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Uh…Hello….On Aging…A letter to my children, grandchildren and great-granchildren

by DoinTheGratefulDance

Hi Ya’ll,

I’ve always felt that I was vital to our family.   Suddenly I feel that I’m on my way out.  I feel kind of grieve-y.  But only for a moment…    I’ve decided that I’m not ready to be “relegated”… and I’m going to stay as involved with you as you’ll let me.   The thought occurred to me that maybe with my “labels’ of Mom, Grandma and Great-grandma, that you’re judging what I’d like and not like because of your preconceived ideas of age – I’m here to tell you – NOT!… please keep an open mind about age and check with me before you decide?

So here are some of my thoughts…no one ever talked to me about aging but I feel that I’d be cheating all of us out of many good times and memories if I fade out gracefully.  I’m not very excited about that option.  So here goes…

Maybe this is simply a cycle of life – in fact I’m sure it can be – for some people.  Not us.  It’s not in my frame of reference…

Do you know that even though I have white hair and more than a few wrinkles, I have a sharp mind and a loving heart.  Still.    That hasn’t changed.  My appearance is not in agreement with how I feel inside.  If I had no mirror, I’d totally believe that I’m still in my late 30′s – well maybe early 40′s.  I feel the same now as when you grandchildren were born.

Even though I’m a GG now – a great-grandmother, my energy and interest in life is still as intense as it has always been (other than being slowed temporarily with my darn broken foot!).    The day may come when I don’t have as much energy and am a little slower but I hope you remember that I waited for you when you were a little slower and needed a little more care and attention.

I’m finding I have mixed feelings about the labels of Mom, Grandma and Great-Grandma.  On one hand, I love the memories of the little voices calling me, and the same voices as they became adult sounds and still calling me.  On the other hand, they are labels and labels are distancers….and I’m feeling a distance that jolts me.

Some of you have wanted to change your names as you found new identities.  Now it’s my turn.  I want to have no other label than my name.  Some of you are already calling me GG – and that’s great.  Or you can call me Sharon or MiMi- I’ll answer to any of them.  This may be temporary and maybe not.  Could it be a phase?  We’ll see…

I don’t need guilt, hurt feelings and please, no gifts.  You’re my gift.  Unless you see something that you just HAVE to get for me – to fill your own need.  Just know that the best gift you can give me is an occasional phone call to tell me about a funny memory, your latest news or just that you’re thinking of me and love me.  I love your old notes, I’ve saved all of them – and would love more.  I would like for your note to tell me that you’re so glad that I’m your Sharon, MiMi or GG.   Just joking…well, no I’m not….I’d just love that.  You know the adage..”it’s the thought that counts”?  Those thoughts are my gifts and when you write them, I treasure them and can re-read them when I need you and you’re busy with your life.   I love it when you text me a random picture of where you are or what you’re doing.  It lets me know you’re thinking of me at important times in your life.

I know and love that you all get together and have wonderful times.  But when it’s appropriate, please remember to invite me – remember that I’d love to be there with you.  I just love watching you, laughing with you, eating with you, remembering with you…just being.   Making a few more memories.

I’d really like to say that I don’t get my feelings hurt – but I do.  I’d like to say that I don’t feel alone sometimes – I do.  I’d like to be strong and mean it when I say that my memories are enough to get me by – but they’re not…I want more, more, more…

I love you,

Sharon, aka GG, MiMi

Thoughts on Mother’s Day

by DoinTheGratefulDance

I’ve read a few blogs about Mother’s Day and they’ve brought up a lot of memories.  My experience was so different – and undoubtedly deficient (0n my part) – but with a good “rest of the story”.   When I read about the immediate connection of mothers with their babies when they first see them, their pride, their deep, heart-wrenching feelings of love….well, it sounds like a fairy tale – a wonderful fairy tale.  But not my experience.

I was barely 18 when my first son was born and I was clueless.  About love, about mothering, about life!  I vividly remember the mother of a girl in the other bed in my room showing her daughter how to nurse her baby.  I tried to pretend that I wasn’t listening and clumsily tried to follow.   Luckily my son was – and is – a fast learner…

That was in 1958 and the world was different then.  Being unmarried (although engaged and then married before my son’s birth) and pregnant was not ok.   My Dad was a minister for Pete’s sake.  I should have known better – right?   There was a lot of shaming going on – both from within me and around me.   Needless to say, it was not a happy time.  Three years later I had another son.  I had not matured much, sorry to say.  And five years later, my daughter arrived.  Still pretty clueless.

For most of my childhood, my  parents were in turmoil and ultimately divorced.  Another story.  Suffice it to say, neither was very “present” in most ways, during my early years.  I think I was born without the “mothering” chip, no adequate role model and had huge lessons to learn.  An older sister took me under her wing and taught me some basics about baby care.  Another sister considered me a real challenge in dressing my son – and I admit, I’d leave the house when it was warm and forget to take warm clothing for later (in the Pacific Northwest no less!).  He was often bundled in anything I could find until we’d get back home.   Basically, I didn’t know how to take care of myself – let alone a helpless little baby.  I loved him but yes…was clueless.   But he survived.  So did the other two.

