I had a dream last night that I was holding a somatic retreat. You know the kind of dream, when you wake up and it takes a few minutes to feel into if it was real or not?

As an Intuitive Energy Healer and SomatoEmotional Release Specialist, one of the core aspects of my work focuses on releasing stored emotions in the body.

Our bodies are like historians, they record and tuck away our history in our cells/energy field.

The body also remembers what the mind forgets. Therefore, our life experiences can be stored in the subconscious.  We might not be walking around thinking about something anymore, but it can still be affecting us on a day-to-day basis.

I am a strong believer that if we don’t acknowledge and feel our feelings, our body feels them for us.

In Dr. John Diamond’s book “Your Body Doesn’t Lie”, he states “I have come to believe that all illness starts as a problem on the energy level, a problem that may exist for many years before it manifests itself in physical disease.” 

When I had a health challenge in my early 30’s, I intuitively knew that it had an underlying emotional component.  I visited holistic/alternative doctors, studied with herbalists, shamans, immersed myself in breathwork, psychotherapy, craniosacral therapy and somotoemotional release (SER).

It was the SER work that I fell in love with and is a big part of my healing practice today. Little did I know how this healing journey would propel me forward into my life’s work.

“Soma” is Greek for “body.”  The definition of somatic is relating to or affecting the body.

Dr. John Upledger, (my teacher/mentor and founder of The Upledger Institute), says “SomatoEmotional Release (SER) is the expression of emotion that has been retained, suppressed and isolated within the Soma/Body.”

In my last newsletter, I shared with you how my dad came to see me on Father’s Day. We were having a nice visit and yet over the course of time, topics came up that were challenging and old stored emotions in my subconscious bubbled up to the surface. I released a lot of rage and anger that I had been hanging onto. Some of it I was aware of and some it I wasn’t.

A few days later, I realized that my hip pain was gone!  Yes gone!  I had been tossing and turning every night for months and had difficulty walking and sitting a lot of the time. Feeling and expressing my emotions shifted the energy in my body and helped me heal.

I see this time and time again, but it still astounds me!

We are all sensitive creatures. Whether you consider yourself an empath or not doesn’t necessarily make a difference. Each and every one of us has an energy field, including plants, trees, animals, etc. Living in the world, and existing in a human body, we are all prone to outside influences.

What do I mean by an energy field and why is it important to protect it?

Your personal energy field has seven main energy centers (also known as chakras), and consists of the energy that flows through and around your body.  This energy field can also be called your aura, as it gives out electromagnetic energy and radiates light.

As a culture, we are taught to take care of our health through eating healthy and getting regular exercise. Take your supplements. Get plenty of rest. Drink lots of water and so on.

But how often are we encouraged to pay attention to and protect our energy field?

I don’t see this as protecting ourselves from darkness or the bad guys, I refer to this as more of a way of conscious acts of self-care.

One of my teachers made a comment that has stuck with me over the years…”self love is self protection.”

Paying attention to what you allow into your field can make a HUGE difference in the quality of your life and the level of joy and happiness you experience on a daily basis.

At my next Sacred Healing Circle, I am going to share my ‘Protection Prayer’ that I have used on a daily basis for over 3 decades.

In the meantime, here are a few tips on how to protect your energy:

*Set clear boundaries
*Deepen your connection with nature
*Tune into your body’s wisdom
*Practice a chakra-balancing meditation
*Detach yourself from energy that isn’t yours
*Take a break from technology

It can be a dance to stay fully open while building and developing skills in our high-stimulus world—while fully embracing our gifts of intuition, compassion, creativity, and spiritual connection.

And yet, taking care of ourselves and our energy is a skill that we can easily develop.

“To stay healthy and happy,” writes Judith Orloff, MD, “you must be ready with daily self-care practices that work.”

Want to learn more creative tools, skills and daily self-care practices to protect your energy field?
How do you protect your energy? Hit reply and let me know:-)

Oceans of blessings,

The energy of new beginnings surrounds us!

We are now basking in the season of Summer (in the Northern Hemisphere) and we have a New Moon in Cancer upon us today.

Summer symbolizes optimism, positivity, hope for the future, and joy.  It is a magical time for deeper awareness and trying new things. It represents freedom, happiness, adventure and new beginnings.

