SWIHA Blog

It is easy to feel self-doubt when you are an aspiring entrepreneur. Imposter syndrome starts to creep into your mind and you begin to feel like you aren’t up to the challenge that a once “eager you” was so excited about. You may even feel the need to protect yourself, stay where you are comfortable, and not really put yourself or your business out there. When this happens, you start holding yourself back from your most true and highest potential. What can you do now? There are many ways to push yourself forward even when it feels uncomfortable! Learn how to ditch your self-doubts with the power of mantras.

Read More

Topics: Southwest Institute of Healing Arts, holistic entrepreneur, SWIHA, Meditation, Arizona, mantra, Tempe, Om, mantras, Holistic Education, Perspective, mantra meditation, Leap of Faith

As a self-described spirit-guided healer, Becca Briley is a woman led by her intuition. From the very beginning, Becca knew that her life’s purpose—her soul’s purpose—is to honor the sacred in others through selfless service to them. “I’m always naturally guided to that soulful place,” Becca shares. “Really supporting someone’s highest self, allowing them to show up in the most vulnerable and authentic way… To me, that’s just communicating soul to soul.” In fact, as a little girl, Becca would resolutely tell those around her, “I’m not here for me,” a both poignant and profound observation from a child so young.

Now as a graduate of SWIHA’s 100-hour Certificate of Excellence in Life Coaching, Becca is able to “be here” for others through her life coaching practice, appropriately called the “Spirit Guided Healer.” She has grown into this practice with the conviction that “by supporting others’ evolution, I am supporting my own for the highest and greatest good.” She finds that the questions her clients most frequently bring to her are ultimately ones of evolution: How do I control my thoughts? How do I stay positive? How do I get out of my bad habits? How do I look on the bright side? When working with people who are striving to make these improvements, she is sure to encourage them to see it as a process. “It’s a mindful practice,” Becca says. “It’s not a switch that you turn on and it stays on. Living in that higher space is a matter of repetition.”

Read More

Topics: Life Coaching, Transformation, mantra, soul coaching, Hinduism, Buddhism, New Year, mantras, Positive Thinking

Having recently completed a two and a half week assignment of being granny-nanny to my three youngest granddaughters (ages 10, 8 and 3 years old) while my daughter in-laws served in Africa, the words to the LEGOLAND theme song “Everything Is Awesome” will be forever etched in my brain. Nominated for Best Original Song at the 87th Academy Awards, the LEGO Movie song is infectious with its catchy rhythm; it’s difficult to not start shaking from side to side as if your body has turned into a little block-like-structure, bouncing around uncontrollably, when the words flow through your mind:

Everything is awesome, everything is cool when you’re part of a team!

Everything is awesome when you're living out a dream!

Was I living out a dream while spending 16 non-stop, action-packed, emotion-filled days dedicated to childcare… days which could easily be likened to one of the roller coasters at LEGOLAND, where we spent part of a week? Certainly… if this adventure was designed to assess and define the progression of my mindfulness practice!

How did I not lose my mind? By consciously and mindfully choosing to use as my sanity mantra the words, “Everything Is Awesome!”

Read More

Topics: Life Coaching, Mindfulness, Yoga Teacher Training, Stress Management, Emotional Release, PTSD, Mindful, mantra, non-judgment, Anger Management, Non-resistance, granny-nanny, childcare, grandparent, parenting, Mindfulness Training

Alexis Holland grew up in sunny, humid Florida and has spent years bouncing around the country with her husky, Kiya, gaining integral life experience and wisdom. Sometimes she barters musical entertainment for a place to sleep, like the time she stayed in a Vedic Temple in Sedona, AZ in exchange for playing Kirtan (a Sanskrit word for a musical form a narration). They love  to set up camp, especially in the mountains, with as little as a tapestry, her blanket, food, and instruments. In the midst of her nomadic lifestyle, her love of music from various cultures began to grow, as well. She found herself attending lots of drum and music festivals, from a Sufi ceremony called a Zikr (sacred ceremony of divine rememberance), to Rainbow Gatherings, a drum and dance festival called Paralounge (northern FL), and a handpan retreat called Hangout USA (Asheville, NC). Along the way she learned to play an array of instruments, trombone being the first in grade school. Since then her collection has grown; she plays the handpan, crystal singing bowls, tuning forks, guitar, cajon, drums, and digeridoo. She reflected, “Music was all around me, in many different forms… wherever I went, there it was…and there I was, fully immersed.”

Read More

Topics: Life Coaching, holistic, Polarity, cranial unwinding, yoga, healing, Alternative Medicine, Meditation, organic, health, chanting, sacred sound, crystal bowls, music, drums, culture, festival, bluegrass, guitar, mantra