Addictions and trauma….what’s your pain?

Posted on September 15, 2022 by Gillian O'Shea

Have you struggled with cravings or even addictions? Craving sugar, alcohol, cigarettes, sex, drugs, shopping, eating, gambling, people pleasing, extreme exercise, overworking, excessive social media activity….the specific addiction is not what I want to highlight but rather the mechanism.

As a practicing wellness practitioner for over 20 years and someone who aspires to actively live with conscious awareness, I am still learning the dynamics of why we suffer with addictions, what triggers this behaviour and how do we overcome these behaviours.

Dr Gabor Mate is one of my mentors with regards to addiction and trauma and he believes it all relates to childhood trauma and how we are triggered throughout life when our needs are not being met. Addiction is a response to human suffering…an attempt to avoid suffering, feel in control, avoid loneliness.

“We are addicted to being wanted.”
Dr Gabore mate

Trauma triggers also manifest as inflammation in our bodies that’s why its so vital to deal with trauma and stress with any health condition.

Kinesiology as a modality is so powerful and effective because in a session we don’t just talk through trauma, we actively, through muscle testing, release the trauma from the physical, mental, emotional, spiritual body.
We all can really benefit from less shame and guilt around the various issues we are dealing with because this does not aid healing. We can all benefit from more support and kindness from family, friends, and wellness practitioners.

Here’s a few pointers which I hope will help you:

Stay in the present moment. Yesterday is past and you can do nothing about it. Every moment is a new opportunity to start over, make positive change, try again.
Stop blaming, guilting, and shaming yourself when you find yourself relapsing. It drains you of energy and gets you stuck. We are all doing the best we can, with where we are at.
Why the pain? Sit with the addictive behaviour and try identifying the emotions that trigger it. Where are you feeling helpless, abandoned, alone, unloved, fearful. If you can identify triggers you can choose to heal from them and rise above them when you are ready and able.
What are you trying to tune out from? This is a stress adaptation that triggers addiction.
Your body is the temple of your spirit/soul. The more awareness you bring to this, the more you accept that you are the temple, the wonderful, amazing vessel of your soul, the more reverence you will have for self, the more you can slowly start loving and accepting yourself as you are, the more you will aspire for self.
You are not alone. You are deserving of unconditional love. If you need assistance dealing with trauma, with finding more self-love, connecting with your higher power within you and all the support around you then take brave steps to reach out and ask for help. Again, remember, you deserve it.
Life is short and precious and a gift. Tomorrow is not guaranteed. Appreciate every moment given to you.
You can not find love, validation, bliss or meaning in other people or from other people. You must live for you.

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Boomers, Gen X, Gen Y, Gen Z, and Gen A and the health issues they face

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Posted on March 8, 2022 by Gillian O'Shea

Understanding each generation is particularly important to businesses and financial institutions wanting to capitalise on their spending habits. Here is a link from a financial company explaining quite well the different generations.

I am more interested on the impact on each generations wellness as that is my area of expertise. There is very little research pertaining to the health and wellness of each generation and what I could find various depending on the sources.

This information is purely based on what I have observed as a trend in my practice so I share as some food for thought:

Age 57-75: Over 80% of Boomers are taking between 2 and 5 chronic medications and have bought into a belief system that their bodies are failing them and medication or operations are needed in order to survive. They are less likely to try alternative health options. Most have had at least two organs removed. Providing for their old age is a priority concern. Hypertension, heart attacks, strokes, cholesterol, arthritis and insomnia are highest health issues here.

Age 41-56: Generation X’s are stuck taking care of parents and children so tend to suffer from burn out or chronic fatigue and are not tuned into their own needs so many identify with auto immune diseases especially involving thyroid and adrenals. Anxiety, depression, chronic inflammation and metabolic syndrome can also be an issue. Over half are on at least one chronic medication for depression, sleep or thyroid.

