Tea Women and The "Way"
Article by Carolyn Jayne

Carolyn Jayne, MA is a Holistic counselor/Teacher and Reiki practitioner Specializing in Expressive Arts Therapy. Carolyn shares her healing journey with many diverse audiences to inspire others towards more soulful living.

Healing: to make sound or whole: to restore to health

Such frantic times we live in. Moneymaking, accomplishing, parenting, partnering, and even the frantic quest for inner peace dictates the moments of our day. Ironically, however "balance" and "wellness" are most often often found in the deliberate stillness created by calming remedies for the body and mind.  We, as today's women, hear we need time - time to contemplate,time to meditate, time to rejuvenate, time to create. So how exactly does a women begin to (and stay inspired to) honor herself and create space in these busy times for her inherent wholeness to shine through? And why is it so essential to herself and to those whom she loves that she do so?

As a Holistic counselor/teacher who specializes in Expressive Arts, I have witnessed the power of mind-body connection. When we investigate our feelings, yearnings, anxieties and illnesses and express them as shapes, colors, pictures via painting, coloring,drawing, sculpting and collaging our bodies, minds and spirits literally begin to heal. In Barbara Ganim's text, Art and Healing she states, "The relatively new field of psychoneuroimmunology had proved what many psychotherapists and doctors had long suspected - that negative thoughts and painful, fear-based emotions cause physiological stress that results ultimately in illness and disease." By addressing our stresses through body-mind activities such as visual journalizing and collaging we engage in the process of our own well being and it works! The actual technique we choose to calm and rejuvenate ourselves is not nearly as crucial as the choosing and doing. Creative visualization,meditations, yoga, Reiki and energy work, are just a few examples of body-mind techniques that will bring healing into our lives.

How to Begin. Start small. Gift yourself with 15-30 minutes a day to light a candle, close your eyes and relax. Buy some crayons and watercolors. When you're ready just begin to doodle in a blank journal. Don't think. Don't plan. Just doodle. You may be surprised with what you create.

This is Carolyn's first peace for Tea Time World Wide's September 2000 launch. She has committed to writing a quarterly peace, which we hope, becomes monthly and possibly weekly. Please e-mail us at with your comments so that we may better serve you.

Editors Notes:
As a working mom with small children I managed juggling numerous responsibilities for some time, taking little time for myself. Even though I felt stressed I continued the lifestyle and kept up the pace for many years. One day my life changed, I was diagnosed with a life threatening illness and was forced to stop and re-evaluate my priorities. I began accepting help from family and friends "took time" to heal and recover. I took time out for yoga classes, reading and writing in a journal. I wrote letters and contacted old friends and relatives whose presence was painfully missed in my life. The final step was committing to honoring myself and taking the time needed to remain well and live my dreams. Tea Time World Wide is one of them.