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A Heart Healing Visualization Meditation

Written by Enlightened Recovery on . Posted in Alternative Therapy, Mental Health. No Comments on A Heart Healing Visualization Meditation

When we are struggling with mental health issues, emotional challenges and addictions, our minds have a way of compounding our pain and deepening our pain responses. When our ego is wounded and out of balance, it acts from a place of fear and fills your psyche with insecurity, self-hate, doubt, anxiety, judgment, criticism and all manner of inner demons. Our minds become tools for self-sabotage and self-destruction, rather than self-love and forward progress. Because our minds can be so loud and so powerful, we have a tendency to prioritize our egos over our hearts, and to choose thinking over feeling- in our daily lives, when addressing problems, when dealing with interpersonal relationships, when confronting our fears. Our hearts, however, hold infinite capacity for love, forgiveness, and healing. Sometimes shifting our focus from our minds to our hearts is all we need to feel an immediate sense of peace and calm, and to set ourselves up for healing rather than continued pain.

When your mind is overrun with fearful thoughts, practice this simple meditation and visualization exercise. Try visualizing light entering your heart, from your higher power above, or coming from the deep source of inner power within you, which is also a reflection of your higher power. Place your hand over your heart and visualize light glowing from your heart, radiating inwards to the deepest parts of your pain, and outwards to anyone else experiencing pain. That light is filled with compassion, empathy and understanding. It knows your pain and wants you to feel heard and understood, loved and protected. We hold within us infinite healing power that we can tap into just by giving it our attention.

Feel the light you envision helping to calm your anxious mind. Feel the light growing within you, spreading to every corner of your suffering. Let it bring you peace. Your mind will want to return to its fear-based programming. Gently return your attention back to the light emanating from your heart. Affirm to yourself, silently, out loud, or in writing, that you are a being of light, that you possess the power to heal yourself, and that your heart holds the key to your transformation. Meditate on this love and amplify its energetic power by practicing holding this light visualization often, especially when your ego mind is out of control and you feel it bringing you down.

Meditation and other holistic healing practices can make all the difference in your recovery process. At Enlightened Recovery, we will help you find what works for you. Call (833) 801-LIVE.

Bring Springtime Into Your Aromatherapy

Written by Enlightened Recovery on . Posted in Alternative Therapy, Healthy Living. No Comments on Bring Springtime Into Your Aromatherapy

April showers bring May flowers, which means it is time to start bringing more flowers into your life. Aromatherapy is a great way to bring more flowers, and their healing essences, into your recovery to connect to the season of awakening.

Flower Essences For Spring

Essential oils of flowers can be healing, soothing, invigorating, and simply delightful during the springtime. You can use essential oils in many ways to maximize flower based aromatherapy. Essential oils can be used in diffusers, which spread the smell throughout your home or space. You can also apply essential oils directly to the skin as an alternative to perfume. In addition to smelling like the purest essence of flowers, you’ll also be giving your mind, as well as your body, a wealth of benefits. Some essential oils can be used in cooking. If you’ve never had rose or lavender flavored ice cream, spring is the perfect time to try a new recipe. Add lavender or rose essential oils to chocolate treats for a flowery touch. Sip on flower based tea and breathe in the aromas.

Here are some of the most healing flower essential oils to use as aromatherapy this spring:

  • Lavender: Lavender is a healing wonder of nature. You can use lavender on wounds, acne, scars, and more. What lavender is most well known for is its soothing, relaxing scent. Lavender can reduce anxiety and induce a lovely state of calm.
  • Rose: Perhaps no flower scent in the world is as immediately recognizable and wonderfully potent as rose. Rosewater is becoming a popular beauty trend. Just like lavender, rose essence can have a calming effect.
  • Jasmine: Springtime can be a time of romance, possibly thanks to the Jasmine flower which is known to be an aprhodisiac. Feelings of love can benefit your recovery in more ways than romance. Spark a romance with yourself by sipping on Jasmine tea or using jasmine oil.
  • Ylang Ylang: With a name like that, ylang ylang can only mean happiness. This bright and happy flower scent is known for being uplifting.