They’re now all established, loving adults with families.  And they love and respect me.   Miracles happen.  They are all excellent parents and grandparents.  In fact, they amaze me.  I’ve lived the “fairy tale” while watching them love and talk to the children in their bellies….eagerly awaiting births of my grandchildren.  I’ve experienced my grandchildren doing the same with my great-granddaughters.

I’m so grateful that God protected them.  Grateful that God entrusted these three great souls to me.    This morning, my middle son called from another state to tell me how glad he is that he was born my son.  Can you imagine the joy in my heart?  I’m blessed!

My daughter is going through a very painful time in her 25 year marriage and she finds comfort in being with me sometimes.  She knows that she has my undying love and support.   We go for long drives up the Gorge or to the beach and find comfort in being together – sometimes talking, sometimes silent.  Just being together is a special time to me.  I loved her husband as my son and I miss him too.  As adults, we are close friends as well as mother and daughter.  I’m blessed!

I stopped by my oldest son’s home last night to return some fishing line that I had borrowed.  He told me stories, updated me on his projects (he always has one going), joked and looked into my eyes – and held the moment – that look of knowing and understanding.   A look of love.     He’s a quiet man who enjoys time alone – fishing, hiking, being with nature.  I don’t get to see him as often as I would like so these are special times to me.  He stops by with freshly caught salmon, smoked salmon, a gift certificate for a massage…. occasionally…. and that’s enough for me to know…I’m blessed!

This all reminds me of where I was and where I am  now in my mothering.  I had a poignant realization that sometime over the years, I had developed the “fairy tale” feelings.   I also have feelings of love and thankfulness for my “Nother Mother”, Ethel, for my sisters who have taught me so much about mothering over the years.  I have a mother’s love for a young girl that I mentored at one time in my life who never forgets me.  I’m grateful for my daughter’s high school friends who considered me a mother figure at times in their lives.  I learn from them as well.  And I’m so grateful for all of the information available to us through television, books and classes…and God!

Yes, I’m a happy mother.  Not just on Mother’s Day.  That’s nice and I always love hearing from my children  on that day.  I told them long ago that I don’t need – or want a gift.  They are my gifts.  I love hearing their voices and their knock on my door…any day.  I love seeing them happy and healthy.  I always appreciate acknowledgment and expressions of the love between us.   I need it.  I need to know all is well between us.

And because I truly think I have good answers…I love when they ask what I think.  Once in awhile they do.  Hmmm…maybe they do it because they know I like it so much?

I’m so blessed!

Stopping the Pain

by DoinTheGratefulDance

Notes from Stopping The Pain

Owning myself- owning my power.  Doing what the Creator put me here to do.

Just how great is my God?  The power of the divine in my life.  He is ALWAYS there.  It’s not a case of his coming to me, it’s about me opening myself to him in me – he’s there all of the time.  Every moment of every day and night.   Sometimes I use meditation to quiet myself and acknowledge his presence in me.  To me, it’s all about God.  In my life.  In me.  Recognizing the blessing in each moment.

What fear is holding me back.  What am I not forgiving?

“Until you heal the wounds of the past, you will continue to bleed”  Iylana

I’ve always had the power.  I know my purpose.

How would you fill in this sentences?  The pain I can’t get past is ….

Why It’s OK to put myself first..

10 Steps to Letting Go

Verbal Abuse – How To Save Yourself

When it comes to my  life, am I in pain?  Mentally, emotionally or spiritually.  Am I holding on to something in the past that causes me pain? P-A-I-N …Pay Attention Inward Now.    When we’re hurting inside, we usually reach outside to fix it.  So, when we’re reaching outward for a fix, pay attention to what is going on inside.   Bleeding means that my life force is leaking out.

Pain is not natural.  We usually mask it and call it something else.  We diminish it and talk it down,  When we have pain  we need to feel it, deal with it and heal it.   Feelings of inadequacy are major causes of pain.   Men  tend to feel inadequate.  Women tend to feel lack of self value and worth.

When you are a strong person, others don’t give you permission to bleed.  Do not allow others to dismiss, disregard, deny your pain.  Find someone who will listen – someone who hears you.

Iylana says…”Don’t get “stuck in Stupid”
When you see stupid coming, cross the street”

When we’re strong, many times we’re not being authentic…we tend to put others first.  How we treat ourselves is how we treat God so when we put ourselves last, we put God last.  I am the representative of God in my life.   We then put other people and other things ahead of God in our life.  Our life is different than our service.  We have to put God first in order to be able to be of service to others.  We want to be self-ful so that we are able to give to others.

A Course in Miracles says…”When we give to others to the degree that we sacrifice ourselves, we make the other person a thief.”  They don’t want to be and they dont even want to be.  We do both ourselves and the other person a dis-service.

Before we judge anyone else with addiction, acknowledge whether or not we struggle with our own addiction – any addiction – food, pleasing others, sex, alcohol, drugs, lying, shopping, addiction to our story? ….

