Prosperity and Wellbeing Newsletter July 2019

 

I do wish everyone is having a good summer. This newsletter represents a just passed anniversary of which I almost didn’t take notice. Had it not been for my search for an old article, I wouldn’t have come upon the inaugural Prosperity and Wellbeing newsletter from June, 2009!

Between this, and the upcoming year in which I will hit the milestone of living 7 decades, it has given me some cause for introspection and wonderings such as:

Did I fulfill the purpose of my newsletters these last 10 years? What do I want to accomplish going forward? Have my opinions or beliefs changed? What new things have I learned? I posted below the beginning of that first newsletter, and some thoughts it brought.

Upon examination of all that I’ve done, and what really matters to me regarding what I now offer, I will keep some things and change some things.

Adhering to Ayurvedic recommendations for wellbeing in the different life stages, we learn older age brings an increase of Vata, which can mean dryness, more sensitivity to cold, more delicate digestion, more susceptible to harm from digital screens, and easier exhaustion, etc. This is all telling me I need to spend more leisurely time in nature, pace myself, eat nourishing foods, detox regularly, and be more mindful of my roles and jobs, (for me that is sticking to one task at a time rather than my Vata tendency to spread myself across too many interests, bouncing from one project to another like a puppy with too many toys.)

In my work as a financial advisor I now am in the office according to my energy levels, usually 20 to 25 hours a week. I do love the work and my clients, and with the continued support in my office, (thank you Aaron and Dawn) I hope to keep this pace for several years.

Changes I intend to make:

1) This coming week represents the 471st weekly note I’ve sent since 2009. I’ve never missed a week, although it might have been sent a little late once or twice. Even though the stress isn’t high, it does cause a bit of panic sometimes when I have to rush to meet that deadline. Those short bits of text are best when they are spontaneous downloads from the ethers, just a divine wave lapping into my mind with its sweet content. From here on out I will send them as they are given to me, and the timing may just be more significant to you! We will see! They could come three in one week and none the next. I hope that’s OK with you.

2) I have a passion for teaching wellbeing, as you must know if you’ve received my writing for any length of time. Observing the average lifestyle in our modern day–the advertised foods, entertainment, unhealthy messages about ourselves, distractions with technology–we can easily notice what it is doing to people. We have increasing anxiety, depression, and loneliness, are overweight, stressed and tired, and these put us at more risk to developing serious medical conditions.

My intention is to spend more time offering solutions. One idea is to have a six-week program to help the participants slowly add new healthy practices into their lives that have real benefits to the way they feel, think and live. We can have a closed Facebook group so that the participants will be able to support each other and get questions answered long with these baby-steps to real change. I can ask other Ayurvedic experts to weigh-in too!

3) Lastly, many of you, I realize, found me because of a curiosity about creating abundance for yourselves. If there is enough interest, I can have an online group for another 6- or 7-week program to raise your money consciousness, basically creating financial health and wholeness. Please let me know if that is something you would like to see. I offered it a couple of years ago and there didn’t seem to be enough interest.

I really do love hearing from you. I appreciate all the comments I receive when something strikes you. All you have to do is email us at osprey@cfl.rr.com

Two Sundays in August I will be giving short talks in Florida, at the Zen Room in Cocoa Village.

 

Graceful Aging with Ayurveda     August 11th, 2019 11:30 AM

Meditation, What to Know              August 18th, 2019 11:30 AM

 

(Notice for the first one is on my website here. Info is not posted yet for the meditation class, but it will be a discussion for new and current meditators.)

It is a yoga studio so let us know if you can’t sit on the floor and I’ll bring some folding chairs; the studio does have cushions and yoga mats to sit on also. Cost will be whatever you feel like giving.

You will have an opportunity to buy my latest books as well.

That’s it!

Peace, Love and Wellbeing,

 

10 Years of Newsletters!

 

From June 2009~

This inaugural newsletter is going to old and new friends, my clients, my coaching community, and my readers. I’ve been in the financial business for 27 years, and in that time, I’ve seen first-hand that there are some people that move through life with grace. They have filled their lives with those things and people that they love, and seem to magically be able to put things in the proper perspective, by-stepping the angst that most people feel surrounding their financial future. It is as though it’s their very nature to be prosperous, and during times of economic uncertainty they remain steady, giving little importance to the continual breaking news stories.  

