The Release Tools work with your reaction to traumatic life events- that often overwhelming flood of disruptive emotion.  The Tools allow you to appropriately release or move through this energy whether it’s in the moment or stored up inside you from the past.

Shame Shame is believing you are less than... ...less than some standard, according to some judgment made by family, peers, a teacher, an employer, society.  Whoever. The point is that someone or something outside of yourself made you feel ashamed, not good enough, inferior, a failure.  Whatever.  I would suggest that most of us were made to feel this way at some point during childhood or adolescence.  If not properly dealt with at the time, the emotion persists and pervades no matter how deeply buried.  The shame meditation takes you to a beautiful copse in the woods. There, with intent and the assistance of a true friend, you work together to rid your being of the sludge of shame, symbolically returning it to its rightful owner.  When you are done, you leave the copse feeling lighter and more at peace, happier with who you are. These positive feelings are brought back with you into daily life. There are beautiful woodlands in the Sedona area especially around water.  Oak Creek Canyon, for instance.  Sterling Canyon was another.  Unfortunately, it burned during the Brins Fire of 2006.  But I can still visit whenever I wish- through the power of my creative visualization! FEAR Fear is believing you can't do it. First, let’s be very clear about the type of fear with which this Tool works.  It's not the fear that keeps you out of harm’s way or physically safe.  Rather, it releases the fear that comes from the past- from past embarrassment, punishment or sense of failure.  Fear that is rooted in the past but now inhibits personal growth and enrichment. This visualization takes you to a valley where with intent and symbolic action you release the fear that is holding you back in life.  There is a built in “safety net” so if you become overwhelmed, you can instantly extricate yourself and try again.  At the end, you climb out of the valley with renewed confidence and assurance which comes with you, of course, when you return to "reality." This photo is from the top of Sugarloaf.  Across the valley, Thumb Butte- a frequent destination and site of great inspiration! Rage Rage is believing others can do it. This is not about comparing yourself to others.  This is about your expectations- expecting others to listen to you, to behave as you wish, to fulfill your needs.  And even expecting life to go as you think it should or as you planned it to.  Unfortunately, children quite innocently expect such things from others and from life so unexpressed anger compounded by the pain of disillusion can begin festering into rage very early on. It can be difficult to both accept and access inner rage especially for someone  outwardly kind and gentle (like myself, for example!)  But this can actually be a coping mechanism.  The danger is allowing it to progress to depression (like I did!) Commonly defined as rage turned inward.  Trust the power of your intent, your creative visualization and the Tools.  And keep working through it without judgment...towards authentic inner kindness and gentleness. Release takes place in an “insulated” environment- an extraordinary cave- where you can safely express your rage and the energy is safely diffused.  And if you doubt the power of such a place, take a close look at the photo! Guilt Guilt is believing your behavior was less than... ...less than acceptable, less than expected, less than perfect.  Sometime, somewhere your behavior was less than and you now struggle with guilt about this past behavior.  But that is the key- past behavior.  It is over and done with and this Tool can help you free yourself from any guilt so that you can move forward more freely in life.  On the flip side, perhaps there is or was someone in your life whose behavior towards you was less than.  The situation may never be resolved in reality but with this Tool, you can energetically resolve it within yourself- releasing that burden- for the benefit of your emotional growth and well-being.  The intent is the same- freedom to move more freely along your path. You visit a special island where with intent and certain assistance including that from your own creative visualization, forgiveness flows freely and unconditionally.  No, the island is not very Sedona-like but the ebb and flow of the gentle waves evoke the giving and receiving of forgiveness.  At least in my visualization!  You are, of course, free to adapt it any way you wish. Email: kim@thesedonatools.com