Ask…Who would I be without my “story”, my addiction?  Our addictions keep us distracted from our greatness.  God wants nothing for us but our perfect happiness.  Wherever we are, God is right there.  Our perfect happiness is already here.

Quit telling your victim story…cold turkey stop!  No more.  Write your own tapes.  Rewrite your story.   Separate if  from your experience – don’t tell the story again.  Find the bottom line – ask what our heart needs to hear from someone else and tell it to us – ourselves.  Write our new story – make it nurturing, fulfilling, positive.  Positive!

If your thoughts are bringing you stress or sadness, change you thought – throw it out and think another thought.

How do we get unstuck and tell the truth.

1.  Tell the absolute truth about who you are, what you want, about what you’re willing to do and what you’re not willing to do.  State the fact.  Speak the truth.  Reinvent yourself, re-define you story.   There is a distinct difference between stating the fact (I love BooBoo) and speaking the truth (BooBoo is a weasel).  State the facts, speak the truth.
2.  Ask for what you want.  Have the courage to ask for what you want, be willing to get a “no”.  But have a clear vision of what you’re going to do about it.
3.  Get a vision.

People stay stuck in the pain, stay stuck in bad relationships because they are not truthful.   They have a picture of what they want ‘It” to be instead of what it really is.  There is a difference between a picture (externally generated) and a vision (internally generated – brings joy).

Be truthful.  Be relentless in our truth.  In spite of any confrontation that it evokes.  Don’t engage in the confrontation.  Be gently strong in our truth.

Expectations cause us pain.   When we ask, we have a picture of what it will look like.   Identify what we really really want before we ask.  We can’t get what we want when we don’t know what we want.  Before we ask, dig deep and find out why we want what we’re asking for.   When we ask, we are given exactly what we should have.  Ask for what we want and then be grateful when we get it.  Everything within the process is exactly as it should be.   We are God’s hands and feet on this planet.  Shower our “answer” with God’s love.  Listen to God for direction.

Fatherless sons, Fatherless daughters have a big hole.  Love fills the hole.  God is love.  Let God fill the hole.

“You are never angry for the reason you think you are….there is an older hurt that hasn’t been dealt with.  Deal with it and the anger will be dealt with.”  Iyanla

Oprah’s Lifeclass Tour – Stopping the Pain

MB Day 22: Getting Unstuck – Bonus Meditation

by DoinTheGratefulDance

My notes from Deepak Chopra‘s 21 Day Meditation Challenge

Day 22 – Bonus Meditation

“You know we couldn’t leave you after Day 21 – we were in withdrawal too. So join us for today’s bonus meditation as we go ever deeper into the inner silence that is the birthplace of our health, happiness, and love.

“You are the luminous mystery in which the entire universe with its forms and phenomena arises and subsides. When this realization dawns there is a complete transformation of your personal self into your universal self . . . the complete loss of all fear, including death. You have become a being who radiates love the same way the sun radiates light. You have finally arrived at the place from which your journey began.” ~ Deepak Chopra

Now that you have your daily meditation ritual locked down, you can use that as the foundation for experiencing health in your life. When you find constriction in your body . . . breathe into it; when you notice constriction in your mind . . . breathe into it; and when you observe constriction in your life . . . breathe into it. That moment of stillness and silence, of present moment awareness, will allow the very next moment to be more conscious, more loving, and more expansive.

Can you make a commitment to meditate on your own for the next 21 days?

After you’ve established a ritual of 21 days.  The question is…what happens the next morning?  We want to give you one more push, one more connection to the mind-body odyssey.  At this point I think you may be on your own but in this precious, sacred moment we are all connected through the collective.

Deepak Chopra wrote an amazing book, “Perfect Health” several years ago and from that book, Dr. David Simon created a curriculum called the Perfect Health Week and around the world each week, people come to truly experience healing, rejuvenation, detoxification and immersion in the teachings.  More important, they connect to themselves.  And through experiencing daily massage and downloads of information, daily yoga and meditation, they realize perfect health is the direction we need to move towards.  By making that commitment, your life will be more grounded, connected and whole.

As we know, there is no such thing as perfect health – ti’s an ideal.  But if you can identify your perfect health and have that as a target, you can always move towards that.

In this meditation, let’s truly connect to our most perfect ideal  because after this, you may be connected but when you wake up tomorrow morning, it’s going to be you.

So lets get some tools to move you into that next phase.

Close your eyes, take a long slow deep breath in.  Let go of that.  Do it one more time.  Effortlessly release. Now gently follow your breath in and out, effortlessly.

As you move through the different parts of your mind-body-spirit realm, be aware and project the perfect ideal of that situation.  Realistically, some steps to move you from here to where you want to be.

With your eyes closed and your breath gently flowing in and out of your belly, bring your awareness to your physical body.  Any constrictions?  Any tightness?  Any soreness.  When you raise your hands to the sky, are you achy.. or do you feel expanded?

When you stretch your legs out, point your toes, roll your ankles around, how does that feel.  If you felt some constriction,  breathe into it right now.  Take a long, slow, deep breath into that physical pain point, constriction.  Stay here and breathe into it for the next 30 seconds.

