A Center for Natural Healing

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(Episode 82) Shamanic Healing for the Five Elements

March 13, 2024

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Welcome to our latest episode, where we delve into the pursuit of balance through elemental practices. When we discuss the elements, we are referring to the five Chinese elements: Earth, Wood, Metal, Fire, and Water. Join us as we explore how these practices can enhance our well-being, harmony, and balance in today’s fast-paced world.

Key Themes:

Balance and Harmony: We discuss the crucial role of achieving balance in our lives and how connecting with the five Chinese elements can lead to mental, physical, and emotional harmony.
Shamanic Traditions: We encourage listeners to engage with shamanic practices to balance the five elements.
Connecting with the Elements:
- Earth: Learn how drumming and preparing food can help you connect with the earth element.
- Wood: We talk about hugging trees and listening to the wind to strengthen your wood energy.
- Metal: Discover how wind chimes, singing bowls, and crystals can help you align with metal energy.
- Water and Fire: Understand the importance of balancing these opposing forces through moon and solar gazing, and why spending time near water can cultivate Ying energy.
Leadership and Organization: We delve into how wood energy is associated with leadership and metal with organization, offering insights for those looking to improve in these areas.
Creative and Calming Practices: The episode covers how to stimulate creativity with Fire and calm the mind with Water, as well as safe alternatives to direct sun gazing.

Even if you just have 5 minutes, fast forward to one of these key moments, then bookmark this episode for later to learn:

[00:00] Introduction to the concept of balance and harmony through elemental energies for overall well-being.
[04:30] Discussion on the significance of grounding in the year of the Yang Wood Dragon.
[06:50] Importance of integrating shamanic traditions to balance the five Chinese elements for personal harmony.
[08:40] The role of astrology in self-awareness and its limitations without the addition of personal growth and free will.
[10:20] Practices to connect with the Earth element: drumming and cooking.
[12:05] Techniques for connecting with Wood energy: tree hugging and listening to the wind.
[14:00] Using wind chimes, singing bowls, and crystals to align with the metal element.
[15:35] Leadership and wood energy, organization and metal energy: exploring their interconnections.
[17:20] Engaging with Water and Fire energies through moon and solar gazing.
[19:10] Recommendations for inviting more Water energy into one’s life for Ying energy and balance.
[21:00] Calming the mind with Water practices and stimulating creativity with Fire practices.
[22:45] Advice on safe sun gazing.
[24:30] The healing benefits of altering old patterns and enhancing consciousness through these elemental practices.
[26:10] Emphasizing the role of nature in achieving relaxation and deepening awareness.

Resources Mentioned in This Episode

Download the Microcosmic & Macrocosmic Orbit Meditations at ⁠acenterfornaturalhealing.com/shop⁠⁠⁠.

Strengthen your immune system, restore your gut health, and improve joint mobility and circulation with our unique line of expertly formulated probiotics, digestive enzymes and proteolytic enzymes at www.aharabotanics.com. Use promo code HEALTHY10 for 10% off your first order!

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(Episode 81) Reset in 2024: Wellness Tips for the Year of the Dragon

February 28, 2024

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Welcome to the Year of the Yang Wood Dragon. This year we’re also entering Period 9, a twenty year cycle. The number 9 represents Fire, so this will be a time of expansion, enthusiasm, passion, evaluation, and a time of letting go.

In this episode you’ll learn more about this new year to come as well as tips on how to calm your mind so you can reevaluate and get clear about what you truly want to create for yourself in years to come.

Even if you just have 5 minutes, fast forward to one of these key moments, then bookmark this episode for later to learn:

[1:40] all about the Chinese New Year and an overview of 2024 from a Chinese astrological perspective

[12:01] how to easily ground Wind patterns, which can manifest as chaos, dizziness, high blood pressure, headaches, irritable bowel syndrome, etc.

[14:02] why your connection to Earth is important, how our modern Western society often breaks that connection and how you can rebuild it

[16:04] why moving your body and cultivating flexibility is essential for longevity and quality of life

[17:35] Salvador leads you through a simple Qigong exercise

[22:12] tips to work from home to keep your energy up and set your body up for health

[23:45] why having this area of your body open will help with your focus, clarity and productivity

Resources Mentioned in This Episode

Ready to try a natural deodorant that actually works? Click to learn about Wild deodorant. With a fully sustainable design, Wild is vegan, cruelty free, contains all natural ingredients and scent combinations using essential oils.
Use promo code naturalhealing at checkout for 25% off your first order!

Download the Microcosmic & Macrocosmic Orbit Meditations at ⁠acenterfornaturalhealing.com/shop⁠⁠⁠.

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(Episode 80) Overcoming Obstacles to Cultivating a Positive Mindset: A Five Element Approach

January 10, 2024

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This episode will shift your mind! There are key ways to cultivate a positive mindset that have nothing to do with thinking more positively, or thinking at all.

Cultivating positivity involves addressing Five Element patterns within your health that'll allow you to make changes physically, emotionally and mentally to have your best year yet.

In this episode, you'll learn the 5 key patterns to focus on, including improving your gut health, so that you can cultivate a positive mindset with far less effort, and set goals you’ll actually achieve this new year and beyond.

Even if you only have a few minutes to spare, fast forward to any of these segments then bookmark this episode for later:

6:00 what’s most essential for you to make a positive global impact
10:00 foods to help purify your mind
12:10 how to overcome your fear
13:20 your life purpose and why it’s important to open your heart
14:38 the important role of the Lungs to let go of trauma and experience forgiveness
15:36 one of the easiest ways to shift patterns when you feel stuck and can’t let go
16:15 why it’s hard to change your mind, and what to do instead
17:00 lowering your stress response to protect your Lungs and Liver
19:00 how your brain wave frequency affects your vibrational frequency
19:28 what we can do to start to shift the way the world is vibrating right now
21:00 a summary of 5 key things you can do to set goals you can actually achieve
23:31 the most important question to ask yourself in order to get what you truly want

You’ll learn powerful ways to improve your gut health, strengthen your Kidney energy, calm your Heart, settle your nervous system, break patterns of of anger and frustration, and strengthen your immune system.

Once you’ve listened, let us know in the comments below — what was your biggest takeaway from this episode?

Resources Mentioned in this Episode

Click to download your free audio guide: How to Improve Your Gut Health in Just One Week!

Create your podcast today! #madeonzencastr

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(Episode 79) Foods for Brain Health and Longevity

December 20, 2023

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Regardless of whether you’re listening to this episode during wintertime, you’ll learn about key foods and practices that will support your brain health and longevity.

Winter is related to the Water Element and in particular the Kidneys, which store your essence, known as Jing. Jing is the foundation for brain health, longevity and disease prevention.

Even if you just have five minutes, fast forward to one of these key moments, then bookmark this video for later to learn:

[7:35] an ancient nutrition technique to restore hormone balance

[11:40] five types of foods that help nourish the Kidneys

[12:57] foods that are especially beneficial for brain health

[14:25] the cholesterol myth (and what actually causes high cholesterol)

[15:40] a key way to regulate your hormones and curb cravings

[16:39] important oils to support brain health

[18:05] the most important meat to support your Kidneys that also strengthens your sinews and bones and can help alleviate neurological conditions

[19:20] the proper way to integrate spices into your diet

[20:30] what to eat if you tend to have cold hands and feet

[23:23] a powerful visualization practice guided by Salvador to reduce anxiety and support longevity

[29:37] what’s essential to lower your stress (and cortisol) levels to reduce morning anxiety

Resources Mentioned in This Episode

Click here to try out a wonderful natural deodorant by Wild! It has a fully sustainable design, vegan, cruelty free, all natural ingredients and you can choose your case color, the scent combinations using essential oils. Use promocode: naturalhealing at checkout for a discount of 25% off your first order. Enjoy!

Click to download your free audio guide on How to Improve Your Gut Health in Just One Week!

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Click here to download a transcript of episode 77.

