Land of Oz Workshops Blog: The Journey to the Wizard of Oz

Land of Oz Workshops Blog: The Journey to the Wizard of Oz: "Obstacles are a part of all fables, fairytales, and dreams. A life without obstacles would be quite boring. They test our resolve. Obstac..."

The Journey to the Wizard of Oz

Obstacles are a part of all fables, fairytales, and dreams. A life without obstacles would be quite boring. They test our resolve. Obstacles help us bring the power of the imagination into play. Without obstacles we cannot tap into the best of who we are. Some obstacles, like the Lion’s cowardice, are self inflicted. Some challenge us, like the Wicked Witch, to face our fears. Challenges force us to use our heads wisely, to open our hearts, to free our imaginations, and to let our inner courage come forth to ‘test the waters’ of change.

Land of Oz Workshops Blog: Land of Oz Workshops Blog: The Journey to the Wiza...

Land of Oz Workshops Blog: Land of Oz Workshops Blog: The Journey to the Wiza...: "Land of Oz Workshops Blog: The Journey to the Wizard of Oz: 'Obstacles are a part of all stories, fairytales, and films. A life without obst..."

Land of Oz Workshops Blog: The Journey to the Wizard of Oz

Land of Oz Workshops Blog: The Journey to the Wizard of Oz: "Obstacles are a part of all stories, fairytales, and films. A life without obstacles would be quite boring. They test our resolve. Obstac..."

Land of Oz Workshops Blog: If Only I Had a Brain, Part 2

Land of Oz Workshops Blog: If Only I Had a Brain, Part 2: "Like the Scarecrow, when we have an inner intention or desire and someone comes along like Dorothy that highlights or mirrors that desire or..."

If Only I Had a Brain, Part 2

Like the Scarecrow, when we have an inner intention or desire and someone comes along like Dorothy that highlights or mirrors that desire or want, it is called synchronicity. Synchronicities can be viewed as miracles.  We cannot logically explain how or why miracles occur but we can say that they happen because of divine intervention, destiny, because we really pay attention, or our desire for help or change is so strong that we attract them. Life brings us extraordinary experiences and gifts that defy our ability to fully understand how or why it all works. One of these gifts is our brain. 

Your brain has 100 billion nerve cells (the same number of stars in our galaxy), 1,000 trillion connections, and 400 miles of blood vessels. Laughter requires the activity of 5 different areas of the brain. And despite what you have read, you use all of our brain not just 10%. Every new thought & new idea results in new brain connections and increased connectivity between neurons. No wonder the Scarecrow wanted a brain!

An excerpt from, Returning to the Land of Oz: Finding Hope, Love, and Courage on Your Yellow Brick Road by John Tamiazzo, PhD available at Amazon.com, Amazon.ca, and Barnesandnoble.com

Land of Oz Workshops Blog: If Only I Had a Heart, Part 2

Land of Oz Workshops Blog: If Only I Had a Heart, Part 2: "Hurtful experiences take time to heal. When we are emotionally reeling from a painful loss, the best thing for us to do is to ‘just be..."

If Only I Had a Heart, Part 2

Hurtful experiences take time to heal.  When we are emotionally reeling from a painful loss, the best thing for us to do is to ‘just be’ with the loss. Many of us attempt to run away from the feelings, to put them aside, to get busy, and a number of other things to avoid the depth of feelings we are experiencing. Elizabeth Kubler Ross, M.D., a specialist in the area of death and dying, taught us that grief is a process and this process takes time. Therefore, when we experience a loss we need to give ourselves time to grieve.

Sometimes we get ahead of ourselves and think we need to forgive and let go. Like grief, forgiveness and letting go take time and we must respect our individual differences and time frames for the healing process to naturally run its course. Some of us heal quickly and some of us require years of reflection and inner work before we are able or willing to let go and move on. No matter how long our healing takes, forgiveness is the last step. Without forgiveness we will not be able to open our hearts again. As we forgive ourselves and others, we open the way to inner peace.

An excerpt from Returning to the Land of Oz; Finding Hope, Love, and Courage on Your Yellow Brick Road by John Tamiazzo, PhD available at Amazon.com, Amazon,ca, and Barnesandnoble.com

Land of Oz Workshops Blog: If Only I Had Courage

Land of Oz Workshops Blog: If Only I Had Courage: "The Cowardly Lion wanted the Wizard of Oz to give him courage. The fact is, courage is a marvelous quality to possess. It takes courage to a..."

