Welcome to the December newsletter. The year is rapidly coming to a close and the Winter Solstice will soon be upon us. The Winter Solstice is actually the time of year when the light returns as the sun shifts and starts to move northward again. I’ve always thought of it as being in the “dead” of winter, but actually, this is the beginning of new life, a time when the days get longer again and the sun brings more and more light into our world. In keeping with this theme of new light, life and new beginnings, my article this issue will be on imagery and how we can change our lives with our thoughts.

But first, a few traditions from around the world that celebrate the Winter Solstice and the Yuletide Season for you to enjoy.

In Europe, the tradition of the Yule log is celebrated on Winter Solstice to celebrate the longest night of the year. A special log is brought in and placed on the hearth where it glows for the twelve nights of the holiday season. After that, it is kept in the house all year to protect the home and its inhabitants from illness and any adverse conditions. In Scandinavia it was believed that the Yule log had the magical effect of helping the sun to shine more brightly. The Yule log is the counterpart of the midsummer bonfires, which are held outdoors on Summer Solstice to celebrate the shortest night of the year.

It is also customary to place mistletoe around the fire, which is the plant that grew on the oak tree, sacred to the Druids, the priests of the old Celts. Among other uses, mistletoe is thought to help women conceive. The Christmas tree also dates from old European or pagan rituals. It was the time to celebrate the renewal of the earth, and greens were used as the symbol. Branches of pine, cedar, and juniper bring wonderful fragrance into the home. Red candles are used to symbolize the fire and heat of the returning sun as the days begin to lengthen.

The Roman midwinter holiday, Saturnalia, was both a gigantic fair and a festival of the home. Riotous merry-making took place, and the halls of houses were decked with boughs of laurel and evergreen trees. Lamps were kept burning to ward off the spirits of darkness. Schools were closed, the army rested, and no criminals were executed. Friends visited one another, bringing good-luck gifts of fruit, cakes, candles, dolls, jewelry, and incense. Temples were decorated with evergreens symbolizing life's continuity, and processions of people with masked or blackened faces and fantastic hats danced through the streets. Roman masters feasted with slaves, who were given the freedom to do and say what they liked (the medieval custom of all the inhabitants of the manor, including servants and lords alike, sitting down together for a great Christmas feast, came from this tradition). A Mock King was appointed to take charge of the revels (the Lord of Misrule of medieval Christmas festivities had his origin here).

And now, some information and thoughts on guided imagery.

Imagery and Visualization

An instructor of mine, who I especially admire, has written, “It might be the most important thing you will ever learn. Your ability to overcome obstacles, create passionate relationships, heal your body, mend your ways, and change your life- is determined by the thoughts you think. Your subconscious mind can direct your thoughts to create pain or pleasure, failure or success, fear or confidence.” Cheryl O’Neil, www.cheryloneil.com

Cheryl is talking about imagery, a very powerful tool available to each and every one of you.

More and more doctors and patients as well, recognize that mental states and physical well-being are connected. Simply put, you cannot have a healthy body or mind without the other. An unhealthy body will ultimately lead to an unhealthy mind, and an illness of the mind can trigger or worsen diseases in the body. Fixing a problem in one place, can often help the other.

The brain is simply another organ in your body, and it operates on the same biochemical principles as any other organ. What we experience as feelings, good or bad, are at a cellular level no more complicated than an interaction of chemicals and electrical activity. What we think, what we visualize is what can trigger this interaction of chemicals and electrical activity. Developing some neuro pathways while allowing others to atrophy. Controlling our thoughts and thinking becomes crucial to having the life you want to live.

As stated in Woman’s World, September 26, 2006, “Visualization is a powerful tool to change your thinking, because your brain reacts to whatever you imagine as if it were reality.” So, what we think, what we say to ourselves, that internal dialog that we all have is actually considered as a fact by our subconscious no matter how ridiculous or silly or stupid it may be and this is why it is so crucial to say and think about only those things that you want in your life and perhaps even more important NOT to think about those things that you don’t want. This same article goes on to suggest various visualizations to help reduce your stress, boost your mood, feel more loved, build self-confidence, etc., etc.