(Episode 77) Depressed? Essential Oils to Help You Navigate Sadness & Depression (Part 1) and (Episode 78) Depressed? Healing Chronic Depression with Essential Oils (Part 2)

November 22, 2023

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Episode 77 Preview

Globally this is a time of great sadness, anger, and confusion. This level of suffering that is taking place in the world currently is so strong, that as a part of humanity, we are all going to suffer to varying degrees.

When the outer world is in chaos, it’s essential that we cultivate our inner world more deeply. We can create change in the external world by simply changing our individual consciousness.

In this episode, you’ll learn how to navigate difficult emotions through the use of essential oils.

By using your great privilege and awareness to do inner work, cultivation, learning and self-healing, you can make great contributions to the global healing.

To move through the emotions of grief and sadness, we have to regulate the Qi (energy) of both the Lungs and Liver, as well as the Spleen and Stomach, according to Chinese Medicine. In this episode, you’ll learn why this is important as well as how to do this through the use of essential oils.

You’ll learn all about three specific essential oils — Bergamot, Patchouli, and Cumin — that can help relax your central nervous system to reduce anxiety and depression, and improve sleep and digestion.

And as you regulate your Qi from the inside to find your light, you can illuminate the darkness in the world.

Resources Mentioned in Episodes 77 & 78

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Episode 78 Preview

Click here to download a transcript of episode 78

When you're feeling down, know that there's always a solution to bring you back. There's a lot to learn from these emotional states, but it's also important to have tools to navigate these emotions to learn from these experiences and to create a ripple effect to heal the collective.

Regulating the Liver is essential to reduce depression, as well as fortifying the Spleen and Stomach.

In this episode, we’re going to focus on invigorating the blood. The blood in Chinese Medicine is said to store the emotions, the trauma, the memories.

Invigorating the blood can help liberate you from depression.

We’ll discuss three oils to help invigorate the blood and alleviate depression: Litsea (which can also relieve anxiety), Frankincense (which is known as a wound healer, physically and emotionally) and Sandalwood (which is also an important oil to relax your nervous system).

Just by smelling the essential oils, you’ll notice a shift in your mood.

At [7:15] Dr. Setareh Moafi will guide you through a gentle breathing exercise that’ll help you understand the important relationship between the Lungs and the Liver. This will also help you understand the power of essential oils that we discuss in both episodes 77 and 78 to relax the Liver and allow you to breathe more deeply.

It’s no wonder that breathing is such an essential part of meditation and relaxation.

At [10:00] Salvador describes an easy acupuncture point that opens the diaphragm and can be used to apply these essential oils to relieve nausea, aid digestion, breathe more deeply and relax your chest for anxiety.

At [11:02] Salvador shares a formula of essential oils you can use to create a bath to help you sleep, reduce anxiety and calm your nervous system at the end of a stressful day.

You’ll also learn how to use the essential oils as a tool to address more chronic depression at [14:24].

At [16:57] you’ll learn the risks of taking a lot of supplements, as well as why it’s so important to limit the amount of information, food and stimulation you take in to prevent and reduce depression.

At [18:15] you’ll learn how coffee and dark chocolate may not be as beneficial as you might think when you’re dealing with anxiety and depression.

The essential oils can be powerful to liberate you from chronic sadness and depression. The work you do on an individual level will enhance the collective and make you more available for what the world is needing right now.

What was your key takeaway from either or both of these episodes? Let us know in the comments below!

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(Episode 76) Moving Through Grief: 3 Essential Oils to Help You Let Go

November 1, 2023

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Essential oils are allies from nature that defend us from the external world as well as from our internal battles.

Today we’re exploring essential oils in relation to the Metal Element. You’ll learn how imbalances in personality and emotional state can be harmonized using essential oils.

Essential Oils for the Metal Element

Essential oils can help us when we feel weak and vulnerable to the elements, including bacteria, viruses, wind and cold. They can also help us with social factors when feeling uncomfortable in a social situation.

These oils can help us support the functions of the Lungs and Large Intestine, the organs related to the Metal Element, which relates to our immunity.

Many of them help when you’re having difficulty with inspiration in terms of your breathing but also they help with feeling a lack of creativity; when you feel despondent so you can feel more inspired.

Grief could come from a loss of any kind – work, friend, partner, etc.

Essential oils are allies that fortify your soul. Each of the Five Element organ systems have a specific soul expression. The soul of the Lungs is called Po.

Three primary souls inhabit the body – Liver stores Hun, Shen holds onto your experiences and direct experiences with Spirit, and Po is the Corporeal Body which is the most dense aspect of your soul that helps you feel grounded and embodied.

Essential oils related to the Metal Element will help you feel more grounded and more whole within yourself. This is associated with Wei Qi, which is produced by the Lungs via the Spleen and Stomach, and circulates on the exterior to help us defend against external factors as well as social factors that may make us feel vulnerable.

The Lungs, Grief & Self-Definition

One of the virtues of the Lungs is this idea of inspiration. Inspiration can relate to inhalation, taking a deep breath, but it can also relate to motivation and the inspiration to create and be alive.

The first breath you take separates you from your mother and gives you a distinct self-definition. Your final breath takes you out of your body and into the next world.

When the Lungs are weak or stagnant, we start to feel sadness, grief and especially apathy, which is the opposite of inspiration. One thing that’s important to do is strengthen and boost Qi of the Lungs and also clear the stagnation that comes from phlegm in the Lungs that makes us feel more stuck in our lives. (You can learn more about the relationship between the Lungs and grief in this article).

During Autumn, it’s important to moisten the Lungs (we talked about this in episode 74) to combat the dryness that’s common during this time.

On a psychological level, as you nourish Lung Yin, you’re also nourishing your sense of self so it helps you feel more grounded within yourself. The Po of the Lungs is this dense energy that helps you feel more grounded and whole within yourself and more present in the moment.

The stronger your Lungs, the stronger your sense of identity and your sense of embodiment.

Essential Oils & The Final Transition: Death

At [10:00] Salvador describes the recent loss of his father and how he worked with essential oils during the last five days of his life to let go of the Po and fully transition. Salvador describes in detail the beautiful final days and moments of his father’s journey.

3 Essential Oils to Help You Cope with Grief

Pine
Pine essential oil is a warming, drying and spicy mucolytic essential oil that’s commonly used by Native Americans. Pine essential oil helps to strengthen your Qi and is one of the most powerful oils to clear Cold Phlegm (as discussed in Episode 75).
Psychologically, Pine essential oil invigorates the Po by opening the chest, helping you feel less oppressed and giving you self-confidence.
Pine reduces melancholy, pessimism, shame and blame by improving self-image. It’s also an excellent oil to use when you’re feeling stuck.
Pine essential oil is also a great oil to help you when you’re feeling burdened with guilt and to help you let go, which is the greatest virtue of the Lungs.
Clary Sage
Clary Sage essential oil is an uplifting floral oil that’s often used for hormonal balance. Clary Sage essential oil is warming, dry, boosts Qi and also circulates Qi.
It helps when you feel wired and tired, is uplifting and helps you feel more inspired. It’s also an essential oil that helps with sadness and grief and to support the Po.
Cypress
Cypress essential oil is perhaps the most important oil to use when you’re dealing with grief and loss. The Greeks planted cypress trees in graveyards to help the deceased souls in times of grief.
Cypress is astringent, so it’s commonly used when there’s leakage of Qi such as excessive sweating or urination. Cypress is antispasmodic and mucolytic.
It’s an especiialy important essential oil when someone is suffering from grief and when stuck in grief.

Remember that sadness and grief can weaken the Lungs over time, so during times of transition it’s especially important to support the Lungs with essential oils and time in nature to avoid compromising the Lungs.

Essential oils can provide support for your immune system, your mood, as well as to help you move through times when you feel stuck.

As Dr. Setareh states: “Nature is always there to support you.”

What did you think of this episode? Did you find these essential oils helpful during this challenging time?

Resources Mentioned in This Episode

Download the Microcosmic & Macrocosmic Orbit Meditations at ⁠⁠acenterfornaturalhealing.com/shop⁠⁠.