As one who has admired and keenly observed these people, I am telling you now that you can be one of them. In this e-zine we will look at the habits, attitudes, and beliefs that they have in common.~

I went on in that first issue discussing what makes people happy, and a description of the Map of Money Consciousness theory I developed from my research, my meditation training and experience working with people and their money.

As the seasons rolled on, my topics grew more and more related to wellbeing, a much broader view, with financial health a component. Wellbeing is now my focus–in my life, as a teacher, writer, and human being. To me, having wellbeing is to have physical health, a rich spiritual life, a close group of family and friends, and financial health.

If you have financial health it gives you more confidence in your future. It includes competence in making your financial plans, good credit, adequate income, and discipline in saving some of it. It takes maturity and wisdom. This creates a feeling of comfort and a sense of freedom.

I’ve tried to express the point that money itself is inert, having absolutely no meaning but what you give to it. It takes on the personality of the observer; from apathetic, obsessive, judgmental, positive, helpful, and powerful to evil, yet it is none of these things. It’s totally dependent on the user.

I watched my father when I was a young child become excitingly successful financially, and then loose it all, for reasons that would fill more than the space I have here. Looking back now, it was a fascinating lesson for me. I saw how his happiness wasn’t dependent on either situation. It made me incredibly curious. When I grew up I wanted to try it myself, see what I could do, finish what he had intended. So, like a game, I wanted to play. And it was really an education about people. I learned:

  • You can do a great deal of good in the world with money
  • Most money is wasted, most people and entities are careless with it
  • Many people use it like an appendage to manipulate others
  • Many people secretly think it’s bad, so they turn away from ideas and opportunities that it could bring
  • A great majority of people could attain financial health if they took time to learn about it
  • Not having enough money can be a good excuse not helping, not contributing  
  • There is a great joy in assisting, giving, gifting, and being magnanimous
  • To become financially healthy, one needs to be able to delay gratification, and our whole culture entices us to do otherwise
  • People think buying unnecessary things they see advertised will bring happiness and then, when the newness fades like last year’s fashions, they seek the next thing
  • Being fiscally mindful, careful with resources, and watching those resources grow, is fulfilling, comforting, and contributes to a state of wellbeing
  • Extreme wealth, whether with an individual or an organization, brings extreme artificial power, as in some control over resources, and people, but it isn’t true power
  • True power is only through compassion and love, and when this is paired with financial resources true solutions arise
  • The highest solutions are always from the higher consciousness of the few on the leading edge. Those who devote their lives to evolving for the masses, and whether our money system hangs around or morphs into something else, it will match the consciousness of the times

PS. We still have some Pinkys left!!!! Check out the Pinkys who have found wonderful homes! The rest need you! Go to Pinky’s Page and scroll to the bottom of the page.

Editorial Review of my new children’s book!

CHANTICLEER FOR RELEASE & DISTRIBUTION Review of:

Pinky and the Magical Secret He Kept Inside

Author/Illustrator: Kasey J. Claytor

Rating: 5/5

 *Reviewer’s note:  I read the book to a little girl who, upon seeing the photo, exclaimed, “The real Pinky!”  Indeed, this extraordinary story is derived from the true story of when the author was a small child. When she fell ill, her grandmother brought her a furry pink, stuffed puppy, and a story was born.

Pinky, a stuffed toy puppy, made of pink corduroy, is given to a little girl, Francesca, after a brief visit to the hospital. She loves her stuffed friend, and the feeling is mutual. Pinky does all he can to show Francesca this after her other stuffed animals tell him of a secret award ceremony at which a prize will be given to the toy that is most loved by a child.

One night, while Francesca is asleep, Pinky and the other toys journey to the ceremony where he is elated to win the most coveted award. A medal is sewn inside his chest in the spot where humans carry their hearts. Francesca and Pinky grow old together, and one day she decides to clean and repair the stuffed dog, inside and out. In doing so, she discovers the secret medal that has been inside her stuffed friend for decades. The discovery prompts her to recall a dream she had as a little girl in which Pinky won a medal for loving her so much. The final scene is that of an elderly Francesca snuggling with her favorite childhood toy. How sweet, then, to turn the page and view a photo of the author with a stuffed pink dog.

