Recently I was able to sit down with my colleague Sara Bird Nelson who teaches Feng Shui and Reiki. If you are ready to organize your life and take charge of the natural energy flow that surrounds us this is the article for you. This conversation is an important one as many people are interested in alternative ways to heal from depression and anxiety. The full conversation is below.
You can also CLICK HERE for the full podcast episode.
Dr Teralyn: (00:00)
Hey everyone. It’s dr Teralyn. And welcome back to another episode of kickoff your damn pills where I have a colleague and she’s going to talk about some super interesting things that I know about this much on. So everyone welcome Sarah Bird Nelson. And so she calls, she says, I’m a Holy fire Reiki master. And I got to know what that means. Um, Reiki master teacher and a fen shui expert. So my, um, my audience needs to connect to their environment and to themselves. So I thought this is going to be fascinating, so I’m going to be learning just as much as everyone else is who’s listening. So I cannot wait. Sarah, welcome, welcome, welcome. And uh, let us know a little bit about yourself and what the heck is a Holy fire Reiki master.
Sara : (01:37)
Um, hi. Thank you so much for having me. Absolutely. Wonderful to see you. Yeah, I love that. You know, doing this on zoom, it’s great. But, um, so I am a Holy fire Reiki master teacher and what that is, is there are levels of Reiki and Reiki is a form of energy healing and there are so many forms. It’s sort of like yoga. There are so many forms of energy healing, right? Well, Reiki is just one of them and it is, um, an ancient method of healing. Um, and over the years I have, I started out with Reiki one due to an illness, um, where I was having some numbness on, um, side of my face, my left hand and my left foot, which was strange and doctors couldn’t figure it out. So I, um, went down this path of healing and I tried a bunch of different ways and Reiki seemed to just settle in and work.
Sara : (02:46)
And, um, the doctors just really amounted all of these, um, these sensations I was having to stress. So I started out with Reiki one and that’s where you learn to do Reiki on. And so everybody can take risks. I just wanted to say, so you didn’t go have, I dunno, the Proctor Reiki done on you? I did appointments and then I’m, yes. Thank you. I did. And then I, the, the um, Reiki master said, you know, you can do this yourself, right? Yeah. So it’s, um, to me it’s, it’s part of my meditation routine is every day I do Reiki on myself. And so that’s just, uh, one class typically, you know, a day long class that anybody, it’s available to everybody. And you do that. And then your next step is to learn how to do Reiki on other people. And that’s Reiki too.
Sara : (03:48)
And then there’s Reiki three slash master, which I did a few years ago. And then there is this, um, it’s almost like this elevated energy feels just bigger and broader. And that is what Holy fire Reiki is and I think it should be called Holy fire. That’s what it feels like. You’re like Holy, exactly what it feels like. Um, so you start with Reiki one and you can move through and you can have a really fabulous practice with just Reiki one and two. You really can. Um, so if you are remotely interested in Reiki or you’ve had Reiki, I, I highly recommend you find somebody to actually, uh, to you, to the energy of Reiki, which is how you then do Reiki. So there are a series of attunements you go through where I become a channel for energy. It’s not my energy that is working with you.
Sara : (04:56)
It is channeled energy through me. And it mainly shows up in your hands. So, which is why if you ever see pictures of people having Reiki hands are either on or like hovering. Yeah. Right? So Reiki flows through me, not from me. That is really important for anybody interested in Reiki to understand. Because I can have my day and my teenager can leave a mass and I can be bummed out about it. And then I can go off to my studio and I can settle in, center myself and know that whatever happened in my morning is not going to impact you, vice versa. So whatever happened in your day, I’m not taking on. So clients will often come in and say, Oh, I was just, it’s been so hard and I’m so stressed out and I’m not sleeping and I don’t want to give you all my energy.
Sara : (05:53)
Well, they’re not, again, it’s the way the works. It’s from me. I mean, it’s through me, not from me. I have a quick question because I have a lot of people that talk about like, there’s this word empath going around and the absorption of everybody’s energy. Now. I was just wondering if, can some of the Reiki teachings like the Reiki one particularly, um, help people to not take in other people’s energy? Yeah, absolutely. Absolutely. And, um, so it will, it teaches you to, to understand how energy flows and Reiki one when you’re doing Reiki on yourself, you know, so you’re actually moving energy through your channeling energy and then moving it through your body to center yourself will help you manage all of that stuff coming at you. So the guy that cuts you off feel as hard on you or the argument you had with your mate or you know, grumpy kids, grumpy coworkers, you when you are practicing self Reiki on a very consistent basis, you are able to manage that stuff so much easier because you’re coming from a place of center.
