Welcome to Episode 38, Season 3 of “Triggers and Spiritual Medicine” with your host, Laura Bonetzky Joseph, and our Everlutionary guest, Hawah Kasat.
In this episode, Laura and Hawah engaged in a rich discussion on personal experiences, cultural identities, spiritual practices, and what it takes to be truly “Everlutionary”. They emphasized the importance of creating safe spaces and addressing global challenges with love, empathy, and cooperation.
Hawah shared stories of his upbringing in New Jersey and summers in India, which shaped his views on racism, xenophobia, and the need for healing. He discussed navigating cultural identities, founding the nonprofit One Common Unity, and becoming a UN delegate. Hawah highlighted the importance of expanding perspectives, finding joy in service, and the mental attitude necessary for spiritual growth.
Both Laura and Hawah discussed the challenges of translating spiritual practices like Reiki and yoga across cultures and spoke about the need for fostering belonging and redefining success.
We conclude with Hawah sharing 3 tips that emphasize the importance of creating safe spaces, fostering understanding, and addressing global challenges through love, empathy, and cooperation.
As always, please share, like, and support if you found this episode helpful.
About Hawah:
An award-winning author, educator, non-profit leader, TEDx speaker, poet, and yogi. For over 20 years, Hawah has been teaching violence prevention, social-emotional literacy, conflict transformation, the healing arts, trauma-informed care, mindfulness, and yoga to all types of students, from diverse demographics, around the globe.
Since childhood, Hawah has been exposed to the living traditions, culture, philosophy, and practices of his ancestral homeland of India, and offers a rare perspective on Eastern and Western dichotomies.
Hawah is co-founder and former Executive Director of One Common Unity (OCU), an award-winning non-profit organization that has impacted the lives of over 40,000 youth and families.
In 2018, OCU was awarded the National SHIFT Award for its pioneering work in integrating the healing arts with environmental stewardship. In 2019, Hawah was honored to receive Georgetown University’s “Legacy Of A Dream” Award at the Kennedy Center. The University presents the award annually to an inspirational emerging leader whose work embodies the values and spirit of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
In the years prior, Hawah worked as an Americorps community organizer and mentor in Washington, D.C.’s most under-resourced neighborhood.
After graduating from American University, he was awarded a fellowship with the Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Foundation to work as a special representative to the United Nations and the World Conference Against Racism.
Hawah has made appearances on XM National Satellite Radio, BBC, Fox News, NBC, ABC, CNN, The Washington Post, NPR, and Al Jazeera. He has also been a guest speaker at Yale University, George Washington University, U.C.L.A., University of Colorado, Rollins College, University of Maryland, Georgetown University, Brown University, and many others.
Most recently, he helped launch Roots to Sky Sanctuary, a 125-acre BIPOC led regenerative farm and healing arts center situated in northern Appalachia where he serves as a Managing Partner. Over the years he has authored 4 books and produced 3 documentary films, including the widely acclaimed, “Fly By Light.”
Hawah Links
www.HawahKasat.com
Everlutionary Podcast on Spotify – https://spoti.fi/3yxTpXD
This workshop features three modalities to raise your vibration and bring in healing energy.
Join Parashakti Jill Jardine, Reverend in Sanskrit Mantra, as she leads the group in chanting sacred sound formulas from the Vedic tradition. Jill will teach Kundalini Kriyas to manifest more health and prosperity.
Relax and unwind to the healing sounds of the Gong bath.pri
Jill Jardine, M.A. Counseling/Psychology, has been a life-long Astrologer and Psychic, studying metaphysics and reading astrological charts and tarot cards since she was 15 years old. Jill received a Master’s degree in Counseling/Psychology in 1991, to legitimize her astrological and Intuitive counseling. Jill is certified in several healing modalities including as a certified Vedic Astrologer, Yoga teacher, Sanskrit Mantra instructor, and Kundalini Yoga teacher . She has been blessed to study with several wise Gurus from India and metaphysical teachers. Jill believes our body is our temple, and we have to continually fine-tune our consciousness, body, mind, and spirit by pursuing healing practices. Jill was once told by an Indian Guru that “God and the Gurus have blessed her with the Gift of Divine Intuition.” Jill is honored to be of service to share her god-given gifts and cultivated wisdom with her clients.
Welcome to Episode 24 of Triggers and Spiritual Medicine podcast with host, Laura Bonetzky-Joseph. Join us for an enlightening episode on the topic of one woman’s incredible journey “From CEO of a NY Mental Hospital to Author of the Scriptural Guide to Overcoming 7 Mental Ailments” with the incredibly powerful, Precious (Yakira-Eden) Stepney.
Precious is a native New Yorker who always dreamed to be an advocate. She saw herself as someone whose clients could relate to and identify with while also serving as a model. At the time she did not realize how much of a role model she could play.
She talks about how she started out her career in the juvenile justice system working with at risk youth which allowed her to do some statistical analysis and quality management in a psychiatric hospital. She then went on to work in corrections to forensic psychiatric hospital. Over 20 plus years, she rose up to become the CEO of a major state funded mental hospital in New York as a younger melanin dominant woman.
Then C0VlD began and that changed everything. She realized how important it was to BE more authentic and to give of herself more. She retired from her position at the hospital at the age of 44 and the steps that led her to write her book began. This is her story.
Precious shares 3 actionable steps listeners can do today.
Topics of conversation include:
her life path as an advocate
how her accomplishments surpassed her childhood dream
working in juvenile detention to corrections
desire to ensure the clients were receiving quality care.
challenges and root issues at-risk youth faced.
empowering leadership to see the WHOLE person which was unheard of 20 years ago
dynamics of systemic challenges
remedies shared as an advocate.
how to make a safe and healthy connections
working in a forensic psychiatric hospital
why running a hospital a certain way and how it translates to quality patient care.
how she prioritized her mental health, and the defining moments that led to her to resign as CEO
limitations she experienced due to her superiors.
how she created a healing space within her office at the hospital complete with essential oils diffusers and a selenite wand on her desk and its impact on staff.
how she infused wellness into the space with staff and union leadership
the big defining employment and union contract negotiating moment that impacted the staff.
religion vs scripture vs spirituality
blending her experience in mental health with yoga and scripture to help process stuff in the body.
the process of her book writing by NOT identifying with any formalized religion by examining a story and a process that crosses ancient cultures through time
soul energy
yoga
finding spiritual medicine in a text that has been misused.
the vibration of words and the power of storytelling
the infection and trigger that FEAR creates, the cycles, the doubt & how to shift that.