Take a long, slow, deep breath in and let it go.

Bring your awareness to a core relationship you are in right now.  Maybe you love this person but there is a struggle or an issue or challenge right now.  Lack of closure on a particular issue, a disconnect that occurred, a conversation.  Something you should have said but didn’t, something you might have said but shouldn’t have.  The way you didn’t respond – you had it right there – but it didn’t happen.  Now you think there is some confusion, a disconnect.

Bring your awareness to see that person’s face, see that issue in front of you.  For the next 30 seconds, just breathe.

Keep breathing in.  Take a long, slow, deep breath.  Did you feel something lighten up a bit?  Did you feel that constriction turn into expansion?  Perhaps you came up with a more creative solution to moving that relationship further along?

Now with your eyes closed, turn your awareness to some area where you could use just a little bit more trust.  A little bit more internal trust, a little more external trust – just a little more trust.  A little bit more faith.  In yourself, and in the universe.  What are you not allowing.  What are you not believing?  What are you resisting?

Close your eyes and go to that space and breathe into it when you find it.  Do that for the next 30 seconds.

Take a long, slow deep breath in.  Let that go.  Your mind, your body, your soul – all so easily accessed, so easily expanded, so easily given permission to heal – by you.

So we have a choice now – do we allow ourselves to heal?  Do we give ourselves permission?  Or do we re-insist that we are stuck – as we were 22 days ago.  I say that we expand.  Let’s grow.  Even if you came into this meditation perfect in body, in mind and in soul.  Guess what – the wind will blow.  In our body, our mind, our spirit will move out of bounds, out of connection.  So, let’s make a commitment to perfect health of mind, body and spirit.

For this next meditation, repeat any affirmation, in your own words, that is your personal commitment to perfect health.  What does that mean to you?  At the level of mind?  At the level of spirit?  At the level of body?  What does that mean to you.

Being, sit gently with your eyes closed.

Aham brahmasmi.  I am the universe. Gently breathe.  Feel that vibration bubble through you.  Feel the perfect health that you have affirmed in this meditation  Feel it flow through every fiber of your being.

When you are in that space and I am in that space, we are one”

Namaste

MB Day 21: Mind-Body-Spirit Connection

by DoinTheGratefulDance

My notes from Deepak Chopra‘s 21 day Meditation Challenge

Day 21: The Mind, Body, Spirit Connection

“Congratulations!! We’ve made it Day 21!!! In today’s meditation we’ll tap into the stillness and silence we have been cultivating during the past twenty days – and then we’ll celebrate.

“Every soul innately yearns for stillness, for a space, a garden where we can till, sow, reap, and rest, and by doing so come to a deeper sense of self and our place in the universe. Silence is not an absence but a presence. Not an emptiness but repletion A filling up.”     ~Anne LeClaire

Congratulations on reaching Day 21! Meditation is now a ritual in your life. Take some time to celebrate your body, mind, heart, and soul. You have cultivated a beautiful practice. And now that you have learned so many different ways to access the stillness within you, it’s time to use your newly developed behavior as a powerful tool for cultivating present moment awareness.

______________________________________________________________________________________
Our meditation guide today is davidji

Finding connection between the mind, body and spirit, seeing these three realms, the physical realm, the subtle realm, and the causal realm as separate, creates this continued illusion that we are indeed separate but of course these are all the same things wearing different disguises.

As David Simon says, “We’re all God in drag”.  But of course we’ve forgotten that.  We think we are human beings having a spiritual experience.  And we’ve forgotten that we’re spiritual beings having this strange human experience.  Let’s celebrate that in today’s meditation.  Let’s celebrate those different aspects of our being.  Let’s celebrate our physical body.  Let’s celebrate our heart.  Let’s celebrate our intellect.  And let’s celebrate our soul.

Close your eyes, take a long slow deep breath in.  Feel this breath come deep into your belly and feel it in that millisecond turn around.  That moment where it turns around is pure stillness and quiet, the gap between the inhale and the exhale.  It’s that differentiation between in and out.  There is no
activity in or out.  It’s neither in nor out.  It just is.  It’s not the end of the inhale nor the beginning of the exhale.

Knowing we have this stillness within us, virtually as a component of every single breath allows us to reconnect with that aspect of stillness within our physology.  We will use this stillness, this space between the breaths to truly reconnect us to the oneness that is – our physical, our heart-based, our intellect-based and our spiritual essence.

Breathe in – it brings us to this present moment.  Out of the past, away from the future, into this precious, sacred moment.  And it’s in this sacred, precious moment that we can truly experience that connection between the physical realm, the emotional realm, the intellectual realm and the realm of spirit.

We know that vast connection between these other domains but in the non local realm, the realm truly resting at the core of our existence, we have infinite organizing power.  There is zero energy, there is infinite creative potential.  Wholeness exists at every single point along the way.

It’s unbounded – every place in space is every other place.  It is immeasurable.  It has infinite dynamism, infinite interactivity.  Yet, no energy.  It’s immortal, never born, never dies.  It is infinitely correlated.  Two beams of light headed out in  different directions are connected still.  It is infinite silence.  It is eternal.  It is timeless – spaceless and timeless.

