Category: Blog
What is a Spiritual Path?
So what is the deal with being on a spiritual path? Does it mean that you are a different person, somehow totally different from the person you were before you connected with spirit, however this happened for you?
Not really.
What it meant for me, was that I started to see things about life differently and over time became more able to hold this knowledge (knowing) without question.
Everyone’s path will be different, and if like many you are living a more open and loving experience you have expanded and now know your world differently. You are not a new person and yet this expansion might take others by surprise.
Personal growth regardless of how it happens or what the reason will always bring new found passion and in the case of spiritual growth awareness.
If our life path brings us joy and happiness without a need for external validation or material compensation we have found inner peace.
In a space where we love our-self fully and can look beyond hate, seeing the world and all beings as our friends and family we have expanded.
We are not different people, but do see and feel differently about our life experience.
So regardless of the path you are on today, remember to embrace whatever you are seeing and sensing, and let those around you be who they are.
We are all in different places and this is a good thing. Being different offers us an invitation to evolve in way that otherwise wouldn’t have happened.
So, walk your path with care and kindness, always listening for the silent teachers who are always around us offering to help expand our lives.
-Tom Kelly
Cold Showers – Are there benefits you should know about?
I came across an article in late 2018 about people having and enjoying a cold shower and immediately thought, are they crazy! We’ve all watched people jump into a lake or river water in winter usually as a challenge or for charity and said “no way am I ever doing that!”
But, as I read more about cold and the possible benefit from having cold showers I was intrigued. A guy named Wim Hof (nicknamed the “IceMan”) kept coming up. This guy at first glace seems a bit crazy and yet he is able to do extraordinary things?
So I needed to know more and kept reading. There are people all over the world taking cold showers and not just once or twice a week, but every time they shower or can swim somewhere cold. Many of these people document months or years of their lives and are very honest and thoughtful in outlining what they perceive as beneficial from their cold therapy experience.
Not being one to sit on the sidelines if a practice seems helpful, I took up the challenge to know more. I had my first cold shower about 6 weeks ago and it was damn cold and not very pleasant. The next day I had another cold shower and thought, what am I doing, but did notice feeling quite awake and alert afterward. Day three was better in that I didn’t experience the shock to the cold water for as long and really felt good afterward. As the days progressed and I continued to have cold showers I realized that the initial adjustment to the cold sensation was changing. In about 5-10 seconds I was comfortable in the cold water and although the water hitting me was cold, I wasn’t cold, which is very similar to what people doing this were saying.
If you have every run the tap and put your hand under the water waiting for it to become a specific temperature you will have experienced the same thing I did in the shower. As your hand become used to the water you become unsure what the actual temperature is, needing to touch the water with your other hand to verify the water temperature. This idea of cold becoming tolerable is quite interesting!
As weeks pasted and more cold showers took place I noticed being outside in the cold winter air I felt warmer than it normally would have, just like in the shower. I felt alert and awake right after my shower and strangely wasn’t hustling to get warm (keep in mind that my showers would never be more than 3-5 minutes). One day after an extend time outdoors working and moving snow I thought I would treat myself to a hot shower and had a most interesting experience. The hot water actually seemed to reduce energy flow and I started to feel gross and groggy, as if the battery which is my energy was somehow shutting down.
For the record, I have since had a couple more warm showers (not hot) and have felt fine but certainly not as energized like from a cold shower.
So what is the deal with cold showers?
Although I have little data of my own to share, I can say that cold showers are not harmful. I can also say that if you dare to start having cold showers expect to feel very awake and clear headed (keeping in mind that brain fog will not be eliminated fully unless all obstacles that can cause this symptom are in check). You should also notice that your skin and hair feel cleaner and less blocked with junk (still unsure why?).
So, if you dare, TRY IT!
My suggestion is to get into a shower that you are accustomed to and over the first minute adjust the temperature colder, stopping at the point where it isn’t pleasant, then continuing to adjust colder, etc. Just play with the temperature until you can get into a lukewarm shower and turn it to 80-90% cold almost right away. Because it is winter in Canada just now, full cold is not my goal for now, work with that last 10% your own way. I finish my shower with a short 15-30 seconds burst at the very end of every shower.
Here are a few resource to read and help you understand possible benefits of cold showers.
Wim Hof (IceMan)
Have Fun Getting Cold!
Tom Kelly
Awareness Without Mind Clutter
When you teach a child that a bird is called a bird, they never see the bird again. – Unknown
Peregrine Falcon, Arizona
Without realizing it we often clutter the beauty of our life experience by expanding it far beyond what is there.
