Category: Uncategorized

Excavating Our Authenticity: integration of lost Selves

by Terah Drake, posted in Uncategorized

Slot canyon of Paige, Arizona

In Paige, Arizona, just beneath the earth’s surface, there lay long, serpentine crevasses – “Slot Canyons”.  The unearthly experience of being in one of these canyons is like being on another planet; warm reds, browns, golds and even shades of purple coloring narrow stone corridors, sculpted over eons by wind and water to create a spectacular, otherworldly landscape like nothing else.  The journey we walk in this life is much like that canyon: sometimes long and winding, at times so narrow we have to hold our breath to squeeze through, but also at times opening to vast vistas so breathtaking, we could weep for gratitude.

The Swahili word for Journey is “Safari”.  To find your authentic self requires a true Safari; a journey to the self through the self.  This is a journey of spirit, on a spiritual path.  Along the way, you are likely to encounter fierce hunters and predators, wild thick jungles so dense you will need a sharp sword to get through.  You will have periods of darkness where you will wander, hands outstretched and ears wide open, unable to see the path in front of you but moving forward on faith that it is there and you are guided by unseen hands: you are.  

In this Safari of Self, be prepared for upheaval.  There will be moments of hunger as you begin to recognize dysfunctional and unhealthy patterns, as well as those things that your soul longs for.  There will be moments of thirst as understanding begins to tickle the edges of your mind and you want more.  There will be moments of loneliness as unhealthy patterns and associations drop away.

But when you have emerged from that jungle to arrive at the destination of Self; stronger, connected to those who resonate with who you truly are, feeling evolved and luminous – you will wonder that you ever hesitated to take the journey in the first place. 

Rumi, a 13th-century Persian poet and Sufi mystic, observes that “The spiritual path wrecks the body and afterward restores it to health.  It destroys the house to unearth the treasure and with that treasure builds it better than before.”  Bon Voyage, loved one.

“Know Thyself” –  Maxim inscribed upon the Temple of Apollo, Delphi – Plato interpreted this philosophic maxim to mean “Know your soul.”  

Do you feel that you know your Self with a captital S – your soul?  Do you feel solid and whole in who you are, at your core?  

We are meant to be complex, multi-dimensional beings.  When we are whole, we are our most authentic Self; in touch with our highest Self, we are in touch with our child-like nature – our curiosity, sense of fun, possibility, and adventure.  We are able to enjoy pleasure like an embodied, divine being, but also to take radical responsibility for the creation of our lives; to sit down and get sh#t done when it is necessary, like a grown-ass man or woman.  But being integrated isn’t always natural or easy.

Recently, I enjoyed an evening out with one of my oldest friends.  You know those friends that you love on first sight, and know that regardless of time or distance, you just know that you will be friends for life?  She’s one of those.  🥰  We were discussing who we were as kids compared to now.  Once upon a time, she was a badass gangsta with a gorgeous, wicked temper and a propensity to put the hurt on anyone who so much as looked at her beautiful self the wrong way, but now, as an adult working mom she felt she had to become “tame” and as a result, boring. She said she occasionally felt a stirring of that girl inside her, but suppressed that aspect of her Self because she felt that part of her personality would have a negative impact on her personal and professional life.

She had made her career and children her priority, and had stopped living fully or authentically.  She had a wonderful relationship with her kids, but felt limited socially.   She lost her ability to have fun.  She became anxious and disempowered, and badly wanted to reclaim those parts of herself that allowed her to feel a deep sense of joy and satisfaction of life.

I have many friends who feel this way; as though growing up means growing one dimensional.  They have lost their concept of being in touch with their “inner child”, their vulnerability, or their sensuality, because growing up means you have to be a responsible, reliable adult, right?  

As women, we especially need to hold a piece of ourselves as that badass gangsta warrior woman. 

Not an imbalance – she needs to be tempered with compassion, empathy, love and nurturing, but this part of ourselves is where we gain our strength, our power, and when necessary, that momma bear that could tear someone apart with a flick of a wrist if her cubs or loved ones were threatened.  This part of ourselves is also often associated with our sensuality, another piece of our Self that is often either suppressed or overindulged. 

We are meant to be sensual, sexual creatures – it is an aspect of our biology, after all, but that does not mean we have to overly sexualize ourselves to gain value from men, just as repressing the beauty and sexuality of who we are to be “taken seriously” is an imbalance of our authenticity. This imbalance can result in creating a life of loneliness or feeling less-than.  

“I did not lose myself all at once.  I rubbed out my face over the years washing away my pain, the same way carvings on stone are worn down by water.  – Amy Tan

Most of us are taught to suppress our “fullness” from a young age.  We begin to rub parts ourselves away because we want to feel accepted or loved.  We want to “fit in”.  This is perfectly natural, of course.  It is a vital aspect of our DNA to seek connection, companionship and even acceptance of those around us.  We are at our best when we have meaningful connection with others.  When we have loving, supportive partners, family, friends and community.   

The problem is, like my friend, in seeking that approval and acceptance, it can be too easy to go to one extreme of the spectrum of our personalities, closing the door to our complexity, to our ability to express ourselves, or even feel deeply. We become disempowered when we allow others to dictate who we are, though this often happens by degrees, without really even knowing that it is happening.  Has happened. 

We are all glorious, multidimensional beings.✨

We become one-dimensional when we are meant to be multi-dimensional beings.  When we suppress parts of who we are, those parts are like children who are lacking love and attention.  They want to be acknowledged and integrated, and will do whatever it takes to receive the acknowledgment they need, but often in ways that impact us negatively.  Those subconscious parts of ourselves will act out in the form of regression, depression, isolation, dysregulation/overly emotional or angry responses, self-sabotage, or even unexpected violence.   We end up feeling overwhelmed or imbalanced.

Seek not outside of yourself; Heaven is within.  – Mary Lou Cook 

You are a gorgeous, multi-faceted individual who deserves to love every piece of who you are; mind, body and soul.  One of the most important aspects of feeling whole; of good mental health and happiness is acknowledging, embracing, and integrating every aspect of our Self.  We should have access to a sense of our inner child at various stages, our moody or mouthy teen, even the bright-eyed and curious college-age “kid” who we may have thought we grew out of decades ago.  

The following exercises can help you to access lost parts of yourself.  Many,  if not all will likely feel strange, uncomfortable, or emotional for a bit.  Stay with it.  I promise you will experience a shift that can be profound, if you do.  Most of us do not feel truly worthy of love, and part of this is because we spend so much of our lives rejecting those lost parts of ourselves. 

Inner Child Exercise: Find a photo of you as a child.  Hold that photo in your left hand and place your right hand on your heart.  Gaze at the photo, feel the connection between who you are now and who you were then.  Tell that child that you love her.  Do this daily, preferably when you wake and right before bed, when your mind is in a relaxed state.  (Theta brain wave)

Physical touch Exercise:  Give yourself a hug.  Say “Thank you, I love you.”  Stay in this position until you feel a sense of love and appreciation.  Alternatively, place one hand on your heart, one on your navel just below your belly button.  Close your eyes and repeat “Thank you, I love you.’  

Mirror Exercise:  Look at yourself in the mirror.  Really look.  Find three things that you like and admire about your face.  Say it aloud, then follow with –  “I love you.”  

Visual Affirmation Exercise: Write love notes to yourself such as “I love you.”  “You are beautiful/intelligent/worthy/capable, etc.” “I love the way we play.” Or I appreciate our curiosity/sensuality/childlike nature, etc.”  

Deep Inner Work Exercise:  Find a place to get quiet.  Come into your breath, spend some time just observing the slow inflow and outflow of breath from your lungs and nose.   When you feel quiet, ask yourself the question – what aspects of You have you repressed?  Who wants to be heard and have a conversation? 

When you have a sense of what part(s) of your Self need to have some attention, whether it is your inner child, your powerful warrior,  your sensual being, or any other aspect of personality that you may have ignored or suppressed, it is time to have a conversation.  Don’t be surprised if you feel some negative energy.  You may feel a little queasy, frightened, frustrated, angry – or a host of other emotions that we tend to keep under wraps, afraid to show who we really are.  Observe and allow whatever you are feeling to be, but hold that part of you as the calm in the storm.   

What you may need to say or experience to those lost parts of yourself is entirely personal, but once you begin to feel centered, a conversation might look something like this:  “Hello, my Love.  It has been too long.”  I have missed you.” “I am so very sorry that I ignored you for so long.”  “I love you.”   “I will never neglect you again.”  “Can we find a way to be fully integrated/together?”  Stay with that part of yourself until you do feel a sense of integration.  Be prepared to come back to this aspect of self regularly for a while – it takes time to heal a rift that may have been years in the making.  Plus, loving and accepting ourselves should be daily practice.  When you have come to the place where you feel those previously suppressed and forgotten parts of who you were once again as who you are, you will not only feel a deeper sense of wholeness and empowerment, but you will fall in love with yourself in a way that you may not have even known was possible.  And that is a beautiful thing. 