If Only I Had Courage

The Cowardly Lion wanted the Wizard of Oz to give him courage. The fact is, courage is a marvelous quality to possess. It takes courage to act even when we are uncertain of the outcome, courage to change, and courage to speak up for what we believe in. It takes courage to stay confident in difficult times and circumstances and to remain true to who we are and to what we want to become. It takes courage to face our hurtful feelings and courage to open our hearts again and to love and be loved.

An excerpt from, Returning to the Land of Oz by John Tamiazzo which is available at Amazon.com, Amazon.ca, and Barnesandnoble.com

Land of Oz Workshops Blog: Lessons from the Yellow Brick Road

Land of Oz Workshops Blog: Lessons from the Yellow Brick Road: "One of the key lessons that is presented in The Wizard of Oz is to be open to receiving. People can offer their help but unless we receive w..."

Lessons from the Yellow Brick Road

One of the key lessons that is presented in The Wizard of Oz is to be open to receiving. People can offer their help but unless we receive what they are offering, unless we accept the care and support extended, it will not change the course of our lives. Another key lesson is that we are not alone. The Scarecrow, the Tin Woodman, and the Lion accepted the help offered to them by Dorothy and she accepted their help. This is why their journey to Oz was successful. We must always remember that there are people all around us who can help us get to where we want to go. There are people who can help us fulfill our dreams. We just need to pay attention, watch out for opportunities, be open to receiving, and accept their assistance when it is offered.

An excerpt from, Returning to the Land of Oz by John Tamiazzo. It is available at Amazon.com. Amazon.ca, and Barnesandnoble.com

Land of Oz Workshops Blog: If Only I Had a Brain

Land of Oz Workshops Blog: If Only I Had a Brain: "Once Dorothy removes the Scarecrow from the pole and he becomes unstuck, he knows he is in the presence someone who really cares. He know..."

If Only I Had a Brain

Once Dorothy removes the Scarecrow from the pole and he becomes unstuck, he knows he is in the presence someone who really cares. He knows he has met someone who can help him get his wish to get a brain. His trust in her is immediate and he joins her on her journey to see the Wizard of Oz.

We all need these kinds of relationships in life. We need good people to influence us and creative thinkers to open the way to the realm of possibilities. We need people who know where they are going to help us find our way. We need to spend time with inspirational people so we too can be inspired. We need to spend time with caring people so we can learn how to self nurture and learn how to give. We need to spend time with people who make us laugh so we can develop a sense of humor. We need to spend time with people who open doors to life and awaken our optimism. We need to spend time with people who have brains and who use their minds in imaginative ways.

An excerpt from, Returning to the Land of Oz by Author John Tamiazzo, PhD, available at Amazon.com, Amazon.ca, and barnesandnoble.com

Land of Oz Workshops Blog: Remembering Mother Teresa

Land of Oz Workshops Blog: Remembering Mother Teresa: "To help another in need is one of the most gratifying experiences in life. If we pay attention we will find people all around us who need a ..."

Remembering Mother Teresa

To help another in need is one of the most gratifying experiences in life. If we pay attention we will find people all around us who need a helping hand. Mother Teresa made extending her hand and helping the poorest of the poor her life's work. Thousands of women and men were so inspired by her message and her actions that they joined her on her journey.

Having good intentions is important but it is through action that things manifest. This action is twofold: it is the integrity of the mind harmoniously joined with the wisdom of the body. Mother Teresa had a marvelous mind and was a compelling speaker, but it was her caring actions and the power of love that flowed through her that inspired and drew thousands to her ministry.

One of the key lessons L. Frank Baum taught us in the Wizard of Oz is to be open to receiving from others. People can offer their help but unless we take it in, unless we accept the support and care extended, it will not change the course of our lives.

This is an excerpt from, Returning to the Land of Oz by John Tamiazzo, PhD. It is available at Amazon.com, Amazon.ca, and barnesandnoble.com

Land of Oz Workshops Blog: If Only I Had a Heart

Land of Oz Workshops Blog: If Only I Had a Heart: "L. Frank Baum, author of the Wizard of Oz wrote, 'The greatest loss I had known was the loss of my heart. While I was in love I was the happ..."

