Archive for Diane Recommends
Reclaiming A Childhood Joy—And A Piece Of Myself
Posted by: | Comments“Our inner child, full of wonder, stays with us no matter how old we get.
“There’s a part of me that’s still ten and a half. There’s another part of me that’s 15. That part of you stays alive.
“Who we are changes over time—but some things stay the same.”
Did you read a lot as a child? Do you have favorite books that somehow shaped you?
I have begun to reread some of my favorite childhood books. Books that I absolutely loved as a child, though then perhaps I didn’t know quite why.
Revisiting them now is an interesting exercise in reconnecting with my younger selves, from the perspective of my old(er) self.
I’m reading fiction, though as a child I also read a lot of nonfiction. I don’t remember the nonfiction, but I do remember the novels.
Photo by Alexandra
When I began reading books as a child, I fell in love with words. That paved the way to my major in college, and my career as a writer, author, editor. Words are my play, my music, my expression and gifts to the world.
Yet, for many years more recently, I didn’t read even one novel.
I’m not sure why I gave up reading for pleasure, though I do remember when. The last novel I read, before I recently discovered the Libby app and audiobooks, was in 2016. Imagine that—me, a literature major in college, not reading even one novel for 9 years!
That was the year life got really crazy, and I put away that pleasure as duty called me to deal with the deaths of people and pets, settling two messy estates, basement floods, mold remediation, health issues in myself and others, losing health insurance, estrangement of family members, a broken foot, major surgery, and caregiving.
Now that I’ve rediscovered the library app and free audiobooks (the only way I can “read” these days), I’ve read 4 novels in as many weeks as I go about my tasks of cooking, cleaning, laundry, doing my physical therapy exercises, and simple decluttering,. (The more intense kind cannot be done multi-tasking.)
As I read these resurrected novels, it’s like giving voice to these younger selves. I’ve found myself weeping at times, as at last I understand why certain novels touched me so. How they validated my deepest feelings, which were not validated in any other way. How they showed me a larger life than the rather small, constricted life reflected in my family and neighborhood.
I believe books saved me from a sad and lonely childhood. They taught me more about life than my family ever did. I believe they also developed my natural empathy. There’s nothing like relating to characters in a novel, with the many viewpoints and perspectives, to help you develop empathy for real people. One of the most important and lasting lessons from A Peaceable Kingdom was that we almost never know the full story behind a person’s behavior, and if we did know the full story, we’d not judge them so. Story can do that for you.
Fiction helped me to feel. I grew up with Childhood Emotional Neglect, and yet as a highly sensitive person, feelings were my first language. Imagine being shamed for “speaking” this language. When I read books like Anne of Green Gables (my current novel I’m rereading), I think it must have helped me see both the range of emotions one can feel and how to express them (Anne), and what happens to a person who has repressed them all her life (Marilla). A Little Princess helped me to see that one can keep a core sense of dignity and self even in the face of others’ indifference and cruelty.
Both books also validated that having an intense imagination, which I shared, was a strength, not a weakness. I had to smile when I read in Anne of Green Gables, her question to Marilla: “Do you ever imagine things?” I had asked the same question of my mother once when I was about 7. Both woman said no. I shared Anne’s bewilderment as to how one could get through life without imagining things.
I also just reread some of the books that were meaningful to me as an adult. And I read a totally new book, a contemporary novel that made me want to start writing letters to everyone I know (The Correspondent by Virginia Evans). Amazon describes it as “an intimate novel about the transformative power of the written word and the beauty of slowing down to reconnect with the people we love.” For me, it combined the theme of my whole life–the love of words–and the current tasks before me in my “wisdom years.”
It was an added delight to text a friend, with whom I’ve recently reconnected after years of drifting away, and find out she too was revisiting her favorite books, and just finished Anne of Green Gables and plans on continuing the series, as I am.
What books did you love as a child? What did they do for you? Have you gone back to reread any of them? What was that like? I’d love to know! Post a comment on the blog to share with others as well.
