As an empath and Master Reiki practitioner, I’m accustomed to trusting my intuition which is something we all feel as a visceral grip from within the gut.  Also, if something stays with us and resonates, curiosity to seek its deeper meaning can help facilitate answers and therefore provide inner peace.

Some time ago I saw this amazing sculpture from Burning Man on a Linkedin post. It stayed with me and inspired me to write this blog post.

We often learn from a very young age that our emotions are nothing more than a nuisance, best to be ignored and brushed under the carpet. Therefore most of us lack the understanding needed to address our feelings, especially those associated with traumatic life experiences. However, obtaining emotional intelligence is mission-critical to achieving optimal health and wellness within our lives. Herein lies the conundrum.

We should not feel late to the healing party though.  When we are ready, we will arrive.  The great news is that we can all heal from emotionally traumatic experiences at any time in our lives and even assist ourselves in doing so.  It is equally important to remember that as humans we all differ in our unique life experiences, upbringings, genetic predispositions, and ancestral patterning. Therefore emotional traumas will be perceived and affect each one of us differently.

There are many places to seek out help for our emotional traumas, such as traditional mental health practitioners as well as trauma counselors. We can also combine efforts with a more spiritual and holistic approach by choosing a reiki practitioner or shamanic healer. No matter what the approach, choosing a reputable practitioner that you feel comfortable with is most critical.  Also, the bulk of the work that takes place comes from within oneself.  In other words, be prepared to roll up your sleeves and dig deep.  There’s goodness in all of it though; like anything else worth attaining in life, the hard and honest work pays off.  So invest in tissues and a punching bag, but it will be worth it!

Some may ask, why is addressing this icky emotional stuff so important anyway?  Well, In order to stave off things like anxiety, PTSD, panic attacks, and even more serious illnesses and disorders down the line, we must learn to rid ourselves of old traumas. When we set the intention to do so we are practicing self-love.  This action of divine authentic love will naturally guide us to a place of inner peace where seeking brings us closer to our answers.  Consequently, when we love ourselves the Universe sits up and takes notice. This is where the shift to greater things can take place. Helping oneself can bring love, light, healing, and abundance, all with little to no effort.  It’s like when conscious corporations match their employees’ 401K contributions. So too does the Universe help those who help themselves.

There is a beautiful soul healing meditation at the end of this blog.  It is offered by the spiritually gifted and generous-hearted, Steve Nobel. Please have a listen as often as you need, especially if you’re experiencing a visceral feeling while reading this.  You will love yourself for it. I promise.

Could healing our inner child be the key to peace on our planet?  I personally believe the answer to be yes.

Incredibly talented artist, Alexander Milov created this stunning sculpture for Burning Man which he describes as: “..conflict between a man and a woman as well as the outer and inner expression of human nature. Their inner selves are executed in the form of transparent children, who are holding out their hands through the grating. As it’s getting dark (night falls) the children start to shine. This shining is a symbol of purity and sincerity that brings people together and gives a chance of making up when the dark time arrives.”

If we choose to be open-hearted enough to feel vulnerable – much like a young child – as adults we would have an easier journey to our authentic soul freedom. The concept of an open-heart sounds like an easy enough concept to master, however, if it were there wouldn’t be so much conflict in the world.

When life becomes too overwhelming to peacefully manage ourselves, the niceties and manners seem to go out the window don’t they? Most people are innately good, but the negative patterning can get in the way of our own happiness. These patterns can be created from early childhood into our young adult years and beyond.  However, our life’s challenges can serve to help us grow into stronger, better versions of ourselves if we mindfully set our course to do so.

Once we set the intention to heal our wounded inner child something amazing can happen. The pain that we had been holding and turning outward, re-hurting ourselves and others with, can finally stop. This is a critically important point to make. 

If we do not address our past negative experiences they will likely perpetuate more negative cycles, compounding dysfunction in our lives, and sometimes indefinitely.