We must learn to accept and love each aspect of our history – and ourself.✨

Today, I hope that you will find time to pull the lid off of those parts of yourself that you have suppressed and repressed for too long.  Give them some love and attention, and gratitude for being vital aspects of yourself; of what has gotten you to where you are today, and begin working towards full integration.  Feel that beautiful complexity from your toes to your fingertips, and into the fullest expression of who you truly are.  You deserve it.

Big love. 💖

  • Terah

Connection

by Terah Drake, posted in Uncategorized
Better, together.💞

I had a dream last night that a sorcerer bound myself and two of my friends together with black string, with a few feet of length between each of us.

We attempted to cut the string, but each time we tried,  it became stronger and thicker, until it was a tightly coiled black rope that no one knew how to cut or unbind.   

We were told that there was another sorcerer in a distant land who should be able to help us, and we set out to find him, having many adventures – both challenging and fun, along the way.  On our journey, we learned to cooperate and collaborate well, and to navigate together successfully.  The thing I remember most about the feeling of this experience within the dream is the humor that we all shared at our situation, and by the time we did finally find that other sorcerer, it no longer felt like a frustration to be bound together.  

But we had come to have those ties unwound, and the sorcerer easily dissolved the ropes.  At first, we were all overjoyed to finally have our freedom and set off in three completely opposite directions to re-find our individual paths. 

But it didn’t take very long to realize that once we had become accustomed to the challenges of being so closely tied, we had all been so much happier, together. I felt a tremendous sense of sadness and loss, and I began walking back to the crossroads that we all had parted from, hoping my “family” would also be moving back that direction to find a path that we could walk together.  I awoke, still experiencing a little of that grief.  

In the Yogic tradition, we are taught that we all have invisible lines of energy called Nadis that connect us to Source, each other, and the Universe at large.  Those lines that connect us to our most loved ones are like the thick cords of my dream, but we have many etheric connections to those around us.  They are there because we need connection to others.  These cords can provide information, give and receive energy and to those trained to recognize and move energy, even heal.

But these cords can also be used to harm, siphoning energy or life force from those around or conversely, draining ourselves dry as we give too much of ourselves to others, if we are not emotionally healthy.  

The pain from this can cause us to isolate; to draw away from everyone out of our hurt and pain.  As we create this distance, we also loosen those ties and the connections we have to others, often leaving us feeling empty and alone.  I believe our addiction to technology ironically emphasizes this.  We are more connected and also disconnected than ever before – perhaps a large reason for the dramatic uptick in depression, suicidal ideation and most tragically, unaliving – a rarity until the last decade or so.  

I think the dream was a reminder that we need those cords.  It is a reminder that even when we are annoyed or frustrated with our loved ones, when we communicate, cooperate, collaborate and find healthy ways to compromise to work together, we will always be happier journeying together than when we isolate or think that we always have to walk our paths alone.  

Connection without codependency…

This is not to say that codependency is a healthy thing.  If we feel that we need another human in our life to feel fulfilled – If we can’t be content or at peace when we are alone with ourselves, it is probably because there is some aspect of our internal self that we are avoiding out of fear or dislike.  There will also be times when we really do need to spend some time on our journey with ourselves – to heal, to figure out something important or just to learn to truly like and feel complete and comfortable in our own company.  

But big picture, we need those cords that keep us connected to others.  We need to be loved, and to love.  We need to share laughter, tears, ideas, adventures and experiences with other souls – our families, our friendships (framily) romantic partners, or our communities.  Ideally, a combination of all of these, and maybe even a furry companion or two (or four, for some of us…👀👀)

This need for connection and collaboration is  true on a larger scale, as well. Democrats versus Republicans, men versus women, white versus… every other race…you get the picture.  

It’s all fear-based indoctrination and intentional segregation/separation.  But this division is not truth.  We are all a unique amalgamation of past experiences and patterns that lead us to whatever ideology we happen to be holding right right now. But if we are at the extreme of one place or another, we are in separation and lacking the balance that being able to see two sides of what is often the same coin can bring.  

 If we allowed ourselves the ability to step outside of our egos and identification to recognize the fact that underneath our ideological programs, we are all just humans, trying our best to figure things out on this big, beautiful planet.  

Wouldn’t it be better if we had the gift of many different mindsets to learn and grow from?  Not to mention, if we made all of the folks out there that we labeled as “other” or even “enemy” into friends on our journey, what an amazing, big beautiful party this life could become.

Something to think about.😎

Big love💖

America the Beautiful?

by Terah Drake, posted in Uncategorized

This morning, I came across a post on the Internet in which the author was discussing the silence and lack of action over the political and economic crisis that is happening right now globally, but particularly here in the US.

 In the article, she compares it to an (true) experience she had on a flight to New York, in which the hydraulics of the landing gear failed completely. The pilot announced what was happening to the passengers on the plane and explained that he was going to have to cruise at altitude for several hours to try to burn off as much fuel as possible so that when the plane caught fire on the runway when he tried to land, the fireball would be minimized.

The plane flew in circles for more than four hours. What surprised her the most about this experience is that the passengers didn’t scream or cry, didn’t pray loudly to God. Instead, they remained “eerily silent“ as the plane circled the airport, waiting to see if they would live or die.

She believes this silence to be essentially what is happening in America right now, and as I read the article, I had a bit of an “aha“ moment.

I’ve  been thinking a lot about this “eerily silent” phenomenon, and trying to understand what is happening in the minds of so many Americans over the past several months.  

I’ve questioned it as masked agents, intent upon deporting “illegals” (even when they are not) invade school campuses, farms, churches and businesses, break car windows to forcibly pull folks from their vehicles, and seemingly without accountability, other acts of violence, ironically, against those who fled countries rife with corruption and violence, seeking a better life for themselves and their families. 

I have questioned the dismantling of public systems put in place to protect the elderly, the infirm, and others most in need.  

When that same leader (illegally) sent the National Guard against our own people in our own states, I questioned how this could be happening in our country; the so-called “Land of the Free”.

I’ve questioned why we aren’t doing more in protest of the monstrous acts against #Gaza 

I’ve questioned why people that I know and love support a man leading our country who is a convicted felon, racist, (was convicted in court of blatant racism and bias in his rentals, amongst other on-record incidents) sexist, (“I just grab ‘em by the 🐈 “ and the many, many other comments and actions against women), pardoned men who are convicted abusers, pedophiles, and rapists, has direct links to Russia/Putin, Epstein and child exploitation, 26 allegations of sexual abuse and rape, has had multiple bankruptcies, draft deferments and fraud judgements – and that’s not even naming all of the convictions, judgements and allegations against him.

I’ve heard “It’s in God’s hands”, suggesting we should just “let go and let God” –  and I agree that in those things that we can not influence or control, we have to be able to surrender.  

But right now, I believe we have a responsibility to stand against these injustices, illegal and unconstitutional acts.  We have a responsibility to stand up and speak – and act where possible – for those who are not strong. 

We have a responsibility to protect our democracy, our citizens and those that are here genuinely trying to make their own lives (and of future generations) better, and are contributing to our economy and the betterment of the United States.   We have a responsibility to protect our beautiful country and all that inhabit it. 

Coming back to those that claim to be “biblically based Christians”, what about the parable of the three Stewards?  Aren’t we commanded from Genesis onward to care for and protect not only our lands but ALL of its inhabitants? 

In biblical scripture including Romans, James, and Matthew, we are commanded to protect the elderly, the infirm, women and children.  Jesus himself spent his adult years preaching this gospel, healing the sick and feeding the hungry. 

One of the things I’ve especially is questioned why, on multiple occasions, I’ve been told to stay silent, stay in my lane and stick to the positive, “rainbows and butterflies” content that I have been known for for over a decade.  To pretend that our country is not on fire – and as a result, let it burn.  

My father is a mechanic, and has told me stories of how, when he was a child, he would be compelled to take apart household appliances and machinery to understand how they work, then would put them back together again. Cool, right?

I have no talent for machines, but I have the same compulsion when it comes to understanding the nature of reality, humans, and spirituality.  Perhaps because of this, learning (at least those topics I find interesting) is one of  my most fundamental character traits and “love language”.   I literally learn every single day; reading, listening to podcasts, audiobooks, or YouTube.

