Snowy Day

Today we are getting hit with a winter storm. Thankfully I don't have to go out but will probably venture out for a walk later to see the damage. Today seems like a good day to work away on my thesis while enjoying a cup of tea! My Yogi tea quote seems fitting for a day like today....

Enjoy your Saturday!

Association Memberships

This week is a week "off" for me. My intensive course is over, minus the final paper to be written and regular Spring courses don't start until next week along with my internship. Now mind you there is always my thesis to be working on, along with job searching and all those larger "To Do" items that come once graduation is in sight.

One of these larger items is trying to decide what associations I should become a member of after graduation. So far the ones I have been looking into are:

American Dance Therapy Association (this one is a definite yes!)
Dance Movement Therapy Association in Canada
Ontario Expressive Arts Therapy Association

College of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario
Ontario Association of Consultants, Counsellors, Psychometrists and Psychotherapists

Each association has its pros and cons, including cost of membership and whether or not insurance is available for practitioners.

After a couple of hours looking into registration requirements, application process and application fees my head is usually swimming. I wish there were a guide out there to help new practitioners with this process!

Irish Blessing

As I learned this past weekend, Kundalini Yoga always finishes with the following song. It is an Irish blessing and I believe it is a beautiful way to say goodbye. The Youtube link below is for the version my teacher used and after spending a bit of time on Youtube, it is the version that resonates with me the most. In Kundalini Yoga, the song finishes with Sat Nam which translates to Truth Name. If you're interested in finding out more about the meaning of Sat Nam please follow this link, http://www.spiritvoyage.com/blog/index.php/sat-nam-the-kundalini-mantra-of-awareness/

Long Time Sun

May the long time sun shine upon you

All love surround you

And the pure light within you

Guide your way on

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MXPsyAbFFqQ

Holistic Approach to Pain and Stress

Well the first weekend of my weekend intensive course, Holistic Approach to Pain and Stress, is over. It was an exhausting weekend, more so than I thought it would be, but enlightening as well.

The techniques we have been focusing on are Kundalini Yoga, Sat Nam Rasayan Healing, mindfulness and meditation. I have some exposure to mindfulness and meditation but the yoga and Sat Nam Rasayan healing are new to me. 

I found the meditations hard to sit through without being distracted but was reassured that this is part of the process and to trust it. I am finding the course to be more of a retreat than a typical course but am seeing pieces that I will be able to use with my clients. I also have set a short term and a long term goal to incorporate pieces of it into my own self-care practice to reduce stress and anxiety.  

I have little experience with yoga in general and had never heard of Kundalini yoga before this course. The breathing that is used, at least in the beginner's set we were experiencing, are short quick breaths and you become very aware of the flow of the breath and where it is initiating from. At first I became worried that this type of breathing would raise my anxiety levels and end up causing an anxiety attack. However thankfully none arose.

Harvard is teaming with one of the hospitals in Boston and they are researching the benefits of Kundalini yoga on anxiety levels in patients with cancer. The yoga felt awkward at first but I am beginning to see the benefits in it and would like to research it further. The chants and music that are used in this practice are soothing and help deepen the experience.

I am looking forward to next weekend when the second weekend of the course occurs and to hunkering down with the readings this week!

One of the required books for the course

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year! It's amazing what has been accomplished in 2014 and looking ahead to 2015 there will be lots of exciting changes. The one I am most looking forward to is graduating from Lesley University in May. Then there is the move back to Canada, completing a thesis, getting a job, finding a place to live and all that fun stuff.

I finally nailed down a realistic and manageable thesis topic and am continuing to work on it over the break. I am investigating the history of DMT in Canada and along with that examining what can help it achieve longevity.

While working on this project and reflecting back on my year, it is finally hitting me that I am part of something great. Teachers keep telling us this, we are pioneers in the field and in our countries but it was not until this project that I am beginning to believe them. This work is transformative and I am honoured to be a part of it.

I wish you all the best in 2015!

Finals!

Boy oh boy you'd think after 6 years of post secondary education I would be used to the madness that is finals. For some reason this semester seems to be worse than others. Between work, internship and final papers, I am very much ready for a break both mentally and physically.

Now mind you over that break I have a thesis to work on and an application for the college of registered psychotherapists of Ontario to complete but it will be wonderful just to be home.....and of course able to sleep once again!

As much work as finals are I have truly found them interesting this year and feel as though have helped me reflect on the work I have done all semester.

I will be spending 3 weeks in Canada with my family and boyfriend before returning to complete my last semester. For all those students reading this congratulations on surviving finals!

Mindful Movement Workshop

This past Sunday I attended a workshop held by Nancy Krieger, R-DMT, of the ADTA. This workshop was offered free to Lesley University students and I received a certificate of completion at the end. Why not go?!

It turned out to be a wonderful workshop that was focused on adapting dance and movement for children with special needs and how to adapt your teaching when there are multiple abilities in the same group.

We did a portion of moving ourselves and then discussed the theoretical underpinnings. 

I left with many new ideas to add to my toolbox and a whole new music playlist (this is one thing I always struggle to find...music!).