ABOUT PRECIOUS (Yakira-Eden) STEPNEY
Precious (Yakira-Eden) Stepney is an active mother of two, an enthusiastic member of ANU Life Global Ministries, a facilitator of the Alpha Woman Now experience on YouTube, a True Health Live podcast co-host, and founder of Sacred Lotus Blossom rites of passage program. She’s spent the past 20+ years of her professional career as a mental health administrator and recently stepped away from the role of Chief Executive Officer of a large state-operated psychiatric hospital. Throughout her career as a mental health administrator, she has worked alongside clinicians assisting those experiencing anxiety, depression, disruptive behaviors, relationship challenges, and trauma.
Yakira-Eden now functions as a healthcare consultant and leadership development advocate. As a Lean Six Sigma Blackbelt nowadays you can find her coaching and supporting clients through everyday life challenges using scripture lessons, somatic movement, meditation, Lean methodology, and personnel management techniques to empower the overcomer within.
In 2021 under the direction of ANU Life Global Ministries Chief Jegna, she was charged to use her experience and zeal for biblical studies to author Scriptural Guide to 7 Mental Ailments. She is an avid Yin Yoga and Yoga Nidra enthusiast and offers this as a service as well. Her motto is, “Righteous life-affirming holistic wellness is possible for all. As we stretch our bodies, we stretch our minds.”
To connect with Yakira-Eden please find her LinkTree and follow her onIG@AlphaWomanNow, @Yakira-Eden amd YouTube @AlphaWomanNow
To learn more about ANU Life Global Ministries visit www.Anulifeglobal.org ; IG @AnuLifeGM, YouTube @ANULife Global Ministries
Join us for a uniquely feminine spiritual fitness class to awaken your inner goddess with a fusion of fitness, belly dance, mindfulness and yoga. Expect a short grounding meditation, 30 mins of sacred feminine dance to activate the chakras, and 20 minutes of strength work and restorative stretching on the yoga mat.
Feel strong, sexy, and soulful!
All levels welcome.
Gym shoes recommended. Please bring a yoga mat if you have one.
See what others are saying about this class:
“This was my first class and I loved it. I felt so feminine and lucky to be in my body and bring out the goddess in me.” – Marianne
“Not only is Tracy an amazing instructor, but also an amazing female role model. I look forward to class each week and it provides me energy, motivation, and the positivity to manage the week ahead.” – Michelle
“My job requires me to spend a lot of time standing and I always thought I wouldn’t have the energy for an evening class but the Bellyfit class was a revelation to me. After just one class I felt more energized and happy, Bellyfit is a perfect combination of dancing and stretching that helped relax my tight muscles.” – Kirsten
A certified holistic health coach from the Institute for Integrative Nutrition, and a chakra healing practitioner through The Reiki Group Academy, Tracy Durso helps women listen to their bodies, release negative energy, and find the balance they need to keep moving forward with grace. A Bellyfit® and Bellyfit Flow™ instructor with a focus on embodiment, she is also creator of Empower Dance, a cardio dance fitness program that features popular music with uplifting lyrics about self-love and inner strength.
Join us for a slow flow fusion of vinyasa yoga-inspired fitness, sensual belly dance, and meditation set to powerful music for a divine feminine mind-body workout that feels sexy and sacred! Invoke your inner goddess, release body shame, and feel empowered through movement.
“This was my first class and I loved it. I felt so feminine and lucky to be in my body and bring out the goddess in me.” – Marianne
“Not only is Tracy an amazing instructor, but also an amazing female role model. I look forward to class each week and it provides me energy, motivation, and the positivity to manage the week ahead.” – Michelle
About your facilitator:
A dance fitness instructor and health coach specializing in mind-body connection, Tracy Durso helps women listen to their bodies, release negative energy, and find the balance they need to keep moving forward with grace.
A certified holistic health coach with advanced work in hormone health and emotional eating from the Institute for Integrative Nutrition, Tracy is also a graduate of Dance Masters of America Teacher Training School and is studying to become a certified chakra healing practitioner.
A Bellyfit® and Bellyfit Flow™ instructor with a focus on embodiment, she is also creator of Empower Dance, a cardio dance fitness program that features popular music with uplifting lyrics about self-love and inner strength.
Welcome to Episode 8 of Triggers and Spiritual Medicine podcast with host, Laura Bonetzky-Joseph and guest trauma educator, Melanie Brown TOPIC: Addressing Trauma in Yoga Practices
In this episode, Melanie shares her experiences as a trauma survivor, yogi, and trauma educator when she went to a yoga class in the Boston area that was NOT only as advertised – which created harm – but when the class actually triggered Melanie, the yoga instructor was dismissive of the harm the class had which created a secondary harm.
We talk about white washing sacred practices and the various unintentional harms committed by westerners.
Melanie shares 3 tips for yoga instructors and studio owners on how to improve so unintentional harm is NOT perpetrated, and she share 3 tips for anyone looking for a yoga class on how to find one that is more trauma informed.
Click here to subscribe to our YouTube Channel. Scroll below for more resources and information.
Embeing’s® Melanie Lynn Brown holds an MA Ed. in Mindful Education and Trauma Studies from Lesley University and a BA in Government from Smith. She has spent 20 years working in Education with trauma survivors and in political advocacy. She formed Embeing®, a consultancy, to teach and promote both macro and micro trauma education, trauma-informed policies and compassionate systems analysis. She takes on a limited number of personal clients, primarily under 18 years, to support nervous system regulation and holistic wellness. Her clients include trauma survivors and autistic young people. Her approach is best described as “empowerment through education.” You can reach Melanie at: www.embeingempowered.com
The Center for Trauma and Embodiment at JRI: TCTSY, is an evidence-based, adjunctive treatment for complex trauma and complex PostTraumatic Stress Disorder. TCTSY is equally accessible to all regardless of the characteristics of a person. They offer virtual yoga classes for those not able to attend at their Boston location.
Yoga International Magazine article on how to avoid cultural appropriation in yoga- This article is a must read for white yoga teachers. It offers opportunity for deep reflection accompanied by pragmatic advice for those wanting to remain mindful of the cultural appropriation of Yoga in America.
