The practices of yoga are tools for remembering. For connecting to body, breath, mind and heart. To spirit. They help us uncover the inner light that is dimmed by the daily grind. By our conditioning that tells us to judge our worth by what we achieve, how much we own, what we look like or what we weigh. By our external focus and denial of our inherent divinity. Unless we set aside time to begin to look inward, to be with what is arising within us without trying to numb it or cover it over or push it away then we will never have the space we crave nor the true-sightedness and clarity that comes with inner listening. Here’s my thoughts….I’d love to hear what you could do to cultivate inner connection.
Stop and reflect when you hear yourself saying "I don't have time"!!
“I don’t have time” is a phrase I’ve been hearing quite regularly (myself included). At certain times when I’ve heard myself thinking this I’ve had to pause and be really honest with myself. We all have the same time available and for me it’s all about how you are prioritising the things you value. I’d love to hear your thoughts!! If you’d like a PDF of reflection prompts to guide you through a process of turning this limiting belief around CLICK HERE!
Openness Requires No Effort
I’ve just started exploring the teachings of Pema Chodron - who is a Western Buddhist Nun, author and teacher - and they are so beautiful and very much linked to the teachings of Yoga. In this VLOG I share a quote from her about self existing openness. I’d love to hear your thoughts and how you might uncover this openness for yourself in your daily life - comment below.
Medicinal Musings
I’ve been letting the word medicine seep through my layers of late as I work out what it truly means to ME. I chose it as a word to use in my Yin Yoga and Mantra Medicine sessions - for one thing I adore alliteration and it sounded sweet with ‘mantra’! But this word does have deep meaning and resonance for me….I’ve just never nutted out its truth...nor expressed it.
A beautiful woman that comes to my yoga class said to me on Saturday “Your classes are like…..medicine.” I felt the sentiment of that in my bones. So it’s coming up for me to take a closer look.
The words medicine and medication have very different connotations - can you feel that? And depending on our life experiences we might even look at the word medicine as something more like medication - in a clinical sense. Something to take when you’re sick, antibiotics or herbal remedies to heal a physical or mental ailment. Of course there are times when medication is necessary.
In my own experience often we require medication when our own medicine has dried up.
When we forget that we are keepers of the wisdom and know what to do to be well.
When I think of the word medicine in a spiritual or mystical sense it initiates a remembering, a home-coming - to greater truths and simplicity and that all-knowing place within that gets covered over by the doing and the achieving and the clinging and the worry. Oh the worry. And if you’re living in the western world with all its shiny promises and pitfalls you’ll likely be well-covered over….unless you’re steeping your medicine.
Medicine is juiciness, an elixir that’s laden in your blood, it’s on the wind at dawn that whispers “Everything’s alright my love”. It’s the antidote to conditioning - unconditional…unbound. It breathes you deeper, connects you to fullness rather than scarcity. To love rather than fear. It uncovers your song and gives you the courage to sing it.
It opens your heart to the possibility that you were divinely created to share your gifts - so do not be afraid.
It builds you up and fortifies - an immunity of spiritual proportions. People and words can be medicine, plants can be medicine, the ocean, moon & stars are medicine. Those things that have the ability to bring us back to what’s in front of us right here - reassured, embodied and at ease. Unveiled and strong. Free and fearless.
So then begs the question what is MY medicine? I know without a seconds pause.
Yoga asana, pranayama, meditation, mantra, the ocean, surfing, forests, mountains, kisses from my loves, bear hugs, connection with people who love me, nutritious plant foods, sacred water.
And stillness.
The greatest medicine my friends is always in the stillness.
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Designing your Life Garden
I have an audio practice for you today that supports you to take a look at your life as a garden. What plants would be in it? How much water (your energy) is needed to make each flourish? What weeds have crept in that are sucking the life out of other more important plants?
This reflection is based on Pedram Shojai’s practice in his book ‘The Art of Stopping Time’ - I’ve added a couple of ideas and recorded for you to take some time out to reflect whether your life is a default garden or one you’ve consciously designed.
Grab a pen and journal and a hot cuppa. Sit in the sun and reflect. I’d love to hear so let me know - What made it into your life garden? What weeds are you going to pull out?
Comment below!