So in each breath, as we take that deepest breath in, feel that space, that gap between the inhale and the exhale, we need to know that space is our true essence.  That is the space that is unbounded, unconditioned, pure, infinite, and whole.

Regardless of how your heart feels at it’s core, is that pure immortality.  If you’re not satisfied with those moments, let’s turn them into something special right now.  And if you are satisfied, let’s grow and learn from it and move on.  But let’s not linger in the past.  Linger in this precious, sacred moment.

Breathe in.  Feel that space.
Right now, right here in this precious sacred moment – what are you going to do with it?

Take a long, slow deep breath in.  Let it go.  Another long, slow deep breath in and release.  With your eyes closed, feel the convergence, the merging, the oneness, the yoga between your body, your mind and your soul.  When you drift away, to reground yourself, place your hand on your heart and pull it all back together in this sweet convergence.

Sit gently with your eyes closed.

Aham Brahmasmi.  I am the universe.

Take a long, slow deep breath in and let that go.  Do it one more time.  Gently release.

Let’s seal today.  Let’s seal that amazing fusion that exists within between the ethereal, the material, the relationship, the spiritual, physical.  Let’s feel the yoga, the oneness of these realms by chanting om one time.

Take a deep breath in….om

Wen it feels comfortable, slowly open your eyes.

It takes 21 days to create a habit a ritual.  This is your ritual.  If it feels comfortable, keep it going.

Namaste

MB Day 20: Realizing Wellness Through Visualization

by DoinTheGratefulDance

My notes from Deepak Chopra’s 21 Day Meditation Challenge

Day 20  Realizing Wellness Through Visualization

In today’s meditation we will integrate the experience of the last nineteen days and plant seeds of intention for the future.
“Your vision will become clear only when you can look into your own heart. Who looks outside, dreams, who looks inside awakes.” ~ Carl Jung

It’s Day 20 and in today’s meditation we will recapitulate our last nineteen days together and integrate the experience into our minds and bodies. Through a process of visualization and witnessing, you have the opportunity to expand your awareness, appreciation, and connection to all aspects of yourself.

Feeling fully integrated with a sense of wholeness, you will then be able to move into the future, planting seeds of intention for mind-body wellness.

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Today our meditation guide is Libby Carstensen, a Chopra Center Vedic Master and certified in Primordial Sound Meditation, Seven Spiritual Laws of Yoga, and Perfect Health/Ayurveda. In addition to teaching each week at the Chopra Center for Wellbeing, Libby is also a program and teacher training consultant and guides individuals into Chopra Center programs, workshops, and teacher trainings. Libby describes herself as a “dharma enabler” and finds that when we shift from, “What’s in it for me?” to “How can I serve?” the whole world opens up.”

Find yourself in a comfortable seated position, closing your eyes and turning your attention within.  Become aware of your breath – the inflow and the outflow.  The breath, the life force, circulating through your body.

Begin to visualize your breath as a color, allowing the first one that comes to mind to be the right one.

See this color flowing through your entire body, subtly directing it to any area requiring healing.  This can be within your physical body, within your mind.  Breathe in, breathe out.  Drawing in energy and exhaling that which no longer serves you.

Now, bringing your awareness to your body, begin to allow your consciousness and awareness  to move through your body to the crown of your head.  Now experience this awareness lifting out through the crown of your head so it is as if you are looking down on your physical body.  You see your body but your awareness is outside the body.

Now allow your awareness to be directed to look off into the past.  Become aware of the direction of your past and begin to move your awareness in that direction, moving exactly 19 days back in time and trust your consciousness to take you there.

Once you’re there, begin to experience what it was like on that very first meditation.  You may see yourself on day one of this meditation mind-body odyssey.  Just observe how you were feeling.  What was happening in your life at that time.  It’s important not to judge, but just simply observe.  It’s as if you’re watching a movie.  The intention here is fully integrating the last 19 days so that we can move forward whole, into the future.

See day 1.  Now moving toward day 2 and continuing as you allow yourself to move towards the present, day 20.  Now, coming to present, see yourself in  the present here and now.

Now, looking out toward the future, allowing your consciousness to take you there, 30 days out into the future.  Taking with you all the knowledge, all of the learning, all of the experiences over the last 20 days.  Moving out 30 days from now, what are you doing?  What does your physical body feel like?  What are you telling yourself internally?  What are the messages you are sending your mind and body?  What are your relationships like?  How are you connecting with nature.  Again, observe, no judgement, just observe.

Now, move out six months, taking with you all of the learning, all of the knowledge.  Now what is showing up in your life?  How are you physically feeling?  How much love are you experiencing in your life?

Now, moving out a year from now.  What does your life look like?

Now move out five years from now – five years into the future, taking with you mind, body and spirit.  Take a look around.  What do you see?  What is showing up emotionally?  Physically?  Financially?  How are you expressing yourself creatively?  Take a look around and see what is waiting for you.