Quantum Physics, Spirituality, And Your Thoughts
Posted by: | CommentsThese days I’m diving deeper into an exploration of quantum physics. It is a totally fascinating subject to me, and I’m especially interested in how it dovetails with the Bible and prayer.
Charity Kayembe, the daughter of Dr. Mark Virkler, has herself delved into this subject, and did a podcast with Julie Smith of the ElijahForce podcast recently.
Photo by FlyD
I find Charity and Mark Virkler refreshing in that they are both deeply biblical and open to things like actually hearing from and experiencing God, not just through the Bible, but through one’s one inner experiences and dreams—yet filtered through a biblical framework.
In the interview, Charity and Julie touched on the concepts of superposition, quantum entanglement, and my favorite, the observer effect. They explored biblical examples, contemporary testimonies, and then put what we learned into practice with a powerful activation meditation at the end.
If you find this intriguing, too, you can watch the interview on Rumble or check it out on Facebook here.
The Quantum and Your Brain
Dr. Caroline Leaf says in quantum science this observation–that “whatever you think about most, grows”–is called the Quantum Zeno Effect and describes how focused, intentional attention on thoughts or behaviors can solidify neural pathways—essentially shaping the brain through conscious repetition. It emphasizes the power of paying deliberate attention to thoughts for growth or transformation.
Learn more from her podcast: Cleaning up Your Mental Mess.
Ambiguous Losses
Posted by: | CommentsI have been introduced recently to the concept of ambiguous loss—the kind of loss and grief experienced when someone is there andnot there.
They may be there physically, as in a loved one who has dementia, yet not there emotionally, mentally, psychologically.
Ambiguous loss may also be experienced when, for instance, a child is estranged from a parent (or vice versa). They’re still your child, yet the relationship is severed, so they’re not relationally your child (or parent) any longer.
Or what about an addict, or someone who is mentally ill, who is still there physically and perhaps relationally, but not the same person, not the same relationship?
In all these cases, there is a loss, but it’s not recognized by outsiders, perhaps not even by yourself, so the confusing emotions, grief, and stress plague you—a heart issue without a name.
Now I’ve named it, with thanks for Dr. Pauline Boss, who coined the term ambiguous loss back in the 1970s, and those who have taken up her mantle to inform others about this common experience that has largely been ignored.
Dr. Pauline Boss also perceptively named the collective experience of the pandemic as a time of ambiguous loss. I have been aware, from myself, my friends and my clients, that the pandemic was a trauma that has not been addressed, but I had trouble putting my finger on exactly what the trauma was. In her book, The Myth of Closure: Ambiguous Loss in a Time of Pandemic and Change, Dr. Boss provides context and a healthy way of thinking and processing the pandemic or other ambiguous loss.
If you resonate with any of this, I have some resources for you:
- books by Dr. Pauline Boss: Ambiguous Loss, Loving Someone Who Has Dementia: How to Find Hope While Coping with Stress and Grief, and The Myth of Closure: Ambiguous Loss in a Time of Pandemic and Change
- interviews with Dr. Pauline Boss on YouTube: https://youtu.be/W6MvXxAU4dA?si=h8-nxVMjnrjt7Evq; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OP5HvnLg3ME
- other YouTube videos on ambiguous loss: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i7-49yr1zWE&t=20s; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FI0w9n4hZfU&t=5s
The path to resilience when dealing with ambiguous loss, Dr. Boss says, is to adopt both/and thinking.
“When someone you love is here, and then gone, his or her presence has two meanings,” she writes in Loving Someone Who Has Dementia. “Not knowing which of the two is real, you may feel distressed and anxious. Try accepting that both perceptions are true.
You need to be able to think dualistically. You can practice by telling yourself things like:
- My loved one is both gone and still here.
- I can take care of both him and myself.
- I am both a caregiver and a person with my own needs.