As a result, I have, for decades now, studied world religion and mythology, multiple facets of psychology, relationship science, neuroscience, physiology, quantum physics, environmental sciences.  And a fair smattering of history, which ties into all of the above. 

Though the most recent research shows that our thoughts and desires directly affect our physiology, magnetic field and reality itself, I can tell you for a fact that burying our heads in the sand and pretending that “everything will work out” would be “magical thinking”.  

We have to balance the reality that we wish to see with the reality that actually is if we want to create lasting change.  

We have to heal ourselves, our societal dysfunctions and the harm we continue to inflict on the planet in order to build something better. 

I understand that many people are afraid, and perhaps that causes us to be silent.  I’m sure there are many that genuinely believed,  and still wish to believe, that our current leader is going to “Make America Great” again, and perhaps this wishful thinking, along with the mass of  propaganda and misinformation out there, makes it hard to recognize the slippery slope of fascism we are sliding down right now.   

We humans also tend to stick to our pre-programmed belief systems, especially in times of challenge or difficulty.  

Yet, all we have to do is look at world history and how many countries transitioned from democratic to authoritarian rule with just one leader, even within the past century, (Russia, Germany, Spain, Portugal, Italy, most South American countries, Poland and Hungary) to understand that the direction we are going is the opposite of ”great” for the average American citizen, though a  May 2025 analysis by Oxfam found that the 10 richest U.S. billionaires increased their wealth by $365 billion in the preceding 12 months and $196 BILLION between Trump’s taking the Oval Office and May of 2025.

Remaining silent in the face of grave danger, challenge or even the unfamiliar is our primitive brains’ (primarily the amygdala) way of keeping us “safe”.  

Beyond that, many of us who tend towards optimism (myself included) truly want to believe that good will win out, in the end.

Ultimately, I believe it will.  Again, looking at history, we can see that when humans decide on the right course and act accordingly, we can create tremendous change for the good of humanity. 

We can defeat despots.  We win wars, feed nations, stop disease from decimating populations.  We can invent miracles and what would have been called “magic” only a century ago.  We can stop this speeding train, or plane, or bullet, before it harms many more.

But what will be the cost,  if we stay silent, hoping for a miracle, in the meantime? 

How many will suffer, as we pretend that our engine isn’t failing and we don’t need to find a safe place to land?  

What will be the cost of our souls, if we continue to ignore the magnitude of wrongness that is happening right now? 

We are the miracle we are waiting for.  We are the heroes (or the villains) of this novel.

We can write a new, better story for ourselves, our country, and our children, if we speak up against what is wrong and stand together against evil.  

But we won’t change anything by staying eerily silent. 

It is my  personal belief that the entire point of our existence here on this planet is to love, protect, and care for and appreciate ourselves, those around us, and the planet, and to create a better world for generations to come.  I want my children to live in a country where they feel safe, abundant and happy.  I want them to inherit a country they are proud of.  An America the Beautiful; Home of the Free and The Brave.🇺🇸🌄🌾

I will continue to post tips and tools for increasing our “happiness baseline” and optimizing a better reality on my social media platforms – https://www.facebook.com/TerahDrake or my IG – @terahrosecatalyst or @thisblessedsacredlife

But I will also continue to speak out against those things that are wrong, harmful or even evil in our government and beyond.  

And I hope you will, too. 🙏🏻

Big love.💖

  • Terah

Pray for peace

by Terah Drake, posted in Uncategorized

Mother Nature seems a bit pissed off atm… Not just here in America but just about everywhere – 

👉United States: Flooding and severe storms have impacted the Northeast, with flash flooding in New York and New Jersey, and devastating floods in Texas. Wildfires have also been a concern in California. 

👉Japan: Deadly floods have occurred in central Japan. 

👉Africa: Flooding has been reported in several countries, including Chad, Morocco, Algeria, Tanzania, and Kenya. 

👉Asia: Typhoon Yagi caused significant damage in Asia, and Southern China has been devastated by deadly floods. 

👉Central Europe: Storm “Boris” caused widespread damage. 

👉Papua New Guinea: A landslide flattened a remote village, killing hundreds. 

👉Taiwan: A massive earthquake caused casualties and trapped mine workers. 

👉Hawaii: Kilauea, a Hawaiian volcano, has erupted dozens of times in the last 28 days.
👉 Mount Lewotobi Laki-laki erupted again July 7, sending an ash plume 11 miles into the atmosphere.😬
👉Mount Etna in Italy recently erupted
👉Mount Rainer in Washington State has seen dozens of seismic swarms over the past week

👉Panama: A 6.2 magnitude earthquake struck off the Pacific.  

These are just some of the recorded natural disasters that the Earth has been experiencing over the past few weeks.

According to quantum physics, everything in the world – and the universe at large – is connected.✨

We are all microorganisms in a larger macroorganism, much like individual cells in a human body. Or perhaps, we are more like the bacteria residing in a human body; a population even greater than human cells. 

Given all of the negativity in the world right now, it makes perfect sense that our physical environment would be a reflection of the stress, strife and unrest that so many are experiencing.   

If the negative emotions that we hold in our magnetic field are projected into the unified field, perhaps the mass of anxiety and strife is contributing to the upheaval of the Earth. 

If this is true,  we should also be able to influence the Field positively – to set our differences aside, allow our anxieties and hostilities take a backseat, and focus on the positive.  On healing ourselves and the planet.  On building a better future for ourselves and future generations.✨

Skeptical?🤔

Here’s something to consider➡️

In 1993, a three-week experiment was held where 4000 participants gathered to pray and meditate in Washington DC; at that time the most crime-riddled place in the nation.  (I can attest to this – I lived in DC for several years at that time, and though I absolutely loved it, there were areas where I would not have gone for fear of being shot on the spot).  

The Maharishi Effect in action

The intention of this experiment was to significantly reduce stress and increase coherence(peace), lowering the crime rate in our nations’ capital. 

👉 A 27 member project review board monitored the experiment and weekly crime data gathered from the DC police department.  

👉 During this time, crime decreased by nearly 25%!  The decrease could not be attributed to outside factors such as weather, additional police staffing, etc.  

👉 the probability of this drastic of a decrease happening by chance was estimated to be impossibly low –  (p < 2 x 10-9 )!

This experiment became known as the “Maharishi effect”.  

There are hundreds of other examples of how we influence our environment every day – most of us have had the experience of thinking about somebody and then they call or text, or we meet them at some random and unexpected place.  We have a song in our heads and turn on the radio to find it playing.   We need healing and it happens.  Or we are desperately in need of something; be it money, health, a partner, or just a kind word, and it shows up in a way that feels like a miracle.  Like prayer answered.  And it is.  

✨In most world religions, it is called Prayer.

✨To the spiritualists, it is manifestation. 

✨To the Wiccans, it is spellcraft.  (Spelling=magic✨)

✨In spiritual philosophy, it is coherence with All That Is.

✨In quantum physics, it’s vibrational alignment.

How are you “spelling” your reality?

At the root of our belief systems, it’s all the same, regardless of language, belief system, or philosophy.  We are in constant communication with everything that is, or God/Allah/Shiva/Goddess/Unified Field, etc.  As my favorite “guru” Wayne Dyer once said: 

Our futures are formed by the thoughts we hold most often. We literally become what we think about, and we are all given the gift of being able to write our own story.

✨We can change our story, individually and collectively.  

✨We can make the earth a place that we all want to live in. 

✨We do not have to accept as norm the destruction or downfall of our civilization and the strife, upheaval, divisiveness and warfare we are currently experiencing throughout the world.  

Here’s how we can change things, from the inside out: 

✅Start with gratitude. Before you fall asleep and when you wake each morning, take a few moments to acknowledge all of the good in your life.  This not only projects into a magnetic field, but also sets our neurobiology to release happy chemicals such as dopamine, oxytocin and serotonin, rather than stress hormones. (cortisol, adrenaline, norepinephrine) 

✅Request good in your life.  Every spiritual tradition has the equivalent of “Ask and ye shall receive.”  It works. 

✅ Focus on the good.  Spending too much time focusing on the negativity of the past and present, or holding anxiety for the future only decreases our personal power.  Perhaps one of the reasons why there’s so much focus on it in the media; a term called hijacking the amygdala.  The amygdala is the area of the brain responsible for emotional regulation.  When we are in a place of stress or fear, the amygdala overrides the rational thought and decision-making part of the brain; the prefrontal cortex.  This can create a vicious cycle of stress and anxiety.