Sara : (07:20)
Yes. And I think, you know, so my audience is women with anxiety primarily. There’s other things too and I think part of that is this energetic like humming and buzzing through your body, you know, um, and being able to learn how to do some Reiki self Reiki might be extremely beneficial to help kind of dial down the nervous system and offer like, I dunno, is it fair to say like a level of protection from bringing more in? Is that fair to say? That is fair. Yeah. All right. All right. And you know, meditation can often be another resource for that anxiety. And so, um, in my practice when someone, when we finish a session and someone says, Oh, I just want to keep this feeling going, they come out of session and they’re feeling really relaxed, but they have this energy where they’re ready to move forward and take the next step.
Sara : (08:19)
And oftentimes they don’t even know what they’re taking the next step towards. They just feel bigger and broader and stronger like released of the burden. Yes, yes. Yeah. Great way to say it. Um, and so my recommendation is always begin a meditation practice even for five minutes, morning or night, wherever you can fit it in or five minutes in your car on your lunch break can make a world of difference because you’re just coming back to your right, focusing on your breathing and coming back to center. So we talk about this all the time, like being able to center yourself. And so this is just another like tool that to allow you to be able to do that, right? That type of work. And also putting yourself back in your body too, right? Like, you know, being right here in your home, which is your body, right?
Sara : (09:22)
Yeah. For sure. Instead of, you know, being out here in the anxiety of whatever, you know? Yeah. Yep. Definitely. And the other piece of the, the meditative practice is I’m learning how to ground yourself. So putting your feet to the floor, feeling solid, sometimes standing up. Um, if anybody practices yoga out that yoga out there, tree pose, you know, tree pose is really beautiful to just stand in your power or goddess pose, which you really can’t just break into goddess pose in the middle of an office. I can, but you know, some places you, people might look, go, look at you a little funny, but so tree pose can be very quiet, um, and subtle and just you standing your power. And again, coming back to your body, coming back to your breath. So as far as meditation goes, you can even pop out on YouTube.
Sara : (10:18)
Um, I love the app insight timer. There’s a ton of free stuff out there on insight timer, but finding a grounding meditation just to listen to the timer insight timer. Okay. All right. Yeah, yeah, I heard you correctly so everyone else can hear you. Yup. There’s a paid version but you don’t like, there’s so much available on that for free. Sure. Spot on. It’s what I recommend to all my clients is good. Free is free is good. So, um, so basically in a Reiki session you are lying on the table. In my studio, I typically put a blanket over you for um, sort of that security safety, fully clothed. You take your shoes off, it’s um, you can come into a Reiki session in your middle of your Workday and move out and have a full day with no impact. Um, other than positive. Their relaxation impact would help that positive feeling of moving forward.
Sara : (11:20)
So I start with a meditation to just settle you in and then I’m either hands on, depending on comfort level or hovering and I just move around your body. Um, eyes are closed. Typically you can have them open and really it doesn’t matter. Um, but people tend to relax a little more when their eyes are closed. So, and I just move around your body and if Shakara is a familiar word for anybody out there, I am tuning in to that, those energy sources, your body and settling them and clearing them and realigning them. So, which is, which are all very, um, the only word that’s coming to my mind is like vague concepts for people. Like are so vague. Yeah. It’s very different than, um, I’m going to work on a massage on your shoulder, you know what I mean? And release the tension in your muscles.
Sara : (12:20)
Releasing the energy in your, I dunno, inside you, right? Like, yeah. Balancing your shock. Rhodes is a, is a concept that’s, you can’t, it’s not tangible. It’s not tangible until you experience it. Right? Yeah. And so anybody listening here, if you’re going to go now, try Reiki wherever you are, um, I always recommend two sessions as a beginner because the first session you’re just a little curious. You’re not, what is this going in? You’re like, what’s going on? Where is she? What’s she doing? What’s happening? And so that second, what am I supposed to be feeling right now? Should I be seeing colors? Yeah. Maybe having visions that I do something besides lay here. Yeah, exactly. So, um, so yeah, so I always do recommend to sessions wherever you, you know, you decided to try it is um, it’s really good. So it’s a really smart recommendation cause the first time, well, I mean, I don’t know if you know anything about EMDR, but I’m an EMDR therapist, right?