- I can do both caregiving and connecting with others.
- I am both sad about my lost hopes and dreams and happy about some new hopes and dreams.
- I am both frustrated about my current situation and grateful for the many good things I still have.
- I recognize both my devastating feelings and the presence of God.
Ambiguous loss can lead to unresolved grief. If you are experiencing any form of ambiguous loss, I encourage you to acknowledge it and the feelings, address it with The Healing Code, and practice dualistic thinking.
The Power of Being Witnessed
Posted by: | CommentsI was very moved this morning when I read a passage in the Gospel of Luke. To me, it was a powerful demonstration of the importance of being witnessed in the healing journey.
The context: Jesus was on his way to heal the only daughter of Jairus, the local synagogue leader. The girl was near death, and I’m sure the father was desperate for Jesus to get there as soon as possible.
Photo by Kevin McCutcheon
The crowd jostled Jesus as he moved along. Among them was a woman who had been hemorrhaging for twelve years. She’d spent all her money on doctors, none of whom had helped her. She was desperate for Jesus to heal her. She believed if only she could touch the hem of his garment, she would be healed.
She crept up next to him, and did exactly that. Instantly she felt in her body that she was healed.
Jesus felt it too. He felt healing energy flow from him. He asked, “Who touched me?”
Peter reminded him that all kinds of people were pressing in on him. Jesus insisted, “Someone did touch me, for I was aware that power had left me.” (Those skeptical of energy healing, take note!)
The woman, realizing she couldn’t hide any longer, came forth trembling and fell down before Him. She admitted in the presence of all the people the reason she had touched Him, and how she had been immediately healed. Read More→
Not Only Pain Relief–How about Better Sleep?
Posted by: | CommentsIn a recent post I shared about how the HOLOS [“Be well”] Balance devices help with pain. You can read that review here.
HOLOS Balance also helps with sleep, which is one of the foundations of optimal health. Poor quality sleep can lead to a host of health problems, from cognitive issues to immune system issues.
The HOLOS Balance devices help sleep in three main ways:
1. The Automatic Personalized Programs’ built-in, intelligent, automatic scanning every 21 days and vast array of individualized PEMF programs for each user lays the foundation for better sleep and better overall functioning.
2. The automatic 7-day programs comprehensively support all 12 Chinese Meridians, 24/7 Body Clock-Circadian Rhythms, Sleep-Wake Cycles and general programs for energy, stress, EMF, brainwave balance and earthing/grounding.
3. Of the 16 User Activated Boost Programs, several help sleep specifically, either directly or indirectly:
- The Calm Boost, which is great for calming stress and anxiety anytime, anywhere. Also, if you wake in the middle of the night, you just press the button for this program and, at least for me, it works like a charm to get me back to sleep quickly.
- The Sleep Boost prepares the mind and body for a great night’s sleep.
- The Peace Boost, which can help you throughout the day to stave off anxiety and worry.
- The Emotional Shock Boost if your nervous system has taken a hit. (I find this incredibly helpful at such times.)
- The Ease Boost if you have pain, which can certainly interfere with sleep. Also Tissue Repair and Inflammation will support you if you have any of those issues.
- The EMF Boost helps the body be resistant to harmful EMF radiation. It does not shield the body from EMF. It more aids the body to deal with the presence of EMF and reduces its harmful effects. The Travel Boost also helps with EMF and is a godsend if you are traveling and dealing with jet lag.
- During the day, the Energy Boosts and or the Perform All Boost can help with building energy in the mind and body, especially the nervous system. The nervous system needs to be strong in order for sleep to be strong as it serves to regulate sleep.
Photo by bruce mars
If you’ve been following me for a while, you know I hardly recommend any products. Most of them are all marketing hype with little or no real science behind them.
The HOLOS is based on NASA research on PEMF, how it affects the body, and what the optimal frequencies are for health. Redhealthwear has incorporated these guidelines into its devices, providing the ultimate in wellness devices.
