he travels toward unknown western lands. Closely followed by bounty hunters, he takes refuge in a dismal cave. To his horror, he finds out that the cave is the dwelling of a ferocious lion, who confronts Androcles in the fading evening light. Instead of devouring Androcles, the lion holds out its massive paw, in which is embedded a painful thorn. Trembling with fear, Androcles removes the thorn and the beast gratefully licks the fortunate youth in the friendliest lion fashion.

The lion and the boy spend several weeks together before the soldiers stumble upon Androcles in a field. They take him back to Egypt where he is eventually returned to his master, Casca. As punishment, Casca sells Androcles to Roman slave traders and after months of hardship he is taken to Rome. His fate is sealed when he is selected to be fodder for lions as a spectacle in the Coliseum. On the fateful day, guards lead Androcles into the arena and leave him to die in front of the bloodthirsty crowd. A gate is flung open and a lion rushes toward Androcles. To the crowd's astonishment , the beast stops dead in its tracks, then rolls and plays at Androcles' feet. The trembling youth recognizes the very lion from whose paw he had removed the painful thorn. The Romans are moved by the spectacle and Androcles is given his freedom. He receives the lion as a gift from the emperor himself, and the lion and the lad live out their days as honored residents of Rome. "



Keeping in mind that our subconscious learns from stories and metaphors, you can allow your own mind to take from the story just what you might need at this time in your life. Add to this the uncanny way in which we often receive just the right "message" right when we need it in our own life story. Here are a few suggestions.

The hero desires freedom above all else. He risks everything for his heart's desire. What is it that you desire in your life? Do you need to recommit to it? Are you dedicated enough and making the sacrifices that may be necessary? Remember that even one small daily sacrifice keeps you on the road to commitment for your own dreams coming true.

The kindness of our story's hero is repaid by the lion. We could all use a little more kindness in our life right? Remember though that it all started with the boy being kind to the lion - as opposed to running in the other direction!

The lion was hurting and in pain.... what did he do? He asked for help!

I especially enjoy the lesson in this tale whereby there is a cumulative effect of goodness as it rippled outward. In the same way that a pebble tossed into a pond causes the water to ripple outward in ever widening circles, so too does the energy of our individual acts ripple outward. Remember that the next time someone at work or home gives you a hard time and you are tempted to "pass it along."

I think a more subtle message in this tale has to do with the companionship that is shared by the boy and the lion. As human beings we tend to stay within the "safety" of those circumstances and people that are familiar to us. We quite accidentally put up walls that way; but who is to say whether we are walling others out, our our own self in?

Until next time ~
May you enjoy creating and living the story of your own life,
Dr. DyAnn


Tuesday, April 21, 2009

Change Your Mind ~ Change Your Life!


The benchmark of my work is the Power of the Mind: the power that is readily available to you. Our subconscious mind in limitless in what it can do. There is so much research I have read about this topic, meaning it is soundly scientific. On a more personal note, I have seen some pretty amazing things happen once a person starts to embrace this concept ~ the understanding of the Mind. There are changes I have seen people make in their lives due to this idea alone, when many other attempts to make their life better have failed.

One example is Brooke, a morbidly obese woman who came to me for help with her relationship. She really wasn't looking for help with her weight as she had "tried everything" , only to find herself caught up in the yo-yo weight gain/loss scenario. She was content enough with her weight. But working in health care she knew all the risks involved. We worked with techniques involving "changing her mind" including hypnotherapy, for changing the way her mind was working against her in regard to her weight. The results were truly remarkable!

You see, we program our own minds. We do it every minute, every second of the day. We get caught up in the problems and issues that come our way. We are bombarded by sensory intake ~ what we see, hear, touch etc. And it sets our conscious minds a spinning. For Brooke, every time she saw her image in a mirror or reflected in a window, her mind told her she was fat. And what we tell our self becomes true. In other words, even though Brooke was obese, she unknowingly was creating a life-long self fulfilling prophesy to stay obese. Our subconscious mind "obeys" what our conscious (thinking) mind thinks or says.

Have you ever listened in on what your own mind is saying? This "flowing stream of consciousness" is like a radio station. Stop and ask yourself if you like what it is playing.
Do this often, and you will have a profoundly important key of understanding and changing your life.

I will confess there are times that I get caught up on a channel that I do not like. I may be obsessing about a problem and interestingly enough, while I am on that channel my emotional well being is... frankly, not so well. Focusing on problems and annoyances can leave us feeling emotionally upset. When you ponder this, it only makes sense. Remember, what we focus on grows!