Imagery and visualization have long been used in hypnosis as a means of changing and improving your life and self-hypnosis can be a very powerful tool. However, there is a very important restriction to remember when attempting self-hypnosis. Never, ever practice self-hypnosis when you are feeling down, depressed or negative. Is essence, what you will be attempting to do is putting yourself into a highly suggestible state when it will be virtually impossible to keep your thoughts positive. This would be the time to use a positive reinforcement recording, CD or downloadable session.

So, yes imagery and visualization can change your life, can change how your feel, relieve pain, increase your self-confidence, boost your mood and a whole world of good things IF you can keep your own negative self-talk from jumping into the conversation!

Using hypnosis for building self confidence is a clever, pleasant and effective way to quickly restore confidence. We can all benefit from increased self confidence in certain situations, and it’s possible to harness natural mental states to boost confidence when we need it. And getting a boost of self confidence is great way to start your own personal new beginning. As more and more light comes into our world through nature, why not let more and more light shine through you and your confidence into your own world.

Using your imagination (imagery and visualization) and your subconscious for building or rebuilding self confidence works by creating a powerful, detailed imprint of what it’s like to be confident. There are few traits more important than self confidence. When you value yourself, you treat yourself well, and others will follow suit. It can make your whole life better. Studies have shown that by practicing short intervals of visualization, you are training your mind, preparing yourself so that you know what it looks like and what it feels like to have the self confidence you need to reach your goals.

Positive thinking, affirmations and suggestions not only help you learn how to improve your self confidence; they can dramatically improve the overall quality of your life. Your mind believes whatever you tell it, so stop talking trash to yourself about yourself.

The very root of all the negative things you think and say about yourself is in your unconscious mind. You can get to the root of it all by accessing that part of your mind with hypnosis. You will be able to replace all of the negative thoughts with healthier, more positive thoughts. As a result, you will feel refreshed, relaxed, and much better about yourself.

I read something recently and I’m not even sure where, but I copied it down because it is important to remember this: “All too often we let our fears get the better of us. We waste precious days getting so caught up in our concerns that we can hardly think about anything else. Eventually, the clouds clear and we see how silly we have been. Our most valuable possession is not life: it is the ability to enjoy life. If that is taken away from us - or if we inadvertently cut ourselves off from it - we lose everything.”

Use the power of your mind, your imagination and your subconscious by using imagery and visualization to create the life and the world you want to live in.

Linda Simmon, C.Ht.

Steven is so right, you can be lonelier when surrounded by people than when you are alone. Pay attention to who you allow into your life, your life can literally depend on that decision. Being constantly around negative people who emotionally attack you can do even more harm than you realize.

Health Tips

For my health tips this time I am focusing on Age…

• For a recipe for a long life, add some legumes to your daily diet.
  Eating legumes has been linked to longevity more so than any other food, results from a study revealed. It's believed that the folate, fiber, and minerals in legumes reduce the risk of chronic diseases. Have a helping of peas, lentils, or black beans a few times a week to add years to your life.

• Cutting calories may slow down the aging clock as well as peel off pounds.
  A lab full of evidence has shown that feeding animals a healthy but low-cal diet for the long-term delays aging and increases lifespan. But suggesting this diet works in humans has been controversial, with a capital C, and difficult to study. A research team managed to test it and found that the same life-extending mechanisms that work in animals may occur in humans, too. Moral: Eat light, live longer. Bonus: You can throw out your fat jeans.

• No one likes feeling down. But down and like a dim bulb? That's just adding insult to injury. Yet new research suggests this may be exactly what happens to some people. When depression -- even moderate depression -- is combined with aging, it increases the risk of mild cognitive decline in just a few years. And half the cases of mild cognitive decline develop into full-blown dementia. Which underscores why persistently feeling "just a little down" should always be treated, not shrugged off.

• Think you'll save time and calories by skipping breakfast?
  Think again. Studies show that people who skip breakfast end up eating more in the afternoon than breakfast eaters. In fact, breakfast eaters have a lower overall food intake throughout the day. And it's not clear why, but research shows that regular breakfast eaters tend to live longer than breakfast skippers.

