1) This is our Brain-in western society We tend to be left or right sided in our thinking with little cross over.

2) This is in contrast to Eastern thinking- Where there is balance within the energy systems- There is a little yin within the yang and a little yang within the yin.

3) As a result of our “thinking minds” – We get stuck in the cycle of thoughts triggering an emotion, which triggers another thought triggering another emotion, and round and round we go!

4) How do we break this cycle? With a mind-body-spirit approach to medicine (i.e. naturopathic medicine). Mind is another word for where we house our thoughts, body is another word for where we feel our emotions, and spirit is what is necessary to break the thought/emotion connection. We need to BREATHE deeply to calm our minds, create a “space” in our thoughts. We need to sit in our emotions and allow them to come up without any thought or judgement from our mind.

A useful meditation is:

1) Right side = yang side = masculine/go go/power side -connect that with the center of your female energy by putting right hand on the belly button.

This is where you were connected to your mother in her womb – the center of your female energy.

2) Left side = yin side =healing/feminine/calm side -connect healing energy of the left hand with the part of your body that needs the healing – i.e. place over heart, stomach, head, forehead – wherever you feel, intuitively, that you need the healing.

3) Now breathe, slowly and deeply, through your nose into your belly so that your right hand rises. Exhale, breathe in again, sending the healing power of the breath to your left hand. Allow the breath to gather up any tension, negativity, emotions, self-doubt, etc and send it out with the exhale. Repeat/continue breathing for 2-200 breaths (or for however many – there is NO limit) Use this as step 3 of the 6 R’s please see sheet