Christina Bauer
Christina Bauer
CHRISTINA BAUER
Transformational
Therapy Center
Recent News & Articles
What Exactly is a Midwife of the Soul?
A Midwife of the Soul is:
one who assists others to recognize the true essence of their Being.
This is the true essence of their Life.
One does not need to be a Spiritual or Religious person to recognize the truth of their being. The true being lies within, beyond the thoughts in our minds. The essence of our being has nothing to do with our personalities or the stories about ourselves that we think with our minds. The essence of our being is the animating life force that breathes our breath and pumps our hearts. When this animating life force ceases to be in the body, the body dies. The life leaves it. This true self that we are is a calm center, a tranquil peace that passes understanding. When we are aware of it and allow ourselves to feel it, it brings absolute contentment, love, joy and peace. Some have called it our ‘soul’ or ‘spirit’. Others have called it ‘consciousness’ or ‘the presence within’. Whatever name we give it is irrelevant. The gift is in the recognition of it. Some live their entire lives without ever making contact with this essence within. They become so self identified with the thoughts in their heads that it blocks the recognition of their true identity. They believe their entire lives that they are the thoughts in their heads. I have experienced people tell me that they do not have this essence that I speak of … because they have never experienced it. But I have never found one person that could not find it when they became willing and we spent some time looking for it. It is easily found once inquiry begins. When one is facing their own death there comes a great openness to finding any peace possible. But we do not have to come to our approaching death to resurrect that which we already are. As a midwife of the soul, I help people make this contact within, with their true self. When one makes contact with the true essence of their being, fear falls away completely. Worry, doubt and our identification with our personality also begins to fall away. They are seen for what they are, complete mind creations; not the truth of our being. True peace and liberation comes with this reunion. Being human is not an easy endeavor due to the thought creations of our minds and our identification with them. We encounter problems of all sorts, which are exacerbated by our reactions to them. When we connect with our true selves, we stop creating problems. We stop reacting in fear, worry, doubt, self defense. We begin responding to our lives. This creates a very different outer effect. This literally transforms our entire lives, creating peace, harmony, deep love and a greater sense of aliveness to life.
This, of course, then affects all those that are around us.
It begins to dissolve the dramas and traumas of our lives. It opens us to see the truth of situations with clear insight.
It brings forth such deep gratitude that one can not hardly even imagine how they ever lived without this recognition. Indeed we would not call the life before recognition, a life at all. It was merely existing, surviving, doing the best we could to try to find any sense of happiness and meaning in life, but none of which ever lasted for long or even touched on the depth of the ‘true life’ that we are. We all long for this. Most don't know that this is what we are longing for. Nothing in this life can truly bring fulfillment that lasts. Things, people and circumstances come and go… ever changing. We look to acquiring people, places and things for fulfillment. We think once we find the right partner, work, house or circumstances we will be happy. Whatever it is, once we have acquired it, or even ALL of it, we find that it is not the source of happiness. In fact, studies validate that the acquiring of many things actually creates far less satisfaction with life. This makes it much more difficult to experience happiness. What we are really in search of is a sense of peace, content, fulfillment. Lasting fulfillment can only be found Within. It is an experience of that which we truly are. Whether we are living on with our lives or approaching our seeming death experience, the journey to ‘true self’ discovery is the same. I assist people with very simple exercises that anyone can do, to rediscover their true nature. Once this discovery is made, not one of us could ever want to live without it. It is the end of suffering. It is liberation. Once we know the truth, the truth sets us free. This is not an intellectual knowing. We can not know our true selves intellectually. The mind is limited in its capacity to experience our true nature. And once we rediscover our true being, we see the absolute insanity of living by such a limited sense of life through the mind. True peace can only be found within our own beings. It is my greatest joy to help people to
rediscover the truth of their being.
This discovery,
or recognition,
IS
the Purpose of our Life.
The Central Nervous System:
How It Affects Our Bodies And Our Health
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The central nervous system CNS is responsible for integrating sensory information and responding accordingly. It consists of two main components:
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The spinal cord serves as a conduit for signals between the brain and the rest of the body. It also controls simple musculoskeletal reflexes without input from the brain.
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The brain is responsible for integrating most sensory information and coordinating body function, both consciously and unconsciously. Complex functions such as thinking and feeling as well as regulation of homeostasis are attributable to different parts of the brain.