Strengthen your immune system, restore your gut health, and improve joint mobility and circulation with our unique line of expertly formulated probiotics, digestive enzymes and proteolytic enzymes at www.aharabotanics.com. Use promo code HEALTHY10 for 10% off your first order!

Loved this episode?

Thank you!

Click here to download a transcript of our conversation with Lance Schuttler.

(Episode 73) Solutions for Brain Health and Happiness with Lance Schuttler

September 20, 2023

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In this episode you’ll learn about the wonders of natural healing for mental health and physical well-being with repeat guest speaker, Lance Schuttler. If you missed Episode 60: How to Optimize Your Brain Health with Lance Schuttler, you can listen to that episode to learn even more.

Re-Introducing Lance Schuttler, Founder of Ascent Nutrition

Lance Schuttler graduated from the University of Iowa with a bachelor's degree in Health Science and is the CEO and owner of Ascent Nutrition, a unique, holistic nutrition company. He is also contributing health and wellness writer at the Epoch Times. His work also includes the topics of regenerative agriculture, resource based economies and quantum technologies. He's a facilitator and collaborator of big ideas, visions and projects that spark creative and healing solutions in our world.

Getting Empowered through Natural Healing

While we don’t discourage pharmaceutical drugs, we discuss in this podcast episode the nuances of using both pharmaceuticals and natural healing herbs and foods in combination for a more holistic journey to self-healing. This empowers you to take charge of your own health and well-being.

You’ll learn about how spices can help lift your mood, in particular we delve deep into a spice that’s commonly used in Persian cuisine, known as saffron, which comes from a flower.

If you’re curious to learn more about spices in particular, you’ll definitely want to check out Episode 4: Spice Up Your Life: Using Culinary Spices & Essential Oils to Increase Your Zest for Life to learn how spices can affect your mood.

In this episode, we go into detail on how taking Saffron, Lion’s Mane and Agarikon mushrooms can greatly heal your brain health, mental health, respiratory system, immune system, nervous system, and even boost your motivation.

You’ll hear the scientific explanation, as well as the Classical Chinese medicine perspective, and the spiritual perspective for how all this healing is possible just from taking different herbs and foods.

Once you’ve listened, let us know your experience in the comments below!

Resources Mentioned in This Episode

Click here to visit Ascent Nutrition & enter the promo code NH10 at checkout to get a special discount off any of the products we mention in this episode!

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(Episode 72) Ancient Secrets for a Healthy Immune System

August 23, 2023

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In this week’s episode we discuss the Classical Chinese medicine perspective on the relationship between the Heart and Kidneys. In past episodes we’ve discussed the Water and Fire paths and the relationship between these two organ systems in terms of movement and in terms of discovering and living out your life purpose (Listen to episodes 67, 69, and 70).

In this episode we talk about this important relationship in terms of your immune health, and how a healthy immune system is in large part determined by the health of your immune system.

Stress is widely known to cause health problems but the nuances of stress levels matters. Too much stress is not good for you, but also too little stress is equally not good.

Eustress is a type of stress that leads to a positive response and can refer to any type of beneficial stress, whether physical or psychological. Eustress tends to be short-term and often feels exciting, and people perceive it as manageable and even motivating.

Major health problems arise when there is chronic stress that taxes the nervous system, debilitating the adrenals.

To contrast the effects of stress, it’s important to rectify your Qi.

To prevent chronic stress from creating chronic health issues, it’s important to practice more mindfulness as well as exercises that calm anxiety and relax the nervous system. This will help resolve your unhealed wounds, including your psychological wounds.

You’ll learn an easy and short breathing exercise that will help reduce stress in your body and mind at [9:03], as well as help you draw the energy of the Heart down into the Kidneys to deepen this communication.

Learn more why this exercise is so helpful [8:20] and practice this exercise anytime [9:03] whenever you need to rectify your Qi and to restore balance between your Heart and Kidneys.

In this way, you’ll be able to bring the Fire of the Heart into the Water of the Kidneys in order to cultivate self-love.

By bringing this love into your Heart and down to your Kidneys, you can radiate from yourself into the world and to the people around you.

Once you’ve listened, let us know your experience in the comments below!

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(Episode 70) Unleashing Your Power

July 19, 2023

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In episode 67 you learned how you can use the Water Path to ground yourself and in episode 69 we discussed how the Fire Path can help you to lighten up. In this episode, you’ll learn how you can use the Water Path to generate energy to tap into your power and potential.

The Fire Path creates short term energy bursts, while the Water Path gives you endurance and stamina. But in order to have more energy, you have to rest.

You’ll learn a special Water Path breathing exercise to help you generate power and realize that you’re much stronger than you think [06:10].

We often think we have to exert a lot of energy to achieve our goals (Fire energy) but if we rest and use intention (Water energy) we become more powerful than we ever believed we could be.

There is unlimited potential within us, but we often don’t tap into it because we try to do it through striving instead of through cultivating ourselves. The actions we do or want to do are just as important as the intentions behind those actions.

Water Path breathing is stabilizing and is a great practice for any standing or movement activity.

It’s important to have intention around your posture because not paying attention to where your energy is going can lead to burnout.

Awareness is the first step to healing and the first step to maintain and build your energy. When you do the Water Path breathing exercise while you’re sitting or standing, you’ll not only cultivate your Qi, but you’ll also strengthen your Spleen, which is a major component of your gut health.

Improving your gut health or maintaining your gut health is essential to your mental clarity. Many of the neurotransmitters and hormones we once thought were produced in the brain are actually produced in the gut.

When you sit or stand for long periods it taxes the Spleen, as does overthinking, and all of this eventually impacts your body’s ability to produce neurotransmitters. This can cause you to feel more depressed or feel off in some way. You won’t be able to focus, and it effects your immune system. 70% of your immune cells are produced in your gut.

The other important thing to remember is hydration which is discussed in depth at the end of the episode.

Once you’ve listened, let us know your experience in the comments below!

Resources Mentioned This Episode:

Gain exclusive insights and support so you can begin your journey From Surviving to Thriving. You’ll get your copy of Dr. Setareh’s new eBook FREE when you sign up.

Sign up now for Dr. Setareh’s free LIVE webinar 3 Secrets to Getting Unstuck in Uncertain Times.

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(Episode 69) Lighten Up: How to Cultivate your Fire Energy

July 5, 2023

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The burden of stress can create tension in the body and mind. By learning how to work with the Fire Path, you can learn how to use this breathing method to relax and loosen chronic tension patterns and ease the burden of mental and emotional strain so you can lighten up. This is especially important if you struggle with anxiety and depression, and generally it’s for all during the Fire season of Summer.

While it’s important to be grounded and to practice earthing, which we discussed in Episode 67, it’s also important to have buoyancy in life, and to be able to lift your mood when life feels heavy.

You’ll learn specific exercises you can do right at home, or anywhere, to release stagnant Fire energy and bring lightness to your body, heart and mind.

Dr. Setareh and Salvador share about the power of shaking, dancing, and finding other ways to express your Fire energy, as well as a visualization exercise to open up the Fire Path in your body.

Harmonizing the Fire and Water Paths is essential and in this episode you’ll also learn which of the paths to focus on at any given time to ground yourself and lighten up.

Once you’ve listened, let us know your experience in the comments below!

Resources Mentioned This Episode:

Gain exclusive insights and support so you can begin your journey From Surviving to Thriving now. Sign up now and receive a free eBook written by Dr. Setareh

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(Episode 68) Demystifying Internal Martial Arts with Brandon Gilbert

June 28, 2023

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This episode we welcome back previous guest speaker Brandon Gilbert (Episode 58). In the last episode, Brandon shared about medicinal mushrooms and tonic herbs, but today he’s going to share more about his personal cultivation practices, including the ancient practice of Nei Gong.

Meet Brandon Gilbert, Founder of Hyperion Herbs

Brandon Gilbert has been deeply interested in studying Eastern philosophy since the age of 14. A serial entrepreneur, he started his first business in 2006 after going deep in the alternative health field to resolve his own health issues.