Other ways to bring in the flowers

Fresh flowers are always a guaranteed way to bring aromatherapy into your life. Springtime is full of beautiful blooms which you can bring home or go visit. During the spring, many local farms or botanical gardens put on beautiful displays of flowers and invite the public to tour the grounds. If you can’t make it to flowers, simply bring a fresh bunch of seasonal flowers home. While walking around your house, make sure to stop and smell the flowers.

The best move to make for recovery from drug abuse is the quickest move by calling and asking for help immediately. Recovery is possible and healing will take place in mind, body, and spirit. Enlightened Recovery Solutions offers a holistic based, 12-step inspired, clinically proven program for alcoholism and co-occurring disorders. Call (844) 234-LIVE today for information on our partial care programs.

Rehab in Kalamazoo can help you recover safely and effectively from dependency.

Dance Therapy? Yes You Can

Written by Enlightened Recovery on . Posted in Addiction Recovery, Alternative Therapy. No Comments on Dance Therapy? Yes You Can

“I don’t dance, don’t ask me, I won’t dance, don’t ask me, I won’t dance, Madame, with you.” These words sung by Frank Sinatra have become an anthem of sorts for the millions of people who refuse to dance. People who don’t, won’t dance, have plenty of reasons as to why they don’t dance. They don’t have any rhythm. They are too embarrassed. They don’t like to dance. The truth is that dancing is innate in everyone’s ability and humans were born to dance.

Humans have been dancing for thousands and thousands of years. Movement and rhythm have been part of ritual celebrations for civilizations and cultures starting back to the very beginning of mankind. Even if a human claims not to have any rhythm, they dance in their everyday lives. Dancing is nothing more than movement. Movement is something our body is doing every single second of the day at varying rhythms. Our eyes move. Our lungs expand and deflate with the breath. We move our feet, our legs, our hips, our core, and dozens of other muscles in our bodies all day long. Dancing is simply taking those movements, focusing on them, and exaggerating them. You don’t have to be a professional or even have skill to dance. All you have to do is move.

Movement therapy is important for those in recovery from addiction and alcoholism. The disease of addiction weakens the body as well as the spirit. People can become extremely sedentary as a result of their addiction which not only isolates their physical life but their personal, internal life as well. Movement is an expression of the self. Not moving, like not getting off the couch because of intoxication, inhibits personal expression. The more someone sits still, the more they become locked in themselves, lost inside. Movement creates a synergy between the external self- the muscles- and the internal self- the personal self.

Dancing doesn’t have to be anything more than standing up and moving around to music. You don’t even need music. You don’t even need a beat. You just have to get up and move. Movement breaks up stagnant energy in the muscle, as well as stagnant energy from your personal life flow. We need to move in recovery because recovery is about taking action. Recovery doesn’t just happen. Recovery has to be dynamic and with it, we have to move dynamically, through dance or any other physical expression.

The best move to make for recovery from drug abuse is the quickest move by calling and asking for help immediately. Recovery is possible and healing will take place in mind, body, and spirit. Enlightened Recovery Solutions offers a holistic based, 12-step inspired, clinically proven program for alcoholism and co-occurring disorders. Call (844) 234-LIVE today for information on our partial care programs.

Why You Should Start A Meditation Practice This Spring

Written by Enlightened Recovery on . Posted in Alternative Therapy, Healthy Living. No Comments on Why You Should Start A Meditation Practice This Spring

Spring cleaning is a major part of the spring season and cleaning out stress from your mind and body should be a part of that process. Meditation is more than a trending buzzword in the Western world. Eastern cultures and ancient religions have been practicing some form of meditation for thousands of years. Today, meditation is recognized as a period of time dedicated to focused breathing while trying to calm the mind. Meditation does not necessarily mean clearing the mind to nothingness, as Zen meditation suggests. Acknowledging your thoughts and learning to release your attachment to those thoughts is a more widely accepted approach to meditation called mindfulness.

