Archive for the ‘Yoga & Meditation’ Category

Astrology Update

The astrology link above is an update for this weekend with Tom Lescher.  I find his interpretations to be fitting and in alignment with my experiences.

With that said the energy is one of uneasiness with what is.  Wanting to be “through it.”  Through what?  The transformation.  The discomfort.  I’ve found myself in that place of “I just want the change NOW.”  You know the place when you want to do something to make the change happen.

The message I get is to keep coming back to myself.  Take some quiet time.  Go within.  There’s no rushing anything.  Find the joy in the moment.  Take the time to meditate and be quiet.  It’s not all about being quiet, but that is helpful when you find yourself on the hamster wheel going around and around in your head trying to get out of your present circumstance.  Get in the habit or re-new your habit of being still.  Yep, that’s another way of saying meditate.

Why?  Meditation takes you within yourself to listen to the inner wisdom.  It calms the nerves, quiets the mind.  Keeps you from jumping off the cliff.  Meditation will help you allow the change to happen within.  Once the change happens within, you will find the change happening outside yourself.

More on meditation soon.

 

 

I have been getting my yard in shape.  You know the typical trimming bushes, weeding, planting, and mulching.  It’s great therapy vs “work” if gardening is your thing.  Don’t ask me to cut the grass though.  I’ve done it plenty of times.  That feels like work to me.

Gardening is a form of meditation for me.  Most of the time it’s easy to still my mind and open up to the universe.  Yesterday was not one of those quiet mind days.  Fresh from a hurt with my ex-boy friend my mind kept wanting to replay and focus on the hurt.  Can you relate?

We all try to run from the pain.  What we need to remember is it’s all energy.  The energy wants to move.  The sooner we allow it to move the sooner we will come out the other side.   We have to allow ourselves to move through it.  Feel it without getting caught up in the stories, blame, victim hood, etc.

Yea, right.  Well, I didn’t say it was easy or that you will do it perfectly.  NO WAY.  Sometimes you get hit with something that hurts and you react.

So in my garden yesterday I just kept trying to observe the feelings.  When my head would start ranting I starting chanting.  I love chanting meditations for several reasons.  They give my mind something to focus on.  Most of the time that works, but from a lot of experience I can tell you sometimes the mind still works it’s way around the chanting.

Yesterday was a heavy hitter day and I worked my way through 1/2 dozen chants, along with focusing on my breathing, and being present in the moment.  I focused on feeling present in my body as I moved.  This will take you deeper into your feelings.  This is generally what most people try to avoid by finding distractions or things to numb.

I recommend you deal with it sooner than later.  You can block and bury the emotions for awhile, but they will come out eventually.  How?  It’s blocked energy.  You will create illness, you will lash out at the wrong person at the wrong time, you can project it onto to others and get it mirrored back at yourself.  You will eventually have to deal with it in one form or another.

Another reason to chant, the vibration.  You are sending a positive vibration through your body and energy field.  It isn’t just about the words.  It’s not about being in your head.  Don’t chant from your mind.  You bring the sound current down through your body and feel it.

It’s not a magic bullet, but it does feel good.  Through my pain I kept coming back to the positive vibrations of chanting.  It gave me a relief from the pain without being destructive.  It sent a healing wave through me, helping me get to the dawn of a new day.

I have attached a video with a meditation using the mantra “Sat Nam.”  It is Sanskrit and means to identify the truth within.  Enjoy.

q

 

In the garden, I get out of my mind instead of “going out of my mind.” The physical work becomes a moving meditation when I notice my breath and allow thoughts to drift away. Without working at it the work becomes soothing. Pulling weeds, trimming bushes, laying mulch. It sounds like work. It feels good not to have to think or make decisions for a time. Just being. In the garden. At peace.

Like any other meditation thoughts can come in. I hear the neighbors talking. I hear life going on around me in the neighborhood. I just notice. I breath and feel this moment. I do have to make a choice. I can let those things draw me out of this moment or sink deeper within myself and just notice them. Just notice them and stay with myself. Notice what’s here right now, in the garden, within myself.

I haven’t used this meditation for years.  It popped up tonight as I was walking.  I was trying to make a shift and started asking myself some questions.  Then I got bombarded by questions to a point of frenzy.  I wasn’t in the space or energy for questions to be effective.  Instead the universe reminded me of this meditation.  It wasn’t time for questions.  It was a time for me to get centered and peaceful.

Be still and know that I am god.

As I walked I allowed myself to get quiet and release the need for answers.  I wasn’t receptive to answers.  I was feeling to frantic and upset.  I allowed the phrase to gently repeat in my head.  I started to feel calmer.  After a short time a much clearer level of contemplation was able to come through.  I was able to come home and start writing again.

Breath.

Be still and know that I am god.

Allow it to wash over you.

In Love

I am grateful for every breath.  Each breath is a new opportunity.

As I move into this time of creation, I feel the power of something bigger than me, moving with me, supporting and empowering me. I know all things are possible.

As I explore how I am going to create the healing I desire, I will notice this support and acknowledge it. I know that I do not have to figure this out all at once.

All I have to do is begin right where I am and consciously choose to move toward what I want.

My life is right now a time of discovery and creation. Out of my own being I feel the joy and freedom that comes with knowing I can create reality.

In this era of technology it’s important to unplug.  Turn off your phone, TV and internet and spend some quality time with yourself and your loved ones.  When was the last time you spent time with someone you cared about without checking your phone or internet?

Meditation is another opportunity to unplug.  Or maybe I should say it’s another way to plug into a higher source.  It’s easy to get away from a regular meditation practice.  I know this first hand.  Sometimes it feels like there is so much to do that you can’t possibly take time for yourself.  It’s worth it though.  I can also attest to the fact that when I take the time to practice some form of meditation I function better.  It doesn’t have to be sitting quietly.  Sometimes I’m just too keyed up to start there.  That’s what I like about active meditations like Tai Chi, yoga or even walking.  It helps me to move energy and quiet my mind.

The idea though is not to just go through the motions and let your mind continue it’s babble.  To use activities as meditation you need to bring your focus inward.  Bring your focus into your breath.  Use your breath as the bridge to expand your awareness into your body and quiet your mind.  Become the observer.

If you don’t feel you have the time you can start small.  Take 15 minutes.  Try taking a class.  A commitment to a class helps as well as the group energy.

This is a great gift.

In Joy.

In your eyes I see myself.

This makes a great meditation with a partner. Sitting or standing facing each other. Look into your partners face. Take turns saying, “In your eyes I see myself.”

Isn’t it wonderful when love is reflected back to you. It’s warm and fuzzy. Life is great and so is your partner.

Oh no what about when it’s not so pretty. What about when anger and resentment is reflected back. How are you feeling about yourself? What’s wrong with them?

How am I not loving myself? How can I love myself more? How can I take better care of myself? What am I resenting? What choices am I making?

Thank your partner. What a blessing to see yourself more clearly.

In Love

Just came in from a little garden clean up therapy. I enjoy the Spring clean up. As you make your way around the yard everything starts to feel light, fresh and vibrant. New growth is popping up or getting ready. I feel like that happens for me also. I get refreshed.

I’m off to teach yoga at the West Shore Senior Center. The class is open to all levels. See you soon.