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The brain and spinal cord share some key anatomic features:
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Living nervous tissue has the consistency of jelly and requires special protection from physical damage. The entire CNS is encased in bone. The brain is within the cranium, while the spinal cord runs within a canal through the vertebrae.
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Within its bony case, the entire CNS is bathed in a cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), a colorless fluid produced by special structures in the brain. CSF provides a special chemical environment for nervous tissue, as well as an additional buffer against physical damage.
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The special chemical environment of nervous tissue is maintained by the relatively impermeable membranes of capillaries in the CNS. This feature is known as the blood-brain barrier.
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There are two general types of tissue in the CNS:
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Gray matter consists of nerve cell bodies, dendrites, and axons. Neurons in gray matter organize either in layers, as in the cerebral cortex, or as clusters called nuclei.
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White matter consists mostly of axons, causing it to look white due to the myelin sheathing of the axons.
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In the early embryo, the CNS forms as a relatively uniform tube. The major regions of the brain develop as enlargements at the head end of this tube:
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The medulla oblongata appears as a swelling at the upper end of the spinal cord. Besides being a conduit for fibers running between the spinal cord and higher regions of the brain, it contains control centers for involuntary functions such as blood pressure, breathing, swallowing and vomiting.
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Just above the medulla are the pons and cerebellum. The pons relays information between higher regions of the brain and the cerebellum, which processes sensory information and helps coordinate movement.
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The next segment, the midbrain, is primarily responsible for eye movement.
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Above the midbrain lies the diencephalon, which is composed of two major parts:
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The thalamus processes and integrates all sensory information going to the higher regions of the brain.
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The hypothalamus is critical for homeostasis, the maintenance of the body's internal environment. It influences nervous control of all internal organs and also serves as the master regulator of endocrine function by its control over the pituitary gland.
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The highest region of the brain is the cerebrum, which includes both the cerebral cortex that is visible on the outside of the brain as well as other internal structures. The cerebrum is responsible for conscious sensation and voluntary movement, as well as advanced functions such as thinking, learning and emotion.
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STRESS
How It Affects Our Central Nervous System
The Nervous System is a complex network of nerves (neurons) that are interconnected with one another. It is comprised of the Central Nervous System (CNS), which includes the brain and the spinal cord, and the Peripheral Nervous System (PNS),
which is a large network of nerves. The Nervous System responds to external and internal stimuli. The neurons use electrochemical signals to give specific instructions to various parts of the body on how to react to a specific stimulus.
Stress stimulates the CNS and prepares it to meet stressful situations. During this preparation, the body goes through various physiological changes that are initiated to enable the fight or flight response. This is the function of the Autonomic Nervous System, which is comprised of the Sympathetic Nervous System and the Parasympathetic Nervous System. The Sympathetic Nervous System is responsible for stress responses, while the Parasympathetic Nervous System prepares the body for rest and relaxation.
When an event in our lives causes fear, dread, or terror; the Sympathetic Nervous System senses the danger and increases the heart rate to send an extra supply of blood to different parts of the body. It also signals the Adrenal Glands near the Kidneys to secrete adrenaline, the hormone that provides a boost to muscular energy.The Nervous System is very different from other systems in the body. It not only supervises stress but also controls the body’s reactions afterwards. It reduces the level of hormones in the blood stream and signals the heart to revert back to its normal beat rate.
Emotional stress produces similar physical changes by stimulating the Nervous System to respond. Even though we know that adequate and relevant responses to stress are necessary, the state of the body during these conditions is not normal. The body comes into a stressed state almost instantly when it detects any kind of threat, but the body must necessarily revert back to its normal state after a certain period of time. Reverting back to the normal state is not possible when there is constant stress.
This can have a dramatic affect on our health over time. Constant stress means that the Sympathetic Nervous System keeps us in a state of alert all the time and does not let the Parasympathetic Nervous System to come into play. This translates into a situation where the body cannot actually rest at all. If the body is not at rest, the body systems that are suspended during the stress response cannot be resumed effectively.