Both mindfulness and meditation have been intensely studied in recent years as they have gained popularity in Western culture and treatment. Volumes of research studies have concluded that mindfulness meditation is extremely beneficial to the mind and body. Some studies have gone so far as to suggest mindfulness meditation can be a replacement to other treatment methods often relied upon. For those in recovery from drug and alcohol addiction, mindfulness meditation is strongly suggested as part of a personal program of recovery for stress management. Stress is the number one underlying cause of relapse. In recovery, stress can come in many different forms and trigger the recovering brain’s most familiar stress response: drug and alcohol abuse. Research has proven that mindfulness and meditation can reduce stress on a molecular level, ridding the body and the brain of the harmful effects stress creates.

Spring is the perfect time to start a meditation practice because of the thematic focus on cleaning out, renewal, and starting fresh. Meditation is like a spring cleaning for your mind, body and spirit every day. Science has proven that just five minutes of meditation can leave you feeling better, more relaxed, and stress free. As a result, meditation helps you feel refreshed and renewed. Try taking a few deep breaths right now. Stop all your thinking and analyzing for one second, right now, close your eyes, and focus all your attention on a deep inhale, a quick pause, and a large exhale. You may not believe it, but the very molecules in your DNA are already feeling better.

The best move to make for recovery from drug abuse is the quickest move by calling and asking for help immediately. Recovery is possible and healing will take place in mind, body, and spirit. Enlightened Recovery Solutions offers a holistic based, 12-step inspired, clinically proven program for alcoholism and co-occurring disorders. Call (844) 234-LIVE today for information on our partial care programs.

5 Ways To Open The Heart Chakra

Written by Enlightened Recovery on . Posted in Alternative Therapy, Healthy Living. No Comments on 5 Ways To Open The Heart Chakra

Opening our chakras and making sure our energy flows effortlessly through them is not a one time spiritual surgery. Our recovery is a daily program of maintenance. Included in that program is living a holistic lifestyle which supports a healthy flow of energy through open chakras. If you have noticed that your heart chakra seems blocked, there are activities you can incorporate into your life which will contribute to opening that sacred energy channel and allowing the flow of the universe to run through you once more.

Chest-opening yoga poses

Yoga can be focused on opening specific chakras, like the heart chakra. Since the heart chakra sits in the chest area of the body, look for chest-opening yoga poses. You don’t have to do a full yoga class to get heart-chakra opening benefits, though they do exist. Simply do an internet search for chest-opening yoga poses, or, heart-chakra opening yoga poses and you will be met with many options to create your own flow or just practice individual asanas. For an easy stretch, simply tilt your head back and push your chest forward, rolling your shoulders back. Mindfully focus on this practice a few times a day to start releasing tense chest muscles.

Heart chakra-focused meditation

Each chakra has a mantra associated with it. The mantra for the heart chakra is YAM. Many meditations exist online which guide you through visualization practices for opening and balancing the chakras. On your own, you can practice taking deep inhales and on your exhales, sounding out the YAM mantra, like you would do with OM.

Color therapy

Green is the color of the heart chakra. Color therapy can range from incorporating a color into your wardrobe, carrying more stones of a color, or even cooking with that color. Green is an especially healing color because it is a color of nature. Spend time in green spaces or buy plants for your home. Cook with lots of green ingredients like leafy greens, green vegetables, and green fruits. Make green smoothies, green soups, and green sauces. Try some art therapy using only green shades of mixed media. In all of the things you do, set your intention and energy toward your heart chakra.

Sound therapy

Did you know that sounds have frequencies and that chakras have frequencies? Sound frequencies can be tuned to match the frequency of the chakras. Tibetan singing bowls or crystal bowls, for example, can be constructed in a way which tunes them specifically for the heart chakra. There are also songs and recorded meditations which include heart chakra frequencies.

Reiki

Reiki is an energy healing practice which focuses on removing blockages from the chakras and helping enhance the flow of energy. A reiki practitioner will likely be able to tell that your heart chakra is blocked. However, you can let them know this is what you specifically want to work on and they can focus on your heart chakra.

The best move to make for recovery from drug abuse is the quickest move by calling and asking for help immediately. Recovery is possible and healing will take place in mind, body, and spirit. Enlightened Recovery Solutions offers a holistic based, 12-step inspired, clinically proven program for alcoholism and co-occurring disorders. Call (844) 234-LIVE today for information on our partial care programs.