Age 25-40: Generation Y’s are disillusioned with the current health industry and instinctively feel that a more natural approach to their wellness makes more sense for them. They question the status quo and are more in tune with their gut feelings but are not always sure where to turn for assistance. They tend to be more health conscious but their generation is also influenced by experimentation with drugs so they can fluctuate between extreme health and apps to measure everything.. and addiction binges. They may have been subjected to many antibiotics and drugs for ADHD as children so also have compromised immune systems. Health issues include anxiety, mood, asthma, sinus and allergies. Fertility issues are also on the increase with this generation.

Age 9-24: Generation Z are growing up in a hyper connected world and have very short attention spans. They are more self propelled, aspiring to own their own businesses and following their purpose but often do not know what this is. They are more fluid in thoughts and beliefs and if their parents and environment does not try and understand this they can be more anxious and stressed and suffer with mental health issues. Physical fitness, healthy eating and mental health are more important to a much larger percent of these individuals and they use technology to help them manage this. They understand intuitively that they are energy beings. Fear and general exposure to toxins is an issue so many suffer with asthma, sinus, post nasal drip, sensitivities. Depending on the supporting environment, they could tend to compare themselves to everyone around them and come up lacking so self worth is an issue needing to be addressed.

I would love to hear what your views are on the various generations and their health issues so please share.

Are you the parent of an Indigo child?

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Posted on March 8, 2022 by Gillian O'Shea

If your child has an urge to create change in the world, is a free thinker and is often misunderstood, they could be an “Indigo” child. Does your child display extreme empathy, sensitivity, a high level of intuition and psychic ability, an innate spirituality, and a deep desire to help the world? If so, you could be the parent of an Indigo child.

What is an Indigo child? In the 1970s, parapsychologist and psychic Nancy Ann Tapp studied human auric fields and coined the term “Indigo children”. While just a few people possessed indigo auras back then, she saw an increase in the number of children born with indigo auras from 1978 to the late 1980s, leading her to assume that a new generation of spiritual leaders, dubbed Indigo children, was on the way.

Common traits of Indigo children:
• High expectations of themselves and others
• Find relationships and interactions with others more challenging than other children their age.
• Are unrelentingly self-critical
• Have a strong intuition
• Often question authority
• Are highly creative and often musically and artistically gifted
• Are unwilling to compromise just to fit in.
• Are headstrong
• Know their self-worth and unwilling to back down from confronting what feels out of integrity.
• Get frustrated easily and often lack patience
• Empaths
• Tend to portray hyperactive tendencies
• Most possess extremely high IQs and some even display paranormal abilities.
• Sensitive beings, so it’s no surprise that they suffer from despair and anxiety more often than other children.
• Tend to swim upstream
• More fluid in gender, tribal, cultural attitudes and beliefs

The health of Indigo children
• Because the are so tuned in and porous they often have gut issues like IBS
• Are prone to depression if they are not nurtured and understood and don’t understand themselves and taught self worth from small.
• More prone to allergies because they are more sensitive/porous
• More affected by EMF and geopathic stress so control their exposure to cellphones, laptops and gaming as it will affect their energy
• Its important to ensure they have a healthy diet with good fats and proteins and limited refined sugars and junk food as it will aggravate their hyperactive tendencies.
• Encourage them to practice mindfulness in the form of yoga, deep breathing and meditation to give them opportunities to switch off and tune in otherwise their health will suffer

How to best nurture an Indigo child
• Even if you don’t see eye-to-eye with your Indigo child, support them and allow them to be heard.
• Provide opportunity for them to relax and regroup.
• Teach them to shield themselves from negative energy. Because they are so sensitive they absorb other peoples energy and if they do not understand this it can make them feel low and confused.
• Teach them about self-care first. Because they care so about others and the planet, they can become too externally focused if they are not taught this principle early on, they deplete themselves while focusing on the welfare of others
• Do not lie to them they have built in bullS%&t detectors and they will become confused, withdrawn or aggressive.
• Educate yourself on how to nurture their special gifts so that they can reach their full potential and contribute to society. Watch the movie Superhuman: The invincible made visible.