Brandon felt motivated to share his views and experiences with a larger audience. He created the YouTube channel HyperionTv.com in 2009, built up a following, then founded Hyperion Herbs in 2010 to share purely potent tonic herbs and make them accessible and easily available like never before.

Brandon has taught many classes and workshops both online and in person on a wide variety of subjects, ranging from alternative health and healing modalities, herbalism, internal arts and Eastern philosophy.

In addition to running Hyperion Herbs and Hyperion TV, Brandon spends and invests many hours every day training internal arts like Qigong, Neigong, Tai Chi, Chuan and various sitting practices.

Introduction to the Internal Martial Arts

In this week’s episode you’ll learn all about the nuances between similar (often mistakenly interchangeable) terms of internal martial arts such as: Qi Gong, Nei Gong, and Tai Chi.

Many of these internal martial arts believe that our spiritual self, qi, is interconnected with the physical body, shen. If you benefit one the other can benefit, and if you degrade one, the other can degrade as well. In this episode you’ll learn how they are similar and how they greatly differ with one another.

Unfortunately, in our modern-day society it’s the norm to always be stressed, to always be in conflict, and to be overstimulated. This creates blockages in your channels, creating physical and mental ailments. If you slow down and practice these internal arts, your body and mind will heal.

Be sure to listen in to hear the warning Brandon gives about jumping head first into these practices. If you jump into these seated practices before cultivating your body health issues can arise. You also may feel spacey or ungrounded as a result.

Often times, when you work on the body, feeling more internally comfortable and at ease in your physiology, your mental problems like anxiety or depression, naturally ease. It’s like your mind is taking a sigh of relief, releasing these heavy weights of mental problems.

Minds are stubborn and it can be really challenging to change them. Instead you can use your body to change your mind. It’s very empowering when you do these mindfulness practices through the internal martial arts.

Once you’ve listened, let us know your experience in the comments below!

Resources Mentioned This Episode:

Gain exclusive insights and support so you can begin your journey From Surviving to Thriving now.

Balance your yin and yang energies to shift mental, physical, and emotional patterns that would otherwise lead to accelerated aging, illness, and disease — click here to learn how with the Microcosmic and Macrocosmic Orbit meditations.

Experience a life of endless possibilities by downloading this free audio guide.

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Click here to download a transcript of our conversation.

(Episode 67) Grounding: The Secret to Longevity

June 7, 2023

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Share your thoughts in the comments below after you’ve listened to the episode. We’d love to hear from you!

According to the Chinese luni-solar calendar, Summer began on May 6th in the Northern Hemisphere. It’s important to cool down both physically and energetically at this, as well as if you tend to feel anxious, restless or have inflammation in general. In this episode, you’ll learn how to achieve this by doing a variety of easy daily practices.

Many people think they should exercise vigorously all year round to be healthy, however it is best to live life seasonally. As Dr. Setareh says in this episode to be healthy year round is, “to live with the rhythm of nature.”

Summer is associated with the Fire Element, which can cause us to feel more stimulated, anxious, restless, distractible, and emotional.

To ease these seasonal effects — and if you tend to generally be anxious, restless or have inflammation — it’s important to cool your body down by grounding, rather than by overexerting with vigorous exercise.

There are many ways to ground yourself. A few examples are by practicing qi gong, meditation, yoga, mindfulness, and by being in the moment and not living in the past nor future.

By focusing on the cooling aspects of these practices, you can help anchor the Fire from this season within yourself.

You’ll learn two go-to exercises Dr. Setareh and Salvador recommend for grounding in this episode!

Once you’ve listened, let us know your experience in the comments below!

Resources Mentioned This Episode:

Experience a life of endless possibilities by downloading this free audio guide.

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Click here to download a transcript of Part 1 of our conversation with Ann.

(Episodes 64 & 65) The Power of Intention with Ann Cecil-Sterman, Part 1 & 2

May 3, 2023

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Share your thoughts in the comments below after you’ve listened to the episode. We love to hear from you!

Click here to download a transcript of Part 2 of our conversation with Ann.

Welcoming Ann Cecil-Sterman, Author of Advanced Acupuncture

Ann Cecil Sterman is the author of three major books, including Advanced Acupuncture, a clinic manual acclaimed as the first and only text with complete protocols for all the channels of acupuncture, a book used often as the sole basis for several online courses presented by many teachers around the world.

Ann works to return acupuncture to its inspiring classical roots, not just to the Han Dynasty writings, but even earlier. She teaches in three continents and offers a twice monthly online chat where practitioners new and established present cases and ask any level of question. She graduated from and then taught for six years at the acupuncture school founded by Dr. Jeffrey Yuen in New York.

During and after her time there for over 20 years, she received thousands of hours of direct transmissions from him in acupuncture, pulse, diagnosis, history, food, herbs, essential oils, stones, qigong and philosophy. In her busy Manhattan practice, which she loves, she specializes in seemingly intractable conditions.

In Part 1, you’ll learn:

How time alone in England recently changed Ann’s views of teaching
Why, as Ann states: “the greatest enemy to broad thinking and expansion of consciousness is fact.”
Why you must raise your courage to question what’s considered true
Great advice for both healthcare practitioners and those of you who simply want more tools for your self-cultivation
How you can access a resonance to your essence without needles or tangible tools, simply through the power of intention
How Covid lockdowns catalyzed the profession of acupuncture to go into a different direction, and how this change will make the benefits of this practice more accessible to a wider audience
As Salvador states: “We have to learn, especially collectively, to see ourselves well.”

In Part 2, you’ll learn:

How to return to a state of joy
How your thoughts can get in the way of building healthy mindset and emotions
The power you have to align with your destiny
Why your Heart-Kidney connection is so important for living out your purpose and experiencing endless possibilities
The difference between manifesting and receiving, and how to become more receptive
How your emotions (and thoughts) manifest in your body

Don’t forget to share your biggest takeaways from these episodes in the comments below!

Resources Mentioned in These Episodes

Balance your yin and yang energies to shift mental, physical and emotional patterns that would otherwise lead to accelerated aging illness and disease — click here to learn how with the Microcosmic and Macrocosmic Orbit meditations.

Experience a life of endless possibilities by downloading this free audio guide.

Learn more about Ann Cecil-Sterman and Advanced Acupuncture here.

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Click here to download a transcript of this episode.

(Episode 61) Awakening Your Essence: The Enneagram 3 Centers of Intelligence with Hemla Makan Dullabh

March 22, 2023

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Once you’ve listened, scroll down and let us know in the comments below:
Which area of your body did you feel at home in when you did the meditation with Hemla at [00:14:50], and how did that shift your perspective of yourself?

Welcoming back Hemla Makan Dullabh, Transformation Catalyst

Hemla Makan Dullabh is a transformation catalyst based in Los Altos, California, and is the founder of Seven Rays Holistic Center, which she established over 20 years ago. As a guide and teacher, she observes and advises, blending together various modalities, helping people connect with their whole being.

As a transformation catalyst, Hemla uses the three centered approach we have three centers of intelligence, and our journey with ourselves is to engage with all three centers connecting with body, mind and heart.

Hemla works with groups and individuals offering classes for corporate wellness and for communities. Hemla overlays her passion for color therapy in all the modalities she offers. Hemla was born in Durban, South Africa, and has been living in California for over ten years. She is an artist, teacher and mother of two boys.

You’ll gain deep wisdom in this episode, including:

What the Enneagram Three Centers of Intelligence are and why each person feels at home in a different Center of Intelligence
Why we’re so much in our heads as a culture, and what we can do to shift out of that pattern
A beautiful meditation guided by Hemla that’ll help you clarify which of the Three Centers of Intelligence you call ‘home’ [00:14:50]
How to create balance among your Three Centers of Intelligence
How the Enneagram system can help you improve relationship dynamics AND go beyond your personality and social constructs to live life through the true essence of who you are
The Heart as your inner observer and how you process emotions according to your Enneatype
How your emotional state and how you respond to the world shapes your reality [00:40:00]

Listen to Episode 41 on the Healing Power of Colors and Episode 55 to journey through the Enneagram Personality Types — both beautiful and empowering episodes with Hemla.