A Lack Of Natural Light Could Be Contributing To Depression

Written by Enlightened Recovery on . Posted in Alternative Therapy, Mental Health. No Comments on A Lack Of Natural Light Could Be Contributing To Depression

“O, Sunlight!” writes author Roman Payne, “The most precious gold to be found on Earth.” Sunlight is a necessity to the survival of our being and most other species on the planet. We need the sunlight for power in our minds, our bodies, and our spirits. Think of an indoor house plant. Typically indoor house plants fall somewhere on the scale between one of two extremes. Either indoor house plants need a plentitude of sunlight or it needs a minimal amount of sunlight. No matter the amount of sunlight, the plants need sunlight- just like human beings. We need sunlight for Vitamin D, for our health and wellness, and for our circadian rhythm. Too much sunlight or too little sunlight can be damaging to the body. Recent research has found that there is a severe deficiency of sunlight in people’s lives. People who are lacking in natural light and are taking in too much artificial light might be at higher risk for depression.

There are arguments to whether sleeping with light or no light is better for the body’s circadian rhythm. Camping is a great reset for sleep patterns because there are hardly any artificial light sources in the wilderness. Everyday life at home, whether that be in an urban or suburban environment, includes a lot of exposure to artificial lighting, especially during sleeping hours. A study published in The American Journal of Epidemiology conducted in Japan found that light disturbances during sleep can increase the risk of depression. Anything from an outside street lamp, to the glow of a digital screens, to a digital clock, could be interrupting the brain’s natural circadian rhythm and contributing to depression.

Over 900 individuals were used for the study and had their sleep patterns examined. Some participants slept in a room with 5 lux or more of artificial light at night and others slept in a room completely sealed in darkness. Those who had artificial light in their room were at a higher risk of depression than those who did not. IFL Science notes that “10 lux is a single candle from 0.3 meters (1 foot) away,” emphasizing that the amount of light which could contribute to depression is incredibly small.

Other research has found that exposure to primarily artificial lighting throughout the day hurts the brain, as does over exposing the brain to the blue light behind digital screens. Moreover, more exposure to natural light helps with the sleep pattern, giving the brain the proper kind of stimulation instead of stimulation caused by artificial lighting.

The best move to make for recovery from drug abuse is the quickest move by calling and asking for help immediately. Recovery is possible and healing will take place in mind, body, and spirit. Enlightened Recovery Solutions offers a holistic based, 12-step inspired, clinically proven program for alcoholism and co-occurring disorders. Call (844) 234-LIVE today for information on our partial care programs.

Natural Ways To Treat Depression And Anxiety At Home

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Part of the reason we choose to go to treatment is because we are no longer capable of taking care of ourselves on a daily basis. The way we have adapted to living our lives with active addiction and secondary mental health conditions is not sufficient in the way that we need it to be. Our curriculum at treatment will be customized to our specific co-occurring disorders, meaning our substance use disorder and whatever mental health issues we may also be facing. Anxiety, depression, as well as bipolar, which can include symptoms of both anxiety and depression, are some of the most common mental health disorders co-occurring with addiction. During the course of treatment, we learn critical life skills for handling, regulating, and managing our mental health at home. Treatment doesn’t last forever. When we graduate and transition back into our independent lives, the rubber meets the road, as it is said. We put our education and training into practice in order to treat our anxiety and depression at home.

Treating anxiety and depression naturally is more a matter of lifestyle than specific treatments. Holistic living is focused on incorporating activities and practices throughout the day which benefit mind, body, and spirit. Anxiety and depression affect all three areas concurrently. Lifestyle changes which support holistic wellness are living treatments for both anxiety and depression.