Vision: To break the unrecognized endemic of unresolved unhealed trauma & create sustainable systems for recovery, healing & empowerment.
Mission: To help others rediscover the power that lies within and to find that treasure buried in the depths of the shadows. To help them become their own superhero.
We hope by addressing the intersectionality and connect the dots like a web of many of society’s challenges, we can help others understand the trauma infection that impacts all areas of life – addiction, domestic violence, racism, homelessness, sexual abuse, chronic health issues, cancer, environmental issues, climate change and more. In this NEW collaborative program, we hope by highlighting these infected areas and what they share in common, a new perspective of solutions, healing, and resolutions can be birthed.
The Future of Reiki, Martial Artists, Spiritual Based, & Holistic Therapies in MA & USA
Your freedom to access or practice any of these therapies is being threatened with regulation.
What’s the threat?
The threat is coming from the private sector, organizations which stand to benefit by controlling from whom you can receive treatment, from whom you can learn any of these therapies, how you practice professionally, and what you teach.
That control can be gained by manipulating state governments that write licensing laws, ostensibly to protect the public from harm.
Do I have your attention? Are you ready to protect Reiki and other affected therapies?
Although this proposed bill affects ANYTHING that is deemed a holistic therapy or a spiritual therapy through “word or touch”, I am going to stick to my lane of knowledge in the realm of my extensive experience in trauma healing & recovery especially for domestic violence survivors and sexual assault survivors as well as spiritually based therapies such as meditation & reiki.
For more details on what is happening, please check out my prior post here.
If you teach or are a practitioner who uses other therapies such as
meditation,
yoga,
personal, business, spiritual coaching,
Thai chi,
martial arts,
acupressure
You are being called to TAKE ACTION
If you receive any of these therapies especially for/or a part of a:
PTSD, mental health or trauma
terminal illness, dementia, cancer
senior care, volunteer programs, homelessness
Military vets
addiction
battered women’s shelter
or the like
Your access to services may become adversely affected … ACTION is needed NOW
Holistic healers are fighting “An Act Regulating Bodyworks,” the latest bill filed by State Sen. Mark Montigny (D-New Bedford) and Attorney General Maura Healey to allow authorities regular access to establishments they say are often fronts for trafficking.
Reiki practitioner Rita Glassman (Staff Photo By Chris Christo/MediaNews Group/Boston Herald)
I recently spoke with Rita Glassman who is heading up the lobbying efforts in Massachusetts to object to regulation of reiki that is beginning to sweep through many states in USA.
She and other practitioners from the National Health Freedom Action have been working to protect their right to professionally practice their respective modalities.
Montigny’s bill defines bodywork as a large swath of practices including touch, words or directed movement, from reiki to reflexology to meditation or martial arts.
For practitioners, you were you able to choose from among diverse practitioners and found the one you thought was the best fit for you.
When you started your professional practice, did you assume you’d always be able to practice according to your understanding your unique practice, without interference from your state government?
All of those choices will be taken away if we allow state legislatures to be manipulated by the private sector into requiring unwarranted licensing.
If you missed my prior blog post on what is happening, please click here to read it for information & background. Above all … please
share it,
take ACTION.
Pamela Miles https://reikiinmedicine.org
More recently, Pamela Miles (Reiki, Medicine & Self Care), who was instrumental in helping bring reiki on the map in the medical community in NYC and has been featured on Dr. Oz has jumped on the anti-legislative board due to the dangers this widespread legislation poses to folks in gaining access to specifically reiki.
She wrote a fabulous piece on how the threat of regulating reiki would affect you that I will NOT redo as it is perfectly executed.
You can read her wonderful article here where she talks about
WHO stands to profit from this regulation,
how this regulation can affect you,
the reiki diversity,
the reiki spiritual practice,
what states are under attack NOW,
and what you can do about it.
Pamela Miles has been a national voice and featured on the following:.
Pamela has hosted multiple webinars and sent out numerous emails on how to address what we are faced with in regards to legislation. Her voice is one highly credible and respected in the industry.
You can listen to her recent webinar, Protect Reiki from Regulation, with Rita Glassman. You can access it here.
It is imperative that we start writing and calling legislators NOW to oppose this bill.
Laura at the Ma State House to testify against the harmful bills & supporting the Safe Harbor Bill.
The MA attorney general has filed the identical bill in the house and senate to ensure its passage. It is going to take a miracle to stop it.
We need an army of practitioners to contact their legislator and senator to establish a relationship with them and to let them know how this proposed bill would affect their income and family. They are elected officials and they listen to their constituents.
Rita and her team has made it easy for us to take ACTION. It is all done for you to make it easy for you to help stop this legislation.
Sample letters & talking points
Click on the links below for:
Draft of an email to students, practitioners, teachers and consumers
I STRONGLY suggest that you blind copy (BC) me on your emails to their legislators, so I can present all the letters to the committee it is assigned to at the public hearing.
You can bcc: your letters to healingwithspirit1@gmail.com.
Results?
Last year, Rita Glassman presented the list of over 20,000 who signed the an online petition she had created to oppose the legislation as well as copies of letters that were sent to legislators.
KEY RESULT: When NH tried to pass licensure legislation, they had a strong turnout of over 400 at the public hearing and over a thousand letters to legislators. They never filed another licensure bill for holistic practitioners. We need to do the same and just flood them.
WE NEED YOU.
If we learned NOTHING else from the election in November 2020, it takes the rise of us ALL. Please do NOT rely on someone else to take action. We can NOT do this alone. This does NOT only affect reiki, but other spiritually based practices as well.
To defeat this will require ALL of us to step up to the plate.
As for me, regulating these services will prevent folks in vulnerable communities I serve from gaining access to these therapies which in turn would harm my mission to break the cycle of abuse through healing the unrecognized unhealed epidemic of unresolved trauma that plagues our communities and over burdens our broken health care system.
Please share your thoughts and comments below in regards HOW this may or may not affect you. Thank you for reading.
*** If you provide or receive benefit from alternative, holistic, or spiritual based therapies and/or practices, this is a MUST read. ***
There are currently THREE pending legislations in Massachusetts that could have an impact in your rights of access to holistic and spiritual based therapies.