It doesn’t have to be this way though. We can choose to go within ourselves to find the answers to healing. We can choose to get help and decide to live better.

This immensely powerful guided meditation by Steve Nobel can help us do just that.  When you’re ready, grab your device and earbuds, find a nice quiet and guaranteed safe space to relax, and heal for 40 minutes. This meditation helps us release toxic memories and experiences by neutralizing associated emotional charges such as anger, anxiety, guilt, and shame over past mistakes. This meditation will help guide the past to naturally find its own avenue of completion within you.

It is in these challenging times we can discover and give freedom to our souls. Hopefully, we can all begin to make better, morally sound choices, allowing the greater good to benefit.

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Since the COVID-19 pandemic hit us in March 2020 life as we know it has altered; dramatically for some. It has even become obvious that change to the existing structure of some businesses may be in order. For instance, I had to close down my pet spa twice since the pandemic hit. First by government order and second due to inadequate staffing. Transition is underway for many now and our compassionate pet care services are no exception.

My Personal Transition

My name is Erica Lucille Salvemini and I am the Founder and CEO of Just 4 Paws Pet Spa LLC., J4P Franchise LLC, and Just 4 Paws Academy. I attended the School of Hard Knocks starting from a very young age.

I am also a 48-year-old mom of two middle school-aged boys. Liam was adopted and Alexander was born of IVF. These are the absolute lights of my life.

I am a Master Reiki practitioner which came about through my desire to heal myself and remove the label of “unknown infertility” that the medical profession had assigned me. As a Master Reiki Practitioner and empath, I often work with people and animals in need. I feel it’s been my life’s calling to offer this gentle, non-invasive care. I am also mom to 3 furry kids; Dalai the 6-year-old border collie, Sherbert, the 17-year-old, talking, orange and white cat, and our newest addition, 3-month-old Dipper the orange fuzzy tabby.

In 2004, this former marketing gal decided to follow her bliss.  That’s when I decided to go to the, then prestigious, Nash Academy to learn professional pet grooming. I soon created the Just 4 Paws Mobile Pet Spa. In 2008, I opened the brick and mortar version to be close to home with my baby boys.

Over the last 16 years I mindfully transformed my pet salon into a safe-haven of comfort and beauty for all small furry pets. We’ve intentionally specialized in compassionate pet care services for all, with a strong emphasis on individualized care especially for those pets with special needs.

In March 2016, I was ready to go to market with the newly signed FDD documents for the J4P Franchise LLC business model. This seemingly fortuitous event coincided with great, unexpected family turbulence which shifted the next 4 years of my life’s focus.

Transition in Business

I offer this very personal information as I’m often asked, “so, what happened to the Just 4 Paws Pet Spa Franchise?” My most authentic response is that my children needed me and so I placed my life’s work on the shelf.

As you can see, I am no stranger to change or transition. Over the past many years, I’ve learned that choosing to ride a crushing wave of unknown life circumstances instead of bailing due to personal resistance, often brings great opportunity in its wake.

Its June 2020 and our compassionate pet care franchise model still exists as a wonderful business opportunity for the right animal advocates who are deeply interested and invested in improving the lives of animals. The business model is simple as it is founded on a genuine need for improved pet care services in the world today. I created this franchise model with the intent and sole/soul purpose of inserting moral responsibility into the still unaccountable Pet Care Industry.

The Just 4 Paws Academy has been my latest venture.  In 2018 I began the Academy due to the overwhelming numbers of people asking, “Can you train me?!” I realized the industry was only going to get gentle pet groomers if it intentionally started training them to become so. That’s when I began sharing my wealth of compassionate pet care knowledge with those impassioned animal-loving souls ready to do this great and noble work!  When we work with our pet and human clients, staff, and students we do it with integrity and authentic love daily. We do this within a kind, gentle, and loving environment. This will continue for as long as the need exists.

