smile, breathe, and go slowly

As I sit here at work today, grateful to be in a casual work environment yet still privy to those old familiar feelings of stress (what I call paralyzing perfectionism - of which many Westerners seem to suffer, culturally), I discovered a beautiful site that offers 14 ways to calm yourself, anywhere.

The piece begins with a quote from Zen Buddhist Thich Nhat Hanh - "Smile, breathe, and go slowly." I enjoy Thich Nhat Hanh and find him very inspiring. He has a beautiful piece of literature entitled True Love: A Practice for Awakening the Heart, recommended originally by my friend Chris (thanks, Chris!) It is such a great read - short, simple, sweet, and addresses the art of loving, everyone, and the importance of such. You can read it in one sitting, and it really helps to foster a more permanently loving spirit.

And what words to live by! "Smile, breathe, and go slowly" - such wise words remind us to be gentle on ourselves, on others, and to move through life gently and deliberately, striving for conscious and full lovingkindness in and toward each moment.

The 14 techniques recommended by the aforementioned site's author are straightforward: smile, allow yourself to relax, immerse yourself in silence, repeat a calming mantra, take a mental health break, self-massage (or self-reiki!), rest your eyes, and so on. The author provides several helpful links for the 14 techniques, that really warrant perusal! My favorites on this list include: hug well and hug often, adjust your breathing, and cancel - clear - delete your energy drains. To begin, hug. The power of the human touch is no stranger to us - it always feels good to lend a comforting hand and to receive a comforting hand. This is why Reiki is so beautiful, so moving, so effective! Well-intended human touch is powerfully healing. I love that the author says "hug well." Every hug is better than no hug, but it just reminds me of my wonderful Aunt (who I love very much!), who hugs very lightly and with very little touch involved. Haha, and I always bring her in closer for a bear hug! So, hug well! Next, adjust your breathing. A simple one-minute breathing exercise mid-day can effect positive change in that moment and each moment for the rest of the day. It's so calming - just breathing - focusing only on your breath. Oftentimes I stop and focus on my breathing, only to realize that I haven't been fully breathing! It makes such a difference. Lastly, cancel, clear, and delete your energy drains. I appreciate this suggestion. Avoid going to places or surrounding yourself with people who you know to drain your energy. This can be especially pertinent for empaths or those with energetic boundary issues in this lifetime. Whenever you feel anxious about this, visually surround yourself with gold and allow blue healing light to circulate your body from crown to root. Thank you to my friend Janet Wright for showing me the light (literally! :)) with this visualization.

There's always enough time for a relaxation technique such as the ones suggested above. Why? Because your peace of mind, body, and soul are more important than anything else, as they contribute to your present moment - how you react to it, your level of conscious awareness, and your outlook on the rest of your day and life. Here's hoping you and I remember this in honor of our bodies, souls, and minds. Nurture yourselves. :)

Do As One

My friend Brooke sent along this neat site - I've only perused the Color Breathing room thus far, but it's pretty cool! An interactive, metaphysically progressive relaxation tool that incorporates color and aims to help balance and heal the chakras. Take a gander! - I've found it greatly beneficial to overcoming the meditation mind-block that often manifests, at least for me, and especially seasonally! And what a perfect time to implement a tool like this, right in the midst of the busiest time of the year for many of us. I know I could use all the help I can get to stay on track! :)

the NOW is all

December always comes and goes, whirlwind-style, for all of us. I didn't intend to not write for so long...but, as life will have it! :) Here's hoping that everyone is enjoying a beautiful month.

I've been re-reading the book "A New Earth" by Eckhart Tolle, and his words all so inspiring. Here are some Tolle quotes to likewise uplift your spirit as we transition to the new year, as it is the perfect time to remember who we are and  to share in the love that we are with others. 

“Acknowledging the good that you already have in your life is the foundation for all abundance.” 

“Life will give you whatever experience is most helpful for the evolution of your consciousness. How do you know this is the experience you need? Because this is the experience you are having at the moment.” 

“Realize deeply that the present moment is all you have. Make the NOW the primary focus of your life.” 

I have been utilizing my lunch hour to read a chapter from "A New Earth," and I've recently taken away something very life-changing, which perhaps will resonate with you. Eckhart Tolle advises that every time you do anything - anything!, whether that be walking down the hall, washing your hands, researching on the computer - that in-the-now action is your purpose. Your purpose changes with each thing you are doing - and whatever you are doing in this moment, is your purpose. So if you are going to the grocery store - your purpose is a) walking to your car. This purpose changes as you enter your car and your purpose now becomes b) driving your car. As you can see, your purpose is not "going to the grocery store" - your purpose encompasses whatever you are doing RIGHT NOW. Eventually, your purpose is "grocery-shopping," - but not until your other purposes have been fulfilled. This is a helpful practice for living in the now. When I walk down the hall at work, I have begun slowing down and really focusing on my walk, my purpose. It really can help to change the way you think, and to help you live in the now, to transition from where so many of us find ourselves - living in the past or in the present. Thank you, then, for experiencing this mutual purpose with me- as I complete my attentive purpose in writing this post, and you complete your attentive purpose in reading this post. The NOW is all we have to work with. :) Sending love to everyone!! For those spending time with family as we close the month, safe travels and happy holidays!