Time To Start Consolidating Your Energy

As we move into Fall, the yang of the sun declines, and the yin of the dark winter rises. It is time to start consolidating your energy and bringing it back to your core. Minimize your cold and raw food intake, make sure that the fluids you drink are room-temperature or warmer, move into a diet of roasted root vegetables, squashes, soups and stews. Use warming spices such as ginger, turmeric, cloves, black pepper and garlic. Begin to limit your social obligations and engagements, go to bed earlier, sleep in a bit later and prepare yourself for a quiet winter with more hibernating-like activities. Protect your energy and your wind gates by covering the back of your neck, behind your ears and the outsides of your mid-thighs while you are outside. This will prevent Wind-Cold invasions and help keep you healthy.

There have been some strange colds and viruses going around. Keep yourself healthy with good diet, proper rest, adequate water intake and by thinking healthy/ vital thoughts. Eliminate sugar, alcohol, caffeine, cow dairy, wheat and excessive red meat if you feel you may be coming down with something. If you do get sick, rest more often, drink warming broths and soups and consider a Chinese Herbal formula or botanical medicine tincture to help boost your vitality. Mountain Sage offers a Cough and Cold tincture, a Sinusitis tincture and a General Immune Boost tincture that you can purchase at the Clinic. Homeopathic Oscillococcinum is a great remedy for the common flu.

Dr. Brad is also offering IV Therapy treatments, including Vitamin B6 and B12 injections and full nutrient IVs. These are an excellent choice for boosting your immune system pre-winter. Please call Laura at 435-655-SAGE to set up an appointment.

We are happy to announce that we are beginning to offer monthly “Tea Time Discussions at Mountain Sage with Dr. Brad”. These are free tea-and-learn experiences for those of you interested. Come enjoy tea and light healthy snacks and glean new insights and education. Mark your calendars for:

I had some incredible opportunities this Fall to work with and travel to Peru with Dr. Theo Paredes, my shamanic and spiritual teacher of 17 years. Theo says that we are moving into amazing times, with a lot of transition and ensuing chaos. He recommends that we stay Present and remain in a place of Gratitude and Appreciation as often as possible. Remember that every state of consciousness comes with it’s own pattern of breathing, so if you find yourself in an emotional or mental state that you don’t want to be in, change your breathing. Remember how you breathe when you are feeling Joyful, Content and Grateful.

The buds are appearing on the Aspen trees and the river is beginning to swell. The tulips are appearing among the last vestiges of snow and remind me that indeed the Light will return. I am looking forward to seasons of trail-running, mountain biking and camping in the woods with good friends.

What an incredible, intense Winter for some of us. I am deeply honored to hold space for those of you who are experiencing what Jamie Sams calls “A Dark Night of the Soul”. I am inspired by the Courage, Strength and Faith you bring to these moments, and it gives me great hope to know that such passionate and determined individuals are alive at this time.

As we move into Spring, remember again that there is a powerful interplay of the Yin and Yang forces. The Yang is rising with the Sun, as the Yin declines. As tempting as the Spring Sun feels, remember still to keep your Wind Gates covered with scarves, hoodies and long shorts or pants. This will prevent what is called a ‘Wind Cold Invasion’, which manifests as occipital headaches, runny and stuffy nose, non-productive cough or fever and chills. The Wind Gates are located at the base of your skull, behind your ears lobes and along the IT band, mid-thigh. Welcome the Sun and the Vitamin D that it brings to your body (remembering to use good Sun-protection habits), get out in the Spring morning, and let the sun touch as much bare skin as you dare to expose.

The Spring is the time of the Wood Element, the Liver and Gallbladder Organs. Pay attention to feelings of increased irritability and PMS or menstrual symptoms with more tender breasts and more painful menses. Some people may experience more painful or achy muscles and tendons. Acupuncture, Qi Gong shaking and deep breathing techniques can be beneficial.

It is about time to begin a Spring Cleanse. We are offering a three-week, very gentle cleanse at Mountain Sage. For $150 we include a 30-minute consult with tongue and pulse diagnosis, a complete and well-detailed description of the cleansing diet, supplements and personal recommendations for lifestyle and cleansing activities. Please call (435) 655-SAGE (7243) if you are interested.

There is also a very good 3-week ayurvedic cleanse being offered through Ananda Ayurvedic and SKY May 4th- 10th. They are presenting a seven-day, guided total body cleanse and detoxification program. The yogi cleanse is designed to eliminate toxins from the body, decrease stress, elevate energy and strengthen the immune system while restoring the balance between mind, body and soul. Please contact Maggie Koblasova, for information (435) 729-0556.

Some of you are already experiencing Spring allergies. Remember that the best way to treat this is through a diligent Anti-Inflammatory diet, increased water intake (at least ½ your body weight in oz. of water per day), avoid touching your face with your hands and wash your hands and face frequently (especially after loving-up your dog or outdoor cat). Consider a bioflavonoid supplement called Quercitin, standard dose is 250 mg two times per day orally and 125 mg dissolved in the saline solution of your Neti pot two times daily. Acupuncture can be very helpful for allergies also.

I am pleased to be partnering with Dr. Ariel Ford to offer a once-a-month New Moon Intention setting and Yin Yoga practice. The new moon phase is an optimal time for envisioning and carefully planting the seeds of your intentions. The New Moon Practice includes a 75 minute Yin yoga class, a guided meditation and a simple exercise to help establish and nurture our goals for the rest of the month. We are still looking for a more permanent practice space; this months practice will be at Temple Har Shalom on Monday, May 13th from 6:00-8:00. Cost is $20 in advance and reserves your spot, you can register and pre-pay via paypal to ariel@lowowl.com or drop off your payment at Mountain Sage. The cost for drop-in is $30 and dependent upon space availability.

Mountain Sage is helping to sponsor a visit from peace troubadour, internationally renowned speaker, best-selling author and musician, James Twyman for an event entitled “Wisdom of the Sages”. There will be a screening of his new movie, The Redwood Highway, Wednesday May 1st. He will be at The Shop (in Park City) on Friday, May 3rd from 7:30-9:30, where he will share his insight on how we can best honor, embody, and transfer the knowledge of the “Golden Indigos” and pass along their wisdom to the generations to come. James will weave his insight with song and musical performance. I believe that these events can serve as a powerful catalyst in the Park City community, where we can begin to embrace a strong Peace-Initiative and begin to restore balance in seemingly chaotic times. You can find more information and register at www.healthyhappyhumanbeings.com.

Please know that I continue to be grateful to each and every one of you for entrusting me with your care, with your stories and your incredible journeys. Please remember to call very well in advance for an appointment. I am currently booking out through June, so please call now to schedule your monthly wellness visits for July, August and September. Mountain Sage is thriving, and for that I Thank each of you. I feel deeply honored to serve in this community.

Remember to keep your hearts full with Gratitude and Appreciation, breathe deeply during the intense times, and Celebrate the Beautiful moments.