Why do we practice? No matter what is going on –we show up; we practice. We practice on our mat, and we practice off our mat. Our life is one big practice. No matter what is going on – we show up again and again. To our mat. Or to a walk. Or to the dinner table. We show up to our relationships. We show up for ourselves, and we show up for each other. We show up to and through all of our life experiences. We show up in celebration. We show up out of desperation. We show up for inspiration, and we show up for resolution. We show up when it’s hard, and we show up when it’s good. We show up because we know we should. But sometimes, just the act of showing up is the biggest challenge. We know we will meet, feel and see what is there when we do… Our thoughts, feelings, limitations and perceptions also show up all too true. But nonetheless – we show up. The hidden treasure is in the why. Remember why. Why do you practice? And will it sustain you? The goal is sustainability through it all: the good, bad, and the divine… They beacon you with their call, “Yes – show up, practice.” No matter what you are moving through, let it be…. An opportunity. An invitation. A shift in perspective or a chance to grow. Practice, no matter what it be – so that you may Illuminate and Heal The shadowed corners once filled with doubt and fear. Practice Kindness. Practice Compassion, Empowerment and Love. Not for me, but for you firstly. You deserve your own approval. You deserve your own shower of Love. And it’s OK if things get hard. Especially when they do – practice, show up. No matter how, the practice becomes a sanctuary. A place to come home to what is real, essential and fundamental. Take it… Moment by moment. Breath by breath. Trust yourself and trust your why the whole way through. Your practice today is a part of your journey, the greater journey of You.
-Poem by Shanin Weisberg, RYT-500 & Intuitive Healer
I came across this Universal understanding and participated in the Collective opening over the last weekend…I was blessed to have attended a powerful Womens Retreat in the mountains of Estes Park, led and organized by a great friend and gifted yoga leader, Brooke Coletta. The retreat was filled with Healers, Teachers, Mothers, Daughters, and Students to SHE (the Wild Woman). The group theme was all about deepening our relationship the Feminine, while letting ourselves nourish and nurture from the inside out. Shout-out to Brooke for being the fiercely loving and authentic leader that she is! I had the honor of facilitating a group Shamanic Healing with mini personal readings during yoga, as well as leading the Full Moon Ceremony & Journey on Sunday night (picture of altar above). WOW – I am still blown away by the depth, connection, and sisterhood that develops when we truly LET OURSELVES LOVE.
What is your relationship to LOVE? Is it easier for you to give than receive? Do you find yourself receiving more than you give? What would it take for you to deepen your relationship with this equally Earthly and Cosmic force that connects us to all that is? Where do you feel these words in your body?
To quote the Beatles…“All you need is LOVE.”
I hear you… “But isn’t Love supposed to be shared?” “What if I don’t have a partner to express my Love to?” “I feel numb inside…how am I supposed to fill up with just the energy of Love?”
Truth is, Love is a Universal energy that is available to us in every moment.
You can experience Love within the rhythm of your breath, especially receiving it as you drink in each inhale. Have you ever stepped outside and invited a BIG breath of fresh air deep into your lungs, heart and body? That’s Universal Love! You can bathe in the Love of Grandmother Moon as she radiates power in the night sky and encourages you to release and let go of your uncertainty, fears and doubts. Have you ever gazed in wonder at the moon and stars as they appear as light sparked in the darkness…or at the rays of the sun as they penetrate and illuminate the clouds? That’s Love!
You have all the power you need to feel Love in every action you take, every step you walk, even every physical experience you have through manifested form. This is the gift of being human. We are able to use our senses, inner and outer, to perceive and experience the Love of Life. Sometimes, because of conditioning and embedded non-truths, we forget.
Have you lost your sparkle that glistens in the early morning as you wake, emerging into the dawn of a new day? Have you forgotten what it feels like to be grateful as you close your eyes and rest at night, drifting into the dreamtime? Have you unintentionally deemed Love as something that is irrelevant and insignificant to your everyday Life?