Resources Mentioned in this Episode

Click here to get your free audio guide on How to Attract Endless Possibilities.

Click here to visit 7 Rays Holistic Center and learn more about Hemla’s work.

Scroll down to the comments below and let us know:
Which area of your body did you feel at home in when you did the meditation with Hemla at [00:14:50], and how did that shift your perspective of yourself?

Loved this episode?

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How to Do Ujjayi Breathing

(Episode 59) Creating Space: 3 Practices to Allow New Energy Into Your Life this New Year

February 1, 2023

Once you’ve listened, scroll down to the comments and let us know — how will YOU create space in your life this new year?

With the onset of the lunar new year and the beginning of the Year of the Water Rabbit, creating space is essential to allow new energy to enter your life.

In this episode you’ll learn how to create space in your physical environment, your body and mind to attract new possibilities in this new year and beyond.

The Year of the Water Rabbit

The Chinese New Year starts with the first new moon of the year, which in 2023 was on January 22nd. The change of the zodiac occurs based on the first solar term (the beginning of the 24 solar terms), which is on February 4th.

The solar terms are based on the elliptical orbit of the Earth around the Sun, divided into fifteen degree segments. These solar terms also determine the seasons. According to the luni-solar calendar, February 4th is the start of Spring in the Northern Hemisphere, and the Vernal Equinox is actually the middle of the Spring season.

We are transitioning from the Year of the Water Tiger in 2022 to the Year of the Water Rabbit.

Since the Rabbit’s natural element is Wood and according to the Five Elements, Water nourishes Wood, this year of the Water Rabbit is considered to be a harmonious year.

In order to fully experience the benefits of this new year, it’s important to make changes to create space in your life.

Ready to live a life of endless possibilities?

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How to Create Space

Creating space in your environment can be done first through decluttering your home and office, and getting rid of the things you don’t need in your life.

One of the methods we like to employ for this is rooted in the KonMari Method from the book, The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo. In it, Marie encourages that you go through each category of your belongings (clothes, shoes, jewelry, makeup, kitchenware, etc.) and determine which items ‘spark joy.’

Anything that doesn’t bring you joy when you’re in its presence should either be discarded or given away.

This allows you to really scale back on the extra clutter that you don’t even enjoy having in your life!

We also recommend that every year you try to get rid of at least 30% of all your belongings. It may sound like a lot, but you’ll be amazed at how much extra clutter accumulates over the course of a year!

The next thing to be mindful of is your breathing.

Inhalation allows you to draw in fresh energy, while your exhalation allows you to let go and release toxins from your body.

When your breathing is shallow, not only does this inhibit you from letting go, but it also inhibits the Qi from effectively flowing throughout your body.

Ultimately, the way energy flows in your body will be reflected in your life.

Taking deep breaths allows you to maintain the movement of energy and blood, thereby creating space physically and emotionally.

In terms of the physical body, creating space requires the movement of Yin stagnation and this can be done vibrational through Water Breathing, which has been discussed in past episodes. Salvador demonstrates this breathing in this episode.

Emotionally, releasing emotional stagnation requires moving the blood of the Pericardium Luo, which is done by tapping the inner arm, which is explained in this episode.

Overall, you want to make sure to create space in your physical environment as well as your body through deep breathing and in your emotions through simple exercises that free the stagnation physically, mentally and emotionally.

As you create space, you allow for new and endless possibilities to come into your life.

Scroll down to the comments and let us know — how will YOU create space in your life this new year?

Resources mentioned in this episode

How to Attract Endless Possibilities

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(Episode 57) Mood-Boosting Foods, Practices & Essential Oils to Help When You're Feeling Down

December 1, 2022

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Share your thoughts in the comments below after you’ve given this episode a listen. We’d love to hear from you!

In this episode, we’ll be continuing the discussion of depression and how it ties into the seasons and our diet. In our last episode, (Episode 56) we discussed how a vegetarian diet can exacerbate a depressed state in the context of seasonal changes and the Five Elements in accordance with Classical Chinese Medicine. In this episode, you’ll learn how to protect and strengthen the Kidneys to improve your metabolism and reduce depression.

Preventing Symptoms of Depression by Strengthening Your Yang Qi

A diet that includes many foods that are cold in nature can suppress the body’s Yang Qi.

Yang Qi is the root of Wei Qi which can help give you a sense of stimulation in life, enhancing qualities of motivation and courage. Suppression of the Yang Qi can lead to listlessness, lack of energy and motivation, and ultimately, you can feel depressed.

Today we’re going to discuss the ways you can fortify your Yang Qi using your diet, as well as ways to improve your gut health overall, and how you can prevent some of the symptoms that come with the feeling of depression.

The Source of Yang Qi Must be Protected During the Winter

In accordance with the seasons in the Lunar Solar Calendar that we discussed in the last episode, Winter is upon us; November 7th being the onset of winter according to that calendar. During the winter, it’s imperative to protect your Kidneys as they are the foundation for all the Qi of your body and the source of Yang Qi to warm up metabolism.

The Kidneys relate to your reproductive system, adrenal glands, and hormones (including stress hormones). It’s important to be aware of your Kidney Qi and whether it might need some nurturing.

A way to check if your Kidney Qi needs a boost, especially during the onset of the cold season, is to notice if your feet are feeling especially cold. Cold hands is also an indicator, but having cold hands can be more of a reflection of poor circulation and related to the Heart and Spleen Qi.

Another way to do a self-evaluation is to notice if your lower back feels particularly stiff or if your lower back or butt feels cold. This can indicate that your Kidneys may be feeling tired – the area is tightening and circulation is decreasing as your body tries to bring energy to that area.

Cold and stiff knees are another indication that your Kidney Qi can use a boost.

If you’re experiencing any of these symptoms, this is a sign for you to take it easy and slow down…

Fortifying Your Kidney Qi

A great way to protect your Kidneys is to keep your lower back and lower belly warm with a hot pack, this helps to penetrate the Qi into your Kidneys. We would recommend using microwavable heat packs or hot water bottles rather than electrical heat pads.

You can also protect the lower back and butt area from being exposed to the cold by wearing a wrap around your waist to protect your Kidney’s Qi. You’ll notice a big difference in your energy.

In Yogic Tradition, there is a practice of pulling in the Mula Banda - The Root Block or the perineum, which is the area between the anus and genitalia – when that area is collapsing (which it frequently is) it creates a leakage of Qi, a leakage of your energy. Pay attention to how you hold the energy around the Sacrum, the Lumbar, and how you hold your body and your posture in the lower region. You’ll notice that if you hold your energy in more frequently throughout the day you’ll feel more energized at the end of the day.

Preventing the Taxation of the Kidney Qi

There are various factors that can tax the Kidneys and cause them to weaken, so it’s essential to be aware of your body. A lot of taxation on our physical state can be prevented with our awareness of how we move through our lives.

One factor that can cause heavy taxation on the Kidneys is long bouts of standing. Consciously breathing, and following the Yin & Yang paths (Water and Fire paths) by drawing the energy down the back into the lumbar region, then exhaling up through the front of the torso can greatly lessen the taxation on your lower back and Kidneys while grounding your energy as it goes down the front of yours legs while you exhale.

Overextending or overworking yourself, especially working late into the night is exhausting to the Kidneys. Going to bed early and rising early is what helps regenerate the Kidneys (and all cells in general). It helps preserve your Yin.

The Yin is what holds the Yang. So if the Yin is depleted, as you sleep the Yang Qi floats out and you’re likely to wake up more easily throughout the night or you may find that you have a harder time falling asleep. That’s why its important to rejuvenate and recover your Yin – but it’s not a quick or easy thing to do. It takes time and lots of rest.

This is why taking time, 5 to 15 minutes, each day to sit quietly and go into a meditative state is incredibly helpful. You’re slowing down your brain wave frequency which in turn will slow down your kidneys and adrenals, allowing your body and mind to settle, rest and recover.