If Only I Had a Heart

L. Frank Baum, author of the Wizard of Oz wrote, "The greatest loss I had known was the loss of my heart. While I was in love I was the happiest man on earth; but no one can love who has not a heart, and so I am resolved to ask the Wizard of Oz to give me one."

The Tin Woodman is right.  To love another is one of the greatest experiences in life and to be loved in return with equal passion is a miracle to be cherished. Love is essential to life. Love is life. Love shines as the subject of poets, the music of composers, and the lyrics of song writers. Once we are touched by the magic of love we are never quite the same. Once we taste the nectar of love we are not satisfied with anything less. Love transforms ordinary life into an extraordinary experience.

An excerpt from, Returning to the Land of Oz by John Tamiazzo. Available at Amazon.com, Amazon.ca, and Barnesandnoble.com

Land of Oz Workshops Blog: THE WORLDS RICHEST MAN

Land of Oz Workshops Blog: THE WORLDS RICHEST MAN: "The news was filled with excitement yesterday as the world’s richest man was announced. His name is Carlos Slim Helu from Mexico. Coming..."

THE WORLDS RICHEST MAN

The news was filled with excitement yesterday as the world’s richest man was announced. His name is Carlos Slim Helu from Mexico. Coming in a close second was American Bill Gates with an estimated worth of 53 billion dollars.

When I saw the headline, I thought who cares who the richest person in the world is? I think we should be more concerned with who the poorest person in the world is and what country that person hails from. Bill Gates is the richest American but who is the poorest American? What city does that person live in? What street does he sleep on? What does he look like? What happened to him that led him down the road of poverty? What can we do to help ease his pain?

As the world celebrates its 1200 billionaires in Russia, America, Mexico and other countries, let’s take a moment of silence to remember the poor, the hungry, the sick, the lonely…the millions of people who spend their day trying to find a place on the street to sleep for the night.

Land of Oz Workshops Blog: The power of the mind and imagination to effect ch...

Land of Oz Workshops Blog: The power of the mind and imagination to effect ch...: "I was reading an article the other day on a medical website about the top approaches to pain management. Among those listed was hypnosis. Th..."

The power of the mind and imagination to effect change

I was reading an article the other day on a medical website about the top approaches to pain management. Among those listed was hypnosis. The writer went on to say that even though it oftentimes successfully works, how it works is not understood.

I have specialized in hypnosis for over 20 years and I can tell you from experience not only that it works but how it works for managing pain.

Hypnosis assists a person in moving their attention away from the pain to another place in time. Most people that I see that have pain are needlessly focusing on the pain. I teach them to bring their focus and attention someplace else: a relaxing place in nature, a past memory of something pleasant, a future image of doing something that brings joy or success, a future image of being without the pain and enjoying life.  When I suggest that a client think about a positive image, once their unconscious brings forth an image, I suggest that the person bring all their senses into the experience: visual, auditory, kinesthetic, olfactory and gustatory. Bringing all the senses into the picture expands and deepens the good feelings associated with it. As a person does this, he is altering his brain chemistry with hormones and neurotransmitters that stimulate, support, and bring about good feelings. Once these chemicals enter the bloodstream, the entire body positively responds. This response set brings about feelings of harmony.

Spending time in the future in your mind and imagination thinking about pleasant experiences and feel-good experiences goes a long way in reducing and healing pain. Again, learning to train your mind in the sojourns it takes is an awesome skill that will help you to positively alter your own brain chemistry and will bring about greater health, harmony, and peak performance.

Hundreds of medical research studies using placebo medicine or sugar pills report that the placebo oftentimes works as well as the actual medication.  This confirms one very important principle of medical hypnosis and that is the power of suggestion should not be overlooked or underrated as a healing agent. I have worked with thousands of students with pain and have helped them use the power of their own mind and imagination to not only manage pain but in some cases to completely rid themselves of it.

Hypnosis works upon the principle of reframing. Reframing is taking an image of something that you have seen as unpleasant and changing it into something that is pleasant. Your mind and imagination have the amazing ability to transcend time. You can be in past time, present time, and future time in a matter of seconds.  When you picture something from your past, present or anticipate something in your future that bothers you, through the power of your own creative imagination and thoughts, you can alter that image or thought so that it doesn’t affect you negatively anymore. Since how we see and experience our past determines how we see and experience the future, spending time clearing away those old memories is important to our health and well being and to mitigating pain.