Sara : (13:30)
And so I always tell everybody the first time you’re going to be like, this is so weird. What am I doing? I need like you’re not even going to be there. You’re going to walk out going, you know, so giving it a fair shake and doing it twice, at least I think a smart, you know, um, and you know, people with anxiety, like it’s hard enough to get us to go there once it’s so true. You become anxious about what, what’s going to happen next time and that, you know, hopefully I can relieve that anxiety about what it’s like and that it is, it is so gentle and so soothing. And so centering, um, that, you know, there doesn’t need to be nerves around. It truly is a very, very gentle practice. Now I want to ask you, because you said you can do Reiki from a distance, which is, can you just like spend five minutes on that because that is again a non-tangible concept that I’m having trouble wrapping my head around. So help us all understand what that is. Sure. So it’s essentially like being in my studio, but because everything is energy, right? Right. I can tune in through a meditative state and connect to your energy interest. Are you connecting to my energy now? Yes.
Sara : (15:02)
Know that because you have not given me permission to actually do Reiki. I’m not doing Reiki. Right. So that is a, um, permission type place, you know? Yeah. So you need to to be available for Reiki to receive Reiki. Sure. That makes a lot of sense. Okay. Open to it. And I’m agreeable to it. Right. So when, um, when I have a client show up in my studio, the minute they walk in because they’ve agreed to the session by showing up, Reiki is happening. Even when we’re spending the first five to seven minutes chatting about what they’d like to focus on, if they know what they want to release. And sometimes they, they don’t, they just are like, give me on the table. Right. Or somebody told me that Reiki was good, I’m doing it. Exactly. So you don’t need to know why you’re showing up.
Sara : (15:59)
Right, right. Other than to just center yourself. Right. So the minute they walk in, I’m already connecting to their energy. When I’m at the grocery store and I see somebody who I know has experienced something upsetting, I’m sending them love. I’m connecting to their energy, but I’m not necessarily sending them Reiki. Right. Does that make sense? It does. It does. The distance thing is really me focusing on connecting to their energy and knowing that they’re available to receive. Gotcha. The way I do that in my practice is I typically do either a face to face like this or we’ll get on the phone and talk for five minutes and they’ll set a timer on their phone and, or an alarm clock or whatever. A lot of times people just sort of crawl into bed and be comfortable. Sure. And, um, I will sit and send Reiki and when I was first starting out and doing this distance work and really learning the energy of Reiki, um, and connecting to somebody from a distance, I was actually using a Teddy bear, uh, and I would envision them as the Teddy bear.
Sara : (17:18)
And so I would literally lay my hands a little Teddy bears head and I’d move. And that is how I was able to develop sort of that confidence and my movement and my focus in order to connect with them from a distance. Okay. So really does feel different, um, from when somebody is not physically there. Right. When you say, I just need clarification sending them Reiki, what does it mean to send Reiki? Like, Oh, connecting to their energy. That’s it. Okay. Yup. All right. Right. Cause I’m like, okay, I know it is a little wild. And again, variance, we’re going to pray it’s Reiki session. Yes, absolutely. Absolutely. All right. Now we need to cause that’s connecting to your inner environment. So I want you to talk about how you connect people to their outer environment through um, feng shui cause this is fascinating to me.
Sara : (18:22)
So have at it. I’m fat. Yes. So feng shui dates back, um, thousands of years and it was originally a practice to determine the best burial sites for Chinese royalty. Is that interesting? Um, yeah. Yeah. Yeah. So it’s, it’s way back and you know, as things do, they migrate throughout the world and eventually it feng shui the idea of feng shui came West and a school called BTB school. feng shui was developed its most Western style feng shui and um, there are just like energy healing, just like yoga. Many schools have feng shui but what different differentiates BTBY versus other schools is we don’t rely on a compass and directions like they used to for burial sites. Um, and we don’t rely on the shape of the land like mountains and rivers and whatnot. Those are all really important in my practice, but that’s not the basis of it. The basis of more this more Western form of functional ways where your front door lies.