✅ Reset – when you’re feeling stressed, anxious, or dysregulated, your amygdala is likely in control of your emotions.  Take a moment to center.  Breathe deeply into your lungs and diaphragm.  Hold for a few seconds followed by a slow exhale. Put your mind’s focus on your heart rather than your head.  This resets the parasympathetic nervous system from flight or flight into rest and create.  👉You can also use havening or anchoring techniques to create greater peace and calm – cross the arms and gently stroke down the length of the arms from shoulder to fingertip.  Alternatively, gently stroke the tops of the thighs.  Feel into your body and really notice the sights, sounds, and feel of the body and environment of your immediate vicinity.👈

✅Connect.  Spend time with others who make you feel good and raise your vibrational frequency. Hug often. Physical touch not only increases serotonin and oxytocin (the “love hormone”) but lowers stress hormones, increases immunity, and just makes us feel good.🥰

✅ Spend time outdoors.  Henry David Thereau said “We need the tonic of the wilderness.”   The disconnection from our natural world and into one of rampant technological use is one of the reasons why we are becoming more sick and unhappy as a population.   Being outside reminds us of the beauty of our natural world, but it also exposes us to negative ions, which increases positivity and immune function, decreases stress, increases cognitive function and creativity and can even prevent disease.  

✅Empower yourself.  We have all heard the adage “knowledge is power”.  Pay attention to what is happening in the world, but don’t involve yourself emotionally to avoid the “amygdalic hijacking” I referenced earlier. (Stay frosty😉) 

  • 📰 If you wish to be involved, crossreference everything! Truth has become more and more subjective and even that which should be true must be questioned with the advent of AI, deepfake technology, and increasingly sophisticated psyops employed by governments, tech giants and individuals looking to influence the population to one particular mindset.  
  • Look to your values.  Whether it is a personal relationship, spiritual leader or political figure, the people you spend the most time with should be a reflection of your personal value system.  If you are seriously questioning the alignment of your values with someone else, there is probably not only an energy drain but a potential future disaster. 
  • 🥋As a martial arts instructor and longtime practitioner, I highly recommend at least rudimentary self-defense classes as an excellent way to gain confidence, a deeper sense of personal empowerment and self knowledge.  I also teach and practice yoga and can not recommend it highly enough for the deep sense of calm and connection it creates in the mind and body. 
  • 🖌️🎨Self expression through any form of art – painting, sculpture, dance, writing, cooking, fashion, etc., is an excellent way to not only create greater authenticity and self empowerment, but also can dramatically escalate the level of joy we feel on a daily basis.
  • Power Pose! Tune in to your stance and walk.  How are you resting in your body?  Are your shoulders hunched and back curved, decreasing range of motion and putting you into “prey” mode?  Or is your spine long, shoulders back and head high; all signs of confidence, strength and power? If you are needing an extra dose of confidence, try taking a Wonder Woman/Superman pose – back straight, feet wide and hands on hips.  Studies have shown this to reduce stress and improve cognition and new research indicates decreased cortisol and an increase in levels of testosterone when we “step into our superhero”.  Here’s another interesting fact – our primitive brain does not know the difference between reality and what we create in our minds, see on a screen or dream up on ChatGPT.   A fun tool is to use  AI to create a superhero image of yourself and put it somewhere you can see it daily to remind yourself of how amazing and powerful you are, and to begin to rewire your neurocircuitry to build a more confident, radiant version of yourself.  Here’s one that ChatGPT built for me using one of my favorite photos:

Cool, right?  Here’s the prompt I used: “Please create an image of me, using my photo, as a superhero in a classic hands-on-hips pose.  My chest emblem should be a heart with a sunburst radiating outwards.”  And I’d say AI absolutely nailed it! I’m thinking I might use it as a future book cover…😉

How is your field potentially affecting the mindset of our population – and Mother Earth herself? 

Big Love. 

  • Terah 

Awareness = Alignment

by Terah Drake, posted in Uncategorized
Our frequency creates our reality

Yesterday morning, as I sat in a hotel hot tub with my son, engaged in stimulating conversation about current events with a lovely couple from Portland, we discussed how much fear there is in the world right now. The couple expressed that there were moments when it was hard not to feel hopeless. I understand this feeling, but when we are stuck in a place of fear, it is too easy to lose perspective of the big picture.

It’s true that it feels very much like we are in a downward cycle in many places in the world, but particularly in America right now. Inflation has skyrocketed, causing the cost of living to dramatically increase for most of us.  regardless of our political affiliation, we all know how tenuous things are feeling politically and socially, as well.

Yet it is equally true that in spite of all of this, the vast majority of us here in America live so much better than humans have as a whole perhaps in our entire known history. Most of us have plenty of food to eat, a roof over our heads, community around us, good sanitation and reasonably goods health.

When we are able to keep our focus on the good of our lives rather than becoming a slave to fear, our neurochemistry creates a cycle of well-being and good health in the body and mind.

Beyond that, when we are in a state of appreciation and gratitude, we raise the vibration of our magnetic field and our frequency – just like a radio, projects information that is picked up by those nearest us. According to quantum entanglement, this also extends into the world and the universe beyond, potentially creating greater good in the world, and an increased likelihood of a positive future for all of us.

I realize that it’s not always easy to remain in this state full time, of course. Contrast happens in everyone’s lives, and the thousands of little stressors that each of us experience day-to-day adds up to what can feel overwhelming, at times. But with awareness and practice, we can achieve ease and even joy, the majority of the time.

Personally, though I am naturally inclined to be an optimist, I have certainly had periods in my life where things felt so dark that it was difficult to find the light.

There are times when I have to be acutely conscious of where I am allowing my thoughts and emotions to go, and when I find myself going into that bad place, redirecting to something better to keep myself on that upswing. It feels so much better to stay in the light than to be stuck in a “dark room” of self-pity or victimization.

We are all writing the novels of our own lives each moment, and when I reach the last chapter, I want to know that I played the hero and not the victim or villain of this amazing story.✨

I use meditation, self-hypnosis techniques, music, good, nourishing food, self-care, travel, exercise, especially outdoors, and forms of therapy such as writing, art, dancing, or social time to bring me back to remembrance of how extraordinarily blessed my life is.

These last couple of days have been a poignant example of the joy – and the frustration – that makes this life into such a beautifully complex and flavorful stew. I spent the weekend moving loads between Whatcom County and my new place in Eastern Washington; sometimes driving 14 hours a day with only a few hours of rest between driving and loading/unloading a U-Haul trailer. Monday, I took time to take my dogs on a beautiful walk on the Riverside trail in Ellensburg, then met up with my son in #bellinghamwashington for a little retail therapy, dinner The Bellwether with friends and family (check out this spectacular rainbow!) then a long soak and sauna before bed. The next morning found me happily soaking again, enjoying conversation with new friends, but things got challenging in the afternoon when one of the tires on the U-Haul I rented blew out on a busy stretch of highway.

I had purchased roadside service, thankfully, and called to get assistance immediately. I spent 15 minutes on the phone with an agent who assured me he would reach out shortly to give me an ETA of when someone would arrive to either change the tire or tow the U-Haul to be repaired.

An hour passed in my overly warm vehicle, dogs panting in the back, with no word from the service provider.🫤 needless to say, after the first hour, I was feeling more than a little cranky.

Finally, I called the company again to learn that somehow, the agent had neglected to submit the report. A new agent got a report submitted and an hour later help arrived. Excell Commercial Tire Service was quick to get the tire changed courteous, and professional despite the fact that there was only about 2 inches between said tire and the right hand lane of the highway.

I got back on the road, later than I had hoped but safely rolling. In Cle Elum, I picked up a Thai iced tea from a charming little Thai restaurant owned by an Irishman and his Thai wife. Once more on the road, I was finally feeling back to my usual happy place when I managed to dump the entire 24 ounces of tea all over my car when the lid popped off as i was lifting it from the cup holder.

I admit there was a major WTAF to the Universe/Unified Field. I pulled over, cleaned up the tea, and took a moment to re-center, reminding myself that life is complex. Sometimes, we can hold pain in one hand and still have joy in the other.

It can be true that big picture, the vast majority of us are incredibly blessed and fortunate to have the life that we do, but it doesn’t mean we are not going to experience contrast or even hardship.

This is part of what makes those blessings so very sweet. I have experienced plenty of contrast and over the course of my life. I have suffered abuse, great losses, and financial hardship, just like many others.

But I believe that my ability to come back to a state of optimism and appreciation of for the beauty of this life is the reason that I have also had so many extraordinary blessings – extensive travel, satisfying businesses/career, economic comfort, most of the time. Opportunities for education, expansion, and most importantly, beautiful connections with amazing humans in my family, friendships, and kinships I have found with people around the world.