In the 1980’s when music videos became popular, Neil Young made a conscious effort to “not” tell a story with the videos he made. He said “we are killing imagination by offering a story-line to go with the music we write,” and I agree with Neil.
Why not spend some time experiencing life without clutter, expanding our experience.
Eckhart Tolle often speaks about observing without adding unnecessary thought. For example, as you watch a bird, simply see the bird and enjoy the experience without adding thought such as, what a beautiful bird, what beautiful colors, etc
By eliminating thought and clutter we open to a truly Divine experience. These are magical moments of consciousness, multidimensional in what is perceived.
Why We Meditate
We meditate to go from the level of problems to the level of solutions. Will meditation solve all problems? No, but meditation allows us to see problems through a much different lens. If we are then able to step forward with a different framing of our situation, a new and more clearly defined reality will be seen.
Meditation is the path to consciousness and being conscious is like having won the lottery. The only difference being, all sensation of this glorious state continue well beyond any material success.
Crystals to Enhance Life force Energy
If you are thinking about gifts for the holidays, here are some great suggestion. Don’t forget a nice grounding / protective stone or bracelet to round out this experience!
Yoga and Healing
Those who know me understand how much I connect with Yoga. And although there is nothing that can replace doing a class in person and being part of the community, there are times when a good teacher pops up online.
For me to endorse a teacher, number one they need to have an advanced level of knowledge but more importantly, offer “safe” options in their routines. You should never leave a yoga class hurting, or in worse condition than when you started. This is why choosing a teacher is so important, whether online or in person. As a student, it is “our” responsibility to gauge our level of participation, keeping in mind growth and expansion comes over time. If we compare ourselves to students in the class we have immediately lost our reason for being there. As a yoga student one needs to be committed to our process and free of comparison. A teacher reads the class and gears the practice to keep everyone interested and safe, leading students beyond the pose and yet in sync with the group.
This week I was looking for a psoas release and came across this wonderful yoga teacher Brea Johnson. Her videos range from full-length classes to short videos specific to help to gain strength, stretch and releasing muscle groups or areas of the body. I find her approach safe and effective. If you are looking for ways to expand your daily practice and can’t get to a class in person. Brea has created a video to help you expand, get stronger and be safe.
Brea Johnson on YouTube
If you are looking for a studio to Practice in Ottawa there are many. All good studios offer trial packages to allow students to attend different classes and be with as many teachers as possible. Your goal as a student is to find a class and teacher that challenges you but also support growth on an individual level. Remember, no two people are alike, our bodies, bone structure, flexibility, and life experience are different. Thus your practice will be unique to you.
Students who fully surrender at their own level in class are often learning and experiencing far more than a student who might look great in a pose but may not see or feel a deeper sense of self. Not that any practice is right or wrong.
Here is a shout out to my studio, keeping in mind the Yoga community in Ottawa support each other – Pranashanti Yoga Centre
Hypnosis and Healing
Most people think of hypnosis and are immediately reminded of something they saw on television or watched at a fair or exhibition. What we remember is a hypnotist making people fall asleep and then act foolish on stage. In movies, we were shown the Hollywood version of mind control as patients were stripped of their dignity and diminished using hypnosis.
Until recently, I myself thought hypnosis was nothing more than tricks for those interested in entertainment.
In 2017, I read a book that offered hypnosis as a method to heal past trauma and after doing a lot of homework I reached out to a friend to have a session.
What I have learned is that with the right practitioner, hypnosis not only can be but also is a powerful healing tool. Unlike what we recall from television where people are sound asleep and not aware of the present moment, one is actually quite aware of what is happening.
A hypnosis patient is guided into a deep trance state, which I call super consciousness or an area of Theta brainwave. Theta state is the area of consciousness between being awake and being asleep. So Theta is actually a deep meditative state and considered by Shamanic healers as the bridge to the subconscious mind.
Let me clear up possible myths about being in a hypnotic trance. You are not asleep and unable to understand what is going on, you are simply very relaxed and feel very alive and empowered. I can say for the record that in Theta state one is fully aware of their surroundings and can come back to a fully awake state without assistance, so you are always in control.
In hypnotic trance or Theta state, the power of suggestion or the ability to see beyond our beliefs and patterns is very powerful. This is where our greatest healing work happens.
In many respects, hypnosis is no different from other healing modalities and a client must find a practitioner they trust, someone who will manage their experience with complete care and integrity. All good healing practitioners tune in and are literally there with a client as they journey through an experience that is meaningful to them, something they need to heal.