Claytor’s prose is comprised of brief declarative sentences, appropriate for young children. The tale underscores the security and affection stuffed animals offer little ones, but also invites them to consider the reverse. Told from Pinky’s point of view, the stuffed dog learns that all toys “. . . are loved, but what is most important is your loving of humans.” He strives to show that affection by snuggling with Francesca, watching her as she dances around her room, and always being where she can see him.

The illustrations are beautiful, imbued with warmth and affection. Stuffed animals smile at the reader, the backgrounds of the pages splashed in dreamy, pastel shades of pink, aqua, and yellow. Pinky looks especially huggable and, if the author chose, would be an excellent model for a stuffed animal marketed with the book. Of course, it would have to have a secret compartment that would hold a tiny medal, one that could be held by a little hand after each reading of this delightful book.

 “A charming tale of the love one little girl has for her stuffed toy dog, and how that toy loves her back. High marks!” – Chanticleer Reviews

 

    

Oura Ring Review

 

 

I mentioned in the last newsletter that I had purchased an Oura ring. It is an interesting piece of equipment.

My only experience with a tracker before was a Spire that you clipped inside your belt and it quit working after several weeks. I’ve never gotten a tracker since, until now. So, I can’t really compare it to the Fitbit style wrist products. I first read about the Oura ring in an article written by a physician, Dr. Sara Gottfried, in the March-April issue of Spirituality and Health Magazine. She mentioned in an aside piece that she always wears this ring to track her readiness for the day and finds it a good indicator for how hard she can push herself or perhaps she needs to take it easy.

One measurement is the heart rate variability which is now the subject of great study because it seems to be a good gauge of health. It is the measure of variability between your sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system. The balance between the fight-flight-freeze response and your rest-digest-calm-down-and-heal response as Dr. Gottfried describes it.
It also tracks your resting heart rate during sleep, body temperature, activity, rest periods during the day, steps and what I find most intriguing, sleep stages.

The first hours of your sleep are of the utmost importance because your body/mind usually falls into deep sleep. During deep sleep there are no dreams, and your brain is busily cleaning itself of waste like beta-amyloids and nuerotoxins, flushing them out between the cells. There is growing evidence this is when the brain rids itself of that plague that is blamed for Alzheimer’s and dementia. It handles long-term memory function. It is thought that 1 to 2 hours of deep sleep is ideal. Interestingly, this occurs during Ayurveda’s Pitta cycle, 10:00 PM to 2:00 AM which is thought to be the time of metabolizing, transforming, and cleaning the mind and body.
Then there is the light sleep, which is also integral for health, accounts for half of our sleep time. During light sleep it is easy to wake up. This is the rest and recuperation we so need.

REM sleep or rapid eye movement sleep is when the brain is active but the body is paralyzed. Vivid dreams happen and heart rate and respiration increase. It normally happens toward morning, after your deep sleep period. Learning and problem solving, memory consolidation and good mental health benefits are noted during this stage. According to Ayurveda, this usually occurs during Vata period, 2 to 6 AM. If you awake during this time your mind may be very active and you may have a hard time falling back asleep.

As I wore this during the night, I found it very accurate in noting my readiness for the next day. Especially when I got a 24-hour bug. It noted my raised temperature, interrupted sleep and other signs that I was not in condition to go out and expend myself in any great way.

It notes if your timing is good, bedtime and wake time, and whether you experienced the beneficial stages during the night. When my deep sleep cycle was short, less than an hour or so, I recounted my habits the night before. Did I eat too late? Eat too heavy? Drink alcohol? Have screen time too late? All these things can affect the quality of your sleep. Deepak Chopra has told us that if you do want an alcoholic drink, have it early enough in the day so it’s out of your system by bedtime. So, have it by 4 or 5 PM at the latest.

