Ocean Waves

The ebb and flow of change is sometimes hard to cope with. When the story doesn’t go as you imagined and it doesnt seem to be in your favor. It sure is hard to see the light sometimes, collecting our blessings and lessons gathered from realizations of experiences with positive or negative outcomes.

If you are currently unhappy or upset about a thought, feeling, or consequence

Change it.

Easier said then done. Although, different perspectives can drastically shift the emotion attached to particular thoughts. For instance, a lover’s quarrel seems miniscule in comparison to a friend being diagnosed with cancer. Sometimes all it takes is a change of scenery to secure a different outlook on your current situation. Sometimes I look at pictures of puppies and kitties for sale on craigslist – it always seems to make me smile. Perhaps I will sit down and watch a comedy or a documentary or a guided meditation. Today I decided to try something new….

It was both terrifying and magical to walk through the tropical forest at The Butterfly Pavilion. So scared I may step on one, yet watching them flutter around and zip past my head was breathtaking. They freaked me out when they came zooming for my head, of course it always resulted in a soft giggle to myself for being frightened of something so silly.

One of these delicate creatures landed on my journal this afternoon, while staring up at me with its glossy eyes, it smiled and reminded me to see the bigger picture. Change can be complicated, terrifying, magical, breathtaking, humbling, fast, silly, and simple all at the same time.

Butterflies are not afraid of the unknown and whimsically dance through the forecast of fear to fully live in the now. There is an innate beauty in the finishing of a process, a completion of a step, and the excitement of the unknown future. To go boldly, genuinely, and with love is the greatest gift one can give. Always keeping in mind “Everything is going to be OK in the end. If it’s not OK, it’s not the end.

Contradicting Thoughts and Realizations 

I went to a CA meeting on New Year’s Eve. The gentleman sharing was 21 years old. He had 5 years clean. I instantly judged him as not credible. He didn’t have enough experience. He didn’t have enough to lose.

Then he said something that instantly made me feel terrible about my judgments. “It doesn’t matter if you hit rock bottom or not we are all here for the same reason.” We go to meetings because we have a problem, we keep it anonymous to not be judged, we all agree we need help and that we cannot stay clean doing it alone. 

I felt horrible for having that initial thought, but that’s the point right? To catch ourselves if we do something wrong, recognize the error, and make it right. I realized this initial thought was silly based on one of my own beliefs. You only hit rock bottom when you die, if you are still alive there is still room for improvement. If you aren’t alive, you never have a chance to make things right. It doesn’t take a major life event to open your eyes to your addiction or a developing addiction. Sometimes all it takes is a realization that alcohol or drugs are causing you more pain then the pain you aim to escape from. Meetings are to give hope, to know you’re not alone, and something greater can help you conquer your addiction in despair. 

Pain is the touchstone of spiritual growth. It is important to stop pursuing whatever your idea of perfection is, you will never be happy if you aim for such an ideal. Find beauty in the littlr things. Happiness is appreciating what you have, not getting what you want.

Sobriety is a journey not a destination. I am excited to see what 2018 has in store for me!

#alwaysgettingbetter 

Why Yoga Nidra?

“Relaxation means to be blissfully happy, It has no end.” 
-Swami Satyananda Saraswati

When you hear the word “Yoga” you often imagine a body contorting into different positions. While yoga is so much more than that. There are seven limbs of yoga that aren’t physical movement at all.

Yoga Nidra is a practice of healing on the physical, mental, and emotional levels without ‘physical’ movement. It is using this technique that teaches one to relax consciously. True relaxation is an experience you have never felt until you’ve tried Yoga Nidra. It opens deeper phases of your mind, unloading the subconscious and unconscious mind, the most powerful forces in the human being.

brain-waves-the-one_origHarvesting a witness awareness helps one become less reactive to situational experiences. This is practiced by the practitioner guiding you from alpha to beta to theta to delta brain waves. Delta is generally defined as the brain wave you experience while sleeping, however, with Yoga Nidra the delta waves are responding in a conscious sleep. Once you are consciously sleeping you can program your mind with a sankalpa or resolve. A sankalpa is a present tense affirmation or saying such as “I healthy and happy” or “I participate in activities that nourish my mind and strengthen my will”.  Yoga Nidra is a process to manifest your wants or needs into fruition at an exponential rate.

Benefits?

  • Lowers Stress
  • Lowers Anxiety
  • Lowers Blood Pressure
  • Lowers risk of Heart Disease
  • Lowers asthma symptoms
  • Enhances memory and learning ability
  • Awakens creativity
  • Manages psychological disorders
  • Manages psychosomatic diseases
  • Helps with addiction
  • Helps with PTSD
  • 1 hour of Yoga Nidra is equal to 3 hours of sleep