If you think you need assistance understanding your Indigo child and helping them with their health issues please reach out.

Be more like a tree

Posted on January 25, 2022 by Gillian O'Shea

I wish I knew this when I was younger. Boy, things would have been easier!

How do you feel when your friends or family use you as a sounding board and barely take a breath to stop and ask you how you are doing?

Or when ‘friends’ freeload at your home by the sea under the guise of wanting to spend time with you lol.

Or those clients that drain you for free council and advise in social settings instead of honoring your worth and booking a consult.

Or the parent that seems to criticise every choice you make, veiled in the coat of love.

Or that friend you do so much for who just never appreciates you.

Or when your youngster comes home crying because school friends behave horridly towards them.

We all have many different scenario’s that make us feel less than or that rob us of joy.

But it does not have to be that way.

We have the power to choose how we behave and feel about any given situation. No matter how another behaves, or treats you, or appreciates you, or not…YOU have the choice to allow their behaviour to affect you and define you.

If you know who you are, know your worth, and your self worth is not defined by the appreciation, acceptance or validation from another, then you will not get angry, disappointed, heartbroken by their choices and behaviour. You will not allow external factors to dictate your happiness and worth. You will not get sick from pent up hurt, frustration and anger.

I have found it to be so. The more I make it an intent to have no vested interest in a specific outcome, no expectation on another, I can just allow them to be them and the situation to be what it is, without it affecting me. And I can be me.

And the more you are grounded in who you are, the healthier your personal boundaries will be.

More tree quotes

“You don’t have to give every time. It’s okay for you to take some time for yourself, as well. In fact, if you want to have enough to give to others, you will need to take care of yourself first. A tree that refuses water and sunlight for itself can’t bear fruit for others.” – Emily Maroutian

“A tree has roots in the soil yet reaches to the sky. It tells us that in order to aspire we need to be grounded and that no matter how high we go it is from our roots that we draw sustenance.” – Wangari Maathai

“Storms make trees take deeper roots.” – Dolly Parton

“Notice that the stiffest tree is most easily cracked, while the bamboo or willow survives by bending with the wind.” – Bruce Lee.

“Be like a tree and let the dead leaves drop.” – Rumi

And lastly this beautiful bit of advice from a tree…

Dear Friend,
Stand Tall and Proud
Sink your roots deeply into the Earth
Reflect the light of a greater source
Think long term
Go out on a limb
Remember your place among all living beings
Embrace with joy the changing seasons
For each yields its own abundance
The Energy and Birth of Spring
The Growth and Contentment of Summer
The Wisdom to let go of leaves in the Fall
The Rest and Quiet Renewal of Winter
Feel the wind and the sun
And delight in their presence
Look up at the moon that shines down upon you
And the mystery of the stars at night.
Seek nourishment from the good things in life
Simple pleasures
Earth, fresh air, light
Be content with your natural beauty
Drink plenty of water
Let your limbs sway and dance in the breezes
Be flexible
Remember your roots
Enjoy the view!

by Ilan Shamir.

Need some help in creating the happy, healthy life you desire?
I’ll show you the steps I took to creating the life I desired – where
I am happy everyday, I have wonderful clients who appreciate
me, loving relationships, abundant energy and health. I only do
what feels good and life always goes my way.

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Trending – Complementary health therapies

Posted on January 3, 2022 by Gillian O'Shea

Trend watchers all over the world have predicted for many years now that more and more people are looking to complementary and integrative health modalities for their health. This will be even more so in 2022.

People are becoming more conscious of the reality that we are vibrational, frequency, energy beings.
Complementary health therapies address the mental, physical, spiritual and emotional energy imbalance within us when we experience dis-ease symptoms.