Improving Your Disposition Through Your Gut

Taking the time to settle your mind will not only help your kidneys, but also your digestive health and your digestive health is directly linked to your emotional health. This means your gut is related to depression.

Within the Five Elements, the Earth element is the mother of the Metal Element and the Earth Element is made up of the spleen and stomach organ systems.

The Metal Element is made up of the Lungs and Colon, the large intestine, as well as your Skin, which is the largest organ in your body.

If you’re having trouble with your gut health, this will affect your immune system since 70% of your Immunity is produced in your gut. This will also affect your ability to produce neurotransmitters like serotonin because 90% of your serotonin is produced in your gut.

If you’re feeling down, that could be rooted in poor gut health.

Studies have shown, when transferring the healthy microbiome (or gut flora) of adventurous energetic rats to unhealthy lethargic rats, the lethargic rats became healthy and full of energy.

The other way around was just as true.

When the microbiome of unhealthy depressed rats was transferred to the active healthy rats they became lethargic, afraid and depressed. The transfer of the microbiome had an immediate and complete shift in motivation in both groups of rats.

If you are having emotional issues, mood issues, health problems or insomnia, just improve your gut microbiome!

The Earth Element and it’s Relation to Your Emotional Health

In the Five Elements system, Earth is considered the Center. In your health Earth is also your Center. So if you take better care of your Earth your going to have a better capacity for self-care because “care” is part of the Earth Element.

You’re going to have better immunity because your Wei Qi is produced by Gu Qi is a kind of energy produced in your stomach. And just a reminder that Wei Qi is the energy that externally covers your body, protecting you from the outside world and then settles into your body to help you get deep sleep.

When considering the Earth Element, we also don’t want the Earth to be too soggy – same goes for your body. Too much dampness within your body caused by sugar, processed foods, lots of cold foods will affect your Qi.

6 Ways to Start Feeling better

Please remember that these suggestions are not tailored to you and your constitution, so please seek out professional guidance before making drastic changes. You’re welcome to schedule a Nutritional Consultation with Dr. Setareh if you’d like to work with her directly.

Avoid damp producing foods such as cold foods, grains, nuts, fried foods and oils.
Eating more cooked leafy green vegetables like spinach, chard, mustard greens, dandelion greens.
Eat more root vegetables which help assist the spleen like sweet potatoes, parsnips, rutabaga, turnips and radish.
Spices can also help with breaking up the dampness. Spices like coriander, cumin and turmeric, fennel, caraway. You can also get these spices as essentials oils (diluted).
Essential oils to clear the dampness are Thyme and Oregano.
Flora Clear, an Ahara Botanics supplement which is a unique blend of probiotics and enzymes to reset your gut.

Interested in receiving personalized diet & nutrition support from Dr. Setareh Moafi? Click here to schedule a virtual nutritional consultation with her.

And be sure to get on the waitlist for the Yin and Yang of Nutrition online course coming in 2023! You’ll learn how to self-diagnose through tongue diagnosis and all about the energetics of food so you know exactly what’s best for your body.

Join the Waitlist

We’d love to hear your thoughts and personal experiences in the comments below after you’ve given this episode a listen!

Resources Mentioned This Episode

Click here to discover more about Ahara Botanics, our personal line of health supplements.

Click here to get on the waitlist for the Yin & Yang of Nutrition online course coming in 2023.

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(Episode 56) Can a Vegetarian Diet Increase Depression?

November 9, 2022

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We’d love to hear your thoughts and personal experiences in the comments below after you’ve given this episode a listen!

In this episode, we’ll be exploring the idea of how depression can correlate with diet, seasonal changes and the Five Elements from a Classical Chinese Medicine perspective. We’ll also examine the question: can depression correlate with vegetarianism and eating a vegetarian diet?

The Chinese Medicine Perspective

Studies have shown in the last few years that there’s a possibility that a vegetarian diet may be tied to a greater propensity for depression. As we delve into this topic, keep in mind that nutrition and diet are highly personalized. What’s on trend, or what might have worked for someone you know, may not work for you and your body’s constitution.

We’ll begin with a survey of the Five Elements, the seasons according to the Ancient Chinese Lunar-Solar Calendar and their corresponding organ systems and how they correlate with depression.

Fall and the Lungs

During the time of recording this episode, we’re nearing November 7th which is actually the beginning of Winter according to the Ancient Chinese Lunar-Solar calendar.

The Fall season is associated with the Lungs, and the Lungs are related to the emotion of sadness. Lungs are vulnerable at this time of year as they are the predominant organ of the season.

When the environment gets more dry, internal environments and organs such as the lungs tend to become more dry as well. This imbalance can lead to feelings of sadness.

Lungs like to be moist, so this is a good time to consider hydration through foods such as soups and stews, which are also warming foods that are really great to consume as the weather gets colder.

Winter and a Vegetarian Diet

During the onset of Winter, the coldest time of year, we can see how a vegetarian diet can accentuate depression and sadness for some people.

Diet directly impacts our mood and emotional experience, and Cold stagnates and is used to slow things down. We never really use cold to speed things up.

The experience of depression has a lot to do with Qi stagnation, and insufficient Liver blood to support or uplift your mood.

Cold temps in the environment during fall and winter seasons can always be a risk factor for your internal systems and, therefore, emotional well-being.

Yang Qi in Food

From a Classical Chinese Medicine perspective, there is an inherent nature to each food in addition to the physical temperature of the food. In the winter, people should focus on eating foods that are both warm in temperature as well as foods that are inherently warm in nature.

People with Qi stagnation generally don't have enough Yang Qi. You will commonly see this in people with hypothyroidism and their thyroids are sluggish.

Yang Qi is primarily found in animal-based foods, primarily in furry animals like beef, buffalo or lamb. Alternatively plants and vegetables are more Yin and cooler in nature.

When eating meat you increase the body’s Yang Qi. When looking at the energetics of the food, an example of the energetics of food, if you’re feeling cold or stagnant in life or if you're feeling a lot of sadness or depression, you shouldn’t be adding more cold to your diet. You should be adding heat, instead.

Vegetarian diets are more cold by nature, grains can cause dampness, but animal meats will provide warmth.

Diet and Wei Qi

Lungs are associated with the Wei Qi or the most superficial Defensive Qi.

The immune system aspect is supported by the Kidney’s Yang Qi, or core metabolic temp.

Wei Qi is supported by eating birds like chicken, turkey, quail or cornish hens. Bird meats can also have a warming and stimulating effect on Wei Qi so if you have a lot of allergies or if you’re trying to bring a fever down you may want to avoid making the classic chicken soup when you’re sick.

Skin issues can also be stimulated by poultry which can be inflammatory.

Wei Qi supports your mood. If your Wei Qi is weak, you really want to support your lungs. Fruits can help, including peels to relax the liver, so liver and lungs can be in harmony. Citrus fruits are also important and in season during the winter season which can help with hydration.

Always keep in mind that fruits are high in sugar so be mindful of the amount of fruit or citrus juices you consume. Vitamin C is useful for supporting the lungs Yin Qi.

Vegetarianism and Qi & Blood Vitality

For people who eat a vegetarian diet, who tend to be cold, who tend to feel lethargic, who tend to get sick easily and/or who tend to easily get depressed, it is encouraged to have some more meat in your diet, especially red meat to strengthen the core of your body and strengthen the Liver blood.

Of course, there is an ethical dilemma with the climate crisis and mass production of meats on the major markets. However, it’s important to be careful of making drastic changes to your diet without understanding the repercussions of how that can affect your physical, mental and emotional health.

While it’s important to eat less meat, it may not be beneficial to adapt an entirely vegetarian diet and to stop eating meat entirely.

It’s also important to make sure that you’re paying attention to how and from where you source your food, especially meat.

Interested in receiving personalized diet & nutrition support from Dr. Setareh Moafi? Click here to schedule a virtual nutritional consultation with her.