Once felt, Love is expressed through the different actions we take – admiring nature, purchasing flowers, vocalizing feelings, showing up for someone in need, snuggling with a loved one or pet, and yes – through sex. But Love is not limited. It is not able to be contained or boxed when we are experiencing it through the unconditional, dynamic and infinite eyes of the Universe. The process of opening to Love is a constant.
In what ways can you open so that you are able to let MORE Love in?
This is definitely a vulnerable state to be in – to say the least – AND it is a practice that shows us something more, again and again. Our society likes to tell us that we must be tough, strong and closed-off, while hiding our authentic selves, in order to be accepted and loved by partners, friends, communities and the greater world. This is simply not true. Also, we have many celebrity rockstars leading the pack (like Billie Eilish and Lady Gaga) that give me hope for the changes that are occurring in our society.
Humans are on a desperate search for connection. We hold within us an innate, heart-felt desire to connect…to something!
Truth. Love. Energy.
These 3 Shamanic principles are coming through big time for us as both human and spiritual beings, crocheted into the collective Web of Life. We are all works in progress. You owe it to yourself, over anyone else, to let some Love in – as it is right for you!
Love is all around you – waiting patiently – for the Divine moment to crack you open in ways that you have only dreamt about. It is also true that any heartbreak, loss, grief, desperation, abandonment, etc. hollows you in a way so that you can eventually experience MORE Love, because there is newfound space for it to enter Mind, Body and Spirit. I personally believe that although these are generally undesirable pathways to get there, devastating emotions are some of the most effective conduits for connecting us to something Greater.
Your entire existence is rooted in Love. Can you let it in?
It is my sincerest wish that we all Love and let ourselves be Loved – by Earth and nature, by ourselves and each other, by the greater Universe and the Web that connects us all. And So It Is!
I’ve just returned from a road trip through the Southwest with my sweetie. We traveled through New Mexico and Colorado as we stopped to soak in healing waters and bathe in luminous rays, surrounded by the natural world! It was a mellow getaway spent with family and friends, and I am so grateful to have the opportunity to do so. You could say that I spent my time on vacation “receiving”.
The Balance of Give and Receive is SO important for the greater enjoyment, ease, and fulfillment of our lives on Earth. These two opposing (but complementary) energies can be witnessed and experienced simply as what we put out into the world and also what we take from the world.
You may also interpret Give/Receive as the Masculine and Feminineenergies that exist within and without, above and below. Within us, we have this represented by the seemingly symmetrical sides of our Earth-Bodies. Our right side is our Masculine side – which I describe as active, outward, exertion, ascending, and giving. Our left side is our Feminine side – which I describe as passive, inward, healing, descending, and receiving. You may also interpret this through the spirit of Mother Earth below and the spirit of Father Sky above. Mother Earth is the ultimate representation of the Feminine, and Father Sky is the Masculine. Together they form two halves of one greater whole, much like our Earth-Bodies. In Chinese Philosophy, what I speak of here is widely known as the balance of Yin and Yang.
This balance occurs in every breath – your inhale meets your exhale, which then meets your inhale as the cycle begins again and again. Your inhale needs your exhale (and visa versa) to be a complete breath. Light and Dark, Sun and Moon, Earth and Sky, Strength and Surrender, Fire and Water… there are endless examples of the harmonizing opposition of Give and Receive.
Perhaps you feel called to one side versus the other. Perhaps you are more likely to Give rather than Receive or Receive rather than Give. Perhaps you spend your days in action, moving from inward to outward rather than resting, moving outward to inward. Or perhaps it is the opposite.
HOME PRACTICE: Have no judgment, resistance, or attachment as you engage in any of the following practices (contemplation, meditation, shamanic journey, yoga, dance, walk, journal, etc.) that feels like a match for YOU to gain clarity. Hold the clear intention in your heart space to discover how you are in relation with Give and Receive, and be open to experience your own inner wisdom. Perhaps you may even come to a revelation of how to gain greater balance of these two energies in your Life, because we certainly need both!