The Moon is all about feelings and emotions.  It is glowing, feminine, luminous and cleansing.

It can bring a sense of calm and create a feeling of more peace. It helps you to consciously create your life and take inventory of where you are on your spiritual path.

There is something so powerful in aligning with the cycles and rhythms of nature.

My recent experience with my Dad is an example of the gift of New Moon energy.

My Dad came to visit on Father’s Day.  It had been a while since we have gotten together on my coast and it was the first time he has ever stayed with me. We shared a meal and watched the sunset and planted a tree in honor of my brother Kip. The next day we were sitting along the intercoastal, having a cup of coffee and catching up on each other’s lives. 

The conversation led to him sharing what he wanted next in his life and how to go about moving in that direction.  We got to talking about hearts desires and setting intentions.  We also got into some difficult and challenging stuff (which included the raising of voices and some tears).

It is the first time in a long time that we were really able to open up, listen to each other and connect on a deep level.  As I often tell my clients, the truth heals AND it creates more intimacy.  It certainly felt like a huge gift and a new beginning for both of us.

Today is a perfect day to go within and take an inventory of how you’re feeling and where you’re heading in your life at the present time.

Here are a few gifts that came from our conversation:

*What is calling for you to renew, refocus, refresh, rethink, renourish?
*What is tugging on your heart strings?
*What adventure have you been putting off?
*What can you sprinkle a little aliveness on and ignite and bring to life?
*What are tiny action steps you can take to create what is meaningful to you?

Take the time to listen.  You’ll be happy you did! 🌟💓

To the gift of new beginnings,

I know deep down inside, that as humans, we can’t get it wrong.  We can surely create challenges for ourselves and make life more difficult. We hold ourselves back from doing big things because we can’t move through all of our thoughts and feelings around fear. uncertainty, etc.

I also know that we can’t grow if we don’t let life teach us.

The few days before the Opening Ceremony of my Sacred Healing Circle, my mind would literally wake me up in the middle of the night going over what I wanted to share.

My ‘Melanie Mind’ just wouldn’t give it a rest. If you’ve ever experienced monkey mind (and I’m most certain you have), you know exactly what I’m talking about.

Although my soul knew that having an outline and showing up in the moment would be most powerful and authentic energetically, I was challenged with minding the gap between my head and my heart.

My heart knew that I couldn’t get it wrong, but my mind being as amazing and powerful as it is, was really putting up a fight.  What shifted things for me is I kept telling myself, “Melanie, you can’t get this wrong!”

What would it feel like if we were truly able to embody our deepest hearts desires, our biggest callings and could move forward from a place of trust?  To trust with our whole being.. body, mind and spirit?

What if we could accept that we’ll probably always experience some level of fear and uncertainty when we’re moving into unknown territory or having a difficult and courageous conversation? 

What if we were to use this energy to actually propel us forward and do the work along the way? 

How would it feel to drop from your head to your heart and live from a place of wonder, curiosity and joy?

Living from this place has become one of my most cherished spiritual practices and the foundation of what I teach and guide in my Sacred Healing Circles and 1:1 healing sessions.

I invite you to get still and take a few moments and ask yourself:

Where are you holding yourself back because you feel uncertain and are afraid of the unknown?

What would you say yes to in your life if you knew you couldn’t get it wrong?

Hit reply and let me know  🌟💓  

I’d love to hear from you!


Rocking uncertainty,

Have you ever decided to do something big? Something that you really want deep down inside but are afraid to do? The thing that has been calling your name, nudging you forward and yet the thought of it can be overwhelming? Even a little paralyzing?
 
Then the moment you say yes, “I am committing, I am all in”, your shit comes up.
 
In two days, I will be holding the Opening Ceremony for my first ever Sacred Healing Circle.
 
This idea/calling came to me several years ago and I am finally ready to do it.
 
As I offer a new way to work with me this week, I am having ALL of these feelings.
 
Everything I haven’t fully healed is rearing its ugly head:
 
Perfectionism
Uncertainty
Visibility
Vulnerability
Self doubt
 
You name it, I am feeling it!
 
