Turning A Corner

I am so happy to see myself turning a corner in many ways regarding arthritis and getting settled in following retirement. It has taken me a little while to make the adjustment to the new rhythm of my life and while I was trying to do that I have had to deal with a major arthritis flare-up, but I am finding a great amount of relief. I am getting bi weekly massage and acupuncture treatments along with my usual cocktail of herbal therapies and major dietary controls that have been a part of my practice for many years. I have included a new therapy which is really working well. It is very simple. I was told to make a poultice from Castor Oil ( 2-3 oz.) on a cotton or flannel cloth and place it on the affected area. Then I cover that with plastic and place my heating pad on that and do that about three times a day for about 45 minutes. It has helped my inflamed knee tremendously. In addition to this I use many essential oils and one blend that I made which has helped me a lot is a combination of Naiouli, Lavender, Chamomile and Clary Sage which I mix in Peanut Oil because of the healing properties of Peanut Oil. If you who read this blog have any interest in hearing more about the proportions of the essential oil blend email me and I will send you the recipe. My email is kayma53@cox.net or write me back on my blog.
In addition to all of the things that I do for arthritis on a daily basis, I include water therapy and work on trying to rest and find ways to balance my life between the work that I do. It is finally getting clear to me that it is important to make sure that I have as much balance as possible. Though I have known this for a long time, it hasn't been easy to do this, especially when my children were little. But now my children are adults and I have a new freedom as a retired woman, it is time to explore how to have even more balance than I have ever experienced before. It is a wonderful time and I am looking forward to moving ahead to a New Year of more peace and greater balance.
I hope to hear from you.
Peace and blessings.

Reflections

It is now six days since President elect Barack Obama was chosen by more than 62 million Americans and I continue to find myself so excited and proud. I have not spent much time during my years on this earth being especially proud to be an American. I have found myself spending my time thinking more about all of the things that needed to be done to make this country more of a place that was supportive of the life that I wanted to live and to make it a place which would be more welcoming to me, my children and all people of color. Along with this response to what has seemed like a call to me to use my gifts and talents to build bridges has been a total commitment to the idea of teaching any people who would listen as much as possible about learning to listen to your heart and to try to live as close to their own personal truth as possible.
It is indeed a great challenge to try to hear what is in your heart and it is an even greater challenge to try to live many of the messages that come to our attention when we do listen. But the election has generated so much really good energy and it is so wonderful to see this beautiful couple and their beautiful little girls who will be moving into the White House. In a way it is ironic that it is called a White House given the racial history that we have in this country and that makes the moving of a black family into the the facility even more wonderful. Of course when the place was built and named, there was no thought that anyone other than white men would be moving into the facility. That day has come and gone and let's hope and pray that it never returns. We are a country of diverse people and we need to see all kinds of folks doing all of the designated jobs of importance. We still have a long way to go to get where we need to be, but we took a giant step in the right direction last Tuesday and I am so thankful
We all need to roll up our sleeves and get to the work of making the country better in our own small ways. If each of us will take up the personal challenge to do all that we can to make the world a better place, it will be amazing to see what good can come to us.
Peace and many blessings to all who read this note.
Catherine

Faithfulness

The challenge of rheumatoid arthritis has taught me a lot about faithfulness as I go through each day enduring pain and trying to find a path that will be less painful and that will help me to make permanent progress toward getting better. There are days when I think that I will simply abandon the effort to approach this challenge in ways that will be healthier for me through the use of dietary changes, supplements and exercise. I know that this is a good plan because I have been on this path for mor than twenty years now. However, I continue to find it very hard to navigate my way through some of the more pain filled days. But I must hasten to say that there is always some help that comes to me especially on the days when I feel the most like simply callling it quits and going to get some heavy duty arthiritis medicine and taking it. I have refrained from doing that and I continue to be grateful that I have been given the grace to stay with my intention to get better without taking a lot of drugs that will have negative side effects. I have been on this more natural path for over 20 years and I am very fortunate to have a physician who is supportive and respectful of my right to make some decisons for myself about the way that I want to try to get well. Her support is invaluable.
I am so much better than I was a few months ago and I will continue to get better because I am going to stay focused and I am not ever going to give up on myself and my ability to get well.
I believe that my attitude and my continued commitment to staying focused on the plan that I have adopted for myself and in maintaining that plan no matter what happens or how I feel. It works and I know that in the not to distant future, I will be completely well.
Blessings and Peace,

Gratitude

Gratitude is one of the best ways to empower your life. When you take the time to count the many gifts that come into your life on a daily basis it makes it harder to be overwhelmed by the challenges of daily life. As we move through each day the national and international issues can seem so daunting and when those are added to our individual daily life challenges, it can be easy to allow despair into our consciousness and when that happens we lose some of our personal power which is hard to regain at times if we do not find a way to diffuse the negative energy that is generated by our thoughts and feelings.
It is helpful to keep a small journal on a daily basis which chronicles some of the many things for which you have to be thankful. For instance the things that we often take for granted such as sight, good health, good friends, healthy families, employment, resources that make it possible for us to do some of the things that we enjoy and many other small and large gifts that make life better.
The journal record is good because it can be reread on some of the days when you find yourself needing to remember that life is actually not so bad.
Gratitiude is a tool of empowerment and if you find yourself needed to feel a bit more powerful, try being truly thankful for a few consecutive days and see the difference that it will make in
your attitude and eventually your daily approach to life.
Blessings and peace,
Catherine

Beginnings

I am happy to begin this new part of my journey by sharing my thoughts and ideas
with many others who are on the journey to wellness and health and who are trying
to find the best ways to be healthy and happy.