We as humans are always striving to find balance. This appears fundamentally when we become tired or feel energized, become hungry or feel full, or even when we are sweating or have the chills. Balance is always something that we are reaching for physically, energetically, emotionally, mentally, and even spiritually. This occurs every day, every hour, every minute – whether we are aware of it or not. There is also great wisdom to be said in that there is NO true, concrete place of balance! We are always ebbing and flowing at every moment to “find” it. If we can bring in more AWARENESS around what we need to “work on”, it will act as a powerful ally on our journey closer.
When in “right” relation with Give AND Receive, we will experience Life as truly satisfied, wholesome, and healthy beings! We are on our path towards it <3
Your belly is the space between your chest and your pelvis. Your pelvis begins where your belly ends as the lower portion of the trunk of the human body. Your abdomen (otherwise known as the “belly” or “gut”) is home to your digestive organs. Your pelvis (otherwise known as the “hips”) is home to your reproductive organs. These areas together hold great influence over the functions and systems of the connected Body and Mind.
We know there are millions of neurons in the gut that directly influence our mood, behavior, and perceivable experiences. This mesh of neurons is called the enteric nervous system (ENS) and can operate largely on its own, independent from the brain or spinal cord. Because of this, the gut (ENS) is frequently referred to as the “second brain”.
The gut is also home to bacteria and other mircroorganisms intrinsic to our health and our susceptibility to disease. To encourage a healthy and balanced gut flora, it is essential (but sometimes not the most convenient) to eat a wholesome, clean diet. If we have a “happy” gut with a healthy array of bacteria – our overall mood, health, and vitality will correlate and reflect that. If we do not, we will surely feel the residue of an unhappy belly throughout the web of ourBody and Mind. A belly without diverse bacteria may cause a long list of digestive issues, autoimmune disorders, pain conditions, skin irritations, nutrient malabsorption, and may even affect the brain with fatigue, depression, anxiety, mood/behavioral disorders, and more.
We feel feedback and sensations (satiation, bloat, hunger, pain, anxiety, etc.) in our gut in response to the quality and amount of food we eat or don’t eat; we also feel sensations because of a variety of external stimuli. We may remember experiencing a “gut response” to a specific event or situation in the past – a “gut response” that was subtle or perhaps significant and created an inner feeling orpresence in the belly. The “gut response” may show up as butterflies, knots, turning upside down, or even just feeling really relaxed and calmed. The belly and the brain are constantly communicating in this way with each other mostly through the intelligent pathway of the vagus nerve, which carries the parasympathetic response to vital organs and muscles in the Body. Basic ways to strengthen and improve this connection involve yoga, deep breathing, “cold blasting”, and maintaining a healthy gut flora.
The same general concept goes for the pelvis, as well. Women will be affected by the enjoyment of their menstrual cycles just as much as both men and women will be affected by the health and regularity of their bowel movements. It is important for men and woman alike to hold a neutral pelvis while performing daily activities (instead of tilting too far forward arching the low back or tilting too far backward slouching the spine) because it acts as the foundation. The everyday alignment of the pelvis will directly impact the sensations in the hips, back, and neck. I predict we would experience lower pain and discomfort of these areas if we practiced and embodied a natural, neutral alignment.
We have all experienced how the difference of pain to pleasure in these areas impact our overall well-being and Life satisfaction.
So…what does all of this mean?
We have spoken about the Body/Mind relating to the Belly/Pelvis, but what about the connection to Spirit? Energetically, I see the seam where the belly meets the pelvis as the central point of gravity in the human body, where the essential connection to Mother Earthbelow is first established and harnessed within. We can feel and cultivate how connected we are with the Earth through the spaces in the belly, the pelvis, and even stemming further down into the legs and the feet. In my yoga classes and workshops, I always speak to the pelvis, the pelvic floor, the pelvic bowl, the belly, the core, the legs, and the feet to increase our inner-awareness of these parts by activating them and also by consciously groundingthe energy down.
If we are too tight or restricted in our Belly/Pelvis, we will not only have a hard time grounding down energetically, but we will also physically through difficulties eliminating waste. We may also suffer from fulfillment sexually if we are too restricted or blocked in this area; in severe cases, this may even show up as abdominal pain or pelvic pain.
It is natural in some occasions for the body to hold onto heavy amounts of stress, trauma, and tucked-down-and-away-never-to-be-felt-again emotions in the Belly and Pelvis. These emotional blocks have direct influence over our physical health.