Two of the bills are potentially harmful and the third is a Safe Harbor bill to address the concerns of legislators while protecting the rights of Americans to access as well as protect many sacred teachings that fall under religious practices without government interference.
Holistic and spiritual practitioners in the state of Massachusetts who do not otherwise fall under professional or national licensing requirement (like Acupuncture, Chinese Medicine and Massage therapy) have been under potential threat of being controlled by the state.
According to the folks at this group, “Massachusetts previously introduced Safe Harbor Exemption legislation to protect the right to practice for, and the right of consumers to access, health care practitioners and healers who do not have conventional medical licenses such as herbalists, homeopaths, traditional naturopaths and many more.”
It was looking favorable last time we checked in early 2020. Unfortunately, like everything else, Covid slowed down the process of the Safe Harbor Bill going through. View the Bill here SD.1085/HD.1169
NEW Concerning Developments
Laura in Meditation
Since then, there have been interesting and concerning developments.
1) There is an (alleged) federally sponsored organization that is working toward creating a mandatory licensing for a variety of modalities, including shamanic practice. They have developed standards, certifications and applications that would force certain practitioners to become licensed under them. They plan to get this passed in 8 applicable states, beginning with Massachusetts.
2) At the state level in Massachusetts, there were bills filed on Wednesday, co-sponsored by the Attorney General that would require a variety of modalities (listed below), to be licensed and overseen by the state and/or individual towns. From what it looks to me, they are putting these “alternative healing therapies” into a similar category as massage therapy.
These are the categories that I am reading about in the Massachusetts bill that was filed on Wednesday, February 10, 2021:
Feldenkrais Method
the Trager Approach
Ayurvedic Therapies
Polarity or Polarity Therapy
Qi Gong
Body/Mind Centering
Reiki, levels II and above
Laura at the Ma State House to testify against the harmful bills & supporting the Safe Harbor Bill.
Here’s where I need your help:
This bill referenced in the Call to Action below, known as the Safe Harbor bill, would work to protect the rights of the practitioners listed. This would work in favor of these practitioners and allow them sovereignty over their healing art.
PLEASE SIGN HERE as this gets emailed directly to our legislators. It takes one minute.
Only Massachusetts residents can sign this.
You do NOT need to be a practitioner to sign. If you run a volunteer program or you have benefited in any way from these modalities, you are encouraged to sign.
Please share with clients or groups you work with who benefit from these therapies too.
** This is NOT a petition, it’s a direct email to legislators that can help us. **
What Else You Can Do NOW
Get Involved.
Protect YOUR rights and Access
Please do NOT expect someone else to do it FOR you. As we have witnessed in the last year, and if we learned nothing else from 2020, EVERYONE must rise and take action.
1) Read about the Safe Harbor Bill that is designed to protect you and your rights.
Key provisions of the Health Freedom Bill include:
Greater access to healing arts practitioners by the acknowledgment of its inherent benefits
Strengthened consumer protections to ensure public rights and safety
Enhanced practitioner safety underscoring the right to practice
Required disclosures relating to services and skills
HFAM “has worked to advance an initiative that balances consumer protections and public safety with the rights of those practicing healing arts. With the recent passage of health care reform on the state and national levels, it is now more important than ever that consumers have the right to safely access healing arts.”
Become a member
Donate to support this expensive legislative process to protect our rights and the groups mission.
Volunteer
Submit a Testimony in support of Safe Harbor Bill. Click here.
3) Learn About the Parent Group: National Health Freedom Action and their work nationwide and in grassroots organizations in various states where legislation is pending.
The Mission: “To ensure that the people of this nation have access to the broad domain of healing and health care information and services, to ensure the right of practitioners of the healing arts to practice, and to educate the public, promote health and well-being, conduct surveys and research, and participate in legislative, regulatory, legal, or public policy-reform and lobbying to accomplish the goal of health freedom.”
In full disclosure, I am a paid member of this organization and of their chapter HFAMA.
4) Know the other 2 bills presented for legislation that are potentially harmful especially towards vulnerable populations, interference with religious practices, discriminatory, and culturally targeted.
The other one is still pending as it is being re-written, but you can read about MA Bill 168 here prior to the pending re-drafting.
Laura (right) with Tadao Sensei, Representative of The Jikiden Reiki Institute, Koyto, Japan, and Iku from JRI in 2019 at an International Congress.
Please protect these sacred practices targeted.
Please develop a stronger back bone and self police unethical professionals to minimize harmful impacts to our communities.
Why Do I Care?
You can read about MY VIEWS as to WHY I support the Safe Harbor Bill and why I do NOT support the other 2 bills by clicking here. You can scroll towards the bottom of the post for the MY VIEWS part of the post.
Here I speak as a survivor of rape and domestic abuse who was subsequently diagnosed with CPTSD taking decades to reclaim my life as well as someone with years doing advocacy work in Massachusetts for victims.
The two harmful bills would also have a significant harmful impact on those faced with end of life too and not to mention low income communities.
So YES, I am quite passionate about THIS.
I will update you all as new information comes to light.
Thank you for reading and supporting the sacred arts.
As someone who has been practicing spiritually based integrative therapies since 2006, looking into using complimentary alternative medicine (CAM) for holistic treatment options as part of an addiction treatment program intrigues me. Personally, in my own recovery, not from addictions, but from complex post traumatic stress disorder or CPTSD, these therapies I credit for saving my life, reduced my need to be medicated and potentially reduced my risk for addictions.
In this post, I was hoping to learn more about how effective these therapies are in treatment for addiction, but have found limited scientific data.
According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)[1], approximately 23 million Americans require treatment for a substance use problem, but only 2.5 million people in the U.S. receive treatment which includes:
pharmacotherapy, including medications to treat addiction or related mental health conditions;
or a combination of pharmacotherapy and behavioral therapy.
As we are learning to understand, due to the complexity of how addiction affects each person, there is not one single treatment right for everyone.
With that said, even the best treatments cannot guarantee complete remission of addiction and drug-seeking behaviors, which is why integrating CAM approaches as part of the treatment option might improve the recovery outcomes.
Types of CAM approaches are separated into two categories:
Natural products such as mineral, vitamins, herbals, Adaptogens like Ashwagandha and probiotics.