Specialised Kinesiology
Specialised Kinesiology is a complementary health therapy based on eastern and western teachings, which essentially makes use of muscle testing to assist a person in getting to the bottom of their energy imbalances, in order to get back to homeostasis and optimal health.
Kinesiologists use muscle feedback as a stress monitor to identify imbalances in their client’s structural, chemical, mental and emotional energy systems. By correcting these imbalances the kinesiologist is able to re-activate the body’s built-in healing ability as well as identify external factors affecting the client’s well-being.

Kinesiology does NOT diagnose, prescribe or treat in any way, medical conditions or named diseases; nor does it attempt to keep people away from doctors, drugs, surgery, or the skills of any heal professional when they need them. Kinesiologists do not treat diseases or ‘conditions’. The best form of treatment for a client is integrating complementary treatment with their traditional, medical treatment programme.
Kinesiologists believe that when you are experiencing discomfort, it’s merely your body trying to ‘talk to you’. Instead of suppressing symptoms (messages), an alternative approach is to try kinesiology to establish what the cause of the issue is.
Specialised Kinesiology has shown to be really beneficial for:
• Headaches
• Emotional problems
• Depression
• Stress
• Learning difficulties, ADD, ADHD
• Pain – Neck pain, back pain, muscle pain, joint pain
• Insomnia
• Low blood sugar
• Sinusitis
• Food allergies and sensitivities
• Recurrent infections
• Fatigue, chronic tiredness, lacking energy
• Relationship difficulties
• Low self esteem
• Phobias
• Addictions
• Skin problems
• Digestive disorders, chronic constipation, stomach pain, colitis
• Menstrual problems

Tap in to tune in to what’s causing stress and imbalance in your life. Your body is the messenger and holds the answers.

Gillian O’Shea | Specialised Kinesiologist in the Western Cape | http://www.gillianoshea.com
For more information on Specialised Kinesiology
https://gillianoshea.com/2010/01/07/125/
For a directory of kinesiologists in South Africa
www.kinesiologysouthafrica.co.za

Turn your dreams into reality! World Dream Day 25 September

Posted on September 8, 2021 by Gillian O'Shea

Spring is the perfect time to activate those seeds of ideas, dreams and goals within you. The world needs dreamers and doers. Held within each dream is hope for the future. Held within each dreamer is wealth of potential.

Saturday 25 September is World Dream Day. It is also Heritage weekend. And, what better time than Spring, to unleash our human potential and by doing so, to transform the world.

Identify and declare a dream that will make a real difference in your life, family, business, community or the world. Join us for a fun day where we will creatively turn these dreams into action!
We will guide you to creatively turn those seeds of dreams into reality through a fun creative workshop. You will get to enjoy a traditional South African lunch while taking in the breath-taking views of Knysna, from Sirius Lodge at Simola.

Lots of other surprise activities and prizes lined up for this Dream Day. So, put on your best Spring outfit, bring Your Big Dream and join us! Let’s transform the World One Dream at a time!

Times: 12pm to 4pm

Cost: R240

Where: Sirius Lodge, Simola

To book: Aysha 083 277 5649 or gillian@gatewaytowellness.live

*This is a fundraising event in support of Changes of Knysna, an NPO making a difference in the Knysna Community.

Living in the Love vibration

Posted on February 27, 2021 by Gillian O'Shea

Some people are born with a high love vibration, and others are fortunate to grow up in it. Most of us, however, have considerable overcoming to do in order to fully experience it. This overcoming is the process of personal transformation or the process of becoming connected and whole.

The love vibration allows us to express the God-qualities that inspire and empower.
Well into midlife, I’ve finally discovered that the law of attraction means living in the love vibration. Not only is this the law of attraction, it is the law of life. If we want good to manifest for us, we must commit ourselves to feeling good, being good, doing good. Good is God expressing through us.