Alternatively, if we aretoo open or loosein our belly/pelvis, we may feel quite sluggish or lazy. We may also feel unable to engage our core and our pelvic floor properly; this may lead physically to incontinence and energetically/emotionally to over-consuming sexual urges or food cravings.
It is also natural to have desires.
But, for optimal health and healing, balance is a necessity.
In Tantric traditions, your belly and pelvis inhabit the first 2 Chakras (energy centers) of your body. Your 1st Chakra (Root Chakra) is in your pelvis (located at the base of the spine in the perineum) and is your place of stability and safety. Your 2nd Chakra (Sacral Chakra) is in between your lower abdomen and lower back (located a few inches under the belly button) and is your place of sexuality, emotions, and desires. The element that relates to the Root Chakra is Earth (grounded, strong, solid), and the element that relates to the Sacral Chakra is Water(fluid, flowing, flexible).
You can feel how fundamental these two centers of the body are in order for us to continue to heal and evolve and grow.
So…how do I embody a healthy, balanced Belly & Pelvis?
You must first learn how to engage AND release these areas.
I find it is so important for humans to learn how to use the muscles of their core/pelvis and then learn how to let them go. You can experiment yourself with these actions through specific exercises to engage, then perform meditations/massages to release – feeling the polarity of these two extremes and resting somewhere in the everyday neutral, soft but strong.
I find it is also very important to seek out energetic and spiritual support to help find balance and healing from either extreme.
Everything that shows up physically has a spiritual correlation.
Shamanically, I treat and encourage the healing of the spiritual illness – the root of the illness at the very subtle layers of Self.
For those of you who know me personally, know that I am deeply connected to this area of the body because of my own in-depth experiences and healing journey. The unveiling of pelvic pain and its many layers has played a big part of my Soul Path and Soul Purpose since day 1. It has bestowed infinite wisdom on me that I would not have received otherwise. It has opened doors and propelled me on a vast and humble path of being in service to Spirit, the Greatest Good, and the Highest Truth.
I feel blessed to even write this today.
Your Belly and your Pelvis together hold ancient, primal wisdom that once unlocked, can impact the trajectory of your Life – of your Health, of your Healing, and of your entire Well-being!
Aho – So be it! <3
With Love Always,
Surrender to Soul Wellness
Shanin Weisberg
Owner, Yoga Teacher, Chef, Shamanic Energy Healer
For more access to: tools that aid in the Health, Healing, and Richness of your LifeORmore information onIntuitive Divine Love Healings (in person or long distance), visit my website here.
I hope you are enjoying this healing, dark time of year as the sun shines less and the moon shines more.
I used to really dislike winter…you know…the cold, the lack of sun, the longer nights. But recently, I have found the sheer beauty and comfort in being home cozy, rested, reflective, and mostly in the dark.
The photo above was taken just as the season was changing to fall…I am in Rocky Mountain National State Park surrounded by mountain air, water, sunshine, and rock. I love this image because it beautifully shows the balance between light and dark, and also because there is an awesome orb glowing with the color of my Lifeforce – bright blue! 😀
The seasons are a great example of the entire spectrum available to us in the Universe. We have spring/summer (the light side) and fall/winter (the dark side). For most of my life, I was labeling or judging the dark (winter) as “less-than” instead of viewing it as an equal part of the greater whole.
The distinction between light and dark can be compared to many oppositions and reflections that are parts of one total whole….good and bad, self and other, earth and universe… there are an infinite amount of examples. When we open our perceptions to see the totality of each experienced spectrum, we also open to the beauty and the healing in each and every part. One gives definition to the other. We know there would be no light without dark, no good without bad, no self without other, and no earth without the universe.
Through our perception do we actually create each experience we have.
Through our perception do we actually create the Universe.
And the Universe always responds.