Sara : (19:35)
And I only go down that road because anybody who’s going to listen to the rest of this, it’s important for them to know when they’re standing at their front door. Um, as I sort of describe areas of, of um, what’s called a Bagua map, which is the map of feng shui, um, where they can go and make some changes in their home after hearing this. And so, you know, pairing that with, um, you know, mental health, so in your, your home environment is so important to your mental health. You know, what if you could give like a tip, like what would be a tip for somebody based on where they’re from? You’re talking about your household front door, right? Like what is one of the first things that anybody listening could be like, okay, here’s my front door and this is one or two things that I really should focus on to help in my external environment.
Sara : (20:31)
Um, the first thing and many people will probably hit stop right here. So forgive me. But the first thing is clearing clutter. Okay. It has everything to do with energy and everything to do with anxiety. Feeling anxiety in surroundings is what is actually surrounding you. And so the number one tip that I would recommend everybody to do is really start looking around their house and begin managing clutter. And the best way to start is with every day clutter. So that’s what you bring into your car. There’s so much mail. I know. No, that is truly the best place to start because once you start managing your everyday clutter, you know, on a cold snowy day, you can go focus on that pile of papers. Sure. Right? So where you can go down and to your basement and clean that out or you can go clean out the garage.
Sara : (21:31)
And those bigger projects don’t feel as as huge when you’re managing your everyday clutter. So truly cleaning out your bag, you know, putting your lunch dishes in the dishwasher, um, you know that you’ve taken to work and carried home all of that everyday clutter. The STEM of doing that stuff. Pardon? Do I have a system? No. I said and having a daily system of doing that stuff, like being, getting in the habit of, as part of your, almost your self care rituals that you, yeah. Honestly, my practice always comes back to self care. When you’re taking care of your inner space and taking care of your outer space, you are so much more able to see yourself and connect to center and again, connect back to your breath because you’re not, you know, upset that you didn’t get to all the laundry. Right. Just like, okay, I know Wednesdays are my laundry day.
Sara : (22:41)
Right. That’s right. I’m doing that on Wednesdays. It’s sort of creating this order in your life to then manage the clutter and you know, clutter management could be hours and discussion shy. I’m sure that it could. I’m sure. So really just starting with your everyday clutter, cleaning out your bag and getting it ready for the next day. Super easy to do. Right. Same thing with the kids backpacks. Oh yeah. Well I’m starting that with my son this year. He’s a senior and I’m starting that. Right. So that’s good because he’s got and whatever. Right. Exactly. And, um, he’s got this binder with all these folders that he’s actually done this binder system, we call it since he was an elementary school, everything together. And so now it’s a senior year, but he just opens it and shoves his crap in there, you know, and I’m like this year, put it where it goes.
Sara : (23:43)
So it’s not like this big binder full of paper, right? Like put it where it goes. So I’m trying to get him in the habit of every night, open it up, put it where it needs to go, you know, so that you’re ready for tomorrow. So I mean, having those little system tweaks, um, helps. But I’ll be the first one to say like, the amount of mail I get is in this paperless world is ridiculous. And you know, you don’t want to just like throw your mail away because it’s got all your information on it. So it’s like, now you’ve got to shred it, not like extra steps just to get rid of stuff. And it kinda sucks, you know? Totally sucks. So it’s really difficult. I know I ended up with a shredding pile because I’m not going to tread one piece at a time. Right. So I mean, even in my office I’ll have a little pile of shredding and then I’ll be like, Oh wait, recycling is coming. I can now try this. You know? So yeah, totally get it. My husband always jokes and said, if there’s a flat surface, we’ve got mail on it. I’m like, I love it.
Sara : (24:50)
You know? So outside of cleaning the clutter, what is one big tip you could give? So I’d like anyone listening to go stand facing their front door. And this would be, you can do this with any door of your house, but this would be, um, your main entrance door mean and trends. But for me, so I’m going, Glen, I’m in Maine and we have a mudroom and a mudroom door and a front door and no one uses our front door. Okay. We only use our, my door or we come in through the garage. Right. Okay. So those are the two doors that get you get, you know, get the primary use. And then, um, the front door is like even somebody new to our home room door, it’s decorative, it’s decorative. But what’s key and feng shui is that our doors are our opportunity. So this is where energy enters your home.