If you’re interested in learning more about these areas of expertise, please write via our website, LinkedIn or Facebook:

• Expert pet care service industry knowledge
• Reiki energy healing
• Becoming a professional pet care worker
• Training your existing pet care workforce
• Becoming a compassionate pet care franchisee

I’m certain many of you may be wondering what the future has in store for Just 4 Paws or when we may be re-opening our doors.  The most honest answer I have for you is that I’m not sure what the new tomorrow will hold in store for us or how the “new normal” landscape will present itself after transitioning.

Until this new world order finishes its roll-out, let’s just say we’ll stay in touch.  I’ll continue posting, blogging, teaching, creating/participating in pet care events, and grooming when/where I can.

Please stay tuned-in and connected. We can wait, watch, and hopefully participate together as the greatness of our new world unfolds before us.

In love and light always,

E.L. Salvemini

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I am a vegetarian and I’m working towards a full vegan diet. When I do prepare animal proteins for my family I choose only the “humanely farmed” ones.

Why Humanely Sourced

It has been proven that fear, pain, and suffering causes energetic harm in animals. When we consume this meat that is infested with energetic suffering, this energy then invades our human bodies.

If you’ll remember back to middle school science class we learned about the Scientific Laws of Energy (Remember, we are all made up of energy; humans and animals alike!)

Even though energy can change form, it must still follow one fundamental law – Energy cannot be created or destroyed, it can only be changed from one form to another.

Law of Conservation of Energy

This law is known as the Law of Conservation of Energy. In other words, the entire energy of the universe is conserved. The energy never leaves us it only changes form.

In a lot of ways, energy is like money. You can exchange quarters for dollar bills and dollar bills for quarters, but no matter how often you convert between the two, you will not end up with any more or any less money than what you started with.

To avoid this energetic transfer, I always cleanse the meat I eat/serve with Reiki/ healing energy. You may also say a prayer over your food. This energy cleanse can be done in many ways. Find what feels right to you. What matters most is that you set an intention that you are positively transmuting the energy of the food you are about to eat and serve to your loved ones.

Steps Toward Change

In this new Covid-19 environment we are living in, we have been given the unique opportunity to start new, healthier routines in all of our lives.

With so much change occurring around us every day it’s important to remember the impact we can make with our everyday decisions.

By making the small choice to not only purchase humanely farmed food but also energetically cleanse it you can make positive changes in your body and the world around you.

The post Why Choosing Humanely Sourced Food Can Benefit Your Overall Mind, Body and Spirit appeared first on Just 4 Paws Pet Spa.

Once our energy is in a state of high vibration we can effect positive change for ourselves and our loved ones, including our pets. This exchange or transference of energies happens organically as we communicate with our animal friends.  Please keep in mind, if we are in a negative place physically, emotionally, or mentally, so too will be our energy. We can pass along our positive as well as negative energies to our animal friends which is why it’s so critical to be mindful of keeping our thoughts and energies high.

If we become self-aware of our energies we can choose to improve upon them.  In this simple act of mindfulness, infused with a loving intention, a most selfless act can occur. This is why self-care and self-love are so critical; when we’re happy we can pass that happiness on to others.

I hope you enjoy the read and can utilize these methods for calming yourself and your animal friends.