In this moment, what is the one word that comes to mind that describes what you’re feeling and what you’re experiencing?  What is the one word that will allow you to connect to this future that is waiting for you.  Allowing that word to come into your awareness.  Begin to use this word a s mantra, continuing the repetition of this word allowing it to touch every single part of your mind, body and spirit.  Continuing with the repetition, remembering to be gentle and effortless, we are going to continue meditating on this word, this seed, to connect you with your future.

Continue sitting quietly with your eyes closed.

Aham Brahmasmi – I am the universe.   Releasing your intention, seeing it as a ripple putting into action and place all of these amazing things that are waiting for you.  That you have access to right now.

Bring your attention to the body, notice how you feel, rejoicing in what is possible and remembering that you are already whole and you are  experiencing a return to wholeness – mind, body and spirit.

Remember this word, use it as a mantra connecting you to what is possible.

Know that as you chant the universal chant of om, its sending out a ripple into the universe, not only touching us, but each person we come into contact with in the physical realm and also in the non local.

Allow this to come into the heart space as you chant om and experience how wonderful it feels to be connected – mind, body and spirit.

Inhale…om.

Namaste

The divine light in me acknowledges and sees the divine light in each and every one.”

MB Day 19: The Medicine of Love

by DoinTheGratefulDance

My notes from Deepak Chopra’s 21 Day Meditation Challenge…

Day 19 The Medicine of Love

In today’s meditation we’ll explore how love can be used as a powerful medicine to heal our bodies, thoughts, feelings, and even relationships.
“Compassion is the divine expression of love. Even as the uniqueness of individuality is honored and appreciated, a compassionate heart sees through the distinctions, embracing the unity.” ~David Simon

In today’s meditation we will explore how love can be used as a powerful medicine to heal our bodies, thoughts, feelings, and even relationships. We will embark on an inner journey to the depths of our being to reclaim our birthright of love.

As we slip into meditation, our barriers begin to disintegrate gently and effortlessly. We can then more easily embark on an expedition to parts of our being that we are unaware of. Today we will give ourselves permission to navigate our internal world and fully experience the magnificent healing power of love.

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Today’s meditation is led by Andrea DeBell, a certified instructor of Primordial Sound Meditation and Seven Spiritual Laws of Yoga. She is currently pursuing certification as an instructor of Perfect Health/Ayurveda, on her way to become a Vedic Master, the pinnacle of accomplishment within Chopra Center University.

“Find a comfortable position, close your eyes, take a deep breath in and let it go. Take another deep breath in and release it.

Imagine that there is a loving yellow golden light shining on the crown of your head, releasing any worries you may have on your mind.  Allow this loving golden light to move down your body, shining on your neck and shoulders, releasing all the weight of life that you may be carrying on your shoulders.  Soften your shoulders, relax your neck.

Bring this golden light down to your arms, involving them in this loving energy, nurturing your hands that give and receive so much love throughout the day.

Bring your awareness to your to your heart center, the Anahata Chakra, allowing this golden light to shine bright on your heart, noticing as the golden light shines on your heart, your heart opens wide.   Love can flow more easily now.

Continue expanding your heart a little more and then a little more, allowing this love to grow deeper and stronger in you, allowing this love to penetrate every fiber of your being.  Replace any unloving thought you may have, regarding your body, with loving thoughts, giving yourself permission to love every wrinkle on your face, every pound on your body, every cell of your being.

Love each little imperfection that you think you have, loving the parts of you that you try to hide, and loving the parts of you that embarrass you, loving the parts of you that are loving, kind and gentle, loving the parts of you that are sometimes impatient, unkind and judgmental.

Surround all aspects of your being with this immense love that is inside of you.  This love that you cannot hide because it’s your nature.  This love that you cannot deny because it’s who you  are.

Embrace this love and allow this bright golden light that is shining in your heart to dissipate any shadow or darkness that you may think you are carrying.  Allow this vast love to nurture you, to protect you.

Allow this shining love to heal you from the inside out, to heal your whole being as you love yourself in its entirety – exactly as you are.  Wishing for nothing to be different in your beautiful body as you love yourself as never before, with no room for judgement, fear, pain or sorrow in your heart.  Only love.  Bathe in this love, rejoice in the beautiful essence of your being.

Now wiggling your fingers and wiggling your toes, coming back to present moment awareness while remaining with your eyes closed, notice how you are still carrying this beautiful love in your heart.  With each breath, you become aware that this love will always be with you, even after you complete this meditation practice.  From now on you will never be alone because this love is forever your companion.

Take a deep breath in and let it go.  Take another deep breath in and release it.  When it is comfortable, allow your eyes to float open.  Keep in mind that the same powerful love that you can use to heal yourself can be used to heal others.

May you share this love with others on your path.  Give them the gift of your true nature.  “

Namaste

MB Day 18: Forgiveness

by DoinTheGratefulDance

My notes from Deepak Chopra’s 21 Day Meditation Challenge.

Day 18 Emotional Freedom through Forgiveness

In today’s meditation we will center our attention on the emotional freedom we experience through the act of forgiveness.