Shamanically, it is believed that we actually dream the world into being. I first learned this from teacher Sandra Ingerman. We dream the world into being through our thoughts, beliefs, actions, and perceptions. Because we are all a part of the Universe, we are all co-creating this world together. Individually, we have our personalized belief systems for which we base our own perceptions and actions around. And yes, surely some overlap with the “collective” as well. The “collective” is defined by me as being the Universal “way” dreamed into all of our beings by centuries of programmed beliefs, actions, and behaviors of mankind.
When the veil of illusion lifts away, when you begin to SEE the truth of your reality – things actually become a bit lighter and certainly clearer! We consciously begin to understand our most in depth under-the-surface workings, our unique code to how we function and perceive reality. You can call this getting to know our subconscious or unconscious Self. And, we actually build the foundation for our Life through our subconscious and unconscious Self – these parts we are mostly unfamiliar with.
We certainly dream our world into being through our deepest parts such as these…
Give yourself a moment to look within yourself for your answers:
With awareness, gaze around you…shift your perspective so that you may be able to SEE the whole…then ask yourself…
How does my home space reflect me, both in feeling (vibe) and appearance (cleanliness & organization)?
How does my work reflect me?
How do the actions I have taken reflect me?
How does my experience of yesterday reflect me?
How does my attitude about tomorrow reflect me today?
How am I thinking, feeling, acting and how does that reflect this perceivable moment right now?
…
Our perception and perspective begins with us, always.
We create our Life because we are Life!
We create our experience because we are the Creation!
We are Creation itself as it witnesses itself!
….
We are a unique and valued part of the whole of the Universe.
In the photo, I am holding myself while at a beautiful Women’s Retreat tucked away in the mountains with Lori Glazebrook & photographer Annabelle Denmark. I helped to cook the delicious Soul Food for this retreat. And for those of you that have visited my website or know me well, know that I LOVE to get my hands on food to infuse it and cook with LOVE. What a beautiful blessing to attend and share one of my passions!
The image of me is pretty telling. During the shoot, I naturally curled up in the dark corner and hugged myself tight. In this image, I feel my present-self whispering to my “inner child” – “It’s okay. You’re safe. You’re held. I love you.”
The last few weeks have been “turbulent” times for me you could say – as I have been navigating through family emergency, illness, nerve pain, unexpected & expected travel, workshops/classes/retreats (teaching & attending), and a lot of emotions along the way.
However, such is life. Our human existence is challenging, and it will always have those clearly challenging sections or bumps along the way.
Challenge is an invitation to grow.
Challenge is an invitation to check in.
Challenge is an invitation to feel.
I feel deeply within myself that there is a teaching in every experience, every emotion, every turbulent or every blissful time. Through LIVING, we learn about ourselves. Through EXPERIENCING, we open ourselves to receive guidance, insight, and teachings as we continue onward on the wild journey of life on Earth.
It has been a reoccurring theme for me to honor MY needs first…so that I may continue to serve, support, and love others. This has been a constant teaching, a constant “checking in”, a constant “What do I need?” as I’ve moved through the last few weeks.
My needs showed up such as:
driving a bit further to buy myself my organic groceries while traveling
saying “no” to a workshop I already signed up for
allowing myself to nap or rest more if needed
or simply holding myself (like in the portrait) during this cycle of healing and renewal.
I’ve learned over the years that even if Life appears as smooth sailing or seemingly “easy”, my path continues to unveil itself and spiral in a circular orientation. I have days or weeks where I am full of lifeforce, prana, or creative energy as I go about my daily tasks, teachings, healings, workouts, cooking, etc. This is the “outward” or “upward” time of my cycle or circular path. In opposition, I have days or weeks where I am drawing inward. During this time, I am needing holding, rest, rejuvenation, and additional support. Neither is better or worse than the other, and the timeline for each opposing cycle is unknown and different during every rotation.
You can observe this spiral in nature all around us…from as big as images of the universe to smaller images of hurricanes to as small as images of a seashell. Of course, there is a mathematical foundation to this characteristic of the Cosmos – it is called the Fibonacci Sequence, also known as the Golden Ratio.
But to me, I call it Nature’s Spiral.
I have integrated this teaching into a deeper level of my being recently. I “knew” this tendency about my path, but I was still holding onto a certain level of resistance for the “inward” or “downward” portion the spiral. I realized how beautiful, soft, and simple this time can be, and it doesn’t make it “less than” or “worse than” the opposition (even though society teaches us to push, grind, and force our way through).