Join the Waitlist

Conclusion

In summary, a vegetarian diet and depression can be linked and it’s important to have awareness of what most can benefit your body by taking an informed, conscious approach to diet and nutrition.

We’d love to hear your thoughts and personal experiences in the comments below after you’ve given this episode a listen!

Resources Mentioned This Episode

Click here to get on the waitlist for the Yin & Yang of Nutrition online course coming in 2023.

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(Episode 55) What's Your Enneagram Personality Type? A Tool for Personal & Collective Transformation with Hemla Makan-Dullabh

October 26, 2022

The Daoists believe that anything is possible, including miracles. But it’s essential to open your Heart and raise your vibration to begin manifesting a miraculous life. Learn 4 pillars that’ll help you transform your health and life in How to Attract Endless Possibilities, a new, free audio training with Dr. Setareh Moafi.

Once you’ve listened, we’d love to hear your thoughts – scroll all the way down to the comments and let us know, what inspired you most about this episode?

In this episode, Hemla Makan Dullabh joins us once again (she talked about the healing power of colors in episode 41), this time to take us on a tour of the nine different Enneagram Types.

You’ll find a summary of the episode below and can find the full transcript by clicking here.

About Hemla

Hemla is a Transformation Catalyst based in Los Altos, CA. She founded Seven Rays Holistic Center over twenty years ago. Hemla has a background as an artist, teacher and she is a mother of two boys. Her work focuses on Awakening the Power within. Hemla helps people engage with their own inner healer. She is a guide and teacher, blending various modalities together to help people connect with their whole being. As a transformation catalyst, Hemla uses the three-centered approach. We have three centers of intelligence including body, mind and heart. Engaging in the three centers is essential to bring wholeness and wellness to our human BEing. Hemla works with both groups and individuals, and offers classes for communities and corporate groups. Her passion for color therapy is incorporated in all the modalities she offers.

What is the Enneagram System?

The Enneagram system is dynamic, alive & constantly evolving.

Family constellations work intersects with the Enneagrams. Type structure gives a layer of information to help describe a personality type.

Enneagrams provide us with a tool for understanding, and can be used for both personal and collective transformation.

As Hemla beautifully shares, “Enneagrams are like a Spiritual Road Map to better understand oneself and others.”

Enneagrams can show what causes us to be triggered and what triggers others.

They reflect our personality, but this isn’t really who we really are. Within, your true being or true nature is who you really are. Your essence is who you are. We’re all trying to get back to that center of who we are.

Unveiling Your True Being

Our society, culture, upbringing, etc. have all layered on top of our true inner beings, and these layers take away from the truth of our being.

What makes us tic and react? Understanding this can help you grow and heal. With this awareness, we can bring change. Then the question becomes, what would you like to do with that awareness?

Enneagrams don't favor one center of intelligence. We are mentally thoughtful, heart-based and body-based. When all three centers are working together and we work with them, we can really be present in our human being and we can react from there. The idea is to bring all three centers on board.

Our work is to wake up to ourselves and to others (after our inner beings have been asleep).

Enneagrams give us an overview. You can search for clues online about your type, but it’s more effective to have a Typing interview with a trained Enneagram Practitioner who will take you through a long process, asking deeper questions. Often two numbers come up during this process. Without putting ourselves into a box, these numbers can help us to understand ourselves better.

Though the basis of the Enneagram System is Nine Personality Types, this is just the first layer of a multilayered system. Underneath is a psychological roadmap and even deeper is a spiritual roadmap.

We need to know what’s going on in the mind, with our fixations, and with our emotions, through our passions.

Observing these layers takes time and engagement, but we can work with them to understand our true nature.

There are three Enneagram subtypes, each of which find balance through a centering practice that will always be opposite what’s most comfortable for these types:

Head types tend to get stuck in thought and mental rumination, so their centering practice is to be more in silence.
Body types tend to move a lot, so their centering practice is stillness.
Heart types need connection with others, which can make them lose connection with themselves, so their centering practice would be solitude.

The Enneatypes cultivation is to go into a place of discomfort, which is the space in which we all grow.

Spiritual growth never comes from a place of comfort, it is always from a place of discomfort.

It’s not about fixing or changing something, it’s about recognizing something through observation and knowing what to do with it.

Being present to what’s there, examine, listen in (instead of trying to fix it) -- these are all what the Enneagram is about, and that’s the change or transformation that happens.

As Salvador says, “let change evolve” as a natural process.

We need a sense of community and support now more than ever, and to create a conscious, fulfilling life. We invite you be a part of ours. Join our global community and we’ll send you a beautiful, free guide as a gift to welcome you.

Click to subscribe and become a member of our incredible global community.

A Tour of The Nine Enneagram Types:

Enneagram Type 1- Perfectionists/Reformers/Teachers - creating a perfect world, perfecting themselves and others. All about their Sense of control for what they perceive to be perfect. To get that perfection.

Challenge: sense of something wrong or not quite right. Finding errors.

Enneagram Type 2- Givers/Helpers - go out of their way to help others and do for others as a way of expressing care nurturing or love.

Challenge: lose connection with themselves and their own needs because they’re always outwardly focused.

Eanneagram Type 3- Performer/Achiever - Going, doing, achieving. Always striving for success, setting and reaching goals

Challenge: Lose touch with what they need inside themselves.

Enneagram Type 4- Individualists/Romantics - Want to have a different unique point of view, they don’t want to fit into what’s already there, they want to create a different structure or way of seeing and doing things.

Challenge: Sometimes that search for something different can take them away from the fact that there is already something complete and whole inside of themselves (as they’re always looking for something that’s missing).

Enneagram Type 5 - Observers/Investigators - like to observe and investigate from the outside before they can commit to or be involved in things. They love to absorb knowledge around areas they have deep interest in. Very cerebral.

Challenge: Can often detach from emotions because their minds are so incredibly active. Guarded about people wanting their time and space. Observation before engagement.

Enneagram Type 6- Loyalists/Skeptics - Driven by need for safety and security. So they will want to observe and see if they’re safe, okay or not in any particular environment. Great at mitigating risks.

Challenge: Lots of doubt as trying to figure out right from wrong.

Enneagram Type 7 - Epicure/Adventurer/Enthusiast - Want freedom, want to be out there exploring. They don’t like it when options to try new things are taken away. Need freedom to explore different options.

Challenge: Very future-driven. Always planning. Don't like to be contained in any way.

Enneagram Type 8 - Boss/Protector - They look for a sense of justice and truth. Often protecting the underdog. Very black or white thinking. Clear idea of this or that, true and just.

Challenge: Don’t show vulnerability very easily

Eneagram Type 9 - Mediator/Peacemaker - Always wanting to keep peace. Avoid conflict at all costs.

Challenge: Don’t express their own point of view or opinion in order not to cause conflict. Often go with what everyone else wants in order to keep the peace. They go along to get along.

Enneagram Triads — Body, Heart and Mind:

Enneagram Types 1, 8 & 9 - Body Triad - What they feel and sense in their body. The common emotion is anger, though, as Hemla explains in the episode, each expresses it in different ways.

Enneagram Types 2, 3 & 4 - Heart triad - Connection, feeling things and emotions. The common emotion is sadness or grief though, as Hemla explains in the episode, each expresses it in different ways.

Enneagram Types 5, 6 & 7 - Mind (Head) Triad - Mental cerebral work and action gets done. The common emotion is fear though, as Hemla explains in the episode, each expresses it in different ways.

Shadow and Light of Each Enneagram Type

Each Enneagram Type has a passion, which is the more surface personality, as well as a virtue, which reflects what the Inner Being needs.

Enneagram Type 1 - Tend to repress their anger, their virtue is serenity.

Enneagram Type 2 - Pride in doing for others, with expectations (everything hangs on how others react) Their virtue is humility.

Enneagram Type 3 - Appearance to the outside world. Have to constantly keep up this image. Always trying to prove themselves worthy to others and to themselves. Their virtue is honesty. (ie being able to take time out)

Enneagram Type 4 - Envy is their passion. Consciously and unconsciously comparing themselves to others. Virtue is equanimity. There is space for everything in the universe. Nothing is missing. Everything is in perfect harmony or balance.