  • Get enough sleep: Sleep affects everything about our day. Depression and anxiety can include ruminating thoughts, restless bodies, and disrupted sleep. Good sleep hygiene should include a full 6-8 hours of deep sleep.
  • Exercise for 20-30 minutes a day minimum: Exercise is a proven treatment technique for reducing the symptoms of depression and anxiety. Endorphins produced by exercise are feel good brain chemicals which stimulate other good feelings. Any kind of movement will do for at least 20-30 minutes.
  • Eat right for your brain: The brain needs nutrients like omega-3 fatty acids to function well. Eat right for your brain by eating foods which provide health vitamins, nutrients, and fats to the brain instead of chemicals and sugars. Food is medicine. What you eat is how you will feel.
  • Mindfulness and meditation: Various studies have found that mindfulness and meditation can put symptoms of depression into remission. All you need is 5 minutes of focused mindfulness and meditation a day to feel the benefits.
  • Spend time in nature: Research has found that just looking at pictures and videos of nature can reduce stress as well as improve feelings of wellbeing. Getting into natural sunlight can help produce emotion regulating Vitamin D. Being around green space or blue space helps reset our nervous system, sending calm throughout our being.
  • Take natural supplements: Nature is full of medicine in all of its plants and flowers. A variety of natural supplements, including essential oils like lavender, can help reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety. From tinctures and pills to teas and oils, there are many ways to bring the benefits of nature from outside to inside.

The best move to make for recovery from drug abuse is the quickest move by calling and asking for help immediately. Recovery is possible and healing will take place in mind, body, and spirit. Enlightened Recovery Solutions offers a holistic based, 12-step inspired, clinically proven program for alcoholism and co-occurring disorders. Call (844) 234-LIVE today for information on our partial care programs.

Ways You Can Do Music Therapy At Home: Part One

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Music therapy is as simple as listening to music and getting lost in the sounds. Professional music therapists are trained to guide a music therapy session over time and help their clients move through certain emotional barriers. Alone, however, music therapy can do the same thing because music is transformational. Music and the words in lyrics can help you learn about yourself, other people’s lives, and more.

 

  • Listen to music: Listening to music not only helps you with insight, but the vibrations from music help you heal energetically. Different kinds of music have different kinds of energy. Choose music to meet your mood or choose music to get you out of your mood. You’ll be surprised what different kinds of music can do for your state of mind. While listening to music, tune into your mindfulness. Notice how the music makes you feel. What thoughts come up? Do your muscles tense or relax? Do you feel like dancing or does the music bring out emotions like crying? If you cry, is it pain, sadness, happiness, or grief? Pay attention to how the music affects you and notice any patterns. You can learn from this experience and curate your music listening therapy more specifically next time.
  • Play music: Playing a musical instrument is described as meditation for many people. Playing music has beats and rhythms, chords and harmonies. When you play an instrument, the instrument emits energy and vibrations through the soundwaves which go right into your body. Playing music also helps take you out of your head. You have to focus fully on what you’re doing and how you’re playing. If you’re distracted, you won’t be fully present with what you’re playing. Find anything to play music on. If you are familiar with an instrument, turn to that. If you are learning an instrument brand new, have patience and enjoy the process of picking up a new talent.
  • Dance to music: Dancing is a music therapy and an expressive arts therapy. Ancient cultures have been using dancing for therapy for thousands of years as a way to heal, celebrate, mourn, detox, pray, and more. Dancing to music does the same thing that music does and more. You workup your heart rate, you break a sweat, and you internalize the energy. Dancing is vulnerable. You have to be comfortable to let yourself dance with yourself and in front of others. The process results in you feeling more liberated, having a great time, and cutting loose.

 

Enlightened Recovery offers a clinical, holistic and 12-step approach to the road to recovery.  If you’re struggling with addiction and/or mental illness, our program is specialized in dual-diagnosis treatments. Don’t hesitate and call today: 844-234-LIVE.

Aromatherapy: What You Need To Know Before You Start Your Own Practice

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Aromatherapy is all the craze in 2018 for a good reason. Essential oils have healing properties powerful enough to adjust mood and heal wounds. Here are three things you need to know about essential oils before you start your own aromatherapy practice.

 

Not all aromatherapy oils are created equal:

Hidden beneath a labyrinth of layers from the products you see on the shelf is an entire industry and science dedicate to smell. Smells can be created from synthetic chemicals and mirror the real thing almost identically. Many ‘aromatherapy’ companies use synthetic smells and advertise them as essential oils. Rubbing these chemical laden oils into your skin or breathing in the vapor after using them in a diffuser can be dangerous for your health and certainly has none of the healing properties essential oils has. Do your research before you make your purchase. Aromatherapy is popular these days and many companies are trying to profit. Google their name, check reviews, and be willing to spend a little more for real essential oils.