“The miracle of real forgiveness is discovering the freedom that comes with accepting that part of your Self you had previously condemned.”   ~ Tom Carpenter

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“Trista Thorp is a Vedic Master, certified as an instructor of Primordial Sound Meditation, Seven Spiritual Laws of Yoga, and Perfect Health/Ayurveda. In addition to teaching weekly classes at the Chopra Center for Wellbeing, Trista facilitates Healing the Heart, the Chopra Center’s emotional healing workshop, and is also the Certification Program Coordinator within Chopra Center University.”

Today’s meditation will center our attention around the emotional freedom we experience through the act of forgiveness.

There is an ancient Egyptian myth of Anubis, a God who meets us at our death and weighs our heart against the feather of justice.  If our heart is lighter than the feather, we are liberated for all eternity.

In today’s meditation we will center our attention on the emotional freedom we experience through the act of forgiveness. For many of us, the act of forgiveness wields a heavy hand. The toxic residue left over after we experience loss, heartache, disappointment, or abuse on any level leaves a deep scar – an imprint – in our heart, our psyche, and our physical body.  It makes perfect sense that our basic survival instincts would lead us to build protective barriers to keep certain experiences out while carefully shielding our most vulnerable aspects within.

We learn early on that, as an added measure of protection, we can consciously choose to withhold forgiveness from those who have violated our physical and emotional boundaries. We may believe that not forgiving others holds them in a perpetual state of suffering for what they have done.  What we don’t realize, however, is that withholding forgiveness binds us to the un-integrated emotional charge for weeks, months, years – and even lifetimes.

Forgiveness is about lightening our hearts. At some point in our lives, we all make choices that cause pain for another person.  When we move into understanding that we are all doing our best from our level of awareness at the time, the fostering of forgiveness begins to unfold.

Now that we’re feeling a little bit lighter, let’s invite forgiveness to step from it’s hiding place deep within our shadows and join us in the light.  In doing so, we will experience the opening of our hearts and a lightening of burdens from past experiences which allows us to move progressively toward the emotional freedom we desire.

Take a long, slow deep breath in.  Hold it at the top and then slowly exhale.  Allow this heart centered intention to flow out into the universe, trusting that healing and forgiveness are in divine and perfect order.”

Namaste

MB Day 17: Chakras

by DoinTheGratefulDance

During today’s meditation, we will be exploring the healing powers of our seven main energy centers known as the chakras.

“Everything in the universe
is within you.
Ask all from yourself.”
~Rumi

Chakra is a Sanskrit word that means “energy wheel” or “center”. It is a junction point that exists between consciousness and physiology. Each energy center is associated with a core human need, and when a center is open, the energy that flows through it allows us to better meet those needs. We activate and open our energy centers by placing our attention on the center’s location, human need, and corresponding color.

When our energy is open and free from blockages, our mind-body-spirit lives a life of vitality, security, creativity, loving expression, and universal connectivity.
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Today our meditation guide is Tiffany Murray, a Vedic Master certified as an instructor of Primordial Sound Meditation, Seven Spiritual Laws of Yoga, and Perfect Health/Ayurveda. She teaches at the Chopra Center for Wellbeing.

Today’s meditation will also include the essence of the seven spiritual laws derived from the book “The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success” written by Dr. Deepak Chopra.   This life guide consists of seven daily laws that can easily be applied to create success in all areas of your life.

With each chakra opening, we will apply the corresponding law connecting us to the essence of these powerful principle energies.

We have seven main energy centers that run along the spine, starting at the base of the spine and running up to the crown of our head.  Each energy center identifies a core human need as well as a color.

When our centers are open, the energy that flows through the Chakra allows you to meet those needs.  If there is blockage in one area of the mind-body system, energy becomes stagnant and our intentions are more difficult to actualize.

Today we will activate and open our energy centers by placing our attention on each center location while visualizing the human need, essence and color of the corresponding law.

Before we begin opening and balancing the chakras, please make sure you’re in a comfortable, seated position.  Uncross your arms and your legs, eyes and mouth are softly closed, breathing is relaxed, comfortable and neutral.

If at any time during this opening you find mind is jumping into the future or falling into the past, gently come back into the present.  Keep breathing naturally.

Lets begin with the first chakra, the root chakra, known in Sanskrit as the Muladhara Chakra.  This is located at the base of your spine.  This chakra represents your foundation and governs your most basic survival needs.  When energy is flowing through this center, you feel rooted to the earth, grounded and confident in meeting your core human needs.  When blocked, one may experience anxiety or worry.

Place your awareness at the base of your spine and imagine a swirling sphere of magnificent ruby red energy.  Take a deep breath in, inhaling positive grounding energy.  Exhale out any energy that is no longer serving you.  While holding your attention at the base of your spine on that beautiful swirling red energy, continue inhaling and exhaling at your own pace.

The corresponding law for the root chakra is the law of karma.  The Sanskrit  mantra for ths law is om creaahm namah.  My actions are in alignment with cosmic law.

Gently bring your awareness up to the second chakra, the Svadhisthana Chakra, located just above your pelvis  and below your belly button.  This is your sacral chakra and is associated with creativity, passion and sexuality.  When vital energy is flowing thru this center, you co-create your life and creative expressions emerge and arise effortlessly.