Much of the pain we experience is directly tied to past hurts, disappointments, and losses that have not been properly and effectively addressed. Hypnosis can help you address these issues in two ways: seeing them for what they really are and by seeing them differently and thus experiencing them differently. In terms of the latter, it has nothing to do with avoiding feelings and everything to do with seeing things in a different way from a new and healthier vantage point. Much of the past that haunts us only haunts us because we are accepting responsibility for it. Many people suffer unnecessarily by accepting the blame or the guilt associated with childhood events that were clearly not their fault. Hypnosis works on the principle of separating truths from untruths. When we live with untruths, we needlessly suffer. Once the truth is uncovered, we are free. This state of freedom is the ultimate goal of self-hypnosis and meditative practices.

Another approach is locating the pain within the body and breathing into that painful place. As you breathe into the painful area the pain typically subsides. Asking a person who is experiencing  a stress headache to describe what the pain looks like helps transform the pain into a metaphor that represents the pain. Once the metaphor is created, “It looks and feels like a rope tightening around my head”, the person can then go in and loosen the rope or untie the rope. This gesture can slowly relieve the head pain with the added suggestion that the pain is lessening as the rope is loosened more and more.

It is always important to make certain that you do not have a medical condition that needs to be addressed. Research does confirm, however, that most health issues are stress related. Learning to effectively deal with stress via self-hypnosis or meditation, therefore, are outstanding ways to help you dramatically improve your overall health and well being.

Another principle of why and how hypnosis works is, “Where the mind goes the body will follow.” The 2000 Olympics is a perfect example. Olympic diver Laura Wilkinson was in 8^th place when I turned on the TV. Chinese women’s divers were in 1^st and 2^nd place and then Laura began diving perfect ‘10s’ and slowly moved from 8^th place to 1^st place.  By the time the event was over, Laura Wilkinson won the Gold Medal. When the interviewer asked her how she regained her composure and did this amazing feat, Laura told him that she began to see herself in her imagination diving perfectly, moving towards the water with perfect form, and entering the water perfectly. In her imagination she saw the judges hold up signs with a 10 on each one and heard the roar of the crowd enthusiastically applauding.  In future time, Laura saw perfection and her brain chemistry, feelings, and body responded with perfection.

Deep breathing, relaxation, reframing, creative imagery, traveling through time in your mind and imagination, metaphor, separating truths from untruths are all effective self-hypnosis processes. Self-hypnosis, creative imagery, and imagination can work miracles as you learn to use the inherent God-given power within you to effect change.

John A. Tamiazzo is the author of Returning to the Land of Oz: Finding Hope, love, and Courage on Your Yellow Brick Road available at Amazon.com, Amazon.ca, and barnesandnoble.com.  Returning to the Land of Oz is also available at Amazon.com as a Kindle e-book.

Land of Oz Workshops Blog: Taking Charge of your Health and Wellness

Land of Oz Workshops Blog: Taking Charge of your Health and Wellness: "What’s up with Twitter? Every day I read these headlines on Twitter from health magazines that encourage people to eat and do things that ar..."

Taking Charge of your Health and Wellness

What’s up with Twitter?

Every day I read these headlines on Twitter from health magazines that encourage people to eat and do things that are obviously not healthy.  In a country that has escalating obesity, heart disease, and cancer we need to be extremely vigilant about our health and wellness habits.

Recently, the American Heart Association said that the cost of heart disease in America will triple over the next two decades to $818 billion yearly if the current trends continue. Most research shows that there is a direct relationship between heart disease and diet. We can dramatically alter our health for the better just by radically changing what we eat, and based upon what we eat as a society we do need to radically alter our diet. Forget the processed food and fast food. Rethink the red meat and cow products. Pass by the aisle in the market with all the cookies, cakes, pies, and soda. Eat a diet rich in omega 3 fatty acids including wild salmon, fresh organic antioxidant rich fruits and vegetables, foods made with whole grains, and incorporate stress management activities including meditation, self-hypnosis, yoga, and spending quality time in nature.

This is certainly the time in life to really educate yourself and your family on health and wellness. Do not rely on the food industry or FDA or even your own physician. You are ultimately responsible for educating yourself on your own health and wellness and taking charge of your destiny.