For me, I learned a heavy meal was my biggest detrimental habit for less than a great night’s sleep. The next biggest issue for me was screen time past 8:30 or 9. That’s TV, iPad, etc. So, I turn them off and read, meditate, etc. It’s a nice, peaceful practice. And the next day my readiness is high! 80s or 90s. (Sometimes, even an exciting part in a book I’m reading gets my respiration and heartrate up and it takes quite a while for it to settle down upon going to bed, cutting my deep sleep shorter than it could have been.)
If you are intrigued by the topic of sleep stages you can follow this link to more detailed info.

The ring works flawlessly. It keeps track of activity during the day, low medium and intense exercise. It only needs to be charged once a week for an hour or so. If you want, you can set it on the charger for 5 minutes a day and that works also.

I have discontinued wearing it during the day though, because I know when I am active and when I need to move. Frankly, it keeps ‘red lining’ on the lack of intensity of my exercise. I follow the recommendations of my mind/body dosha and my age. My dosha is Pitta/Vata, but as we age Vata can rise more easily, and intense exercise can be a problem for me. My best form of exercise is more gentle yoga and walking. Pitta’s may add swimming and biking, and Kaphas can do the intense, endurance and weight lifting type of exercise.

Another minor problem is when I roll out of bed, clean up and sit to meditate, the ring erroneously thinks I’ve gone back to bed, with my yogic breathing skyrocketing my respiration numbers! I contacted them about this and they told me they are working on adding software that will be able to detect pranayama and meditation. Very cool.

The ring is priced fairly high, starts at $299 for the silver version, which is what I bought. I watched a YouTube review by The Body Weight Warrior. And he gives a code that gives you $50.00 off. It worked, and I paid $250.00. So, you can too. The code for the discount is warrior.

In reading the reviews the biggest problem noted was the time it takes for delivery. They manufacture the rings by size, so if you wear a size nine and they just completed making all nines, you have to wait until all the other sizes are manufactured before the nines come around again. I ordered the ring sizer and it came in about 5 days. Then I completed my ring order with size and it took 13 days. From Finland. Pretty timely I thought.

 

 

Panchakarma

 

A quick note to let you know I will be at a retreat this coming week. It is called Panchakarma; a week of care and treatments overseen by an Ayurvedic physician, to detoxify and balance you back to wellbeing. It’s for everyone, whether you are just desiring to maximize your health or dealing with serious health issues.

I will have daily treatments prescribed by the doctor that include massage, herbs, specialized diet, herbal teas, yoga, Yoga Nidra and meditation.

Since it is a detoxifying process it includes eliminating screen time. What we take in with our eyes, ears and emotionally can also be toxic, so this cleansing time is sans all that could be considered toxifying. (No news!)

By the way, I mentioned in the last newsletter, I received an Oura Ring to track my sleep patterns, heartbeat changes, and activity. I am working on a review for you.  So far, I’ve been very intrigued to see how what I do before bed, what I eat and how I move through the day affects important sleep stages. I am most interested in how these measurements change during and after the Panchakarma. I will make a full report to you on how the week affects my numbers. I think it will be fascinating; we will see. So, you most likely won’t see me on social media for a bit.

Here is a link to my Ayurvedic physician, Dr. Vijay Jain, and his center in Flagler Beach, Florida.

Have a wonderful week.

Namaste

Kasey

Hay House Radio Interview

Kasey’s interview about her novel, The Light of Grace, Journey’s of an Angel, is scheduled for the first airing on:
This Friday, March 29th at 1 PM PST, 4 PM EST 
on Hay House Radio. Here is a link to the show.

It’s free and you can listen to all of the live shows. Just click on this link and create an account:
http://www.hayhouseradio.com/#!/register

Make sure to put in your time zone so you don’t miss the show.
This episode will air live for a few weeks. After that, a replay will be available here on Kaseyclaytor.com

Pinky, And The Magical Secret He Kept Inside

     

Kasey Claytor has announced her next book, a children’s book, that she both wrote and illustrated. Trained in oil painting years ago, she decided to tackle illustrating the children’s stories herself. The first one to be released, date not yet announced, is entitled, Pinky, And the Magical Secret He Kept Inside. It is based on her own stuffed animal that she is lucky enough to still have, after all the moves and years. In this precious, little story we find Pinky, a small, pink, stuffed dog, wanting nothing more than to be the best loved of all the stuffed animals his sweet human, Francesca, has. In this endearing story Pinky learns just how important his love is. From Francesca’s dream to Pinky’s big award, this little book will steal your heart. Who’s is to say our sweet stuffed animals aren’t real beings? Who can say they aren’t infused with the same God force that enlivens us?