Sara : (25:52)
This is where opportunities enter your home. So it’s really important to have a clear entryway. So I make sure my decorative front door and my mud room door and that garage door, that really it’s only me who sees and the kids and my husband, um, are clear, clean and that you can, um, go through and enter without bumping into anything. Okay. All right. So fixing any, um, broken hinges or squeaky hinges or anything like that, like fixing the door? Um, you know, in the spring, pollen is off the hook here with all the pine pollen and it’s yellow. And so my doors are black and so they turn yellow in the spring. And so just keeping them clean and wipe down. Um, the other thing with your entry way is having it designated with your house number. So you’d be surprised even driving around here, how many people only have their house number on their mailbox?
Sara : (27:06)
Oh sure. Yeah. It actually having it on your home is really your house wearing its identity. Oh. So it’s like, imagine showing up to an event, you know, a networking event and not, and being the one without a name tag. Right. And that, so this is the name tag for your home, the police department, the fire department. That is like my little PSA for them to put the numbers on your home. Exactly. And analyt so that it’s lit up at night. Um, you know, just like under the porch light type of thing. But um, so clear entryway, house number, no broken hinges, squeaky hinges, door knobs, door locks, making sure everything works in proper order so that energy can enter in a very easy manner. Now, given that my front door is not like, is not used, I also have to make sure that that door is actually used in some fashion.
Sara : (28:13)
So otherwise that is a block towards the, um, cheat or energy entering my home, even though there are other doors. All right. So it’s really important if you’re in a situation like I am where you don’t use that front door that you begin to do so. So opening it on sunny days, having a good storm door, good screen, and that door is important. And so even in the dead of winter here on a sunny day, I can still open it and have the storm door there, but allow sunlight and energy to move through the glass storm door. Um, that door for me sits on the edge of what’s called the career and life purpose area of my home and the, uh, knowledge area of my home. And those are two really important pieces when you’re an entrepreneur and building. Right? Right. And so it’s very important for me to have that energy moving in and out.
Sara : (29:14)
So sometimes I let the dog out that way. Sometimes I’ll just stand there and have my morning coffee and open the door and just get some movement in there. I like that. I like that a lot. Yeah. So your entryway too. So once you step in, your entryway is, um, the first thing that you see in your home, but also that others see. So it really sets the tone for the energy of your house. So for me, boy in college who loved and when he was home, so he’s now in a sophomore year, this was our first summer with him home having been gone and I forgot how many pairs of shoes this kid and how many they’re, cause they’re exact.
Sara : (30:05)
I’m, you need to put those in your bedroom, you mean like, so that was, so you’ll [inaudible] variants that in a couple of years. Oh, well we have shoes, a plenty around here. Having a way to manage them like a basket or you know, a tray or something. I mean, you know, that is the hardest part. So, but yeah. So, um, so yeah, so your entryway is a really, really good place to start, you know, alongside the clutter situation. Yeah. Thank you for those super useful tips by the way, because managing our external is just as important as managing our internal for sure. And they work together all the time. I always tell people we’re not just one thing. We are the sum of all parts, you know, of our lives. So why don’t you describe a little bit, if you can, um, about your program and how you combine these two things together?
Sara : (31:03)
Cause I’d like for people listening to know about that. Yes. So in, um, cultivating connection, I start with that distance Reiki, healing, and we have a, I work with the wheel of life and we determine what areas which is so is familiar to many. Um, that’s where we start and we determine what areas you want to work on. The wheel of life is very close to what the Bagua map represents as well. So it allows me to see where you feel really confident and where you don’t. And so starting there, we can then start to connect to ourselves and allow all of those old stories that rise up and cause that anxiety to release. All right? So you’re not enough. You, I don’t want you to talk anymore. Zip it, all those old things that we were told throughout our life that we just carry with us.
