Yesterday we started talking about the energies within us which most of us just don’t tap for a variety of reasons. Probably one of the first reasons is stress. We are always on the go, hung up on things in the past or worrying about things that might happen in the future. We are sometimes so worried about the past and the future that we forget about the most important thing: the NOW.
So today’s talk is about seeking balance in order to restore some of THE LOST energies within us. It’s about stopping to smell the roses.
Just one thing before you start: Make sure that you check with a physician before engaging in any form of activity or exercise and make sure that you undertake this balancing activity in a safe environment.
The first step involves a concept known as “Earthing”.
Go outside (somewhere safe) and take off your shoes and socks. Grass, earth, sand or the ocean are perfect places, but standing on concrete will work as well. Wood, not so much since it’s such a poor conductor. You can walk around or just stand there, but the important thing is to allow your naked feet to keep contact with the Earth. Those who practice Earthing believe it will help transfer natural electrical energies that have been lost back to your body.
Take it a step further. Stand there, legs slightly apart. Try to clear your mind of all thoughts about the past and future and just think of the NOW. The cold, crinkly feel of the grass beneath your feet. The slight damp. The grittiness of sand sifting between your toes. The screech of a seagull. The NOW.
Then take a slow deep breath while raising your hands above your head gently. This is not a stretch, just a simple raise your hands on the deep inhale. Then drop your hands and bend at the waist (until comfortable) while you exhale. Do this by bending toward your right leg, then the middle, then the left leg, then the middle, etc. Inhale/Raise, Exhale/Lower. Slowly and without pushing your physical boundaries. Not too long since this isn’t about endurance or exercise, it’s about finding balance.
If you can’t do the arm raise/bend, just do the deep breathing, slow and simple for a minute or two.
I actually do this bending/inhaling exercise during long stretches of writing. Why may you ask? Well first of all, sitting too long is never good.
Second, this Sympathetic Breathing exercise taps into your Autonomic Nervous System which in stressful lives is sometimes stuck in a “fight or flight” response to the detriment of the “rest and digest” portion of the system. Sympathetic breathing exercises help restore the balance to your ANS.
So on this Fun Friday, see if you can do these exercises and if you feel more peaceful, more in the NOW and more energized. If you do, you’ve taken the first step toward find THE LOST energies within you (or maybe join the ranks of the SIN HUNTERS by finding your natural affinity!).
But what do you do about that energy and how do you tap into it? One way that some claim to do so is through the spiritual practice of 
When I first thought of the hero in my new romantic suspense novel, 
It is with a heavy heart that I come to you today. The romance community has received news that my friend and fellow author, Leslie Esdaile (“L.A. Banksâ€), is gravely ill. She is facing an uphill battle in her struggle with serious illness. Please know that as Leslie needs all of her energy in this fight, she is absolutely not able to receive visitors, answer emails, texts or phone calls, or receive flowers. 
Welcome to today’s Thursday Thirteen! I don’t know about you, but way before I was a writer, I was an avid reader and even now I try to get in a number of reads during the course of the year. Amongst those are some favorites which I’m sharing with you today. Feel free to add your favorite ones to the list!