I believe Nature’s Spiral occurs in all of us with different varying degrees and opposition, whether we are aware of it or not…
Try to soften your mind, open your heart, expand your ability to reflect and find out for yourself…
Home Practice
STEP ONE: Find or take a moment to pause, slow down, and reflect. This can be anywhere. Invite a few deep breaths in and out to enter the present moment. Once you feel ready, ask yourself “How am I feeling today”? Do I feel tired? Do I feel energized? Do I feel introspective, joyful, sad, carefree, depleted, tender, overwhelmed? If you could pick one emotion to describe how you are feeling, what would that be?
*This is a great practice to do for several days/weeks straight. It can be simple, and I promise will get easier as you practice. You may choose to record your answers in a journal to reflect on later.
STEP TWO: Inhale a lengthened low belly breath; this time, exhale and offer the breath out of your mouth. This breath can be however gentle or loud as necessary. Repeat this style of breathing, and notice until you feel your inner awareness shift down (out of your mind and into your Heart Center, or perhaps even lower into Belly Center). It is much easier to connect to the wisdom of your true essence through the body; additionally, be mindful that it is impossible to connect to your being if you are lost in your mind’s chatter (own it if you are!). Furthermore, once you are fully relaxed into your body, guided by your exhales – ask yourself “What do I need in this moment?” Not what your mind wants you to do; not what other people want you to do; not what your job wants you to do. What do YOU need?
*This need comes from the wisdom within the body or from the “Higher Self” if you will. Honor the answer you receive. Act on your need in the perfect time for you.
STEP THREE: Reflect on the last few weeks of your life (or your journal entries). What do you notice? What Wisdom is to be gained through reflecting on your own cycle? Is there some sort of pattern asking to be seen?
*Mentally reflect or write your insight down in your journal.
Please reach out with any comments or questions about your experience(s)! <3
So often in today’s society we have completely lost our personal relationship to the food we eat. More specifically, we have lost our connection and lost our gratitude for how our food is grown, where it is grown, how it travels to us, and most of the time even how it is cooked before we eat it. Generally speaking, food as we know it exists only right before it enters our mouths. ☹
There is DEEP healing in not only how we interact and respect our food, in not only the quality of the food we choose to eat, in not only how our food was grown, but in the ENTIRE process of eating. For most of us, that is the shopping, preparing, cooking, eating, cleaning cycle that occurs when we touch, infuse, and respect our food by preparing it ourselves.
We become humbled by this process, because you are right – it is far from “convenient” in today’s world. Although, convenience and health can be two opposing things. Maybe for some of us, we are able to have our own gardens and grow our own food, or buy from a local farmer. This year, I have harvested cucumbers, romaine, green leaf, watermelon, zucchini, squash, herbs, and more!
There is something really profound about caring for your food as it grows before it even hits your fridge.
But, we are really blessed either way.
We have a surplus of grocery stores around us carrying healthy & organic produce, meat, and anything we could possibly need or even want. I do not have to grow all my own food because there are plenty of talented organic farmers around doing that for me (thankfully). I can literally walk to a grocery store from my house and buy clean, nutrient-dense food. How awesome is that!
As the season’s shift, it is a beautiful time to slow it down, check in, and pay attention to the small joys in our Earth life – like preparing or truly enjoying a delicious meal. The turn of the seasons is a beautiful time to honor the fall harvest – whatever you are harvesting (however subtle it may be).
And no matter the season, the food we choose to put into our bodies as fuel is directly related to our level of health and our potential level of health. You have probably heard the saying “You are either fighting or feeding disease with every bite”. I realize this can be quite overwhelming because we are habitual creatures, and it may be hard to break those habits. BUT, there are 4 simple principles I teach so that you can improve the quality of the food you eat AND improve your relationship to the food you eat as well.