• The way you view aging may affect how well you age.
  Older people who have more negative stereotypes about aging have greater hearing loss over time than people with more positive views on aging. Focus on the advantages of age and expect to be as healthy as you can.

• Picture yourself running up a couple flights of stairs . . .
  If you also imagine your lungs yelling, "Hey! What are you? Nuts?" -- stop by the store tonight. Pick up a mango, a jalapeno, a red pepper, and some fresh cilantro. Chop them all up with a little lime juice, salt, and pepper. Then dip in. This sweet and spicy salsa will do more than please your palate. The beta carotene-rich fruits and veggies help ward off normal age-related declines in lung function.

• Maximize your brainpower with meditation.
  Meditation may stimulate the growth of brain tissue and reduce the cognitive decline sometimes associated with aging. In a small study, people who meditated exhibited increased thickness in brain regions involved in attention and sensory perception compared to people of the same age who did not meditate. Take a few minutes every morning and evening to calm your mind and focus your thoughts.

• A positive attitude about aging can help you embrace health in the years to come.
  According to research, older people who expect their health to decline with age may be less likely to try to stay physically active. This lack of exercise may in turn set the stage for illness and decreased energy. Look forward to the years ahead and plan on being active, no matter what your age, to promote health and vitality.

• Did you know that you could gain more from exercise the older you get?
  In general, older people tend to reach exhaustion more quickly than younger people when performing the same physical task. However, researchers recently found that when older people exercise regularly, they experience greater gains in exercise efficiency compared to younger people. Their bodies make greater strides over time in terms of being able to use less oxygen for the same amount of work.

• A basket of berries may be a good way to boost your memory.
  In a recent study, researchers discovered that the extracts of certain berries helped combat oxidative stress and DNA damage, both of which play roles in the development of Alzheimer's disease. The researchers studied extracts from blackcurrants and boysenberries, two kinds of berries high in potent disease-fighting anthocyanins.

• Green tea is not only good for your body, but it also may be good for your brain.
  In a study, older people who drank at least two cups of antioxidant-rich green tea per day were about 50 percent less likely to develop cognitive impairment compared to the people who drank three or fewer cups per week. Exercising regularly and keeping your brain busy with puzzles, books, and problem solving are other good ways to stay sharp.

• Help keep your mind sharp with a few tender spears of asparagus.
  Low blood levels of folate and high blood levels of homocysteine were associated with greater memory problems for people 65 and older in a recent study. Protect against memory deficiency by getting plenty of folate-rich foods such as asparagus. Increasing your blood levels of folate can help keep your homocysteine levels in check.

• Finish up those autumn apples.
  They're good for your brain. Apples are high in quercetin, a compound with antioxidant properties that may decrease the risk of neurodegenerative conditions such as Alzheimer's by protecting brain cell membranes.

• Don't put up with chronic pain. Doing so could age your brain.
  A small decrease in gray matter is a normal part of advanced aging. Chronic pain appears to lead to similar declines, a new study revealed. The longer the study participants lived with chronic pain, the greater was their loss of neocortical gray matter, regardless of age. Seek treatment promptly for chronic pain to help keep your brain young. By the way, imagery is particularly helpful in relieving pain.

• A more carefree attitude may help keep your mind young.
  Chronic worry was linked to an increased risk of cognitive decline in a recent study. Obsessive worriers had more than double the risk of decline compared to their more carefree peers. Kick worries to the curb by writing them down in a journal or talking them out with people you love. Also, work on decisive plans of action for worries that won't go away.

• The right kinds of dietary fat may help protect you against Alzheimer's disease.
  A recent study revealed that omega-3 fatty acids, a type of unsaturated fat, may help protect the brain against plaques that are associated with cognitive decline and Alzheimer's disease. To get your daily helping of omega-3s, try these sources: walnuts, salmon, flaxseeds, and soy nuts.

If you have found this newsletter to be helpful to you and you know someone who you feel could benefit from these thoughts and messages please pass it on.

Linda Simmon, C.Ht.
New Beginnings
www.newhypnotherapy.com