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As an intuitive and spiritual teacher, my mission in life has long been to guide people toward creating and experiencing the kind of lives their hearts desire. Lives that are physically grounded, emotionally creative, and intellectually engaging, where one feels loved, listened to, intuitive, inspired, and spiritually fulfilled. I not only believe this kind of life is possible, I actually believe it is our birthright and our Creator's natural plan for us.

Unfortunately very few people are actually having this kind of life experience. More common are people who are feeling exhausted, overworked, overwhelmed and emotionally drained and empty. Their physical bodies are suffering, their creativity dried up, and their sense of personal direction veering way off course. Not only do many people feel seriously out of balance, they are in many cases even having what I call "out-of-body" lives where they are merely existing and barely experiencing life at all.

What I share with my clients is that most of our problems can be traced to one of our seven psychic energy centers, known to the metaphysically minded as "chakras", from their Hindi term which means spinning wheel, which from an energetic perspective is what a chakra looks like. These centers are satellites of activity that govern our physical, emotional, psychic and spiritual well being. In other words, they give us the ability to not only live our lives, but to actually love them.

To the rational Western mind the ideas that we are comprised of energy centers that usher in life force and assist us in channeling our expression and creativity into the physical plane seems far fetched and unlikely. And yet even our own language reveals our natural intuitive awareness of these centers and how they affect our lives. We say, for example,

"He galls me!" of someone who invades our boundaries and overrides our authority.

"Wow, that knocks me off my feet" of the new love interest that upsets our concentration and routine.

"She has a heart of gold" of someone who opens our heart and touches us in a meaningful way.

When this satellite system is balanced and operating as it is intended, we experience life in an energetically fulfilling way. We feel grounded, emotionally safe, clear in our decisions and self direction, open to giving and receiving love, effective and creative in all forms of expression, inspired, imaginative and intimately connected to our spirit, others and to God. Such a life is filled with blessings, grace synchronicities and abundant satisfaction.

The key to having such lives lies in keeping these centers balanced. This may sound difficult and yet one more thing "to do" in our jam-packed existence, but in fact it really isn't, especially once you understand what throws them out of balance in the first place. . Here are some great remedies to demonstrate the principles from my latest book "True Balance: A Commonsense Guide for Renewing Your Spirit". They are practical, playful, simple--and the best part is, they work. These are not another round of .should do.s.. We all know what we .should. do, but who has the time? These are immediate and appealing remedies that you will enjoy doing, and will bring results.

Your sense of security is found in the first chakra. You can tell you have a solid foundation, or first chakra, if you aren't anxious or worry much. Need a quick fix to feel grounded? Need to take a stand but feel you.re on shaky ground? Wear really good socks. You'll notice it.s impossible to have a really good day when you have a hole in your sock! When you really need to feel solid, rub Vicks VapoRub on the soles of your feet. Take a grounding walk and bring your awareness to the moment, thinking of nothing else except how you are connecting to the earth, and how it is supporting you right now.

Your second chakra governs sensuality, creativity and vitality. When it is balanced you feel alive, engaged and excited by life. You feel sexy, creative and joyful. When this chakra is out of balanced you will feel depressed, tired, uninterested in sex, and basically emotionally flat. Working with clay is a favorite second chakra remedy of mine. There is something fundamentally gratifying to your sensual nature when you slap a big piece of wet slippery clay down on a hard surface and begin to shape it into something meaningful. This remedy brings out feelings and stimulates your imagination and creativity at the same time. Baking bread is another wonderful second chakra remedy. As with clay, there is something very sensually satisfying in working with dough, slapping it onto a hard surface and kneading it. .

The third chakra governs personal sovereignty. When balanced you feel in charge of your life and make decisions that support you in every way. When imbalanced, you get pushed around by others. You say "yes" when you mean "no" or vice-versa, and basically feels out of control. To rebalance your third chakra, practice saying no. Say .NO, NO, NO, with great gusto and enthusiasm. Also practice other versions of a saying no, such as .Gee, I wish I could. I would have loved to at any other time. Gosh, it.s a shame that I won.t be able to. If you are a real sucker for intrusion, do not answer your telephone. Leave a message on your answering machine instead that say, Hi. I'm out getting a meaningful life. Leave a positive and supportive message to wish me well!

The fourth chakra governs our ability to give and receive love. When balanced we feel part of things, generous and loving. We feel physically peaceful and serene. When our heart chakra is imbalanced we feel lonely, unloved, and unlovable. To bring balance to your heart, surprise someone with a half-dozen addressed, stamped postcards ready to send to their closest friends and family. Then all they have to do is jot a quick note of love and appreciation and drop it in the mailbox.

Have trouble speaking up or do you feel like you.re not being heard? Have really good ideas but hate to fight to get a word in edgewise? That's a fifth chakra imbalance, center of personal expression. Nothing activates the throat chakra like an open heart, and nothing opens the heart faster than singing. Sing in the shower, sing while you're walking down the street. Bring breath into your lungs and vibrate the sound through your whole body, bringing with it healing energy. Make positive predictions throughout your day. And once a day, practice saying, "I am" and filling in the blank with a truth of who you really are and who you really want to be.

The sixth energy center, located between your eyebrows, is the center of your personal vision. It influences our ability to see the world and ourselves clearly and without negativity. Remind yourself of the beauty and abundance of the world with a magnificently displayed bowl of fresh fruit, a beautiful photo or work of art, or a meditation garden. There is nothing more soothing to the spirit than an aquarium full of tropical fish. Even a few goldfish in a bowl are fascinating to watch and reconnect you to the subtle and gloriously beautiful world of nature.

Your connection to spirit is located in your seventh energy center, or crown chakra. It focuses your attention on the spiritual meaning of your life. To reconnect with spirit, open your eyes, ears and heart for signs of spirit all around you. Pay attention to the miracles unfolding before your eyes--the first buds of spring, the first harvests of summer. In the morning, consciously bless yourself, thanking God for giving you one more day to enjoy the world around you. Talk to God every day, and ask God to redirect your life, helping you moment to moment find your way to the highest possible good.