I am not unique or special in this. Every single human shares the ability to create happiness, whatever that looks like to each individual – through these basic practices of awareness and intention of where we allow our thoughts and emotions to reside, the majority of the time.

The late Dr. David Hawkins; clinician, author, and researcher, theorized that the closer to “enlightenment“ we as individuals become, the greater our impact on the evolution of all:

👉 One human, who vibrates at the energy of optimism and non-judgmentalism can counter balance, the negativity of 90,000 individuals who are on lower, weaker vibrational frequencies.

👉 One human who vibrates at the energy of pure love and reverence for all of life can counterbalance the negativity of 750,000 lower vibrations.

👉 One human who vibrates at the energy of illumination, bliss, and peace, will counterbalance the negativity of 10 million people who are calibrated to a lower vibration.

👉 One human who vibrates to the energy of grace, spirit beyond the body and non-duality/oneness will counterbalance the negativity of 70 million people calibrated to a lower vibration.

👉 One human who lives in vibrates as an avatar of highest consciousness – such as Christ, Krishna, or the Buddha – well, counterbalance the collective negativity of all mankind in today’s world.

Wow, right?🤯

This is the way that we can change the world, regardless of what is happening economically, socially, in our political arenas, or beyond.

One intentional thought pattern at a time – until happiness becomes habitual.🥰

Big love.💖

Protecting Your Peace/Ho’oponopono

by Terah Drake, posted in Uncategorized

To an emotionally unhealthy person, clear boundaries or a “no” is either a challenge or a personal affront.

To someone who is whole or on their healing journey, there is no possibility for affront. Choosing to listen to one’s own needs instead of people pleasing is a mark of self-respect and value.

Babe. Grab a cuppa and a comfy chair because we are going to take a little dive into a number of subjects today that all tie together, eventually. But the overarching theme here – and this is so important – is this:

You have a right and a responsibility to protect your peace.

This may seem like a no-brainer to some, but it is a radical concept to others who might be accustomed to being the peacemaker in family and peer dynamics – rather than the peace holder.

Protecting your peace means it’s not only ok, but vital that we learn to set healthy boundaries for ourselves, our time, and our energetic resources. It is making sure we find time for self-care and learning what it is that makes us as individuals happy.

Because goodness knows, it can be only too easy to lose ourselves in the interests and lives of our partners, peers, and parents.  And of course, our children, if we have them.  

“Until we are able to love and take care of ourselves, we cannot be much help to others.”

This doesn’t mean that we should not care for and share interests and passions with those close to us, of course.  Loving those around us makes everyone’s lives better, and common ground is the best place to find healthy, happy connection, right?  But finding a sense of authenticity and joy in our lives requires finding the balance between loving ourselves and others.  

Our magnetic field – “aura” can take many shapes…

I like to imagine our bodies, minds, and the magnetic field that surrounds us as an energy storehouse.  When we are in balance with ourselves and the world around us – happy with ourselves, our partnerships, family dynamics, social groups, and career or purpose, our energy levels are full.  Light. We feel easy in the world and are able to share some of that stored energy with those around us.  

But it can also be too easy to get caught up in the drama of someone else’s toxic mentality – and we have absolutely no obligation to invest our time and headspace into energy vampires – people or things that draw from our energy accounts without any promise of return.  

This can be so hard for those of us who are empaths, people pleasers or fixer/mediator type personalities.

Here’s where an interesting concept comes in – Have you heard of the ancient Hawaiian practice of Ho’ oponopono? 

The word translates into English as “Correction”, but also contains the synonyms “manage” or “supervise”.  The practice, often facilitated by a family elder or a Hawaiian Hapuna – healer/priest – is one of healing, reconciliation, forgiveness and love, often within a family or extended family, but extending to anyone who breaks Kapu, or spiritual laws.  Often, when a member of the community became ill, a Hapuna would be consulted to help the person become healthy again through finding forgiveness from the Gods or the person with whom there may have been a dispute.  

The practice of Ho’oponopono consists of four simple phrases – 

~ I’m sorry.

~ Please forgive me. 

~ Thank you. 

~ I love you.

According to Chade-Meng Tan;(@chandemeng ) Nobel Peace Prize nominee (One Billion Acts Of Peace) and author of Joy on Demand, sitting in silence for just three minutes and sending peace, love, or happiness “I wish for ______ to be happy” can drastically improve your own happiness baseline.  

In fact, not only does this practice increase activity in the prefrontal cortex and create new neural pathways that help us to self-regulate our emotional responses (NIH PMID 25646442), but it also lowers cortisol levels and increases oxytocin and serotonin. I’d call that a win all the way around, right? 

The practice of Ho’oponopono is of taking full responsibility for our thoughts or actions, making amends through word or deed, giving gratitude and love to the situation or person we may have wronged.  This is a beautifully powerful practice and I believe we can take this idea and practice into every aspect of our lives to create greater unity and wholeness within ourselves, our relationships, and the world around us.  

The thing is, apologies and vulnerable communication can be so hard.  

Often, our past (childhood) programming translates the need for an apology or regular, honest communication to someone as “I must be bad/wrong/unloveable”, etc.  This is rarely if ever the case, of course, but remember that an estimated 98% of our daily thoughts and actions are acted from our subconscious, (ego) and most of that began in the first eight years of life. 

Our conscious mind may not understand or even care to query as to why it is difficult to say “I am sorry” or communicate without feeling defensive, frightened or intimidated.  When we are acting from past trauma or unhealthy patterns, the amygdala – the brain’s processor for emotional response –  is triggered, causing us to go into a state of anxiety, anger or fear.  This is a primitive, emotional survival-instinct based reaction.  

It requires some deep self-exploration and conscious awareness to find the root of our behaviors.  Frankly, I don’t believe we can fully do this until we confront the faulty belief systems that our parents, caregivers and peers implanted in our minds from an early age (lack of value/unworthiness.  Abandonment.  Fear-based thinking/survival.  Disempowerment. The list goes on…) 

This is where the concept of Ho’oponopono related to the self can be applied to assist in the reprogramming and healing process.  When we begin to practice having curiosity about how our internal states are reflected in our outside world on a regular basis, we can begin to address those unhealthy and untrue patterns and programmed ways of thinking.

 We can learn to love ourselves in the way that our earliest caregivers perhaps did not know how to.  We can forgive ourselves for our past to move forward in a manner based on a healthier EQ, have gratitude and appreciation for who we are in the present moment.  All of this establishes the habit of growing the neural network of response from the prefrontal cortex;  the part of the brain linked to higher-order functions such as logic, empathy, care and altruism.  We learn to be in a place of responding rather than reacting.  We learn to validate others’ feelings and take accountability for our own words and behaviors that might sometimes be less than constructive or healthy for ourselves or those around us.

And that’s a beautiful thing, isn’t it? 😇

Big love.💖

  • Terah

These Small Moments

by Terah Drake, posted in Uncategorized
Little moments of beauty and comfort…

I am currently reading #theatlasofhappiness by @mshelenrussell, a book detailing different customs of increasing happiness from around the world.

Loving the different ideas of what #happiness is from so many different cultural perspectives.  This morning’s chapter was from #finland 🇫🇮; my grandmother’s home country.  The Finns are a stoic people; having spent many centuries under the rule and thumb of other nations, they learned over generations to be more “survive” than “thrive”.  Their national version of happiness – #kalsarikännit – interpreted as “Drinking at home in your underwear with not intention of going out” 😆😆- isn’t exactly my personal ideal, but each to their own. 🤷‍♀️

As I sit here enjoying the fragrance of #lemon from my tea, the layers of color, texture, and comfort that I have built into my #nest , and the coziness of this moment, it occurs to me that there is no one “big idea” to define an overall sense of happiness in life. 

Lasting happiness is a series of small moments, such as the one I am in the experience of right now, that add up and compound upon each other to create a life of enduring and deep-rooted contentment. 

I believe that a large part of the reason that so many people have continued anxiety and depression is because we are always “doing”.  We are somewhere in the past or the future rather than just being right here, in appreciation of the moment. 

There is hard science to back this theory.🧑‍🔬

When we are fully present in each moment, especially when we take time to breathe deeply, our sympathetic nervous system (the excitatory system) switches to a parasympathetic nervous system (inhibitory/calming), reducing the stress hormones cortisol and adrenaline and increasing happiness hormones such as serotonin and dopamine, creating a greater sense of calm and well-being.  (Add a snuggle with your favorite person or a pet and you get a hit of oxytocin – the “connection hormone”, not only enhancing mood but also empathy, kindness and generosity.)   Over time and with practice, our baseline of happiness hormones and emotional resiliency increase, and stress hormones in the system decrease.  