Essential oils aren’t regulated by the FDA:

One of the ways you can sort out the fake essential oils from the real ones is by the way they are marketed. You might see terminology like “medical grade” or “therapeutic quality”. These are nonsense claims. All essential oils, in their natural state, can act as medicine and they are therapeutic. The reason essential oils are so popular and have been relied upon for so many years is due to their medicinal and therapeutic properties. Lavender oil, for example, is considered a “wonder drug” of nature. Essential oils can be antiviral, antifungal, antiseptic, and much more. However, the FDA does not currently have a say on essential oils. Any terminology which infers the contrary should be a product well avoided.

Aromatherapy is not a replacement for other medical or psychological therapies:

In an anxious situation, lavender oil can help instantaneously calm your nerves. Does that mean you should cease to see your therapist who is helping you work on your anxiety? No. When you are congested in your sinuses, eucalyptus oil can help clear your nasal passageway and help you breath. Should you avoid seeing your doctor to make sure you don’t have a sinus infection? No. Aromatherapy is not a replacement for professional therapies. Aromatherapy can act as a supplement to these treatments and aid the therapeutic process. For example, lavender oil can help with a therapy session which brings up a lot of anxiety. Eucalyptus oil can help soothe the symptoms of a cold while other remedies help remove a virus.

 

Enlightened Recovery offers a clinical, holistic and 12-step approach to the road to recovery.  If you’re struggling with addiction and/or mental illness, our program is specialized in dual-diagnosis treatments. Don’t hesitate and call today: 844-234-LIVE.

A individual therapy session during Partial hospitalization program in New Jersey.

Bathing In Sound For Transformational Meditation

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Sound bathing is a practice more than 2,000 years old and is regaining popularity in the holistic health movement of the new age. Bathing in sound is something we actually do all the time. At the beginning of every Headspace meditation, Andy, your mindfulness guide, encourages you to take a moment to listen to the sounds around you. He asks you how much you can hear and how far away. You quickly realize that there are sounds happening all around you all day that you don’t notice because you aren’t mindful of them. Sometimes we are unintentionally bathing in sound. Too often, that sound is cacophonous rather than harmonious.

The battling sounds of everyday life provide a certain ambience, but can confuse and excite our energy. There is a distinct difference between listening to the noises outside during traffic and listening to the intentionally tuned hum of a Tibetan Singing bowl. Sound bathing is the practice of using intentional sound like singing bowls, gongs, tuning forks, and more, to bathe the body in harmonized, balancing, invigorating energy. The wavelengths created by the vibrations of sound bathing penetrate the body and restore a flow to the body. Participants in sound bathing simply lie on the floor or on a massage table and let the sound bath practitioner wash over them with sounds and vibrations. Recipients of sound bathing have reported feeling less anxiety, reduced stress, improved mental clarity, more energy, deeper sleep, and a greater sense of wellness.

You can go to a yoga studio or a sound bathing event to participate in sound bathing or you can set up a sound bathing session yourself. Many sound bathing sessions or musics are recorded. Online, you can find a wealth of recordings that are just the sounds of Tibetan singing bowls, crystal bowls, “Om” chants, gongs, and more. You can also find recordings created with specific binaural beats, curated to tune into the wavelengths of your brain and promote calm.

Create a quiet, comfortable space for yourself and find a laying down position. To set the mood, light some incense or put a calming essential oil, like lavender, into a diffuser. Turn off the lights and choose ambient lighting like candles or Himalayan salt lamps. Turn on the music and start focusing on your breath taking deep inhales then releasing deep exhales. Don’t worry if you fall asleep The sounds are still creating the vibrations your body needs to heal.

Enlightened Recovery offers a clinical, holistic and 12-step approach to the road to recovery.  If you’re struggling with addiction and/or mental illness, our program is specialized in dual-diagnosis treatments. Don’t hesitate and call today: 844-234-LIVE.