Admittedly, it is impossible to avoid stress completely. However we can manage stress through various Relaxation Techniques. Setting aside time for Deep Breathing throughout our day can bring about greater relaxation. Yoga and meditation send signals to the Central Nervous System that help the body to return to its original relaxed state. Managing emotional stress by re-evaluating our perception of life situations can also have a very positve effect of the Nervous System. Positive thinking is an incredibly effective way to reduce stress and may help us to adapt and manage stress as it arises. Massage Therapy is an excellent way to allow the body time to reach a state of deep relaxation. Cranio Sacral Therapy can effect relaxation at the deepest center of our system, relaxing and balancing our CNS. Stress is going to come and go in our lives. How we choose to respond to it is ours to determine.
For more information contact:
Christina Bauer
310-753-6642
Holistic Therapy
Stress Relief
Chronic Conditions
Living With Terminal Illness
For more than 20 years I have assisted people from all walks of life, living with Chronic Conditions and Terminal Illness. Many patients have had cancer or other life threatening illnesses. My approach to working with patients under these challenging circumstances has very much been a Holistic approach. One of the first issues at hand to be addressed is the stress level of the person affected. More than likely, a person who has found themselves diagnosed with a chronic, life threatening or terminal illness has been under a significant amount of stress, well before the diagnosis. The reason I address the stress level first is that I do not believe that long lasting healing or well being can take place if the Nervous System is in a continual state of Fight or Flight. This releases large amounts of cortisol into the body as well as other hormones that over time can create tremendous health issues. It makes sense to first create an environment where healing can begin to take place. There are numerous modalities that I include in this stage of treatment for patients. Some may include Massage Therapy, Reiki, Cranio-Sacral Therapy, Meditations that we engage in together that then the patient may continue at home, Present Moment Awareness, Deep Breathing exercises, Visualization, Trauma Release Therapy, and Hypnotherapy, just to name a few. Each of us are unique and we all have our own individual way of responding to life. This is a very intuitive process of feeling into which modalities will best serve each individual patient. Once the patient has gained an awareness of their state of stress, then they are able to begin to gain control in this area of their lives, rather than being at the mercy of an unmanaged state of being. Patients with Cancer or Terminal Illnesses often have a feeling of having no control over their lives. This begins the next phase of healing. When we are able to start making conscious decisions about our health and our lives, we begin accessing our power within. Through guiding each person to access their internal awareness, their lives begin to change on many levels, especially health wise. What is Internal Awareness? Internal Awareness is the ability to be witness to what we are choosing to think, feel, eat and respond to life as it is happening. Most of us have been brought up to live on auto pilot. We are in constant reaction to life rather than living with a knowing that we are able to respond to life as it is happening. In remembering that we can respond to a situation rather than automatically react, gives us the understanding that we can then also choose how we respond to life's unfoldment. It is our response to life's happenings that create our future moments in life. This begins to strengthen our internal sense of Power to an even greater degree. We begin to see that we have choices. We begin to see that maybe what we have chosen before has not been serving us or even those surrounding us. Looking at life patterns is another important step in the stages of healing. Identifying what is working for our good is important in creating more of it to assist in our healing process. In the same way, discovering what is not working for our good is equally important so that we may let go of those behaviors. Letting go of these habitual patterns that are not serving us then frees up so much of our energy to bring in more of what is working to create our good. Whether someone is going to heal from illness or someone is going to go through the dying process, these stages of internal healing are critical for one's overall well~being. Whether we are going to live or we are going to die, we want to be at peace within ourselves and with our lives. From this point forward, the patient is then able to look at their whole being and life, not just the illness, or being consumed by fear and emotion. This enables one to begin making conscious choices about all aspects of their lives. They can look at whether they are with the right doctors for them, which nutrition might best serve their current circumstances, which activities through out their days will serve their lives for whatever time that they have left. I have witnessed for each and every patient that I have worked with that their illness then becomes this immense blessing and teaching in their lives which leads to great inner awareness and peace. When we are faced with our own mortality, we are forced to look beyond what we already think we know. We open up, we become more flexible and receptive to life. It is true that one does not need to become ill in order for this to take place. But whether we are ill or we are just looking for the meaning of our lives, these stages of healing can lead us through the doorway to Peace within. It is a great gift to bear witness to this unfolding. Indeed it is the greatest work that I have ever known.
For more information contact
Christina Bauer
310-753-6642
Depression
Common signs and symptoms of Depression
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Feelings of helplessness and hopelessness. A bleak outlook—nothing will ever get better and there’s nothing you can do to improve your situation.