1. Just Breathe. We can all attain a place of peace quickly with some simple breathing techniques. Get into a comfortable seated position with your feet planted firmly on the floor.  Place your palms face-up on your lap. Take 5-10 slow, deep breaths, in through your nose and out through your mouth.  Breathe in for a count of 6, hold to a count of 4, breathe out to a count of 8. Focus your attention solely on your breathing. This will make it difficult for your active mind to wander; wander it will, and that’s ok.  If this happens just gently bring your wandering mind back to center and focus once more on your breathing.  By breath 10 you are guaranteed to feel calmer and more relaxed in your body and ready to focus on your tasks at hand.
2. Speak Softly. If we use a soft, gentle, lower calming octave to speak in, our animal friends will know we’re in a calm place, allowing them to feel safe, thereby making it easier for them to relax as well.
3. A gentle touch. Anyone who has ever had a beloved animal companion will tell you that kind, gentle, loving strokes are the fastest route to their heart.  The best part is trying to locate their favorite spots and treating them to endless pettings, scrubbing, and scratchies sessions!
4. Essential Oil. There are much healing and calming benefits to be enjoyed through the use of essential oils.  A nice one to enjoy with your furry companion pet is lavender (Safe for dogs. Not safe for Cats). Just a few drops in a diffuser can instantly transport you both to an emotionally uplifting place of existence. How’s that for fast, healthy, and effective?  To learn more about which essential oils are beneficial for our pets vs. harmful,visit:https://www.natural-dog-health-remedies.com/essential-oils-for-dogs.html.
5. Plant Medicine.  The use of plant medicine has been around as long as shamanism has. The use of CBD (the non-psychotropic part of the cannabis plant) has become increasingly popular as of late due to its array of anti-anxiety, anti-inflammatory, and myriad healing properties to boast.  In this article, reviewed and updated for accuracy by Dr. Matthew Everett Miller, DVM, CBD Oil for Dogs: Everything you need to know, the author writes, Unlike some traditional pain medicine for dogs, medical cannabis has no life-threatening side effects with proper dosage, Shu points out. “It doesn’t damage the kidney, liver, or GI tract. The dogs aren’t high or sedated.  Dr. Tim Shu, is the founder and CEO of a pet cannabis company in California called VETCBD. Article cited from Petmed.com. To learn more about the benefits of CBD oil for you and your pet, visit: https://www.petmd.com/dog/general-health/cannabis-oil-dogs-everything-you-need-know.
6. The healing power of water.  A nice soothing warm water massage bath never hurts anyone and our animal friends are no different. You will find that a soothing warm water massage bath can achieve great results for your pet.  Think about how therapeutic a good soak can feel for you. At the proper pet spa, our beloved friends can enjoy healing and relaxation as they’ve never known.  Pet Spa services should be offered with love in a soothing and healing environment.
7. Listen to music. We often enjoy listening to and sometimes playing music for ourselves and others because it feels good. Our animal friends also love soothing music because they innately know that sound frequencies heal. To learn more about this type of therapy go to https://www.gaia.com/article/healing-with-sound-frequency-and-vibration.
8. Energy healing. Reiki is a gentle yet non-invasive therapy, beneficial for humans and animals alike. One Reiki treatment can quickly and effectively enhance our physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being. This therapy removes heavy energetic blocks from within our bodies, thereby alleviating pain and distress. Energy is also a language we can share with our beloved animal friends, making Reiki a wonderful way to communicate with them. Energy work is not meant to take the place of Western medicine, but rather enhance its greater potential. For more information on how Reiki can help you and your beloved furry friend, visit: https://iarp.org/reiki-for-pets/.
9. Doga!  And if you think it’s just a fad, think again.  Imagine, there is a reason and a place you can take a yoga class with your dog today!  I’ve practiced Yoga for nearly 2 decades and take my practice seriously enough to do it daily. I also see the value in practicing with my dog as well.   It feels great to share this bonding and healing experience with our favorite furry friends, especially when we see how much they enjoy it too!
10. Create a space for Grace. When your environment is peaceful, loving, and zen, so too is your spirit. It is the same for our beloved animal friends. All of these techniques when used properly will lend to creating a space for grace for both you and your best friend.

I hope this list helps you and your pet friend enjoy a calmer, more peaceful existence together. Remember, bliss is a state of mind that can be attained by anyone.  It’s important to set daily loving intentions to be at peace within ourselves, along with a disciplined focus towards mindfulness. This is the pathway of the enlightened soul which leads us to our bliss.

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