Not only is this the easiest and most effective wellness device I’ve come across, it’s also one of the most affordable, given that you can expect it to last up to 5 years with the latest battery iteration (which you only need to charge once or twice a month for a few hours).
Amortize the cost over 5 years, and subtract any money you’d otherwise spend on sleep (and/or pain) meds, and you’ll see why I think it’s one of the best investments in your well-being you can make.
And Debbie Hart has made it ever more affordable right now, with a 20-30% off coupon (UPLIFT20 for 20% off one Balance Plus device, or UPLIFT30 for two or more devices). The Balance Plus is what I use because it has the PTSD/Depression automatic program cycle plus extra Boost programs, which is what I need. Sleep and circadian rhythm disruptions always lead to depression for me, so this support is crucial to preventing depression.
NOTE: This sale ends at midnight Mountain Time on April 30, so if you’ve been on the fence about it, now’s the time to act to save a good chunk of change.
Full disclosure: I am an enthusiastic affiliate for this product, so I get a commission if you buy through this link. I would appreciate that, but either way, you can get whatever discount she’s offering at the time. I have recommended only a handful of products, and this is the only wellness device I recommend now. (Here are my criteria for recommendations.)
Simple Health Rules to Live By
Posted by: | CommentsThere are a few simple rules I live by that have kept me functional despite multiple diagnoses (Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, GERD, osteoporosis, IBS–all of which seemed to be kept at bay):
1. Eat real food. And preferably, something that is live or raw at every meal.
Several years ago I heard a theory about orgone energy, “a universal life force hypothesized by Wilhelm Reich, supposed to emanate from all organic material, that purportedly plays a role in physical and mental health.” Reich believed that live foods maintain this life force, and if you eat something live at every meal, it will energize your body.
Though the Internet has poo-poohed Reich’s ideas, it makes sense to me that live foods would have a life force in them, and I don’t see how it can hurt to eat something with the life force in it at every meal.
Besides, so many of the real breakthroughs in science and other arenas come from those who “think outside the box.” First their ideas are ridiculed, until more and more evidence starts to confirm them. Finally, their ideas are accepted and moved “into the box”–until there is another paradigm shift from others who “think outside the box.” (Unless, of course, the powers that be who don’t want any other narratives but theirs to prevail use that power to “deplatform” and silence those who dare think outside the box. But we haven’t seen that happen, have we?)
2. Exercise every day, preferably outdoors, in nature. Even 20 minutes every day will lower your mortality, according to studies. Get some sunlight every day, even if it’s through one of those happy lights. Cut the blue light in the evening.
3. Live within your circadian rhythm. Every organ has its own little clock, and there is a master clock in your brain. Learn to know your own rhythms, especially optimal times for waking and getting to bed.
The HOLOS Balance devices really helps with this. It’s my all-time favorite wellness device, and in my opinion, better than anything else that’s way more expensive. Find out more here, and get 15% off if with this link.
4. Heal your heart issues. Start with your fears, and the lies you believe.
5. Practice gratitude. If you haven’t already, start keeping a gifts journal.
And if you need more personalized help with healing your heart issues, check out HealingCodesCoaching.com for options.
How I Got Through A Huge Healing/Trauma Response
Posted by: | CommentsLast week, I attended three days of an online business retreat that I thought, at the time, was fantastic.
I experienced transformation. I got ideas. I connected with people.
And it threw me into a massive 4-day healing response.
It was, apparently, too much, too fast.
Photo by Marc-Olivier Jodoin on Unsplash
The next day after the retreat, I was the usual Sunday tired.
On Monday, however, I was in pain. More stress hit when I had to drive my husband to a dental appointment in the teeming rain, where I couldn’t see in front of me and I was flanked by trucks also navigating construction barrels on the two highways I traversed.
Tuesday the pain got worse. It seemed to move all around my body. (I learned from a trauma expert that this can be a sign of trauma—trapped energy stored in the body.) I slept poorly that night.