Sara : (32:04)
And so I, I, it’s, it’s like weeding a garden. So I’m like pulling out those weeds, pulling out those old stories and bringing in light. So it starts off with really centering ourselves and connecting to our inner self through that Reiki healing and through determining what we want to focus on in our life goals, dreams and whatnot. And then we move through some mindfulness work. Um, and we bring in meditation and mindful walking, mindful eating, just being very intentional about how you’re living your day and how you’re moving through your day. Um, and what you need for support. Right. So what type of support do you need to surround yourself with? Is it EMDR, is it, you know, all these different modalities that are so readily available? Or is it just you need to have lunch by yourself and you can’t have lunch with your coworkers?
Sara : (33:03)
Cause that really gets you going? Right, right. So really tapping into figuring out where your supports can come from and then developing routine around that. So your routine with the mail, your routine in the morning, your routine in the evening, your routine, when the kids are coming home. Having some sort of routine really grounds us and our life and knowing that we can rely on those small little habits throughout the day to recenter, refocus because everything else is coming at us is really important. And so this whole time we’re constantly practicing and revising and editing what ultimately will support you in the best way, right? Because our life is ever evolving, ever changing. And so we need to understand that our routines can chef pending seasons, pending kids going off to school. I mean my August feels really different than my September. Vastly different. And so how do we get a handle on moving with those times and seasons and all the other stuff coming at us?
Sara : (34:17)
Um, and then creating sanctuary in our house to support us. And we actually will start at the doorway for sure. I always, you know, start with the entryway to your home, but our next step is the bedroom. Like, are you creating sanctuary for yourself and your partner? If you have one or you don’t? Or are you calling in a partner? What does that sanctuary look like and feel like to you? And then again, self care bedroom is all about self care and then how does that translate to the rest of your house? And we start to go down and make some changes within your home to support your dreams all connected back to that wheel of life. So I love it. And so how can anyone get ahold of you? So Sarabirdnelson.com um, Sarah Bird. I’ll send healing arts on Facebook and Instagram. I tend to go live on Facebook about clutter and all kinds of stuff.
Sara : (35:17)
I just had a mini meltdown. We’ve been preparing for a garage sale and I was in the basement cleaning and figuring out what to get rid of. And I had a box of scrapbooks supplies that have, has been lingering like right here. Like, Oh, you’re not a good mom because you didn’t, haven’t done anything with pictures for 18 years. Yes. So that’s sitting here and it was often a topic of, I also teach feng shui online as well. It was often a topic in my feng shui classes. And finally I just put it all together in this box. Some of it embarrassing, completely embarrassing, not even out of the wrapping that I bought it in right box, hundreds of dollars worth of scrapbooking supplies that I have not even touched. Right. So even the funk toy person hears, got stopped. So I had this many therapist, right. So I had a mini meltdown on Facebook and I cannot tell you now that it is out of my house and ready for garage sale over at my mom’s house. How free I feel the basement represents the subconscious and feng shui and Oh yeah.
Sara : (36:39)
I used to think about things. I know basements are hard. Yes they are. Yeah, I know. It’s, you know, I used to live in San Diego and we didn’t have a basement. That would be actually I think about that cause we almost moved to Texas a while ago. They didn’t have basements in Texas either. And, uh, I that almost feels freeing to me to not have that, you know, you really have to pay attention to what you keep, you know. Yeah. It’s interesting. It’s so interesting. So fun. I, I so appreciate what you’re doing Sarah. I think more people need to do this, including myself. So, um, also we, we will have all of Sarah’s contact information in the show notes, um, for this on the podcast. So you’ll be able to reach out to her and follow her and get her tips and tidbits and um, yeah, and work with her if you want, because this is an overlooked, hugely important piece of, um, mental health.
Sara : (37:48)
So all alright, well we’re going to have, I can share a little download to a few bike of the Bagua map and it’s just a good way to look at the different spots of your home and how they relate to your life and you can just sort of set some goals there. Awesome. We’ll put that in the notes too. You can click right on it and get to get to Sarah immediately, so. Perfect. All right. Well thank you so much for being on. Thank you. I really enjoyed it and I definitely need to follow your stuff more cause I got to get rid of that basement crap that I’ve got and work on my front entryway. So thanks for the two doulas Sarah, and you know. Right. Exactly. All right everyone for tuning in and if you want to reach out to Sarah, please feel free. All of her contact will be in the show notes and her free download. So that’s super important and uh, thanks for tuning in everyone having a nice rest of your days. Bye bye.