The thoughts start creeping in…
 
Can I really do this? Will it have value? What if I don’t say it right or do it right? What if it doesn’t land?  Maybe this isn’t the best time? 
 
Saying yes to our deepest desires is also saying yes to our deepest feelings.
 
I decided I can either continue to let these thoughts, feelings, beliefs and old patterns keep me stuck and hold me back, OR I can lean into the discomfort, heal my stuff and use this energy to propel me forward and live my dream.
 
I made a commitment to myself, a promise that no matter what came up, I will work through it.
 
Because it is so much easier to live small until it isn’t.
 
I want people to know it can be easier than you imagine to heal trauma and other wounds.
 
I have done this healing work myself and I’m still doing this work every day.
That’s how I know it works and that you can do it too, no matter how big the obstacles may feel!
 
I am creating a place to heal remotely where we can do this work together.
 
Come heal the deepest parts of yourself in a gentle and encouraging way.

Oceans of blessings,

As I embark on offering my Sacred Healing Circle and a new way to work with me, I am guided to share more on what I do and why. 

As I mentioned in my last newsletter, my clients often say to me, “I have a hard time explaining to others what you do. I just tell people they have to experience it.”
 
Honestly, I have often agonized over trying to put into words ‘what I do.’
 
‘Why’ I do my work feels easier to express.
 
It’s a calling
It’s a passion
I was born to do this
I cannot not do it
 
Answering the call to be a “healer” (I am always trying to reinvent the wheel on this word), has not been an easy journey for me. I used to hide the “woo” part of me because people would make fun of me or I cared too much if they felt the same way or shared the same beliefs.
 
Now, it has come down to this…
 
Am I going to show up even bigger and do what I know I came here to do?
Am I going to sing my song, or continue to live with it still inside of me?
 
As Wayne Dyer said, “Don’t die with your music still in you.”
 
I know how to become aware of patterns and navigate the past hurt and present fear.

I know how to help bring forth what is within you, the very thing that makes you special.

I hold space for people to dive deeper and learn to trust their gut/inner wisdom.

I help people remove what is holding them back and to have the courage to use their voice, to sing their song!!
 
A client said to me the other day, “One thing that is special about working with you is I have never left a session without practical tools or something to practice in my daily life. You create an atmosphere where I trust the right thing will always emerge.”
 
This is WHY I do the work that I do!  
 
And I want you to experience it!
 
I am super excited about the Opening Ceremony for my Sacred Healing Circle and would love for you to be my guest!
 

• Thursday, May 19^th @ 1:00 pm (EST)
• Via Zoom (live)
• There will be a replay to enjoy if you can’t make it live
• This first event is complimentary to everyone who registers (Feel free to share!)
• Everyone registered will also receive a special offer to continue with the monthly Sacred Healing Circle going forward.

Click here to join! https://www.melanieericksen.com/openingceremony

And please share with your family and friends!  It is going to be a fun and healing experience!
 
Here’s to singing our songs,

 

Some of you have been my clients for over a decade and yet some of you don’t know what I do or why.
 
When I headed off to college, I knew what interested me but I never found a place to express what I felt like I wanted to do in life.
 
I received my Bachelor’s degree in Communicative Disorders and my Masters in Movement Science, and yet I still didn’t feel there was a place for me. I found myself searching for more.
 
Becoming an Intuitive Energy Healer evolved over time. I just kept saying yes to the right next steps that resonated with me.  The more I followed my heart, the more I was shown my way.

It wasn’t until I returned from a retreat in Costa Rica many, many moons ago that I heard (while in the bathtub of all places!)  “These are your 5 Principles of Healing.”
 
 It was a profound experience and a bit shocking and humorous to me.
 
My ‘5 Principles’ (5 P’s) consist of:

*Creating Sacred Space
*Listening
*Witnessing
*Releasing
*Opening
 
I have used my ‘5 P’s’ in my healing practice ever since my download in the bathtub to move energy and help people release blocks, trauma and unhealthy patterns.  They have become essential in guiding my clients on an inward journey to have a deeper experience with themselves and their inner knowing.
 
With their stories being witnessed in a sacred healing space, they are able to free themselves from the past and use those experiences as their superpowers AND have clarity for a renewed path forward.
 