Another person I worked with was "Steve". He felt his life was nearly destroyed; someone very close to him died a horrible death in an unbelievable accident. He was the first one on the accident scene and he could not get the picture of the loved one out of his mind. He was haunted by it. Hearing his story would reduce anyone to tears. We successfully used hypnotherapy and mindful techniques. Today Steve has nothing but wonderful memories of his loved one. He still finds the results, and what he can now do with the power of his mind miraculous.

What we need to learn is how to " switch channels" so to speak. Why would we want to waste our time getting all worked up about this or that, when we can be enjoying peace of mind and being centered. It is that which can give us the assurance that whatever the problem is, it will be taken care of. Why, because our incredible subconscious mind is without limit. It is the place of creative (problem solving) thinking. And I believe it is also the place where our soul meets with the Creative Energy of Love that we call God.

So the next time you find yourself on a channel that is not "music to your ears" change it! You owe it to yourself to feed your mind the information that you want programmed.This is the gateway to reducing the menacing emotions and wasteful thinking that holds us back.

Until next time,
Blessings and love to you and those you love,
Dr. DyAnn

PS. I have just a few openings left for when I will be in Green Bay during my next visit. Please contact me if you are interested d.buechler@yahoo.com




Monday, April 13, 2009

Journey thru the Forest

Imagine if you will, that you are traveling along a beautiful path thru an ancient and magical forest. No stress, just enjoying the scenery - the sunlight flickering thru the ancient trees, the natural smells that are so relaxing.... ah, just wonder-ful. Give yourself a moment or two now if you would like, to enjoy this peacefulness.
I often use that metaphor to describe life as being exactly like that scene. I see my own self and this old wooden cart as I make my way along the path. That path is mine as well as yours. We all travel along on our journey thru life. We try to stay on course, but we kind of veer off toward the left edge, then the right, as we go along on our way. At times I wonder how the heck my cart ended up in the woods, turned over with the wheels spinning! It is as if my awareness took a vacation and it is a mystery to me how this happened!

We all have times that our cart goes off course: something about our life is in shambles.
It may be something that occurs suddenly. Other times it is a situation that goes from bad to worse. You might be dealing with one of those scenarios right now.

I used to wonder what takes us off that magical path. Was it fate? Luck? Someone getting in my way? I would be perplexed as to how I could be just humming along with life going beautifully and then lose my way. Talk about frustrating!

There is one common denominator that takes our "cart" off that magical road., even though there are hundreds upon hundreds of kinds of burdens we find we must face: stuff with our family, adult relationships, divorce, job issues, self esteem, finances, what we want and don't get, what we got and don't want! The list goes on and on. Our life can and does get messy.

What makes THE DIFFERENCE during those times of trouble is whether we forget or remember what powerful beings we really are. Call it "attitude", "mind set" or what ever works for you. The word that works for me is "fear". If I let my fear get away from me, I will guarantee that my cart will end up in the woods, not only overturned, but maybe with the wheels off.

But even that scene is no where near impossible to remedy. I don't have to look for AAA to come along on the path. I simply need to go back into my mind, and realize that I have all the power I need to remedy the situation.

Let me give you an example. Jill is recently divorced. This really took the wind out of her sails. The marriage should have ended long ago. Perhaps because it dragged on, the divorce proceedings were pretty nasty. Her spouse did lots of finger pointing and blaming that it was all her fault. Of course during the marriage all that went wrong was - yes you guessed it - her fault too. When I counseled her she was pretty beaten down. Her attractive face wore the burden of all that negativity. She felt pretty powerless.

If Jill (as well as her former spouse) is going to really get the full benefit of the divorce (and Life), there is one thing she must remember to do. And it is the same thing that all of us must remember to do each day if we are to have a successful life.

Remember that cart and the pathway in the beautiful forest? That metaphor represents you. The forest represents the many details of life, the path is our own personal journey, and the cart is our mind. As we successfully use our mind, our journey thru the forest can be delightful. We successfully make our way thru the challenges that come our way. We are secure in knowing that our cart (Mind) will take us where ever we choose to go. If we stop believing this and let the cart wander, of course it will end up in an unpleasant place. How big of a mystery is that?

Einstein once said something to the effect that a problem cannot be solved with the same mind that created it. Sorry I can't recall quite how the quote goes. But the gist of the saying is that we have a part of our mind that is all powerful, all knowing. We are creative and powerful beyond our wildest dreams.

My wish is for you to remember who you are and the true power that you have in making your life truly magnificent.

Until next time
Namaste,
Dr. DyAnn