Mind and body therapies such as yoga, chiropractic, osteopathic, meditation, massage, acupuncture, Thai chi, expressive arts, reiki, Chinese medicine, Ayurveda medicine, homeopathy, naturopathic medicine and more.
CAM treatments can benefit addiction treatment in at least three ways[2]:
addiction prevention,
increasing treatment compliance,
and boosting treatment outcomes.
In the case of prevention, CAM interventions can be implemented to treat underlying conditions that commonly occur in association with addiction, such as mental illness and chronic pain. If these issues are addressed and managed early, addiction may never develop. For mental illness, there is good evidence to support that CAM strategies are effective in the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, and anxiety.[3]
The Benefits of Adaptogens
Adaptogens like Ashwagandha[4] root are natural substances that help the adrenal system regulate hormones and manage stress. Over recent years, I have seen how well Ashwagandha works for so many especially those with diagnosed with PTSD, anxiety, addictions, and sleep issues that have astounded me and have had reports of some in recovery who have used this as part of their treatment effectively.
One of the attributes of ashwagandha is its ability to induce calmness and clarity by regulating neurotransmitters such as serotonin and the stress hormone cortisol. Research has shown that consuming ashwagandha may “substantially” reduce chronic stress to help your body adapt to and alleviate the stomach-churning anxiety stress can cause. (Mercola)
Research indicates there’s a likelihood that ashwagandha may be useful for helping patients in opioid withdrawal as well as reducing or eliminating dependence on benzodiazapene drugs such as Xanax and Valium[5].
Equine Assisted Therapy
Statistics, data, and research is lacking in the field of complimentary alternative medicine. However, CAM approaches can be helpful by keeping the individual engaged and active in their course of addiction treatment.
One such technique is horse-assisted therapy (also known as equine-assisted therapy), an intervention that actively involves horses during the therapy process. Results show that people stayed in treatment for twice as many days and were much more likely to complete treatment than those in traditional programming.[6]
Mindfulness Based Approaches
According to NCCIH, mindfulness-based approaches have shown some success when applied to the treatment of substance abuse and addiction by improving distress tolerance.[7]
Available data suggest that mindfulness-based interventions may help significantly reduce the consumption of several substances including alcohol, cigarettes, opiates, and others compared to control groups; however, many studies have had small sample sizes, methodological problems, and a lack of consistently replicated findings.
Other types of CAM treatments studied with effectiveness include[8]:
Mindfulness meditation has been effective in reducing cigarette use and reducing cravings.
Mindfulness Based for Reduction in Pain: A 2016 review also found that mindfulness-based interventions effectively reduce pain intensity, improve functional status, improve pain-related psychological consequences, and improve quality of life; they can also be used as adjunct therapy aimed at improving health-related quality of life in individuals with substance use disorders interested in self-management strategies.
Mindfulness Based For Reduction of Consumption: A 2014 systematic review of 24 studies found evidence suggesting that mindfulness-based interventions can reduce the consumption of several substances including alcohol, cocaine, amphetamines, marijuana, cigarettes, and opiates to a significantly greater extent than wait list controls, non-specific educational support groups, and some specific control groups.
Hypnotherapy study in 2014 found that hypnotherapy patients were more likely than nicotine replacement therapy patients to be nonsmokers at 12 weeks and 26 weeks after hospitalization.
Yoga has been shown to reduce cravings and to ease withdrawal from nicotine, with stronger results in women.
Thai chi seems to enhance mindfulness and one’s ability to break the cycle of nicotine addiction.
Acupuncture has been studied with a number of addictions.Most notably, electric acupuncture has helped to reduce relapse rates for people addicted to opioids.
Several studies have used functional magnetic resonance imaging to examine the effects of mindful attention on the anterior cingulate and prefrontal cortex in smokers, the areas of the brain associated with cravings and self-control.
In a 2017 study of 23 participants who completed either mindfulness training or cognitive behavioral treatment for smoking cessation, the researchers found that stress reactivity in several brain regions including the amygdala and anterior/mid insula was related to reductions in smoking after treatment.[9] The findings suggest that reduction in stress reactivity may be one of the underlying mechanisms of mindfulness-based treatments.
The Benefits of Tibetan Singing Bowls
Tibetan Singing Bowls[10] have been used by Tibetan monks for centuries for healing and meditation purposes. These bowls create a range of sounds to restore the normal vibratory frequencies of diseased and out-of-harmony parts of the body, mind and soul.
A 2016 study examined the effects of sound meditation, specifically Tibetan singing bowl meditation, which “concluded that Tibetan singing bowl meditation may be a feasible low-cost low technology intervention for reducing feelings of tension, anxiety, and depression, and increasing spiritual well-being. This meditation type may be especially useful in decreasing tension in individuals who have not previously practiced this form of meditation.”[11]
Although the study results are brief, I find it promising. I began using Tibetan singing bowls in my work in 2015 as something I felt drawn to do on an instinctual basis for my own healing. As someone who has a history of trauma resulting in CPTSD, I welcome this study.
I went through the traditional medicinal route and felt I was given a band-aid with a wound that continued to grow and fester with no relief in sight. So since 2005, I began looking into me. Who I am, and how can I heal especially when my very trust in humanity was so broken. I went up into the spiritual unknown to build my trust in my spirituality.
“If we accept that sound is vibration and we know that vibration touches every part of our physical being, then we understand that sound is heard not only through our ears but through every cell in our bodies. One reason sound heals on a physical level is because it so deeply touches and transforms us on the emotional and spiritual planes. Sound can redress imbalances on every level of physiologic functioning and can play a positive role in the treatment of virtually any medical disorder.” — Dr. Mitchell Gaynor
Reiki For Addiction
Other potential viable options also include reiki. Since traditional nonwestern forms of reiki (Jikiden Reiki[12]) has been prevalent in my own personal healing path as well as with those I have treated and/or taught who are in recovery, I looked into reiki research. Jikiden Reiki® is the “direct teaching” of Reiki from Japan that is free from Western influence. The word Reiki itself means “soul energy”, which is the natural, vital healing force found in all life.
Jikiden Reiki® sessions focus on removing toxins from the body and guiding it towards wholeness. Jikiden Reiki is known for its effective treatment of acute and chronic conditions, as well as to address deep rooted beliefs, habits, traumas and addictions. Reiki has been effective treatment option like alleviating pain, pre-op and post-op surgery recovery, anxiety, skin conditions and post-traumatic stress.