Wednesday I could barely move, I was so tired and in pain. I rescheduled a client appointment–something I think I’ve only done two or three times in the past 13 years of coaching. (I’m nothing if not dependable!)
MORE Natural Approaches to Osteoporosis & Bone Health 2.0 Summit
Posted by: | CommentsAre you concerned about bone health?
According to the International Osteoporosis Foundation, it is estimated that worldwide, 200 million women suffer from osteoporosis. In addition, it is estimated that 1 in 3 women over age 50 will experience osteoporotic fractures, as well as 1 in 5 men. In the United States, it is estimated that 10 million people have osteoporosis, and another 44 million have low bone mass, which puts them at increased risk for developing osteoporosis.
My endocrinologist, who is responsible for my osteoporosis (he told me the medication for thyroid can cause bone loss, which is why he had to monitor my bone density), gave me some dire statistics about how many people die within a year of a hip fracture. (Why would he tell me this? Medical fear-mongering. . .)
However, the truth is, not all people with osteoporosis will fracture a bone, and not all people who have a hip fracture will die!
Especially if you’re doing all you can to increase and guard your bone health.
That’s why I’m recommending the MORE Natural Approaches to Osteoporosis & Bone Health 2.0 Summit, airing March 27-April 2, 2023 (encore weekend April 8-9).
I attended the first bone health summit by Margie Bessinger, and bought the excellent program. In the 50+ new interviews of this year’s summit, she and others will explore:
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The root causes of bone loss
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Safe exercises (with demonstrations) to strengthen and protect bones
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IMPORTANT exercise guidelines (+ dangerous exercises to avoid!)
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Nutrition and supplements for strong, healthy bones
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Two powerful cooking demonstrations of bone healthy meals + kitchen tips
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Fall prevention tips + movement practices for balance
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The impact of stress on bone health + stress reduction strategies
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How increased happiness can help protect your bones and your health
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Advanced topics, like when to use medication, oxalates, parathyroid issues, MCAS and mold
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And more!
Why attend this important health event?
Your host, Margie Bissinger, began working as a physical therapist with patients with osteoporosis over 25 years ago. These patients were told to exercise to help their condition, but were without guidance. To her dismay, many individuals were performing exercises that actually increased their risk of spinal fractures.
This inspired her to develop a wealth of strategies that have allowed thousands of people to improve their bone strength and live their lives without all the worries … and with more vitality and happiness than they ever knew was possible.
She’s here to inspire you with her expert guidance and wisdom.
Yes, you truly have the means to get started on better health today!
Note: When you register for MORE Natural Approaches to Osteoporosis & Bone Health 2.0, you’ll also unlock early-access interviews, complimentary guides and helpful eBooks about building strong bones and living your most resilient life! Here’s one on exercise that I thought was very helpful.
The Science of Prayer
Posted by: | CommentsDo you pray? Have you seen some pretty amazing answers to prayer?
I have. Prayer is a big part of my life. I’ve always known it works (though I don’t get everything exactly as I pray for), but the scientist in me always wondered if there is an explanation for how it works that’s outside of religion.
And perhaps there is. It’s all connected to the quantum field.
What’s the quantum field?
A quantum field is a theoretical concept that helps us understand how particles behave at the smallest scales in the universe. Imagine that the universe is like a giant, constantly shifting, vibrating fabric. This fabric is made up of tiny units of energy called particles (the threads, as it were), and each type of particle has its own unique energy field.
Quantum fields are the mathematical description of these energy fields, which fill all of space and time. They are constantly fluctuating and interacting with one another, creating particles that come into existence and then disappear again. It’s all about energy and information. What looks to be matter, is really energy vibrating at a low enough rate that we can perceive it with the senses.
The fascinating thing about these particles is that they do not exist in a definite state until they are observed or measured. Instead, they exist in a state of superposition, which means that they can be in multiple states at once.
