Belong To Yourself
I’ve known for a long time now that I was holding my own self back from growth. We all do from time
to time and when we get quiet with ourselves, we all know it to be true. Suddenly, about a week ago, I
simply knew it was time to move forward, to let go of something that has been a crutch for me and holding me
back in many ways. Part of me wishes I could describe that moment better but I think it is so different for
each of us and so personal. As I let go of this crutch I felt awkward and uncertain at first. After a few
days I felt overwhelmed with sadness for all of the time that I had wasted holding onto it and for the
people in my life it had an impact on. After a few more days, not having the crutch was my normal…I
felt like I had finally stepped off this hamster wheel and was FREE. A few more days passed and I recognized
my true self again…I was quieter, softer, and my heart felt open and full of love. This morning, as I
watched the sunrise, I noticed another layer lifting. I felt my true spirit wash over and around me like a
soft breeze. As tears fell down my face I felt gratitude for it never leaving me and for the strength I had
to make room for it again. I’m also humbled by my experience and the amazing ability we as humans have
to shift, change, and evolve. Belong to yourself.
April
As I approach my birthday, I’m thinking a bit about what my life means. I imagine our bodies being
like a simple but beautiful boat that has been gifted to us and how we maintain it is our choice. We can fix
it up or let it go. We can add people to the crew that can help or hurt the cruise. Our cargo choices are
not always perfect but they are important. Sometimes we have to throw a few things overboard. The big
picture is this…no matter what, we must surrender to the ocean, ride the waves. We can steer a bit,
pilot the ship some but in the end, we are just a small vessel in an overwhelming and beautiful sea that is
our world. Close your eyes, take a breath and surrender to what is.
Meditation
“Meditation is a mental discipline by which one attempts to get beyond the conditioned, “thinking” mind into a deeper state of relaxation or awareness.” There are many different meditation methods but at the core of meditation is the goal to focus and eventually quiet your mind.
Below are 6 easy steps to follow to begin your own meditation practice.
Step 1: Make the time to meditate. Set aside time in your daily routine that works for you. Many find the morning works best and it doesn’t matter how long you meditate. Some people find that 5 minutes works well for them and others benefit from a longer time.
Step 2: Find a quiet and relaxing place that will have no distractions or noise.
Step 3: Sit on level ground, tilt your pelvis forward by sitting on the edge of a cushion and straighten your back. This will help keep you comfortable and help with your breathing. Relax your arms and legs. You don’t have to be in a special position juch make sure you are in a relaxed one.
Step 4: Relax everything and keep searching for things that aren’t relaxed and relax them. Your posture might need to be adjusted and even muscles in your face might be tense.
Step 5: Let your attention focus on your breath without judgement. The goal is to let go of the chatter in your mind and let it fade away. Find something to settle your mind. Count your breath from 1 to 10 and then count again or recite a mantra over and over again, like ‘om’. To quiet images in your mind, simply think of a place that calms you. I often imagine space…darkness with stars surrounding me. As my mind wonders, the voice in my mind will say ‘space’….’darkness’, for example, to bring me back to a quiet mind.
Step 6: Silence your mind. Once you’ve trained your mind to just focus on one thing at a time, the next step is to focus on nothing at all. Clearing your mind takes a lot of discipline but is the purpose of meditation.Good luck!
Santosha
“May I accept whatever life may bring centered in balance, gratitude and delight. May I trust the Divine hand in everything and see beyond life’s hardships to the light.” Johanna Mosca
Santosha is a Niyama that means contentment. It is a willingness to accept whatever fate may bring with balance, gratitude and joy. By practicing Santosha, we can learn to detach from our daily experience and simply become an objective witness, observing ourselves on a transcendent level. We are acting as our own witness, watching our lives play out and are not attached to particular outcomes. By practicing Santosha, we can make the most of any situation and even though we can become frustrated or upset, we can move back into balance and maintain serenity through life’s ups and downs.
During times in our life when we our experiencing our own confusion, sadness and fear, the practice of
Santosha can be difficult but can bring us much peace. Consider
taking some time to close your eyes, focus on your breathing, focus on light and
these affirmations.
I am contented with my self and my life
I am grateful for everything that happens to me
I maintain my balance in the face of hardships
I rejoice in the flow of life
I am a lighthearted being
The Phoenix Rising
Many of us have times in our lives and moments throughout the year that we consider a restart….reboot…rebirth. New Year’s Eve, Birthdays and other rites of passage are recognized and celebrated for this reason. The symbol of the phoenix rising out of the ash and being born again is not only the essence of my work but also a part of the name…Phoenix Rising Yoga Therapy. I not only practice this as I give and receive sessions, I try to take every opportunity I can to be reborn…to grow. One of those practices is traveling across the country to an event in the Black Rock Desert of Nevada every year for an event called Burning Man. This is a time to celebrate love, life, friendships, reunions, art, acceptance and new experiences. The climax of the event is actually gathering around a large structure, “the man”, and watching as it lights up into flames and crumbles to the ground. For me, the most significant part of my experience is at the moment it falls. This is a time to reflect and visualize what I am ready to let go of….what isn’t working for me anymore and to celebrate the birth of a new way of being….a new beginning. I guess this is my New Year’s Eve.
I’m off to the desert tomorrow and open to whatever the event has to offer and for whatever
awareness’s present themselves to me. 