This has been a process that has benefited SO many people again and again on many, many levels.
 
My clients often say to me, “I have a hard time explaining to others what you do. I just tell people they have to experience it.”
 
I would LOVE for you to have an experience with me, my work and my ‘5 Principles of Healing!’

Please join me as my guest for my Opening Ceremony of my Sacred Healing Circle: 

• Thursday, May 19^th @ 1:00 pm (EST)
• Via Zoom (live)
• There will be a replay to enjoy if you can’t make it live
• This first event is complimentary to everyone who registers (Feel free to share!)
• Everyone registered will also receive a special offer to continue with the monthly Sacred Healing Circle going forward.

Click here to join! https://www.melanieericksen.com/openingceremony

Oceans of blessings,
 

Rituals and ceremonies are beneficial in clearing our minds, our energy fields, and connecting deeper with ourselves and others.
 
Most of us are brought up to associate ceremony with big life events:  weddings, births, deaths, etc.
 
Rituals provide meaning and make those experiences memorable.
 
Ceremony comes in many forms and sizes.  They are simply rituals where we connect a certain feeling of significance.
 
Even the smallest of rituals can be effective in changing thoughts, feelings and behaviors.
 
Having a cup of coffee, meditating, moving our bodies, saying prayers, picking a flower and putting it in the windowsill, calling a parent, tucking a child into bed, meeting up for a family reunion, or gathering under the Full Moon which is a great time to reflect on forgiving ourselves and others.
 
When ceremony becomes a way of life, it can bring a sense of lightness, enjoyment and peace.
  
I’ve really been called to invite more people into ceremony for quite a while now.
 
I believe we need more people that are in touch with their inner guidance and intuition.  Individuals that live from a place of clarity, so they have a sense of empowerment in their lives to do the things that they are being called to do. 
 
Because of this, I’m so excited to announce the date for the Opening Ceremony of my Sacred Healing Circle where we will gather monthly.
 
I want to issue a special complimentary invitation for you to join me as my guest in ceremony.

I will be guiding you through an experience using my 5 Principles of Healing.
 

• Thursday, May 19^th @ 1:00 pm (EST)
• Via Zoom (live)
• There will be a replay to enjoy if you can’t make it live
• This first event is complimentary to everyone who registers (Feel free to share!)
• Everyone registered will also receive a special offer to continue with the monthly Sacred Healing Circle going forward.

 
I would be BEYOND honored for you to join me!
 
Click here to join me for the Opening Ceremony of my Sacred Healing Circle https://www.melanieericksen.com/openingceremony 
 
Oceans of blessings,
 
 

Spring has arrived! 

This season represents new beginnings, fresh starts, and an opportunity for new growth.

Spring adds new life and new joy to all that is. It’s a lovely reminder of how beautiful change can truly be.
 
Most of us have been experiencing a lot of emotions. We are navigating many changes in our internal lives and witnessing uncertainty in the world around us.
 
Now is a great time to check in with yourself and see what areas of your life could use a boost of energy.

Here are some ways to renew and refresh:

Meditate
Spend time in nature

Practice gratitude

Travel

Listen to music

Follow your dreams

Create *Create * Create

Look up at the stars

Immerse yourself in good company

Process old emotions

Shift limiting beliefs

Heal your heart

 

 
The Grotto ~ One of my favorite places to renew and refresh 
 
Happy Spring and Many Blessings,
 
 

I always pay attention to the first thing that I hear upon awakening in the morning.
 
Waking up from a deep slumber, a dream state or just the act of being quiet for a long period of time brings things up from the unconscious.
 
With all the noise that we have going on around us on a day-to-day basis, I have learned to cherish this special time.
 
I love receiving messages (aka downloads:-) from my intuition, inner guidance system, higher self and/or my angels and guides.
 
Sometimes I just hear…..
drink more water
take a long nap
reach out to this person
write about this
 
Today it came as a question…
 
“What is one thing that could change everything?” 
 
It stopped me for a long moment. It felt big, and profound, and a little scary and also very helpful.
 
I grabbed my cup of cacao and journal and sat in silence to “listen.”
 
I invite you to join me and ask yourself:
 
“What is one thing that could change everything?” 

It very possibly could change your life!
 
Embracing change,