Keeping Your Spirits Up by Gail Donnan

Over the last few challenging weeks during the Coronavirus lockdown I have noticed the phrase ‘keep your spirits up’ being used a lot and it really intrigued me as to what it means. ‘Keep your spirits up’ is an idiom which means it is a phrase or expression whose meaning cannot be understood from the ordinary meaning of the words in it, so I was right to be intrigued. Like many of you, I have been anxious about the virus, for me because my teenage daughter receives oral and intravenous immune suppressants for Crohns’ Disease and my dad is having treatment for his bone cancer. They have both have had ‘the letter’ but still must venture out for their medical care and ongoing treatments.

So why did this phrase ‘keep your spirits up’ fascinate me so much?

There are many definitions of ‘spirit’- it can be a particular way of thinking or feeling, a behaviour, morale mood or attitude in individuals, groups or a period of time, a belief, an ethos and aspiration. It can encourage optimism, confidence and courage while being a motivating force. That is a whole lot of “stuff” to keep up and over the last few weeks my spirit has been all over the place - high, low, lifted, dashed, tired and I have to remind myself that all of this is perfectly okay. Spirit is also known as the vital principle or animating force within all living things, so here is where the penny drops. As a wellness practitioner, practicing energy work, I realise why the phrase interested me so much. In previous blogs, I have written about energy medicine and would like to touch on it again. Recognising that energy is a vital, moving force that stimulates the body’s own ability to heal itself, energy medicine promotes health, balance and relaxation. In 1992 Bruce Tainio of Tanio Technology discovered that the average frequency of the human body resonates frequency between 62-72 MHz when healthy and there are many things that we can do to keep our energy, vibrations and spirits up.

• Light a candle • Sit outside in the fresh air • Diffuse aromatherapy oils such as Lavender (118MHz), Chamomile (105MHz) and Peppermint (78MHz) • Practise gratitude and kindness • Eat more raw, organic and unprocessed food • Eat fresh and dried herbs • Take a salt bath • Meditate • Keep hydrated • Get plenty of sleep • Do an online yoga, Qi Gong or Tai Chi classes • Practise positive thought • Keep a journal • Wear a clear quartz crystal wand pendant - crystals possess a special quality (piezoelectric effect) so on entering your energy field they can change the vibration slightly aiding healing • Carry a clear quartz crystal or amethyst on your person • Connect with a friend or family member • Avoid watching too much of the news • Limit your time on social media • Unfollow people whose posts unsettle you at this time • Take up some mindful crafting or colouring

So in the general scheme of things I now realise I am doing okay ‘keeping my spirits up’ because I partake in most or all of the above on most days and if I don’t manage them all, I go easy on myself. I’m truly grateful for my intrigue as it sparked me to share. Gail x www.gaildonnan.com