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Loss of interest in daily activities. No interest in former hobbies, pastimes, social activities, or sex. You’ve lost your ability to feel joy and pleasure.
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Appetite or weight changes. Significant weight loss or weight gain—a change of more than 5% of body weight in a month.
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Sleep changes. Either insomnia, especially waking in the early hours of the morning, or oversleeping (also known as hypersomnia).
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Anger or irritability. Feeling agitated, restless, or even violent. Your tolerance level is low, your temper short, and everything and everyone gets on your nerves.
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Loss of energy. Feeling fatigued, sluggish, and physically drained. Your whole body may feel heavy, and even small tasks are exhausting or take longer to complete.
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Self-loathing. Strong feelings of worthlessness or guilt. You harshly criticize yourself for perceived faults and mistakes.
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Reckless behavior. You engage in escapist behavior such as substance abuse, compulsive gambling, reckless driving, or dangerous sports.
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Concentration problems. Trouble focusing, making decisions, or remembering things.
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Unexplained aches and pains. An increase in physical complaints such as headaches, back pain, aching muscles, and stomach pain.
At some point in our lives, we are bound to experience at least some degree of depression. There are a multitude of circumstances that we will encounter over the course of our lives. Many of which may seem as if we have no control over them. How we choose to meet them is what will determine our "state of being". For most of us, we learn our ways of responding to life, by those who raised us or played a significant part in our upbringing. Many times we are even unaware of the similar ways in which we relate to life; as did those that we lived with early on. Other times we may have the awareness that we took on similar patterns in dealing with life, but not realize that we have a choice in the matter. We may just think that, "this is the way we are" and not even consider that it is possible for us to be any different. We may even go as far as blaming those who raised us, as if we are now condemned to live that way of life for the duration of time.The truth is that life is ever changing. This can be the good news, as well as challenging news. If we are experiencing a difficult time in our lives, then knowing that things are always changing can bring a feeling of hope and relief; knowing that they will not be the same forever. On the contrary, if things have been going really well in our lives, at some point, we may find ourselves in a great deal of change. When aspects of our lives are changing around us and we are working to maintain our old ways, as everything is shifting, this can lead to feelings of depression. Whatever the cause for our state of depression as it arrives, I believe that there is really only one source. That source being a disconnect from our Inner Selves. We often identify our depression with a life circumstance. We may blame it on our marriage, being single, on our place of employment , or lack there of, on the economy, our diet, or many other excuses that we come up with. The truth of the matter is that all of the life circumstances are a symptom stemming from a deeper source within. Depression has many faces. It also has varying degrees of immensity. Within the early stages of depression, we can identify the symptoms as well as the source fairly easily. Once identified, we can create changes within our daily routine to support the inner work necessary to shift the paradigm. If depression has become a predominate state of being for many years, the identification can sometimes still be easy to track. However the challenge may then lie in shifting the long term, habitual habits that we have formed to cope. When experiencing depression, we may have great difficulty mustering the energy necessary for even the most basic tasks, such as getting out bed, preparing food, brushing our teeth, or bathing. Depression often includes intense, unrelievable fatigue. It may be somaticized, leading to complaints of back pain, muscle aches, headaches, migraines, and nausea. It can also cause us to become completely withdrawn from others in our lives. Depression involves the emotions of grief and sadness, and often anger, fear and shame. We may have feelings of being all alone, as if no one understands us. Helplessness, hopelessness, isolation, dread, irritability, and anxiety are all emotions that can accompany depression. The Affect may be strong, with tearfulness, tension, and outbursts of anger, or the affects may be restricted and in severe cases, flat. Whatever the affects, these are not easy affects to handle in the midst of day to day life. Unfortunately over time, these affects take their toll on us.
In depressed individuals the only "chemical imbalance" often detected (by a blood test) is elevated cortisol, a hormone normally secreted during times of stress and, in non-depressed people, shortly after waking. This has led to two hypotheses: (1) that chronic stress causes depression and (2) that depressed people have an abnormal stress response. High levels of cortisol in the body over time can cause serious dis-ease in the body. If we have not taken care to address the reality of depression in our lives, and we end up at the point of experiencing disease, then we may become swept up in the turmoil of attempting to heal the disease. In many cases, this is where we may become even further disengaged from the original source and the symptom of depression because we now have a much more threatening symptom at hand that must be dealt with.