Unfortunately, I was unable to find a quality study on the effectiveness of reiki for addiction, but found numerous individual accounts of addiction and recovery on how reiki helped their own recovery as evidence.
According to the Rehab Center which offers reiki therapy, states “alternative medicine, like Reiki therapy, for addiction has been successful for some individuals, but is likely only effective when it meets the unique needs and beliefs of the person”.[13]
Benefits include according to this site:
may help an individual with some aspects of recovery
boost energy
lower stress
reduce pain
help with symptoms of withdrawals
reduce agitation
promote relaxation,
may also help a person remain calm during the early and stressful stages of addiction treatment.
According to Sober Nation, if done within the few first days of detox, Reiki therapy may help make withdrawal symptoms more tolerable to endure. Secondly, people are better able to deal with stress of recovery and life in a healthier manner.[14]
Additionally, Reiki therapy for drug and alcohol addiction also helps those newly recovering deal with anger and resentments which are common triggers that can lead people back into active addiction. I have personally witnessed this aspect in my own practice when reiki is used effectively from a qualified practitioner. Reiki therapy also helps repair the physical and psychological damage that addiction causes and allows the individual to get back on a path towards a healthy lifestyle.[15]
I did find one recovery site that had concerns regarding reiki “detoxication” which can be explained simply from my experience.[16] Most Americans are trained in some form of “westernized” reiki which is NOT the full scope of training as it was taught in Japan with many added “new age” concepts. When the traditional training is adhered to which takes decades to master, the so called “reiki detoxification” mentioned has been reduced by 90% with a 90% reduction of intensification from my own personal experience of doing THIS work since 2006.
Final Thoughts
Overall, there is a lack of evidence to support the use of many forms of CAM despite numerous individual claims of benefit. I can personally attest to this so-called phenomena. For this reason, most of the sites I researched urged “caution” in initiating CAM treatments due to lack of safety.
This only makes me question is this due to the lack of research or money lobbied by big business, wall street and Big Pharma. I say this because known therapies such as meditation and yoga have repeatedly been shown to be effective and safe and have been effectively practiced as part of a spiritual based practice for thousands of years.
I also feel that how is it possible to quantify and make quantitative something that is spiritually based like yoga, reiki, Thai chi, or meditation just to name a few which can vary based on personal beliefs, spiritual beliefs, and experiences that at the end of the day are all personal.
This is not a one shoe fits all approach. It takes someone skilled at knowing their clients, their needs and belief systems to know which approach is best suited for them. It is part of what I consider the spiritual journey. These therapies are different from other forms of spiritually based therapies as they are free from religious indoctrination and dogma and tap into the something that links all spiritual beliefs that are our innate BE-ing.
Based on what my research is showing and from my own personal experiences, the results of implementing complimentary alternative medicine as part of a treatment plan can be very promising with much less serious if not deadly side effects seen in traditional medical approaches and can be used as part of a treatment program during ALL stages addiction treatment.
I am hoping you found this guide helpful. This is just the tip to what is possible and plausible.
I would LOVE to hear from you as to what you found most resourceful for you
With appreciation,
Laura
Spiritual Medium, Healer, Speaker, Writer, Metaphysician, Advocate, Holistic Health Practitioner, Facilitator, Trauma Specialist, Empowerment Specialist and Spiritual Badass.
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Please note that content on this website is intended for informational purposes only, and is not intended as a substitute for the advice provided by your physician or other healthcare professional, not is it meant to diagnose or treat a health problem, symptom or disease. Always speak with your physician or other healthcare professional before taking any medication or nutritional supplement, or using any treatment for a health problem. If you have or suspect that you have a medical problem, contact your health care provider promptly. Do not disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking professional advice because of something you have read on this website. Information provided on this website DOES NOT create a doctor-patient relationship between you and any doctor affiliated with our website.
There is so much frenzy going on regarding the cornonavirus. I won’t belabor what is wrong.
So with that said, I felt I wanted to share with you MY tips to keep yourself healthy and boost your immune system. We forget that our bodies are designed to heal themselves. What I want to propose are ways to help strengthen your mind, body, and spirit during this crisis.
First, outside the basics of what is already flooded everywhere on the internet and social media such as good hand washing, minimize social contact, stay home if sick etc, there is more. I will NOT go into all that, but instead I will go into the OTHER stuff that sometimes is not addressed in the mainstream.
Are you ready for some of my home remedy tips?
Before we start, I would like to say, I do NOT do all of these at once. I pause. I listen to my body for what it needs intimately. Over the years in healing myself and my body, I have learned the power of building a relationship with my body and know what various emotional triggers, sensations, pains etc represent to me.
I encourage you to build a relationship with your body as it knows best what it needs. The body carries within it, infinite wisdom for your healing needs.
With that said, I will usually do a combination of these based on what I feel my body needs at that time. In this post I will address:
The herbal and vitamin tips
Things to increase
Eat more …
Things to avoid
and final thoughts
Here are my general recommendations:
The Herbal and Vitamin Tips
Elderberry: Elderberries have been used traditionally, and in some observational and clinical studies, as supportive agents against the common cold and influenza. (NCBI)
Turmeric (click here) has long been recognized for its medicinal properties. It aids in the management of oxidative and inflammatory conditions, metabolic syndrome, arthritis, anxiety, and hyperlipidemia. (NCBI). My favorite way of taking this is: turmeric root shaved 1 tsp (if only have access to spice powder then substitute), dash of cracked pepper in 6-8oz of hot water. Seep for 5min. Drink all. This is a chemical thing. Personally. I have found this combo work as effectively as other anti-inflammatories without the added side effects of liver and/or kidney damage. Click here for other top 10 evidence based benefits.
Vitamin D and Vitamin K2: Vitamin D has important roles in addition to its classic effects on calcium and bone homeostasis as well as immunity. I personally take 6000 IU of Vitamin D3 with added K2. Vitamins D and K are both fat-soluble vitamins and play a central role in calcium metabolism. Studies suggest that optimal concentrations of both vitamin D and vitamin K are beneficial for bone and cardiovascular health. (NCBI)
Zinc and vitamin C: Supplementation of vitamin C was found to improve components of the human immune system such as antimicrobial and natural killer cell activities, lymphocyte proliferation, chemotaxis, and delayed-type hypersensitivity (PubMed). Likewise, zinc also plays a role in immune function.