I am very fortunate to know Sandy a very talented healer and certified hypnotist. I can offer her contact information to those interested in her services.
Earlier this summer I had a session with Sandy and to be honest I was not 100 percent certain what I would be working on?
I had a gut feeling there was something unsettling from my childhood that was calling for my awareness and this is where my session led us.
I almost immediately went to a place in my past where I was 7 or 8, and fully connected to an experience that had upset me. The remainder of the session became about processing the underlying pieces of what was perceived in those moments and fully understanding this reality. All healing of this nature is about seeing a trauma clearly, knowing how it affected you and then stepping forward to heal or reclaim. We honor the feelings from the past, in a sense lightening their weight while creating a new loving perception for yourself and all who were involved.
These moments of healing always stun me with the power they possess to transform something we may barely have remembered. These transformational unfoldings always leave a client completely uplifted. It is something you can see in their eyes like something new and bright has reappeared for them. Also important is to review the core messages of the healing so that there is a takeaway as a reminder of the power that was reclaimed.
As we enlighten a moment from our history and brighten a space within ourselves, we also can brighten and heal for others who surrounded us in these moments. What we affect through healing is always much bigger than ourselves (or should be)!
By Tom Kelly
Risk Factor
What is “risk” and how does it affect our lives? This documentary caught my eye recently and really helps the viewer understand and answer some tough questions for ourselves and the risk we take. No, it is not about money or wealth. This documentary discusses how risk participates in our daily lives and how risk helps and hinders us grow regardless of age or gender. Without understanding how risk enhances our lives, we can miss the key components that help make us more powerful at living. I like the real-life stories and analysis of high-risk living and how it translates into everyday life for the average person. In the documentary alcohol is mentioned with this notation, one glass of wine equates to medicine with all subsequent glasses considered poison for the body (I know, bad example for those I hope will watch). Just a tiny glimpse of all the invaluable information within this 50-minute documentary.
– Tom Kelly (see below for official film bio and link to watch Risk Factor)
Risk Factor
Risk permeates our lives. Filmmaker Robert Lang’s journey to demystify risk leads him to a renowned statistician at Cambridge, an extreme ice climber on an avalanche-prone mountain, a physicist at a nuclear reactor, and a security guru at the Boston Marathon. Lang replays and reconsiders his most risk-laden life experiences – from a drunken joyride to a murder on his doorstep, to a brush with nuclear radiation, to the pages of his family history that speak to current fears about terrorism.
Watch the full documentary at TVO (TV Ontario) from this > Risk Factor
Synchronicity, More Than a Coincidence.
Intuition and synchronicity are powerful tools we can all benefit from in daily life.
If we call something a coincidence, it somehow seems easier than pretending we have physic abilities or deep awareness. However, if we adjust our thinking slightly and let the word “coincidence” become “unplanned.” I think most of us would accept intuition and synchronicity for the simple reason that any object passing through our stream of consciousness is best to communicate and participate with than see as unknown.
Both are closely linked but slightly different. Intuition is something that is sensed or known and synchronicity relates to life experience that comes to us.
Being very similar does not mean one cannot happen without the other. However, in both cases, you need to be open and realize what is happening, also honor the information received.
We have all picked up the phone to call a friend just in time to receive a call from this very person.
It is common to have intuition lead to synchronicity. An example of this might be sensing a rain shower on a cloudy day, and then noticing animals in nature finding safer ground. It might seem obvious that rain is imminent and so what does this have to do with intuition? It is how the information comes to you.
In another example, you might be somewhere are see a dog and immediately realize you need to pick up food for your dog. These synchronicities are often looked as coincidence, far removed from our spiritual being and admired by the thinking mind as intelligence.
A few months ago at a concert at the National Arts Centre, I was waiting in a concession line when a complete stranger struck up a conversation. I do not remember much of that conversation but that this individual literally “told me” I would really enjoy reading a specific book and provided the title and author. M intuition told me to purchase this book, and from the first page, I quickly realized every word had an important meaning for me at that time.
If we watch closely, we see synchronicities more clearly and notice an increase in their frequency. We may also notice ourselves offering guided support to others, where before we might have held back.
In our silence are the words we were destined to hear. A Parent always knows when their child needs them and this is no coincidence. We can allow our senses to expand, helping to bring a deeper connection to all we are.
We learn to create our reality, to expand what was once unknown into the bright beholding of a new day.
By Tom Kelly