Most People in the Western World have more than they can do in one day. Adding exercise, is often so overwhelming, we just don’t do it. A gym, the cost of a gym membership, people watching me, where will I find the time, yoga classes, yoga mats, yoga clothes?! The list of reasons not to goes on! I am here to say that I have been in the same boat! During my pregnancy with my daughter in 2004/05, I was on bedrest and experienced preeclampsia, both causes of speedy weight gain! For the first time in my life, I weighed over 200 pounds! After my daughter was born, I slowly lost weight by taking walks with her every day.

When she was 9 months old I had lost about 35 pounds from the walks, when a tumor was discovered in my leg. I had 2 surgeries and it turns out, 2 golf ball sized tumors that were removed from just above the bone on my upper thigh. My surgeon made a 5 inch incision all the way through the muscle. So, I couldn’t walk for 3 weeks, with a full 8 weeks before I could really walk well, after each surgery! That certainly put my weight loss on hold and after I healed from that, I slowly began taking walks again, one of my favorite exercises!

Though I was extremely grateful to get through those surgeries with my leg and health intact, I had another 40 pounds to lose! I wanted to get back into yoga, but the time and cost, as a stay at home mom, made me hesitate. Then, I remembered a sun salutation that my friend, a yoga teacher in Los Angles, had taught me! I could do the sun salutation ( a series of poses meant to flow together) in two and a half minutes! I could do it in my bedroom after my daughter fell asleep at night! It was quiet ( and with the invention of the iPod, you can listen to music while you yoga and not wake a sleeping child or disturb a sports watching husband!). I didn’t need any special equipment or fancy work out clothes! And so I began. Two and half minutes every night. If that’s all I did, at least I exercised and kept in the habit. If I did more, by either holding each pose for longer or doing repetitions of the sun salutation, I felt great!

Now, I do yoga almost every day as part of my walks. I love to do it outside! I feel better and stronger than I have in my life! Wisconsin winter is coming…plan on seeing me out there in my thermals and snowshoes stretching away! If you can find two and a half minutes in your day, you can do yoga every day, in your home, hotel, outside, anywhere!

P.S. With the addition of yoga to my walks, I lost the rest of the pregnancy weight and got back to my ideal weight! It can happen! -Amy Roemer September 30, 2009

To create your own yoga sequence, go to http://www.yogajournal.com/poses/sequence_builder

Reiki is an ancient Japanese form of healing. Reiki means “Universal Life-Force-Energy” and is a system for channeling that energy to someone for the purpose of healing.

It was rediscovered by Dr. Usui in the late 1800’s, though Reiki energy goes back over 2, 500 years in Sanskrit Sutras and writings of Tibetan Monks and Enlightened Masters. Reiki addresses physical, emotional, mental and spiritual imbalances.

Reiki healers serve as a vessel that supplies healing energy where it is most needed. Reiki Healing Energy provides means to balance the human energy fields (Auras) and energy centers (Chakras) to create conditions needed for the bodies healing system to function.

The Reiki practitioner assists the client to heal themself spiritually, mentally, emotionally and physically by a simple laying on of hands and/or hands held slightly above the clients body. By the use of ancient healing symbols the practitioner channels the Universal Life Force energy allowing it to flow where is needed to bring the energy centers into alignment.

When I do Reiki, I can see a clients’ chakras and feel if they are out of alignment. I energetically pull them back into alignment and give my client suggestions on how to keep those chakras in balance. If  a client’s throat chakra is off to the left, I know that they are having issues with communication with women (left symbolizing female) and are likely to experience colds, sinus issues, ear/hearing problems, respiratory issues, etc…

I also see colors around the body, I interpret their meaning for the client as well. For example, I recently worked on a woman who had a beautiful green color around her head. The color green and the placement of it (over her third eye and crown chakras) told me that she was on a path of healing, that she was thinking and studying it, but needed to ground herself and bring action to what she has learned in order to bring healing to her life. -Amy Roemer September 30, 2009

On Sunday, September 27th, 5 lucky people are attending the run through for lifearthealing’s first Healing Art Workshop! They are gathering at Amy Roemer’s home for an amazing and inspirational day and we are grateful for their willingness to help us on our journey of teaching 5 simple steps to healing your life and healing through art! It’s the kind of day I love, inspirational talks, walk in nature, yoga, meditation, and painting, of course!