Probiotics: A prospective study of probiotic supplementation results in immune stimulation and improvement of upper respiratory infection rate (NCBI). Considering the coronavirus attacks the lungs, this might be something very easily dismissed in its role by the mainstream. We forget that gut health is paramount for overall health.
Honey: Honey clasps several medicinal and health effects as a natural food supplement. It has been established as a potential therapeutic antioxidant agent for various biodiverse ailments. Studies show it exhibits strong wound healing, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, antifungal, antiviral, and antidiabetic effects. It also retains immunomodulatory, estrogenic regulatory, antimutagenic, anticancer, and numerous other vigor effects. Research also shows that honey, as a conventional therapy, might be a novel antioxidant to abate many of the diseases directly or indirectly associated with oxidative stress (PMC). Personally, I choose raw organic unfiltered honey that is local or manuka honey for therapeutic treatment. Manuka honey has shown it kills bacterial pathogens.
EZC Pak – This is a physician directed tapered immune support pack with high concentrations of organic Echinacea, Zinc, and Vitamin C. EZC Pak (click here) is one of the main things I personally took (on top of the other recommendations above) in December 2019 with some odd virus that was unlike anything I have ever had after travelling abroad in the fall. It was so odd, I actually researched “international diseases” for travelers aka warnings etc. Was it COVID19 I had? … I am not 100% sure, but my symptoms matched it perfectly, and I am sure this is also was killed my beloved Ava.
Things to Increase:
Rest & Sleep:
Have you noticed that when you do not get enough sleep, you are prone to getting sick? Not getting enough sleep can lead to higher levels of a stress hormone. It may also lead to more inflammation in your body.
Most of our body’s ability to repair itself happens when we are at rest. So ensuring we get enough rest is important. Also, increasing the dosage of sleep might be needed as forecast moving through the energies of 2020.
One new study has explained how sleep contributes to the proper functioning of the immune system (Medical News Today).
Meditation
Meditation boosts antibodies. A recent study confirmed that, after being given weekly meditation training for 8 weeks, 48 biotech workers had significantly higher levels of antibodies than the control group.
Meditation stimulates immune system brain-function regions. Mindfulness meditation has shown increases in electrical activity in the prefrontal cortex, the right anterior insula, and right hippocampus, all parts that control positive emotions, awareness, and anxiety. These are also the areas of the brain that act as a command center for your immune system. When stimulated, they make the immune system function more effectively (The Chopra Center)
DON’T KNOW HOW OR STRUGGLE: Practice being present and try some mindful breathing or go into nature and UNPLUG from your devises. Sometimes 5-10 min a day is all the body needs.
Reiki
Reiki is a Japanese complementary alternative mind body medicine therapy that works with the human body’s bioenergy field.
Our bodies are designed and fully equipped to heal themselves, but many of are so use to looking for external solutions, we may have forgotten. Reiki taps into those innate healing abilities. By doing to, it can also promote the body’s natural immune response.
Jikiden Reiki practitioners, for instance, are trained to sense levels of toxins present in the physical body. Reiki is then used to intensively promote detoxification and a return to the body’s normal homeostasis. When minor sicknesses, such as coughs and colds are being treated, they will typically move through the body much faster than usual.
Yoga
Yoga is a mind and body practice with a 5,000-year history in ancient Indian philosophy. Various styles of yoga combine physical postures, breathing techniques, and meditation or relaxation. (Medical News Today)
Research published in the Journal of Behavioral Medicine suggests that yoga can be helpful way to boost your immune system and decrease inflammation in the body. (Psychology Today)
Massage
There is growing body of research indicates massage therapy can benefit the immune system. Researchers have reported people who undergo massage experience measurable changes in their body’s immune and endocrine response. (Science Daily)
Thai Chi, Exercise, etc
With age, our immune systems become less nimble and not quite as ruthless. The number of T cells drop. The B cells also start to wind down, making fewer antibodies that respond to outside intruders and more errant ones that turn on the body itself.
Small studies have yielded some evidence that exercise seems to re-energize the immune system (Harvard Medical School)
Tai chi might have a strong effect on the immune system because it manages to bring exercise, relaxation, and meditation together in “one behavioral intervention,” the researchers said. They theorized that tai chi enhances T cell activity by quieting the nervous system’s “fight or flight” response, which can, in certain circumstances, interfere with the immune system. (Harvard Medical School)
Shin Rin Yoku
This is a Japanese term otherwise known as “forest bathing”. Current literature supports the comprehensive health benefits of exposure to nature and green environments on human systems on something that has been incorporated as part of the Shinto culture in Japan to decrease undue stress, potential burnout and “technostress.” (NCBI)
Studies have also found that “forest bathing” has “positive physiological effects, such as blood pressure reduction, improvement of autonomic and immune functions, as well as psychological effects of alleviating depression and improving mental health” (NCBI).
bone broth is the secret ingredient in our mother’s chicken soup with all sorts of yummies for our immune health,
seaweed ( I like sneaking it in soups),
organic “berries” such as raspberries, blackberries, and blueberries
fresh rosemary,
holy basil,
fresh parsley,
ginger root – in teas, soups, dishes,
raw garlic has been shown to help fight viruses and bacteria. I eat this generously on the daily whether on toast or in dishes. It is one of my favorite go to foods.
… Things to Avoid …
Stress – Avoid or Minimize
Stress or at least work towards minimizing and taking steps to release stress when necessary. When we’re stressed, the immune system’s ability to fight off antigens is reduced. That is why we are more susceptible to infections. Check out Stress, Illness and the Immune System.
WHAT TO DO: You can try CBD to help cope with stress which targets the endocannabinoid system.
Some studies suggest that cannabinoids like THC and CBD are immunosuppressant, which can explain the relief experienced by medical cannabis users with autoimmune diseases and chronic inflammation. Other studies have shown that regular cannabis use can increase white blood cell counts in immunodeficiency disorders such as HIV, suggesting an immune-boosting effect.
Research shows that dietary habits influence disease risk. Poor diet quality is implicated in almost every disease and health issue. Processed foods harm your gut bacteria and promote insulin resistance, chronic inflammation, and overall disease risk (NCBI).