Enneagram Type 5- Avarice or extreme greed is their passion. An intense desire to guard everything that relates to themselves. Automatically detach from feelings because they’re afraid if they give too much there will be nothing left for them inside. Their virtue is about non-attachment and generosity. Trust there will always be enough. The universe will always provide

Enneagram Type 6 - Passion is doubt. Seeking security push against themselves. Virtue is to step into courage.

Enneagram Type 7 - Passion is gluttony. Total Excess. Taking away their freedoms is like a death sentence. Starting things without finishing .Virtue is sobriety. Knowing possibilities are out there, but being okay with just one or two options.

Enneagram Type 8 - Passion is vengeance. Right vs. wrong. Can project anger and intimidation in order to seek control. Virtue is Truth. Everything is already in balance in the Universe, they don’t have to fight so hard for the control that they feel they need to seek, which leads to vulnerability.

Enneagram Type 9 - Passion is inattention to self. They can be so outwardly focused that they fall asleep to their own needs and forget to fill their own cup, which leads to self-neglect. The virtue for them is right action -- staying present to what their needs are in the moment.

Conclusion

One thing to remember is that we’re all composed of all nine Enneagram Types.

The deeper you go into personality types, the more you realize our complexity as humans. There’s always more to learn.

It’s also possible to overlap the systems, including the Five Element System, The Enneagram Types, and even Nine Star Ki, a system Salvador is currently working on in an upcoming book.

There is also some overlap with Numerology and Enneagram Types.

Hemla provides a much more in-depth understanding of each of the Nine Enneagram Types and their nuances throughout the episode.

We’d love to hear your thoughts – scroll down to the comments and let us know, what inspired you most about this episode?

Resources Mentioned This Episode

To contact Hemla Makan Dullabh, you can visit her website here.

Ready to live the life you’ve always wanted? Click here to get Dr. Setareh’s FREE audio guide to learn how to attract endless possibilities into your life.

Click here to listen to Hemla’s episode on Color Therapy in episode #41 of The Natural Healing Podcast.

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(Episode 54) Discover Emotional Freedom with LaDonna Silva, LMFT

September 28, 2022

Once you’ve listened, we’d love to hear your thoughts – scroll all the way down to the comments and let us know your biggest takeaway from today’s conversation.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

How LaDonna’s personal journey working through her deepest wounds helped her become a fearless, open-hearted healer and therapist who empowers others to do the same
What it takes to find emotional freedom despite hurtful experiences
How to deal with difficult emotions, including anger and grief
Why self-care is essential to live a life of less pain, burden and sorrow

Meet LaDonna Silva

Today we’re joined by our dear friend and colleague, LaDonna Silva — a licensed psychotherapist in the South Bay area of California, working in private practice with individuals, couples, and families. LaDonna also runs groups. Her specialties include working with trauma, grief, relationships and the LGBTQI+ community. Ladonna runs consultation groups, has taught at several local universities and loves teaching and presenting. She studied at the Process Therapy Institute for many years and trained in the Internal Family Systems model. She's passionate about the healing process and supporting others in finding their internal freedom.

LaDonna’s Journey to Healing

LaDonna’s personal journey began at the young age of 20, beginning therapy after a family secret of sexual abuse had been revealed. Marcia, the therapist, held space for LaDonna to process the pain of the childhood trauma and the secret that had been revealed within her family system.

LaDonna found her voice, liberated the secrecy in her body and life, and was invited by Marcia to be angry — an expression suppressed in her family system.

Working with a powerful licensed therapist, LaDonna learned to let go of the hurtful parts of her experience while treasuring the gifts.

Many years later, LaDonna returned to school to finish her Master’s degree in Psychology and then a Master’s degree that included somatic psychology, which resonated because so much of her own trauma was rooted in her body, as well as transpersonal psychology. She knew that she was going to go beyond the cognitive and wanted to include the body and the spiritual realm into her work.

LaDonna believes that spaciousness with loving welcome of everything is the essence of her work as a therapist today.

Healing Our Inner Wounds

Loving acceptance is a big part of what she hopes to help others achieve — the loving acceptance she’s found within her life of even the people who’ve hurt her has brought her a tremendous amount of peace.

Letting go isn’t just about letting go. It’s about extracting the essence of the good parts and then making peace with the parts that have hurt us.

The idea is to learn to live whole within yourself while finding the gifts that the wounds have brought.

LaDonna believes that it’s not only what happens to us but what we did with those things.

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Click here to download a transcript of this episode to learn more.

Dealing with Difficult Emotions

Emotions that aren’t socially accepted can be challenging to deal with.

From LaDonna’s personal experience, she grew through learning to work through the anger she felt towards her mother, especially at a time when her mother was lost and vulnerable.

The lesson is to care for your own system while caring for others.

As LaDonna beautifully shares: “When we’re not including ourselves in the formula of care, we resent.”

Anger can be a protection, and is valid and real. It’s important to therefore make friends with anger as a protection from guilt and powerlessness.

The idea is if you’re feeling angry, you can share your experience and stay open to the response from the individual you’re dealing with without walking away feeling bad about yourself.

Anger is fuel and when channeled properly, can help bring inner peace through clear expression. When experienced resourcefully, anger can be one of our many healthy emotions.

Anger isn’t always a protection; it’s often an experience.

In most societies today, the expression of anger from men is more acceptable than women, and this can present its own challenges.

The most important thing to question is, what relationship do you have to your emotions? This awareness can be a gift to help you find emotional freedom. This also speaks very much to how we relate to grief.

The Importance of Grief

The greatest grief can come through losing a loved one. Many cultures have rituals and respect for grief, but in other cultures like ours there is often an avoidance or a lack of reverence for this emotion.

Loss of the innocence of a child, loss of innocence to our sexuality, loss of safety — the themes of grief often intermingle with these losses. And our culture doesn’t know how to slow down and be with the emotion of grief.

One of the most important ways we can honor our grief is to slow down.

Grief groups are also very important, as is ritual and making time to process our grief.

It’s essential to honor the grief.

In Chinese Medicine, the root of all diseases is emotional.

It’s all about opening the heart and working through the layers that are preventing us from opening our hearts. And it begins with learning self love and to first love ourselves.

The Microcosmic and Macrocosmic Orbit Meditations help to circulate energy throughout your body through the primary source channels of Yin and Yang, known as the Du and Ren Meridians, which are also the Fire and Water pathways of the body. In this way, these meditations also connect the Fire and Water energies, cultivating Heart-Kidney communication, which helps you realize and live out your life purpose. To purchase access to these meditations, click the button below:

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The Importance of Self-Care to Heal Our Inner Wounds

Self care brings self love.

In Chinese Medicine, the Earth element is about care, which begins with ourselves because if we don’t give it to ourselves, we have nothing to give to others.

A person who has an imbalance in their Earth element either meddles too much in other’s lives because they can’t pay attention to their own, or has nothing to give.

Cultivating self-care is something that allows us to naturally give to others when we do enough of it.

Many think of self-care as selfish and have reasons like lack of time or lack of deserving it to avoid self-care, but it is essential nonetheless.

Integrating therapeutic work to help you cultivate this self-care and to heal is a supportive way to move through the journey, and to recognize that we’re all in this together.

Let us know what you think! We’d love to hear your thoughts and comments on our discussion and conversation on emotional freedom with LaDonna. Scroll all the way down to the comments section below to share

Resources Mentioned This Episode

To contact LaDonna Silva, LMFT, visit her website here.

Harmonize your Yin and Yang energies and cultivate freedom of movement throughout your body and life with the Microcosmic & Macrocosmic Orbit Meditations at www.setarehmoafi.com/shop.

Boost your immunity and optimize your gut health with our personal line of supplements — Ahara Botanics. Learn more and get 10% off your first order with promo code HEALTHY10 at aharabotanics.com.

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