4 Simple Ways to Improve Your Health:
Cut back on processed foods (foods in the middle of the grocery isles – anything boxed, packaged, etc.). Most of these foods have no nutritional content, and they are filled with sugars, grains, artificial flavors & colorings, preservatives, GMOs, and more icky ingredients. Be sure to check the nutrition label for sneaky ingredients that could feed disease.
Cut back on gluten, dairy, and refined sugars & fats. Simply put, these will absolutely correlate with the levels of inflammation and toxicity in your body. Plus, nowadays there are amazing healthy alternatives.
Have respect for your food! Honor where it’s been before it hits your plate – it matters. Taking a moment before you eat at a restaurant or at home to offer your thanks and your love to the food can completely shift how your body will digest and metabolize it. This is specifically important if you do not buy, touch, cook, or connect in some way to your food before you eat it. Your intention is everything!
Have compassion! Be kind to yourself. The beauty is in the process…
CONTEMPLATE or JOURNAL:
Am I connecting with the food I eat? Am I honoring my food? Am I honoring my health?
How can I improve my connection to my food?
What are 1 or 2 simple changes I can make that will help me honor my food more authentically?
What is a personal, reasonable goal for my own Conscious Eating in a year from now?
Conscious Eating Meditation
Eat a meal with wholehearted, conscious awareness.
Sounds simple, right?
You can find the right time to do this no matter where you are. Trust that you will know when is the “right time”.
Give yourself permission to set aside the everyday worries of your world.
Give yourself permission to let go of the grasps of the mind. Let go of the mind’s tendencies to attach, resist, or judge; and instead, simply allow yourself to experience the present moment in your body. This is important: Put aside all distractions (tv, phone, radio, etc). You will not need them.
Allow yourself to become immersed in the sensations of eating. Indulge in the smell of your food. Taste the flavors as they interact with each other in your mouth. Feel the changing textures as you chew and swallow. Let this be a full body experience. Allow your body to experience the experience of eating with gratitude, with love, and with presence. Allow every bite to dive you deeper into the magic of eating consciously.
Notice what shifts; notice what comes up; notice what evolves; notice how you feel when you finish.
Please reach out with comments, questions, or if I can support you in any way through your journey of Conscious Eating. Many Blessings.
It is a bittersweet time of year for me, as I am such a summer baby, but actually I am quite excited for fall in CO (hopefully it lasts longer than 1 week – haha ?).
MMM I can taste pumpkin already… (check out my recipe for this month below).
Schools are back in session, nights are colder, days are becoming shorter, and the rhythm of life continues on. As much as I love waking up to the sun shining beautiful luminous rays through my bedroom window in summer, there is something magical about waking up to darkness, stillness, calmness – and observing the light as it emerges and encompasses, waking up Earth (at least on our side ?).
As we begin to shift into another season, our internal rhythms will naturally shift as well to follow what is occurring outside of us. There is great wisdom and balance in the creative workings of life – the macro and the micro. Our bodies may inform us of these changes such as going to sleep earlier or waking up later than before, yearning for more time to slow down & reboot, or a little extra cozy snuggling on the couch with a blanket and your favorite book or movie or podcast. There are endless ways YOUR body could show you – unique to you. Although, it is 100% up to YOU if you listen and respond mentally to this innate craving, or brush it off to the side because of life’s sheer business and scheduled structure. I know for me personally, I can already feel myself turning inward to reflect, recharge, and expand my awareness to learn about things that interest me.
The other night I was watching an awesome show on Netflix called “The Code” and it really stirred up a continuing contemplation of my own
How much Trust do we truly feel for the manifestation of our own unique Path?
The episode I was watching explained the mathematical code that contains the manifesting Universe, in reference to Nature herself. Proven now by mathematical formulae, there is a Universal Order to the intricate workings of Earth and Earth’s Beings. Bees naturally take the path of least effort and resistance as they make their honeycomb – they choose the hexagon shape (instead of a triangle or square) no matter where they are in the world. This shape allows them to use the smallest amount of wax to build their home. Based on fractal geometry, we know this to be absolute truth. The definition of a “fractal” is a non-regular geometric shape that has the same degree of non-regularity on all scales. Fractal geometry is everywhere! From trees to stone formations to brain waves to bubble formations to flowers and bacteria. I like to think of fractal geometry as “ordered chaos”. That sounds like Life – doesn’t it? ?
