Relax. Breathe. That’s what the summer sun seems to communicate. It’s like two warm hands on your shoulders, inviting you to sit down, warm up, and recover your energetic balance both inside and out from the unbalancing effects of life in our current fast paced and overly-busy culture. Summer seems to have evolved into the season of choice for vacations and relaxation. But whether you take yours now, or at some other time of year (ideally, you’re taking several; or at least some well spaced days or hours off) you should be aware that relaxation and rebalancing, like cleansing, is absolutely essential to your good health.

I don’t know about you, but I especially enjoy catching up on my books and movies when I’m on down time. So for this summer’s issue I’ve decided to share with you some uplifting items of interest that I’ve benefited from recently. Not only will they entertain you, I think they are just about guaranteed to

lift your spirits, raise your consciousness, and improve (at least temporarily) your body chemistry.

The first item is a book that explains, with big, beautiful pictures, just what relaxation, love and laughter, as well as anger and hate, do to you molecularly. You may have heard that emotions affect us on a cellular level, but this book really shows it. Masaru Emoto’s Messages From Water photographs water molecules to reveal that their structure changes according to how clean or toxic their environment is.

The photographs of water crystals do much of the communicating, with easy to understand captions explaining what is shown. What they found was that clean/ pure water, forms beautiful crystal structures of varying designs (like snow flakes, no two are alike), and that water from contaminated sources show varying degrees of failure to crystallize, resulting in an image that is distorted and unbalanced. But even when the water is so contaminated it can’t form a crystal, it shows evidence of trying to. Many pictures show half formed crystals, with captions that explain that the water is trying to be pure and struggling to rid itself of its pollutants.

Now, keeping in mind that our bodies are somewhere between 70% and 90% water, what might this be teaching us about ourselves? Well, Emoto took it to that next level and exposed pure water to various emotions. What his pictures demonstrate is that “water is a mirror reflecting our mind.” The crystals, exposed to words like

I hate you or I will kill you, showed an inability to crystallize. They were dark and deformed, not unlike the crystals from polluted water. Conversely, when the water was exposed to thank you, and I love you, the water formed beautiful, perfectly balanced crystals.

This book is a fabulous, visual demonstration of why it is important to create our lives in a livable, enjoyable manner. The very substance that makes up most of our body is constantly shifting and changing with our mindset. We affect our own health and that of those around us with our every response. So the next time you feel yourself reacting with irritability, take a break. Learn to take many. And if anyone questions you, explain that you’re doing this for them, as well as yourself.

On a similar note, I recently discovered that there is research ongoing into the effect of EFT (tapping) on blood. The positive changes have been demonstrated using dark field microscopy, and are now being proven through the scientific process.

Continuing with our advocacy of vacations and relaxation, my next featured recommendation is the movie What the Bleep Do We Know. Again, if you need reassurance that taking it a little easier is the right thing to do, this is another great visual vehicle that raises our awareness of just how much our minds and emotions affect our physical self and those around us. This movie is done in a quasi documentary form. Although it does feature actress Marlee Maitlin, it is not a

star vehicle as most Hollywood productions are. Betwixt and between the simulated life scenes of a divorced photographer who tumbles down a metaphysical rabbit hole, -we are treated to explanations, comments and observations by some of the most brilliant minds of our time. Such luminaries in the fields of energy medicine and quantum physics as William Tiller, Candace Pert, Daniel Monti (to name but a few) enlighten us by pointing out, within the story line, how science and spirituality merge and, again, what effects our thoughts and feelings have, not just on our bodies, but on our outcomes in life as well. I don’t pretend to understand it all, but it’s I’m working on it. I purchased a copy and will be viewing it periodically this summer, along with my husband and some friends who are equally fascinated. Every time I see it my understanding increases. I highly recommend it.

Sunshine, warm weather, and being out in nature, are all contributors to our well being. I know I’ve extolled the virtues of moderate sun worship before, so I won’t dedicate too much time to it, but it bears repeating that all life on this planet is dependent upon the sun, and now is the season to stock up on its health giving benefits. But it should be done intelligently, as burning is still not part of the health equation. So, should you be seeking guidance and greater understanding on how to use the sun for optimal health, my recommendation is Richard Hobday’s, The Healing Sun. This book addresses the current controversy over the

dangers of sun exposure, as well as giving the reader a tour of the history of the use of sunshine as a healing tool. Turns out it’s been recognized as a vital medicinemore than it has ever been maligned. He makes some very interesting observations about the many diseases that may be associated with our limited exposure, as opposed to the few that may be the result of over exposure. The sun is truly a healing tool, and this book could make it a tool you could use to very good effect, without the stress of fear.

Lastly, I want to give a little space to the use of massage. This, also, is a tool for good health which most of us could use in varying degrees. The relaxation benefits should not be underestimated, as well as the detoxification aspect. Should you go, remember to drink lots of water for the next 24 hours or so; more than the usual 2 quarts per day. It can unleash that many toxins, leaving you feeling either lighter and better, or quite sore because what was released from the tissues wasn’t

washedout. If you don’t already have a relationship with a good massage therapist, I suggest you find one and get acquainted. In Amherst, I can personally recommend David Kimball , 1400 Sweet Home Road (864-1563), and in the south towns, Fredonia Dunkirk area, Bill Kuwik, 33 E.Main St., Fredonia.

I wish you all a healthful, relaxing summer.
Be Well,
Jean Franklin, PhD