What’s especially wonderful about this is that your higher levels of ease and contentment have amazing health and longevity benefits, such as lowering blood pressure, regulating blood sugar levels and metabolic function, lowering the risk of heart disease, and creating better cognitive function and neurological health.  

So if you are looking for a greater sense of overall contentment, ease, and joy in your life, look no further than the moment you’re in.  It’s true that some moments are better than others, but there is always something to be grateful for.  If we can find that appreciation and just rest and breathe in that space of gratitude, those moments will increase and and there will be a time when you realize that, in spite of the contrast that being a human on the planet earth brings, you are happy.🥰

How wonderful is that? 

Big love.💖

Stress-less

by Terah Drake, posted in Uncategorized

Let’s talk about stress.

Over the past half decade or so, stress has gotten a majorly bad rap.  Levels of anxiety, depression, overwhelm, and general stress are higher now than they have been since 2020 when lockdown happened. I recently heard a news broadcast in which the announcer was saying that of thousands of Americans that were polled on the importance of this last week’s election, 87% believed they would suffer serious post traumatic stress if their candidate did not win. Only 10% of those participants said that they were not worried. I’ve seen and spoken to many that are worried and heartbroken and some that are elated that Trump won, but whichever side of the political arena you happen to have voted, the unpleasantness and misinformation displayed by both parties over the last months – and the extremity of media coverage – has been difficult for most.  

Americans are also contending with a rapidly increasing cost of living, leading to a decrease in quality of life.  This is compounded by an overall decrease in health with diseases such as autoimmune disorders, diabetes, infertility, and cancer on the rise.  Then there are environmental toxins and stressors such as pollution, depleted minerals in our soil and chlorine and fluoride in our water.  Added to that we have the “typical American diet” which consists of an overabundance of sugar and highly refined carbohydrates, unhealthy fats and oils, and chemicals that should never be in our foods in the first place.  

It’s no wonder that many of us feel overwhelmed and burnt out.  

When the body is in a state of elevated stress or “fight or flight”, a number of hormones are released into the bloodstream:

  • Adrenaline(epinephrine)/norepinephrine:  Both increase heart rate and blood pressure, expediting the release of energy from the cells. 
  • Cortisol –  affects nearly every organ and tissue in the body.  It is vital for regulating the body’s stress response, regulating blood sugar and blood pressure, influences the metabolism and immune function as well as the way the body uses fats, proteins and carbohydrates.  
  • Growth hormone(HGH) increases glucose and free fatty acids in the bloodstream.  
  • Thyroid hormones – increase heart and basal metabolic rate.

Every mammal produces these necessary chemicals; vital for survival in the wild.  This evolutionary design is optimal for short, occasional bursts of these hormones – for those times that we may have been chased by a hungry predator, or when we needed to make rapid decisions for the good of the tribe.   In the wild, as soon as an animal is safe after a fight or flight episode, the basal rate of these hormones drop to pre-emergency levels. 

In the short term, stress can also help us achieve greater success in our lives from the boardroom or the bedroom.  In “normal” conditions and doses, hormones such as adrenaline, norepinephrine and the secondary “stress” neurochemical, dopamine, help us to:

  • move faster
  • increase energy
  • think more clearly
  • focus longer 
  • increases metabolic and immune function, and even temporarily, sexual function
  • focus intensely and seemingly “slow” time

If we harness the power of these neurotransmitters well, stress can help us to start that business, go on an adventure, ask for that raise or that date, complete important deadlines and more.  Adrenaline and cortisol can also get us through emergency situations.

Most of us have had at least one emergency situation in our lives where we experienced greater focus and cognition or speed and strength as a result of this mechanism, allowing us to get through that situation better than we might have thought possible.  I’ve had several throughout my life, but a couple of years back, I had one such situation that perfectly illustrates this phenomenon:

I was driving in the carpool lane through the Tacoma area of Washington at night.  It was raining and traffic was heavy, but everyone was moving smoothly around 70 mph.  I experienced that “prickling” sensation that something was wrong right before I realized there was a tow truck parked at a complete stop with no lights on, in the middle of the lane ahead of me. I was driving right around 70mph and less than 100 feet away when I saw it.  I had only seconds to calculate an opening in nearly bumper to bumper traffic of the next lane, big enough for a full-sized sedan in heavy traffic.  As my system flooded with adrenaline and cortisol, I had the sense of everything slowing down and my focus narrowing as I slid over into the next lane with what felt like just inches between a full sized truck in front and a motorcycle behind.  If I had been just seconds slower, I would have died horribly, likely along with many others on the freeway that night.  So thank goodness that we have such powerful neurochemicals and hormones at our disposal when we need them. 

As mentioned earlier, in occasional doses, stress can be a valuable and powerful ally.  But in our modern society, we often have a near-constant drip of these chemicals as stress becomes prolonged or chronic.  When this happens, the very hormones that can be a medicine in the body and brain become a poison.  Dr. Tara Swart, (@drtaraswart) a neuroscientist and senior lecturer at MIT, describes cortisol as an especially corrosive agent to nearly every aspect of the body.  In chronic exposure and excessive quantities, cortisol has a host of terrible effects in the body and brain:

  • Is highly inflammatory 
  • degrades immune function
  • causes weight gain; especially around the belly.  
  • lowers blood supply to the brain, causing impairment of higher neurological function and reasoning processes, creativity and flexible thinking.  This also impairs our ability to access our intuition/heart-gut-brain axis and override pre-set cognitive bias.  
  • leaches essential magnesium from the body, impairing the nervous system.  This can cause tremors, muscle weakness, low energy, eye twitching and body odor. 

Over time, these elevated levels of stress hormones and inflammatory markers can turn on genetic predispositions for diseases such as cancer, diabetes, heart disease and age-related disease such as dementia.   When we turn to unhealthy coping mechanisms such as pornography, alcohol or drugs, the excess of neurotransmitters such as dopamine in the system can actually lead to significantly lower levels of dopamine and serotonin in the system, leaving us feeling depressed and unmotivated. 

What all of this means is that it is more important than ever to learn to harness “good” stress and learn ways to reframe and decrease our perceived stressors, anxiety and unhappiness.  We need to increase our “ happiness baseline” to live longer, healthier, more satisfying lives.  

There’s not much we can do about environmental pollutants, but most of us know the basics of self care for the body –  limit alcohol and cigarettes, drink clean water and eat a clean diet (to the best of our ability) and get enough sleep each night (7-8 hours is so important. This is when the body and brain heals) and exercise each week to keep our bodies in good condition. 

But if we take our self-care a little further to really mitigate long-term detriment, improve our overall quality of life and even extend our life span, there are a few basic habits we can incorporate into our daily or weekly lives to minimize chronic levels of stress hormones.  

Acceptance: Noticing negative thought patterns such as “what’s wrong with me/them/the world” and allowing whatever is, just to be.  

Gratitude:  Gratitude is an amazing neurochemical reset.  Just feeling fully thankful for five small things each morning and/or evening before bed can create what seems like truly magical change in our stress levels and day-to-day mindset.  According to Harvard Medical School, gratitude not only is strongly associated with greater happiness but also improves health, our ability to deal with adversity and build better relationships.  

Mindfulness.  Spending even five minutes each day being fully present in the moment and the body can induce improved well-being, reduce reactivity and improve behavior regulation.  

Meditation: learning to quiet the mind has too many benefits to list, but reducing stress and anxiety, increasing compassion, adaptability and self-awareness are just a few of the amazing rewards of regular practice.  

Breathing:  Deep breathing triggers the bodies’ relaxation response.  When feeling overwhelmed, doing a breath work “reset” :  One long breath followed by one short breath through the nose, hold for four seconds and exhale for 8.  Repeat 3-4 times.  Deep breathing as a daily practice increases oxygen and blood to the brain, increases energy, lowers blood pressure, and can lengthen life span.  Yoga is my favorite way to combine exercise, breath work and mindfulness in a “moving meditation”, but just spending a few minutes each day practicing deep, mindful breathing can dramatically improve health and emotional well-being. 

Exercise: Dr. Andrew Huberman; neuroscientist, Stanford lab researcher and podcaster @hubermanlab speaks often of the positive value of exercise – the most recent studies show that humans need a minimum of 150 minutes per week of cardiovascular exercise to maintain good health.  

Spending time outdoors.  Spending that time in nature is especially beneficial for our physical and emotional health as we absorb vitality-increasing negative ions from the earth, trees, plants and water.  Exposure to the sun is vitally important, too.   We should get at least twenty minutes of direct sunlight on our eyes and skin each day.  The UV and vitamin D that we get from sunshine increases immune function, regulates blood pressure, improves mood and energy levels and can significantly improve cognitive function. 