In my work over the past twenty plus years, I have come to find that resolving these issues must be treated with a holistic approach if a long lasting cure is to be enjoyed. Healing the symptom will only bring about temporary relief. The physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual bodies must be addressed. The thoughts that we think, create the emotions that we feel, affecting our physical well being. Having a sense of who we are and why we are here on this planet to begin with are very deep core questions that either help us to feel empowered or disempowered in our lives. All of these elements are important to address for real healing to take place. If we dare to take our lives a step further than just healing, we might even consider the possibility of having a Happy and Fulfilling Life. Imagine? The older that I get, the more I realize that there is very little that I know. But I do know this, and that is that we are here to thrive. It is our purpose in life, so to speak. Many of us forget this life possibility, much less, as a life purpose. This is one of the reasons that I enjoy the work that I do.
I have found over the years of working with people from all walks of life that there are many, many modalities to call upon for healing, but there many only be a few that we each personally respond to. Finding the pathway for each of us, can be challenging on our own. When we work together, and we allow ourselves to been seen by another, there can be an acceleration that happens in the healing process. Many of the patients who have been referred to me over the years have tried nearly every avenue possible to regain there health and well being. Often to no real avail. There is a certain level of Presence that must be come in order to open a pathway for our own healing. This is rarely ever found out in the medical world. It is found within.Within ourselves. Finding someone who can guide us on this inner path can be tremendously helpful if this has been uncharted territory for us. Once we are able to access this place within ourselves then our lives begin transforming on all levels; almost immediately. The only thing we really need in order for this to happen is a level of commitment as well as a desire to allow this to take place. An honest commitment to simply allowing.... is the recipe for Deep Lasting Healing and Optimum Health. Allowing what is, allowing what arises, allowing ourselves to align with the changes that are calling us in our lives. Allowing others to assist us, and allowing an open receptive space for that which we may not have understood to present itself anew. Embarking on this journey in my own life, as well assisting and as being witness to countless others taking this journey, has led me to determine that this can be the most fulfilling journey in the course of our lives. ~ The journey in which the depression leads us to the Precious Jewel.
If you would like to find our more about this journey
or have questions about any of the stated material above
Please contact
Christina Bauer
310-753-6642
Benefits of Therapeutic Breathwork
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Reduce Anxiety
Most of us are in constant, low-grade stress and we tend to breathe shallow and quickly. Deep and conscious breathing activates the parasympathetic nervous system, which stimulates the natural relaxation response. This is the exact opposite of the stress response. Breathe slower, deeper, and more consciously to reduce anxiety.
Increase Clarity and Focus
Slow, conscious breathing fully oxygenates the brain. Try three slow, deep, conscious breaths the next time you are about to make a big decision. Feel the clarity. Notice your ability to focus more intentionally on the subject at hand.
Elevate Mood
Ancient Shamanistic and Pranayama teachers in India reached altered states of consciousness through breathwork. Through a practice of noticing and, thus, controlling your breathing, you can create a consistent elevated mood with deep, slow, and conscious breaths throughout your day.
Feed Healthy Cells
The 1931 Nobel Prize in Medicine was awarded to Otto Warburg who discovered that cancer cells cannot thrive in a highly oxygenated environment. A preventative measure? Take deeper breaths.
Allow Your Skin to Breathe
Deep, slow, conscious breaths stimulate blood flow to the skin for a more radiant and natural glow
Promote Digestion
A relaxed body supports proper organ function. We need healthy organ function to support our body’s unmanaged and systematic activities including digestion, elimination, and absorption.
Eliminate Oxidative Stress
Deliberate breathing delivers more oxygen to your tissues. This increases the amount of oxygen in the body’s tissues and reduces the risk of diseases.
Reduce Cravings
Deep, conscious breathing can avert the need for an outside substance. Next time you reach for whatever your vice is, take three conscious breaths and ask yourself if you really want the side effects from it. Feel the empowerment within yourself. Go from substances to a life of Substance.
Lower Blood Pressure
Long, slow, deep breaths fully oxygenate the heart muscle. This reduces heart rate and blood pressure.
Sleep
Deep, conscious breathing is known to stimulate the pineal gland, which is associated with sleep patterns.
For More Information on Cancer & Terminal Illness, Health & Healing, Death & Dying, and Sacred Transitions
visit www.ChristinaLifePassages.com
Midwife of the Soul