WHAT TO DO: Research indicates that diets abundant in plant foods and low in processed products strengthen your health (Healthline). Choose whole grains and things that do NOT come in a box.
Alcohol: Avoid or Minimize
Clinicians have long observed an association between excessive alcohol consumption and adverse immune-related health effects such as susceptibility to pneumonia and more recently to a greater likelihood of acute respiratory stress syndromes (ARDS), sepsis, alcoholic liver disease (ALD), and certain cancers; a higher incidence of postoperative complications; and slower and less complete recovery from infection and physical trauma, including poor wound healing (NCBI).
Alcohol can cause dehydration and lower immune system function, which may worsen cold symptoms as well as adversely affect other cold and flu medications. Therefore, reducing alcohol consumption would be a wise move at this moment unless you are a hot toddy type of person.
EXCEPTION: Some suggest the warm beverage’s ingredients of a hot toddy are known to alleviate cold symptoms. Whiskey, specifically, also contains the antioxidant ellagic acid, which studies suggest may help treat viral and bacterial infections (Fatherly)
Processed Sugar: Avoid or Minimize
A high-sugar diet (HSD) induces Type 2 diabetes (T2D) and obesity, which severely threaten human health including immune response. (PubMed). Eating or drinking too much processed sugar curbs immune system cells that attack bacteria.
WHAT TO DO: When it comes to viral infections, eat healthier forms of sugars found in fruits, vegetables, and honey (as mentioned above), which are rich in nutrients like vitamins C and E, plus beta-carotene and zinc. Go for a wide variety of brightly colored fruits and vegetables, including berries, citrus fruits, kiwi, apples, red grapes, kale, onions, spinach, sweet potatoes, and carrots (WebMD)
Dairy: Avoid or Minimize
Dairy is a known inflammatory food and gut disruptor that can aggravate health conditions, such as: eczema, asthma, acne, mood disorders, autism, many autoimmune conditions, especially type 1 diabetes, inflammatory bowel disease and more.
ALTERNATIVES: Healthier options include goat milk, flax seed milk, hemp milk. If you MUST do the dairy thing, I suggest things like yogurt and butter are generally ok, but avoid milk, cheese, ice cream.
… Finally,
What I have provided here is just a guide. There are so many other alternative and complimentary therapies that would be beneficial. I just wrote about what is in my filters of knowledge and expertise backed by research and other credible information.
I would sincerely like to know if what you found here was helpful to you during these crazy frenzied times we are currently in.
I was told my my wise Osteopathic physician father who has been practicing medicine for over 40+ years tell me, prevention is the best medicine.
Prevention includes making life style changes as well because a pill, an herb, a treatment session is still just a band aid in many situations if you do not correct the underlying culprit.
And as I stated earlier, this is a BIG year energetically where we are being called to do the needed inner spiritual work.
Spiritual bypassing will no longer be an acceptable route to take moving forward. If you missed my 2020 energetic forecast earlier this year, you can click here for the full post including tips to help you navigate these energies.
Please note that content on this website is intended for informational purposes only, and is not intended as a substitute for the advice provided by your physician or other healthcare professional, not is it meant to diagnose or treat a health problem, symptom or disease. Always speak with your physician or other healthcare professional before taking any medication or nutritional supplement, or using any treatment for a health problem. If you have or suspect that you have a medical problem, contact your health care provider promptly. Do not disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking professional advice because of something you have read on this website. Information provided on this website DOES NOT create a doctor-patient relationship between you and any doctor affiliated with our website.
Alcohol and the Immune System; National Center for Biotechnology Information, U.S. National Library of Medicine; Dipak Sarkar, Ph.D., D.Phil., M. Katherine Jung, Ph.D., and H. Joe Wang, Ph.D. ; 2015
Biofield Science and Healing: An Emerging Frontier in Medicine; National Center for Biotechnology Information, U.S. National Library of Medicine; Shamini Jain, PhD, John Ives, PhD, Wayne Jonas, MD, Richard Hammerschlag, PhD, David Muehsam, PhD, Cassandra Vieten, PhD, Daniel Vicario, MD, Deepak Chopra, MD, FACP, Rauni Pritten King, RN, MIH, CHTPI, and Erminia Guarneri, MD, FACC; 2015
Therapeutic Manuka Honey: No Longer So Alternative; National Center for Biotechnology Information, U.S. National Library of Medicine; Dee A. Carter, Shona E. Blair, Nural N. Cokcetin, Daniel Bouzo, Peter Brooks, Ralf Schothauer, and Elizabeth J. Harry; April 20, 2016
Vitamin D and the Immune System; National Center for Biotechnology Information, U.S. National Library of Medicine; Cynthia Aranow, MD, Investigator ; 2012 Aug 1
A certified holistic health coach from the Institute for Integrative Nutrition, and a chakra healing practitioner through The Reiki Group Academy, Tracy Durso helps women listen to their bodies, release negative energy, and find the balance they need to keep moving forward with grace. A Bellyfit® and Bellyfit Flow™ instructor with a focus on embodiment, she is also creator of Empower Dance, a cardio dance fitness program that features popular music with uplifting lyrics about self-love and inner strength.
See what others are saying about this class:
ABOUT MELANIE:
or trauma
You can listen to her recent webinar, Protect Reiki from Regulation, with Rita Glassman. 
As for me, regulating these services will prevent folks in vulnerable communities I serve from gaining access to these therapies which in turn would harm my mission to break the cycle of abuse through healing the unrecognized unhealed epidemic of unresolved trauma that plagues our communities and over burdens our broken health care system.
According to the folks at this group, “Massachusetts previously introduced Safe Harbor Exemption legislation to protect the right to practice for, and the right of consumers to access, health care practitioners and healers who do not have conventional medical licenses such as herbalists, homeopaths, traditional naturopaths and many more.”
According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)
The Benefits of Adaptogens
According to NCCIH, mindfulness-based approaches have shown some success when applied to the treatment of substance abuse and addiction by improving distress tolerance.
likely than nicotine replacement therapy patients to be nonsmokers at 12 weeks and 26 weeks after hospitalization.
Tibetan Singing Bowls
Other potential viable options also include reiki. Since traditional nonwestern forms of reiki (Jikiden Reiki
Final Thoughts
I am hoping you found this guide helpful. This is just the tip to what is possible and plausible.