With your awareness at the sacral chakra, imagine a swirling sphere of brilliant orange.  Take a deep breath in, bringing in positive, creative energy.  Exhale out, releasing any energy that is no longer serving you.

While holding your awareness at the sacral chakra’s swirling sphere of orange energy, continue breathing at your own pace.

The law associated with this center is the law of least effort.  The Sanskrit mantra for this law is om dockshahm namah.  My actions achieve maximal benefit with minimal effort.

Gently bring your awareness to the third chakra, the Manipura Chakra located at your solar plexus, the area above your belly button and below your chest.  This is your power chakra.  The radiating gem that is the seat of power.  When open, you are capable of translating your intentions and desires into manifestation.  When blocked, you may feel frustrated or ineffectual.

With your awareness at the solar plexus, imagine a swirling sphere radiating a magnificent golden yellow like the sun.  Inhale in, inhaling powerful, positive energy.  Exhale out, releasing any energy that is no longer serving you.   While holding your attention at the solar plexus swirling sphere of golden energy, continue breathing at your own pace.

The law associated with the power chakra is the law of intention and desire.  The Sanskrit mantra for this law is om rehtahm namah.  My intentions and desires are in alignment and supported by natures intelligence.

Gently bringing your awareness up to the 4th chakra, the Ahnahata Chakra located at your heart center.  This is your center of love and compassion.  When our Ahanahata center is open, it enables us to give and receive love without fear or attachment, feeling connected to all beings in your life.  When blocked you can feel isolated or alienated from others.

With your awareness at the heart center, imagine a swirling sphere of emerald green.  Deep breath in, inhaling positive, compassionate energy.  Exhale out, releasing any energy that is no longer serving you.

While holding your awareness at the heart center swirling sphere of emerald green energy, continue breathing at your own pace.  The law associated with the heart chakra is the law of giving and receiving.  The Sanskrit mantra for this law is om fardanahm namah.  I nourish the universe and the universe nourishes me.

Gently bring your awareness up tot he 5th chakra, the Vishuddha Chakra located at your throat center.  This is your center of expression.  When your throat chakra is open and flowing, you are able to effortlessly express your authentic self without the the need for approval or fear of disapproval.  To feel alive and empowered, it is important that this energy center is clear.

With your awareness at your throat center, imagine a swirling sphere of sky blue energy.  Deep breath in, inhaling positive, expressive energy.  Exhale out, releasing any energy that is no longer serving you.

While holding your awareness at the swirling sphere of sky blue energy, continue breathing at your own pace.

The law associated with the throat chakra is detachment.  The Sanskrit mantra for this law is om anandam namah.  My actions are blissfully free from the outcome.

Gently bringing your awareness up to the 6th chakra, the Ajna Chakra located at the center of your brow line in between your eyes. This is your center of intuition and insight.  When this center is open, we have a deep connection  to our intuitive self, independent of the opinions of others, guided by our inner knowing or voice.   When blocked there is a sense of self-doubt and distrust.  The opening of this chakra is usually associated with a clear sense of direction to one’s darma or life’s purpose.

With your awareness at the center of intuition, imagine a swirling sphere of deep indigo blue, bluish-purple in shade.  Deep breath in, inhaling positive, insightful energy.  Exhale out, releasing any energy that is no longer serving you.

While holding your awareness at the intuition  center’s swirling sphere of indigo blue energy, continue breathing at your own pace.  The law associated with the intuition chakra is the law of darma.  The Sanskrit mantra for this law is om farunahm namah.  My life is in harmony with cosmic law.

Gently bring your awareness up to the 7th chakra, the Sahasrara Chakra located at the crown of your head.  This center is visualized as the thousand petal lotus flower that blooms when we remember that our essential nature is infinite and unbounded, without beginnings or endings.  When the lotus flower unfolds it’s petals, the memory of wholeness is restored.

When our roots are receiving nurturing from the earth in our first chakra, our creative juices are flowing in the second.   Our intentions are empowered in the third.  Our heart is open and exchanging love with those around us in the fourth, and we’re spontaneously expressing ourselves in the fifth.  You’re in touch with your inner voice in the sixth.  And the energy moves into the crown chakra remembering your true essential nature as unbounded and infinite.

With your awareness at the crown of your head, imagine a swirling sphere of violet or white energy.  Deep breath in, inhaling unbounded, positive energy.  Exhale out all the way.  While holding your awareness at the crown center’s swirling sphere of violet or white light energy, continue breathing at you own pace.  Inhaling and exhaling.

The law associated with the crown chakra is the law of pure potentiality.  The mantra is om buvahm namah.  I am absolute existence.  I am a field of all possibilities.

Let’s sit and allow the vibrations to move through all of our chakras, radiating through us, around us and outside of us.

We are travelers in a journey to the heart of life.  In our own way, and in our own time, each one of us is on a path that leads from constriction to expansion, from limitation to infinite possibility, from fear to love, and from separation to unity.

Wishing you a sweet journey to the heart of life.

Namaste