This reminds me of some words that dropped into my mind out of nowhere one day: “All perspectives exist in the quantum field. Choose the perspective that leads to gratitude, joy, and peace.”
When we pray, we put out attention on a particular outcome, which already exists in the quantum field as a potentiality. Our very prayer (observation) allows that particle to “manifest” in the physical world.
Then there is the idea of quantum entanglement.
In quantum entanglement, two energy “particles” interact with each other, and there is a full download of information. They become “entangled,” so that each “particle” instantaneously possesses the same energy information as the other, and both experience the same state.
This is mentioned in The Healing Code, referencing an experiment where two strangers met briefly, then were put in Faraday cages (through which no outside electromagnetic energy can pass). The experimenters found that when they shined a light in the eyes of one of the men, the pupils of the other man constricted just as if the light were shining in his eyes at that moment, though he was in that Faraday cage some distance away and no light was actually being shined in his eyes.
That’s the thing about quantum entanglement: distance and time mean nothing. It appears to violate the laws of classical physics, which dictate that information cannot travel faster than the speed of light. In the case of entangled particles, information seems to be transmitted instantly, regardless of the distance between them.
Let’s translate all this to prayer. If God is the creator of this quantum field, and exists within and outside of it as well (I don’t think God is the quantum field itself, but he created it and sustains it), and everything is energy, we too are energy. We are electrical beings, and we can interact on many different levels both with each other, and with God.
Prayer is interaction on this non-physical, energetic level. We can get “entangled” with a certain desire that we present to God, uniting our intention with God’s, and that makes things happen in the physical world, which is just a certain manifestation of energy.
Of course, God always has veto power. He is in charge of what gets manifested: only that which is His sovereign will, governed by His love and infinite wisdom. (Thank God for that!)
We can also get “entangled” with another person and their need, and present that to God.
Important to note about prayer: it must be activated by a certain kind of energy, namely faith.
When Jesus healed on earth, he almost always linked it to faith: “Your faith has made you well.” The person believed that Jesus could heal, or at least that he might, and that was all that Jesus needed.
Remember the man who asked Jesus to heal his demonized son, and said to Jesus, “I believe; help my unbelief”? (Mark 9:24) Jesus said we only need faith the size of a mustard seed, the smallest of seeds, but if we plant it in the soil of God’s power, that’s enough to “move mountains.”
I love that science is now “explaining” things that were revealed thousands of years ago in religion. You don’t have to know how to build a highway to drive on it, but you do have to know a few rules of the highway to use it effectively and safely. We don’t need science to explain prayer in order to pray, but it’s wonderful to know that science supports what we already knew from spiritual teachings.
All truth is God’s truth, after all. True science always reveals something more of God’s ways.
If this topic interests you and you want to know more, I think you’ll really like the book, Quantum Glory: The Science of Heaven Invading Earth by Phil Mason. It presents the science of quantum physics in the light of Scripture. I kept having to put it down to take in the wonder of it all, and give thanks and praise to the Creator who set things up so amazingly.
Hidden Stressors-Part Four-toxins
Posted by: | CommentsIn this series on hidden stressors, I’ve mostly focused on the emotional aspects.
For many of us, this is the kind of stress that’s easiest to hide, especially if we’ve grown up with Childhood Emotional Neglect (CEN), or are high on the sensitivity spectrum.
Another reason I’ve focused on the emotional, is emotional issues can predispose us to being more vulnerable to yet another hidden source of stress: toxins.
All of us are subject to this hidden physical stress.
Toxins lurk in our food, water, air, cosmetics, household cleaners, even fabrics.
They also lurk in the energy around us, in the form of electromagnetic frequencies (EMF) and dirty electricity.
I don’t think I have to go into detail about all this. No doubt you’re aware of it, and may feel a little helpless about what to do about it all.
However, we are not helpless at all. There is one main thing we can do to keep healthy, and that is to focus on the immune and nervous systems. Read More→