I love merging the Science and the Spiritual, SO even in times of hardship or suffering, there is still a Universal Order occurring moment by moment – a Divine Timeline for our Path & the events, experiences, and sensations along it. The manifesting Universe has our backs; it will provide us the Path of least resistance & least effort naturally (even if it doesn’t seem so). We are continuously moving, divinely guided through Life – no matter the number of perceivable detours, roadblocks, or bumps that appear on our Path.
I ponder how many of us, myself included sometimes, resist the natural flow, manifestation, and “ordered chaos” that is our Life. Sometimes is quite hard to see the Divine unfolding of our Path – but I promise you, it is without-a-doubt manifesting perfectly – unique to YOU.
Are you conscious of your ability to witness, contain, and harness the power that resides in YOU? The power that is the essence of creationary lifeforce itself. (Woah! ?)
Are you conscious of the very lifeforce that pulsates through your being at any given moment? Do you offer yourself time & space to connect to your OWN lifeforce?
The creative energy that fuels all life manifests in our own bodies as our breath, heartbeat, blood flow, a stream of thoughts, emotion, sensation, and more.
Do you revel in the sheer Aliveness that is YOU?
…. Or are you “sleeping” your way through *human* life? Are you on autopilot for most, if not all, of your “time” or days? Are you too distracted or restricted by the artificial rhythms placed in modern-day society (clock-time, schedules, technology) to feel gratitude for and connect to this miracle that is LIFE?
We, as humans, have a beautiful advantage in this life – we have the ability to be conscious of our own consciousness. This is probably why (even as a biproduct) we hold the status we do on Earth, at the top of the food chain. Essentially, we have the ability to be a part of the spirit of life as it flows through and within us just as much as we are able to witness the Aliveness pulsate from an objective view. We can, cohesively, experience the pulses of life as US (breath, heartbeat, thoughts, etc.), and, simultaneously, witness those pulses as they unfold (neutrally “watch” thoughts, emotions, sensations as they occur).
This requires us to be still enough to experience AND observe the subtle pulsations. As we practice releasing the restraints of the mind, the illusionary veil of separation and fear will eventually lift – we surrender into a “remembering” of the universal rhythm of life.
This connection to lifeforce occurs when we are fully present and immersed in the wonder of this moment. It is beyond minds ability to attach, avert, or judge – this connection is rooted in the true power of the body. Even if only for a moment or two, we can sense from deep within ourselves, the vastness of lifeforce. If you have a difficult time “sensing” this vastness – with enough stillness, you can surely feel your breath moving itself and your heart beating itself. Feel into the force that is behind the breath, behind the heartbeat.
We can also become conscious of the pulsations inside AND outside – pulsations of the Earth – driven by the same lifeforce.
You could call this connecting to the entire Web of Life – life inside our “vessels” (aka our bodies) & life outside our “vessels” – ignited & propelled by the same source.
It is sometimes easier to connect to Earth’s lifeforce first…
Contemplate being in nature – it is quite simple to feel enchanted there…
When immersed in the natural world, we observe & also rest as a part of the universal flow and vibration of life. We sync with the natural rhythm. We hear the sounds – wind as it blows the trees, animals shuffling or insects flying by, waves crashing, birds chirping. We feel the breeze on our skin or the toasty sun as it warms our body. We gaze upon nature beings interacting within the circle of life – in alignment with all of the other beings around. We smell the vital, pure air that is so deeply fresh. We taste our snacks as they bounce in our mouths, full of flavor – and for some reason, we are totally occupied by a state of wonder & gratitude for life.
The most direct way to connect with the lifeforce in your body is to connect with the Earth. The Earth and our Earth bodies are inseparable. Our body is a piece of the bigger Earth. We can view our inner world & our outer world as mirrors linked by the same force – of life. When we allow the natural rhythm of life to flow through & within us (instead of artificial rhythms) – we allow nature to do what it does best. We surrender to the universal flow of the Cosmos as it occurs within US.
Happy Holiday & Winter Season!
