Gratitude & Grief there is room for both

Can you hold the space for both gratitude and grief?  

"Remember that if you look for the light in your life, and move towards it, you will find something wonderful. Remember even in the darkest of nights, you can look up, and see the stars and know there is something much bigger than you guiding you through your days. And remember that it is our responsibility, much like the light on my tree, to be the lights for others who cross our path on this earth.

Be the light for someone today, and the next day, and the next day, and the one after that too. Be the light that may help someone find there way out of their own dark night."  -Kelly Buckley

I can't think of a day that has gone by since last December that I hadn't cried at least once.  I typically make space each morning for the grief to arise from all the losses and traumas over the last several years.  2020 has been quite the year for all and we are grieving together on a global level, because we have all lost who we thought we were, and are finding out what is important to us, whether we want to or not.  So, even though I start my mornings off with many tears, heart ache, and pain, both physically and emotionally, I still find time for gratitude and love.  I still choose the path of love and light rather than darkness.  I start my morning off with some coffee, a journal, and a colored pen of my choice for what resonates with me that day.  I write what's on my mind even if it's not "positive" or "good" or "grateful".  I write positive affirmations about myself and love letters to myself.  I write a page of gratitude.  Some days I simply just don't feel grateful, and that is okay too.   I make space for it all to be there.  

I meditate each morning and find time for some mindful movement.  I'm not sure what I would do without these practices.  I used to walk each morning with my dog and enjoy the beauty that surrounds me, and haven't had the courage or willingness to walk alone since her passing.  I'm working on finding a new healthy habit that resonates with me until I get another dog.  I'm resting more.  I'm nurturing myself more.  I'm discharging more.  I'm reading self help books.  I'm focusing on myself and my spiritual journey.  I try to spread love and light wherever I go, and sometimes this isn't being nice and is setting healthy boundaries.  I put myself first, so that I have the capacity to help others.  I try to be present and mindful with every task I do.  I try to focus on compassionate and non-violent communication.  I go to bed early and wake up early.  I'm mindful about what I put into my body.  When the pain is too much to be bear I reach out to others that can help me process and hold room for it to move through.  

How do you show up for yourself to make room for both gratitude and grief?  I'd love to hear from  you.

Dare to reach out your hand into the darkness, to pull another hand into the light. ~Norman B. Rice

www.naturalrhythmyoga.com

How to stay soft during uncertainty and challenging times.

 How to stay soft during uncertainty and challenging times.  

It's been a big year 2020!  It's been a big week with all the astrological shifts, retrogrades and the election.  There is so much uncertainty, deep healing opportunities, or fucking growth experiences, whatever you want to call it.  It's been tough and tumultuous for many, and it may be tempting to fall into old habits of living the life of a victim, hardening or closing off to love, or reacting out of anger/violence, so I wanted to share with you tips on cultivating softness and femininity during uncertain times.  

To be soft is powerful.   To be soft is to be present.  To be soft is to be grounded.  To be soft is to be open to receive and give love "the return".  To be soft is to be curious.  To be soft requires self-care.  To be soft is to be healthy, happy, and whole.  To be soft is to retreat inward.  To be soft is to find movement with the flow of life.  To be soft is to surrender to whatever comes your way.  To be soft is to let go, trust, and have faith.  To be soft is to let go of social conditioning.  To be soft is to embrace your divine femininity.  To be soft is to approach conversation with curiosity.   To be soft is to be a good listener.  To be soft is to hold the space for those that need you.  To be soft is to let go of the idea of right or wrong.  To be soft is to meet those around you where they are at.  To be soft is to be open minded.  To be soft is to choose the life of inner peace, inner joy, presence and consciousness.  To be soft is to protect and nurture thy self to feel safe.  Just be, less doing.  Become like bamboo strong & flexible without losing your power.  Embrace growth, trust, wisdom, self-love, self-worth, surrender.  Let go.  Relax.  Flow.  Be open to receive and be directed by a higher source.

How to stay soft during uncertainty:

1.  Get grounded.  Breath.  Meditate.  Root down into the earth.  Get outdoors.  Go barefoot.  Be mindful.  Notice and take in what's around you.  Stay present.  Focus on the breath.  Focus on sensation.

2.  Meditate daily.  Go inwards.  The answers are already inside of you.  Trust that.  Quit looking outside for the wisdom you have inside.  Close your eyes. Count your breath.  Focus on your third eye -the seat of your intuition.  Turn your senses inward.  Trust your gut.  Listen to your heart.  Observe the thoughts as they pass by like waves in an ocean.  

3.  Limit social media and technology use.  Turn off the news.  Turn off facebook.  Turn off instagram.  Turn your cell phone on airplane mode.  Disconnect from technology and outer influences.  Go within.  

4.  Eat healthy nutritious whole foods: fruit, high quality protein, and vegetables.  Avoid processed foods, sugar, caffeine and alcohol.  Drink plenty of water and herbal teas.

5.  Get some mindful movement in every day, multiple times a day: yoga, reiki, dance, QiGong, Tai Chi, walking, hiking, biking, skiing.

6.  Breath deeply and slowly.  Focus on slow inhales and long exhales.   Inhale for the count of 4, hold for the count of 4, exhale for the count of 8.  Exhale with a sigh.  Exhale through pursed lips.  Take deep belly breaths.  Feel the expansion on the inhale the release on the exhale.  

7.  Maintain a positive attitude with positive thinking and affirmations.   "I am safe and protected.  I am love and light.  I am strong and confident.  I am unconditional love.   I am worthy of love.  I am that.  I am home.  I am present and grounded.  I am a conscious being."

8.  Approach conversation with curiosity and be a good listener.   Practice deep listening.  Make eye contact.  Move from a space of the middle ground - there is no right or wrong.  People's opinion is based on their perception, which is based on cultural beliefs and life experiences.  Sometimes the best response is no response.  Save your energy.  Ask yourself: Is it true?  Is it kind?  Is it necessary?   If the answer isn't yes to all it may not be worth saying.  Practice compassionate communication and non-violent communication.

9.  Discharge  people are projecting like crazy right now especially if they don't work on themselves or are carrying unresolved trauma, so it's important to discharge multiple times/day.  Here are some examples: wave your hands in the air, fluff your hands, snap your fingers, envision an energetic sphere that surrounds you sealing in good energy and letting go of anything that no longer serves, shake your body,  shake it off, exhale through pursed lips, exhale out of the mouth, move your body: reiki, qigong, acupuncture, chiropractic care, movement practices, take an epsom salt bath with sea salt, throw rocks outdoors or into a stream, shower, silent scream, talk to loved ones and friends, meditate.

“Out beyond ideas of wrongdoing
and rightdoing there is a field.
I'll meet you there.

When the soul lies down in that grass
the world is too full to talk about.”

― Rumi

https://www.naturalrhythmyoga.com/

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