Wholistic Health and Wellness Practicer

One of Carl Jung’s great gifts to depth psychology was his recognition that mind and body are one and that our symptoms, psychological and physical, can be viewed as manifestations of some part of us that “wants to be known.” Jung came to this conclusion after years of working with his own inner world, undertaking the task of self-examination through a descent into his dreams, fantasies, and images. He came to see that even terrifying figures in dreams could be messengers and beneficial guides to psychological growth. In honor of Jung’s courage and pioneering path, and his astonishing legacy of work, I have invited esteemed Jungian analyst Kenneth James to talk about why someone might seek Jungian analysis, and why he considers this "soul work.” Kenneth James is a Jungian analyst in private practice in Chicago. He holds a Ph.D. in Communicative Sciences and Disorders from Northwestern University and a Diploma in Analytical Psychology from the C.G. Jung Institute of Chicago. He has...

Journal prompt: What brings you joy?  What do joy and happiness have in common? How are they different? Our ideas are as valid as we make them out to be. We may worry that others may not think that what we have to say is worthy of attention, especially the ideas that come to us via inspiration or are our own invention. If we can believe in our ideas enough to back them up, others will be more likely to see the validity behind our notions. Even if they don't end up agreeing with us, they will still respect and see worth in our ideas. Many of the greatest ideas in the world came from one person's ability to articulate an idea in a way that hadn't been thought of before. One person's notion can be the next great invention, if only that person is brave enough to put their thoughts out there. Believe in your ideas enough to share them with others today, and you will be contributing to the collective consciousness. A desire to express what's on your mind allow...

People are often not aware of the extent of their sleep deficiency. Sleep needs may vary from person to person but the general sleep requirements recommended by experts are as follows: Newborns: 16-18 hours a day. Preschool-aged children: 11-12 hours. School-going children: 10 hours. Teens: 9-10 hours. Adults (including elderly): 7-8 hours. While we may get by with less sleep on a prolonged basis, it is important to remember that ‘catching up’ on a sleep deficit accumulated over the week over the weekend does not provide the same restorative and beneficial effects as regular sleep does. It’s not a question of just balancing numbers but of respecting the process. In today’s world of 24/7 connectivity, it is a big challenge for humans to disconnect and accept that the world will continue to function for those few hours when we sign off — simply because productivity is increasingly associated with being awake longer. This may play out quite to the contrary if the complexity of...

Services CHOOSE NAMASTE provides sometimes are born of necessity. Many people take the path of 12-step programs, Other programs, such as 8-step programs are simply another path. Sometimes, people may participate in both. Our meetings are unique as they are exclusively for people who are affected by someone elses addicted/disordered behaviors. CHOOSE NAMASTE draws inspiration from Recovery Dharma . Choosing to seek support is self care. Aligning as an affinity group, CHOOSE NAMASTE provides peer based education and support through online meetings to family and friends (Wise Friends) of those who are affected by someone who has the experience addition/disordered behaviors. We use the term "wise friends'' because participating in our anonymous meetings can provide a safe space to experience a community of education and support. Our meetings are diverse- and can include spouses, partners, adult children, siblings, parents, grandparents, family, friends, and others...

When we feel pain, our first impulse is often to eradicate it with medication. This is an understandable response, but sometimes in our hurry to get rid of pain, we forget that it is the body's way of letting us know that it needs our attention. A headache can inform us that we're hungry or stressed just as a sore throat might be telling us that we need to rest our voice. If we override these messages instead of respond to them, we risk worsening our condition. In addition, we create a feeling of disconnectedness between our minds and our bodies.  Physical pain is not the only kind of pain that lets us know our attention is needed. Emotional pain provides us with valuable information about the state of our psyche, letting us know that we have been affected by something and that we would do well to focus our awareness inward.  Just as we tend to a cut on our arm by cleaning and bandaging it, we treat a broken heart by surrounding ourselves with love and support. In ...

The Tibetan Pranayama or 9 round breathing technique relies heavily on visualization. While practicing Tibetan Pranayama, one should visualize breath as white light. This is to realize the prana/chi aspect of the practice and not just consider it as air or oxygen. Remember it is the vital life force of self and of all things. While focusing on your breath, try and imagine your attention or mind as literally riding on top of the breath.  Just like you are floating on the breath, staying with it the entire way, so as your breath and your attention become one. However, an easier beginner’s practice is to do just the breathing without visualization. Practicing Tibetan Pranayama requires some experience with other Pranayama breathing techniques.  "Many times you can feel drained of this energy or low in vitality, this is a perfect time to practise 9 round breathing to re-invigorate yourself," says Christine English

New research published in The Journal of Positive Psychology has examined the paradoxical effects of valuing happiness. The findings suggest that people who place a high value on feeling happy tend to also feel pressured to avoid negative emotional experiences, which in turn is associated with reduced psychological well-being. “Happiness — one of the most sought-after values in the Western world today — is shown in research to be beneficial for one’s interpersonal relationships, career prospects and overall wellbeing. Yet curiously a sect of recent research has challenged the efficacy of this Western cultural ideal, revealing that placing a high value on one’s happiness can, paradoxically, lead to less happiness,” explained lead researcher Ashley Humphrey, a lecturer in psychology at Federation University Australia Christine English with Citta Balance agrees. She says, “this phenomenon is termed in the literature ‘valuing happiness’ and is understood to be counter-intuitive...