When we live in the love vibration, our energy resonates at a high frequency and we express the God-qualities of compassion, forgiveness, tolerance, respect, generosity, joy, peace—all that inspires, empowers, and enhances life. The love vibration lifts us to a higher state of consciousness and frees us of the thoughts, feelings, and actions that minimize and victimize us.

Keeping Our Ego in Check
Gone are any neurotic fear, guilt, judgment, greed, envy, arrogance, and the ego’s stubborn need to be right. “Vexations of the spirit” lose their power over us. Free from the baggage of negativity and limited thinking, we begin to feel lighter and shine brighter. We become the magnet attracting our good.

Living in the love vibration may be a simple concept to understand, but it can be our most difficult challenge. Living in the love vibration means keeping our ego/personality in check as we relate to people and circumstances from “the high watch,” our soul-self.

Our ego easily indulges in the dramas of life. We invest emotional and physical energy in advancing the ego through superiority, security, and status.

Our soul-self is the wise, detached participant-observer. It experiences life but is not consumed by it. It recognizes life as the unfolding of a divine plan, the evolving of Spirit within form. The soul-self trusts that “all things work together for good.”

Embracing Wholeness
When we live in the love vibration, we know that all aspects of life are connected and that we each have the potential—indeed, the responsibility—to become whole. To clarify: Connection means that every presence on this planet (human, animal, plant, mineral) is a unique expression of God and that we are all interdependent. There is no separation … we are all cells of the living God, and what affects one, affects us all.

Wholeness, on the other hand, means being complete as an individual and in harmony and balance at all levels of our being—body, mind, and spirit. To be whole means to gather up and heal our fragmented pieces—the parts of ourselves that are disconnected from Spirit. Our brokenness is often due to feelings of unworthiness and pain from the past. Living in the love vibration keeps us focused in the present moment, connected and at one with ourselves and all there is.

Embracing Love
Living in the love vibration is our birthright and directs the unfolding of our life’s passion. It sets the intention for every day, the agenda for every interaction, the prescription for every ill, and the expectation for every circumstance.

In this state of being, we are heart-centered in thought, word, and deed. We project the high frequency of love and light, and it returns to us. This is the law of attraction.

Because the love vibration requires our ego personality to surrender to the soul-self, we get out of our own way. Our path is cleared. We encounter people and situations that inspire us and guide us toward the fulfillment of our potential and passion. We are in the flow of life. Our role shifts from reactor to cocreator. We are empowered.

You know when you’re living in the love vibration because you can feel it. It feels like a natural high. It is a feeling of connection, of wholeness, of lightness and expansion. Meditation, miracles of nature, emotional ecstasy, and places of awesome beauty can give us similar feelings of bliss.

Living in the love vibration is our birthright and directs the unfolding of our life’s passion. It sets the intention for every day, the agenda for every interaction, the prescription for every ill, and the expectation for every circumstance.

Committing to the Love Vibration
To continually live in the love vibration takes considerable commitment and vigilance. It is all too easy to regress into fear, judgment, or self-righteousness. No matter how spiritual we think we are, we are still having the human experience of trials and tribulations, progress and relapse.

And it’s all right. We don’t have to deny or condemn our human vulnerabilities. The goal is to be positive and let the intelligence of our heart guide us.

Prayer, meditation, inspirational readings, and service to others are all excellent ways to attract connection, wholeness, and love. Other strategies include:

Seeking the good in everyone and everything.
Bringing trust to adversity.
Being grateful for all that we have.
Taking the high road in any conflicted situation or relationship.
Creating a sacred space of peace and beauty in which to renew.
Caring for living things.

Love is the elixir for joy and the antidote to pain. Love fuels the fire of our passion. Love lifts us from our limitations to our potential. Love transcends time and space. Love transmutes differences and prejudices. Love heals. Love is the vibration of Spirit, the song of the Universe. Love is the alpha and the omega.

Learning to live in the love vibration is why we are here. It is our individual and collective purpose. It is the secret of life that is hiding in plain view. When we live in the love vibration, we graduate this life with honors.