Hot baths: Calms the nervous system.  Can improve sleep.  Increases blood flow, lowers blood pressure.  A 20-year study of over 30,000 people in Japan found that those who bathed daily were less likely to develop cardiovascular disease and have a stroke.  Bathing also relieves muscle soreness, and even moreso when we replenish lost magnesium during times of increased stress with a soak in magnesium flakes or salts. We absorb magnesium better through our skin than we do when taken internally.  An hour in 104 degree water can also burn calories and lower blood sugar, much like the benefits of a sauna.  

Cold exposure.  Brief (1-5 minutes) cold plunges/showers increases levels of dopamine in the system for up to six hours after. (!). That’s big benefit for brief discomfort. 

Vagus nerve exercises: (nerves in sides of neck that control parasympathetic nervous system) Sing, chant, hum, laugh- vocal cords connect to the vagus nerve.  Neck and shoulder massages.  Rubbing both sides of neck in downward motion flushes lymphatic system and stimulates the vagus nerve at the same time.

Aromatherapy:  one study published in the national Institute of health clearly states that “Olafaction can affect emotions, higher functions, in the autonomic nervous system”.   Lavender, chamomile, rosemary, peppermint, jasmine and citrus have all been shown to calm the nervous system, but many of us have certain scents that just make us feel good or trigger happy memories.  For me, the smell of coffee is one of them – not only do I love good coffee, but as a child and young adult, my grandmother’s house almost always smelled of coffee and baked goods so that positive association greatly adds to my level of pleasure and happiness each time I brew a cup.

Self-care is highly personal, of course.  To some, spending time with friends or family feels deeply affirming, to others, quiet time on their own is the best form of self-care.  I like to have a balance of both, but whatever fills your cup and helps you to center, do that.  Along with a few of the aforementioned stress relieving, nervous-system regulating items above, perhaps.😌

To learn more on how confronting and harnessing stress can lead to greater levels of success and overall satisfaction with life, read my blog “Into the Chaos”.  

If you are feeling overwhelmed with anxiety, stress, or are experiencing self-sabotage in your life, NLP and Hypnotherapy are current, proven, cutting-edge technologies that can help you pinpoint pre-set neurological programs and patterns of behavior that may be keeping you in a state of despair or chronic overwhelm.  Through proven techniques and regular practice, we can re-code outdated and unhelpful programs and provide usable tools to regulate and re-balance the nervous system, creating a happier, healthier life of self-creation.  

For more information on any of the modalities mentioned in this blog, to participate in a three-day online re-creation workshop, or to arrange a private, one on one online or in-person hypnotic healing consultation, drop an email to terahrose.catalyst@gmail.com or feel free to look me up on social media at https://www.instagram.com/blessedisthissacredlife 

Big love.💖

  • Terah

Personal Power

by Terah Drake, posted in Uncategorized

You are not a victim.   

This is so important I’ll say it again.

YOU ARE NOT A VICTIM.  

You are here to be an empowered creator in this time space reality.  

We all have the choice and ability to be reactive to any circumstance or to respond to any circumstance.  This begins with acknowledgment of our personal power in this world, and follows with a willingness to take responsibility for whether we respond or react to those events, circumstances, and people that may feel challenging or difficult.

With all that is happening here in the states and in the world beyond, it can be easy to forget this.  Sometimes, situations in our environment may seem so vast and unchangeable that we feel we don’t have any control – and that can be a frightening thing.  The amygdala; a primitive part of the brain responsible for identifying threats and processing emotion – particularly negative emotions such as fear or anger – tells us that we need safety, and safety equals familiarity.  Control.  

But this need for safety tends to create a strong confirmation bias, rather than an ability to see facts through the lens of rationality and heart-based understanding.  It can become easy to ruminate on these difficult circumstances to the point of anxiety and overwhelm.  We can become so accustomed to this state of being that we literally become addicted to the constant flow of hard-hitting neurochemicals such as cortisol and adrenaline that are produced by this negative state of mind. 

This constant state of survival and “fight or flight” cuts us off from the coherence available to us when we have access to the synergy of the brain/heart/gut axis. Our heart and gut has neurons just as the brain does, and it is only when we are calm and in our center that we can gain access the wisdom that can be found in the free flow of information between these three thinking and feeling centers.  But when we are stuck in the brain, we unwittingly allow ourselves to become a victim of our primitive brain. 

But we don’t have to stay there.  

Responsibility = the ability to respond with reason.  When we take responsibility for how we respond to the world around us, we empower ourselves to live from a place of greater wisdom and self-creation.  You are not a victim to any circumstance in your life.  Not your financial situation, your relationships, your employment, your health, the current political situation or anything else you can dream up – but sometimes, we need a little reminder and help to override our anxiety and overwhelm and get back to coherence and alignment with who we truly are.  

I like to follow a “4-R” rule when I am beginning to feel overwhelmed or anxious about things beyond my control:  

1. Reset.  I do a quick breathing exercise to reset my parasympathetic nervous system.  One long breath in, followed by a short breath to completely fill my lungs and diaphragm.  I hold for a slow count of four followed by a slow exhale; usually with a count to eight.  Repeat two more times.  This combination of nervous system override and mindfulness on the count takes us back to our baseline of centeredness and calm.  

2. Reflect.  Is there anything I can do right now to change my circumstance?  If yes, forward to #4: I take action.  If no, let it go.  Another important question to ask is this: If I knew the situation would not change in my near future, what would I need to do to find a sense of safety and peace within the space of my current reality?  Is there a way I can find greater compassion/empathy/understanding/kindness for the person/people or situation?  Do I need to give myself more of the same to be at peace? 

This leads right into the third “R” –

3. Reframe.  Is there a lesson within this difficult situation that can help me grow?   What is the good I can find in this situation?  How can I be grateful for some aspect of my current circumstance?  There are many studies on how powerfully learning to reframe our lives can increase the quality of our lives and overall level of happiness.  

And finally, back to the most empowering thing we can do for ourselves and our lives:

4. Responsibility.  What action can I take to make a positive impact on my situation and life?  We don’t need to take big action – small, daily changes can have huge long-term impact.  Maybe it’s better self-care, or doing something that helps others.  A daily meditation and/or gratitude practice, even five minutes when you wake and before bed, can be life-changing.  Sometimes we need to find greater grace and forgiveness for ourselves or others – I’d highly recommend checking out my earlier post on Ho’oponopono; the Hawaiian practice of forgiveness.  It’s a gorgeous way to let go of past hurts and heal.  Believe me, it works. 🥰

If you are struggling with all that seems wrong in the world today, I feel this deeply, too.  But though things may seem bleak, life is still just as wonderful as ever, if you can just look away from the train wreck that is happening in certain arenas of life to notice the beauty beyond the distraction.  You may not be able to alter the course of history, but you have authority and power over how you view, create, and live your own life.  I hope the “4-R” technique I developed to keep me in my own place of authority and calm may help a little in your own remembrance of who you are and your ability to shape a life according to what brings you joy.  

F#ck the fear and disempowerment that seems to be being taught in the media and political world, In dysfunctional relationships and those that still live from a place of fear or devaluation. 😤. You deserve so much better.  Believe it.✨

Big love.💖

  • Terah 

Healing a Broken Heart

by Terah Drake, posted in Uncategorized
Grief is hard, but healing doesn’t have to be.

Grief can be such a hard thing to get past.  I understand this implicitly, from the loss of close family members and friends, beloved pets, divorce, and the heartbreak of losing someone I was deeply in love with.  

 It is vitally important that we honor our feelings when life brings us these painful experiences, but it is equally important that we learn to heal from that heartbreak rather than allowing it to consume our lives. 

It has been shown that an estimated 40% of people who experience the emotional event of heartbreak also suffer clinical heartbreak.  The physical organ of the heart is damaged as a result of the psychological trauma.  

As if that is not enough, grief temporarily lowers our IQ levels; lessening our ability to navigate the challenges of life.  When we are in a state of grief, our innate programming tends to shift our neurological processes to focus upon the person, event, or circumstance that caused the trauma to begin with; the experience of grief acts on the same neurological network as the motivation network.  This means we feel an incentive to “fix” the “problem” of the loss of our loved one.  

This is compounded by the fact that when it comes to relationships, the withdrawal of or from love catalyzes the same chemical processes as addicts withdrawing from Heroin.  The hanging on, or inability to let go of the grief we are experiencing, is the methadone in the addictive process.   If we are going to completely break the addictive cycle, we have to realize that we can not trust our hearts if we are hanging on to an idea of reconciliation.  Our minds will feed on that hope and create stories to perpetuate the idea that the fairy tale will have a happy ending, idealizing and romaticizing our partner’s wonderful traits.  We will spin all sorts of scenarios and stories that create a positive outcome.  This is called “Limerence”. 