What’s New

Several things coming up:
 
Friday, March 29th Hay House Radio Show, Bright New Voices: The Balboa Press Hour. Kasey’s interview talking about the novel, The Light of Grace, is approximately 15 minutes, and we will send more details as the date approaches. A recording will be available later if you miss it.

 

Insight Timer now offers bedtime stories. This is the app Kasey has recommended for tracking meditations and finding a wide variety of guided meditations. Kasey has an Intro to Meditation there,  and now her, A Little Bedtime Story, What She Picked up on Her Path. Just search her name.

 

By popular demand Kasey is planning some Ayurvedic talks over the summer. Exact dates to be announced. One will be on a purely donation basis, Aging Gracefully with Ayurveda, a brief introduction to practices that will enliven your later years.

Have you heard of the Oura ring? A fascinating product out of Finland that tracks your sleep stages, (light, deep and REM) sleep quality, heart rate variability, resting heart rate, body temperature, respiratory rate, activity, naps, steps, inactivity alerts and more. Kasey just received and set hers up, and will be sharing her review in the coming weeks. She will also share a way you can get $50.00 off.

 

 

Happy Spring!

Spring is a time of year many of us feel energetic and more motivated to clean up, clear out and start anew. I was talking with a friend yesterday, and she was revamping her whole house. This entailed her going through all stored items and she found some memories, keepsakes and her personal, meaningful writings. This shifted her to think about possible new directions.
     I, too have caught the cleaning and clearing bug. In cleaning out an old file drawer, and throwing away most of the irrelevant paperwork, I gained a greater sense of clarity. I kept going with my cleaning and repairing things. I ended up finally re-stuffing my childhood stuffed animal, and that led to writing a children’s story. This story is from a memory I have of a vivid, captivating dream when I was an 8-year-old!
     Who knows what new direction Spring Clearing will send you? It doesn’t need to be limited to spiffing up your home. We can do the following things below, one or two at a time, and really invite more clarity and openness into our lives.
     We also have announcements, i.e a new book, review of a new health aid, and a Hay House Radio interview, which can be found in the next blog called  What’s New.
Peace, Love and Wellbeing,
sig with blank background
SPRING CLEARING
Ideas to help you get going
Financially:
1)      Gather your statements and see if you have small accounts that you’re not
paying attention to, or others that you may have concerns about. You can combine some of the small, ignored accounts. You can also have a review with your advisor to make sure your investments are properly allocated for your goals.
2)      Make sure you have current beneficiaries on all accounts that should have them.
3)      Listen to your self-talk when thinking about your financial life, and be aware of those thoughts that may be holding your prosperity back.
Physically:
1)      What foods can you eliminate from your diet that are causing toxic clutter within your system? Reducing sugar, animal products, snacks and junk food will give you not only better health, but clearer thinking and more energy.
2)      Eliminate late night eating and drink that will interrupt a good night’s sleep.
3)      Eliminate clutter in and around your home. Each room you enter should hold carefully chosen items that bring you joy when your eyes fall upon them.
Spiritually:
1)      What habits or routines may be blocking your spiritual awareness? Soft addictions, like social media or mindless TV may eat up time better spent in practices such as mindfulness, meditation, exercise, yoga, reading, or being engaged in groups dedicated to spiritual studies, etc.
2)      Look at ways to reduce the negative traffic in your mind. We can’t change what we aren’t aware of. Until we learn to observe our thoughts from a higher perspective, we have no control over them, thus can dictate our lives. The more we focus on the steps just stated, the more we do gain control over those self-defeating thoughts.
3)      Reduce or eliminate toxic media. A diet of violent shows, horrific news, even people you come into contact with that are discouraging or disparaging, causes a toxic emotional buildup that may affect your health and wellbeing. Excuse yourself, and proceed to other activities!
And have a Happy Spring!