But in order to heal and move on, we have to accept our loss.  Let go of those stories, fantasies, hopes, and also, the pain that we guard so closely to our hearts.  When we let go, we can move forward to a happier future.

Easier said than done, right?  

 As you may gather from the below poem, I experienced this at one time, too.  I fell deeply in love with someone; harder than I had ever fallen.  I had not experienced the level of emotional connection and vulnerability with another human as I had with him.  I didn’t even have a framework to understand that intense of a connection.

When the relationship ended, I wasn’t just heartbroken, I was eviscerated.  I had been through heartbreak before, but not like this; probably compounded by several years of really terrible loss in other areas of my life.   The grief I experienced became a feedback loop, trying to convince me that he was in love with me, that he wanted to be in a relationship with me – in spite of every piece of contrary evidence.  Being a logic-minded person, even this “loop” f#cked me up in a major way.  I would have arguments with myself that looked something like this:

 “You have to stop this.  He is not in love with you.  He has no desire to be with you.  He isn’t going to write.  Or Text.  Or call.  He’s not thinking about you.  There is absolutely no physical evidence of anything else being true.  The “connection” you think you still feel is created; likely a result of unresolved childhood trauma pertaining to your father and stepfather.  Can we please just let this go now?  

(Limerence). “ I don’t believe that.  How could two people have shared what we did and it not be love?  It doesn’t make sense that I would still feel this level of connection to him if he wasn’t also missing me.  It’s quantum entanglement!  I have faith that everything is working out.  We just have to be patient and wait for the right timing.”  

Cue the eye rolling from my logical mind.  You can see the Limerence in action, right?  The separation of the two parts of my mind was absolutely terrible.  Honestly, there are still moments when that voice pops up to say “what if?”, but I’ve gotten better at using some of the tools that can help us to heal from any type of grief or heartbreak.  Here are a few that may help with your own process:

  1. Don’t deny the heartbreak.  Spend some time honoring your grief.  It’s important to say “I see you” to those parts of yourself that are hurting.
  2. Self-care for the win.  When it feels especially difficult, give yourself extra love and care in the way that feels best for you.  
  3. After you have moved through the natural states of grieving and are ready to move on, practice “This, not That”.  In hypnotherapy, we use it as a form of re-coding neurological circuits that may not be serving us well.  If you lost someone close such as a dear friend or family member, each time you feel sad, thinking about what you have lost, replace that thought with a happy memory of time you spent together.  Feel the joy of that moment.  If it is a lost love, substitute the thought of something or someone else that brings you pleasure.
  4. Identify the voids in your life that the grief or heartbreak left, and fill those voids with other things.  For example, if you lost someone you loved and were close to, spend time with others you are close with to fill that empty space of loneliness or disconnection you may be experiencing.  
  5. If you are experiencing Limmerance pertaining to heartbreak or the loss of a relationship, write a list of all of the reasons it was not healthy to begin with.  Write the outcome that you may be hoping for and the evidence that it is not real.  Keep this list somewhere close as a visual reminder and way of re-coding the loop that creates those expectations.
  6. Create a more compelling future.  Another Hypnotherapy technique is called “Future Pacing”.  When you are in a relaxed state, envision in your mind a future a year out that feels amazing.  A future that you would like to see for yourself – that does not include the person you are grieving.  When you can clearly see where you are, and what you are doing, and feel yourself in that place, “see” yourself three months back, then six months, then nine months, then back to your “present” self.  What are the steps you needed to take to get to that place in a year?  Write it down and try to follow that timeline in real time.  Practicing this visualization before bed and when you first wake (Your mind is in a theta/highly suggestible state) can help train your brain to create this reality, too.  
  7. Take time for awe and wonder.  Whatever this may look like to you, taking time to tap into these states of appreciation and gratitude for beauty can powerfully heal the mind and body.  
  1. Spend time with good people.  It can be too easy to isolate. Build a support system.  Find community that feels good.  
You are the medicine.

Limerence

I learned a term,

Not so long ago.

Limerence.  

Limerence is defined as 

“A state of being emotionally attached to 

or obsessed with

Another person whose 

feelings toward the person

Are typically unclear.”

I thought that we were in love

with each other.

But it couldn’t be limerence.

I was so sure. 

Sure you were the one;

that you were as in love with me

As I was with you.

I was so sure 

That we were important.

Meant.  

It was not just in the way 

I fell in love with your mind

and your protective, expansive heart

As we walked 

And talked; 

Exchanging information 

in a thousand different ways.

In our words.

In small touches.

In the way our eyes held

over a glass of wine,

In the way you held me

in your big arms;

Embraced at the park

Or in front of a store

Or next to my car.

Strong and fierce;

Like you never wanted to let go.

I believed it 

When you told that old man

That you were lucky.

It wasn’t just in the way

I fell in love with your body.

With your graceful hands

and expressive eyes, 

And the expanse of your chest

As my hands searched out

the slow rhythm of your heart.

It was also in the 

thoughtful little gifts.

Gold for my sensitive ears.

Tiny Buddhas 

To add to my collection.

The bag I took with me to Europe; 

Perfect for keeping

My passport and valuables

Close to my body.

Close.

Like the way you felt

When we touched.

The ignited passion 

In every kiss.

The way our energies 

Collided and melded 

When we were together. 

When we moved together.

As lovers do.

All of these things

And more

Aided my faith

That you loved me

That you wanted to share

My beautiful

Heart-shaped life.

In spite of the challenges

The complications

The difficulties.

I was so sure

Everything would work out.

As it always has for me, 

In the past.  

But it didn’t.

You didn’t.  

Work out.

Love me. 

Not Enough.

Not enough to be important, 

Not enough to communicate.

Not enough to show me 

That you valued me

When we were apart.

You didn’t love me enough

To talk to me.

To fight for me.

To write back.

To choose me.  

To choose Us.  

I have tried to understand why.

To see things from your perspective.

I forgave it all long ago.

But in spite of my forgiveness,

I am stil left here,

Unable to forget.

Unable to let go.

Still trying to 

Cut those ties.

Break those binds.

Bring those parts of my 

Soul back from where they still linger

With you.

Close to you.

I’m still here

Trying to convince myself

That you don’t love me

That we didn’t share 

The depth of what I felt.

What I still feel;

Unable to let it go. 

Of course,

I’m so very grateful

To be living this beautiful life.

I am, as ever, acutely aware 

That it is such a gift

And a blessing 

To be living my best life.  

I love every minute –

Though I could do without

The brooding,

Near- constant Companion 

That you left in your stead.  

Grief won’t take his leave, 

Though I beg each day. 

He shares my heart-shaped home 

With all of my other friends

and companions now.

Grief accompanies me 

Along with Joy

And Curiosity

And Interest

And occasionally frustration

As I take my classes

And build my career

Grief spends time

With me at parties and events,

Turning my rose-colored glasses

A deeper shade of lilac.  

Grief sits in vigil 

Through conversations

With friends, family,

And those I meet randomly;

Striking up conversations

Because in spite of his presence,

I still want to be friends

With the whole world.

Grief accompanies

Me on spa days, 

Travel days,

Adventures great and small.

Grief is there as I care for 

Those around me. 

Grief whispers softly to my heart

Holding conversations with Love

and occasionally, Passion,

As I continue to make my life 

Into something beautiful.

Something meaningful. 

Most of the time, 

I have learned to live with Grief.  

I keep conversations with him

To a whisper

Or push his presence 

to the back of my mind.

I practice This, not That;

Substituting the memories

And thoughts of you 

With myriad distractions

And interests.  

But there are times;

So many months later 

When the loss of this 

Still feels so acute 

That I cannot breathe. 

There are days 

When I want to cry out 

To the Universe;

To the Unified Field

To whoever may 

Or may not be listening.

There are days  

When I want to know why. 

Why it is that I fell so very hard 

So very deeply 

That I still can not let go?

I want to ask 

Why am I still picking up 

The fallen pieces 

Of my shattered heart;

Trying to understand 

Just how easily it all fell apart.

Just how easily we fell apart.

I guess that’s the answer 

And the clue. 

It wasn’t real

It wasn’t true.

So the circles in my brain

Lead me back to 

This unavoidable refrain

That it could not have been Love.

That we were never meant to be.

That I must accept I was wrong

About how you felt for me.

It was Limmerance, 

All along.