I belong to a incredible group at Gather called Shedding Light. My dear friend Mariana T. posted the following article there for Shedding Light as the group leader. She was gracious enough to let me share it with Venusity readers. With a whole year ahead of us, this is the essence of attaining Venusity:
Dear Sistahs - good health is not just losing a few pounds - it's balancing the body, mind and spirit. A friend of mine from back home sent this to me. Her name is Sharon and she's a yoga teacher and also a Montessori teacher. What a gift to receive these words this rain-filled day here in not so Sunny Santa Barbara! I hope you are as inspired as I am. Thank you Sharon Lee.
When the year turns over, we reach a mark, a moment of transition. Most people take it as a cue to reflect on what they could do better or differently. For many of us, especially at New Year's, thoughts immediately turn to promises of new diets and more exercise—physical fitness. But what about spiritual fitness? What if your top priorities were inner intentions, like forgiveness and kindness, rather than outer intentions like a better body or more money?
The amazing thing that we all know, but easily forget, is that when we have inner strength the other goals we hold, like fitness, healed relationships, and prosperity, are easier to achieve. Here are a few tips to help you on to spiritual fitness in 2010.
Make a commitment and a concentrated effort to reduce the people, places, and things that drain your energy or entrap you in negative moods. Less violence in what you watch, less gossip and complaining in what you hear, and less chaos in where you go will help you to stay balanced and connected to your essence.
Life can be difficult, that is certain. Helping to make someone else's day a little better or easier will always help to brighten your day and feed your soul. Lifting people's spirits can be as simple as a generous show of gratitude, a compliment to a person who has helped you, holding a door open for a busy person, or offering encouragement to someone in need. Helping others in small ways will eventually pay back in a big way.
As you seek practices, philosophies, and people to help you explore your spiritual side, don't forget that we all have a spiritual personality. Just as we don't all love the same types of sports, ice cream, music, or clothing styles, we won't all like the same spiritual practices. To begin to understand your spiritual personality, write a list of the activities that bring you a sense of peace, connection, or joy. Look for themes in your answers and find a practice that is similar. Remember: the best spiritual practice is the one that works for you.
If you want true and lasting spiritual fitness, you should pick a simple activity that helps you to return to a place of calm and reflection that you can do every day, at least once a day. A five minute breathing exercise, prayers in the morning, meditation, writing in a gratitude journal, or a ten-minute visualization are all examples of simple and effective ways to reconnect you to what matters most. It's important to do your practice daily so that you can interrupt the cycles of stress, distraction, and business that we all fall into each day.
A deep sense of spiritual wellbeing and inner strength comes from exercising your soul. A daily practice is essential for maintenance, but a more involved weekly practice will bring you depth. Your weekly practice should be much longer than your daily practice and typically could involve a group to help shape your context, keep your focus, and provide feedback. Church, synagogue, meditation groups, yoga, tai chi, singing in a choir, a contemplative walk in nature, or volunteering at the hospital could all be examples of a weekly practice. Try to have at least one thing that breaks up the weekly cycle of commitments and reminds you of what is most important.
It's a simple but powerful lesson: keep the company of like-minded and similarly intentioned people, and your goal will be easier to achieve. This doesn't mean we should judge or reject those who are not like us, it simply means that spiritual growth is assisted by community, support, and the momentum of others headed in the same direction.
Whether you are struggling with a teacher, a practice, or a community, one of the biggest challenges is to stay committed and present even when you feel like checking out. Sometimes our greatest breakthroughs come after we have found the courage to learn a little more and trust the process. In other cases, the greatest lesson is to honor your limits, your needs, and your truth. Staying too long in something that doesn't serve you can be harmful, even dangerous. If you aren't able to tell the difference between the good reasons for staying and the good reasons for going, find a few friends or trusted guides to explore your feelings with. If you are honest and your counsel is reasonable, you'll quickly find your answer.
At the heart of all spiritual growth and meaningful practice is the role of your attitude and intent. The attitude you bring to your life, yourself, and your spiritual path will be reflected in what it returns to you. Amongst the many important attitudes are what I think of as "the big three." Anchor your life, your choices, your attitude, and your practice in the big three and you will find that all the inner strength and love you seek. You can remember these three by their acronym: BIG. Just remember to live BIG:
Blessing – bring a mindset of blessing to each struggle and situation you encounter. This means both to look for the blessing in each situation and to bless what you struggle with – if it doesn't change the situation, it will change you.
Intention – attention follows focus and if you are clear in what you intend to be or create you will be more likely to find it, or attract it. Intention also gives you a reference point for your decisions, rather than react, consider your intention, then make your choice.
Gratitude – take time as often as you can to feel gratitude for whatever goodness there is in your life. Sometimes it may be for simple things and other times profound, but feeling thankful will help you to look for the best in situations and bring out a sense of peace and contentment in you.
Meditation
Take a few deep breaths and allow your body to take in all the air that it needs. Imagine your entire body softening.
Begin by thanking the divine for all the gifts in your life right now. Appreciating where we have been is a magical key to moving forward. Every situation and relationship from your past has taught you something useful, and has made you who you are today.
Now notice those things that have outlived their usefulness. What keeps you stuck? What stops you from living your deepest dreams? Recognize the obstacles to achieving the changes that you choose for your life. Begin to make mental notes of all of those things that you are ready to release.
Where are you still holding resentment toward another? Towards yourself?
Let all your fears, worries, doubts, disappointments, and anger surface in your mind... envision them as a muddy stream which flows out of you as you breathe. See yourself releasing old hurts, sadness, imbalance, and injustice in your life from the past and present. Feel them dissolving, pouring out of your body.
Just let them go. Release all the "should haves," "could haves," "if onlys." There are many layers to let go of, so for now, let go of those things that you are able to. Exhale and let them go.
Now see what items, relationships or situations you have outgrown or that need to shift in some way. Take the time to express gratitude for the lessons learned, and then visualize them gently leaving or changing to promote your new reality.
As you free yourself from the past you open up space for fresh, honest relationships and exciting new opportunities to come into your life.
As the old energy flows out, experience a new lightness, feel a new power and vitality entering into your mind and body opening up space for compassion, for forgiveness, for health, for prosperity and success. Invite in those people who are able to respect and honor your growth and change.
Dwell in this new space for a short time, opening your heart and expressing gratitude for the opportunity to grow and move forward. Honor and acknowledge yourself for the courage to clean house and let go.
Now imagine that you can breathe in the qualities that you need for this new part of your life. Breathe in courage to be true to yourself. Just breathe it in. Breathe in patience, discipline, spontaneity, anything that you feel would assist you in this new beginning. See yourself as strong and positive.
In your minds eye, picture what you would like to receive in your life and imagine yourself easily receiving these gifts. Feel yourself radiating with positive energy as you attract new people, ideas and situations.
See yourself joyful and content with this new reality.
Slowly begin to deepen your breaths. Gently move your fingers and toes. Gently begin to turn your head from side to side. Keeping your eyes closed, take three final deep breaths. When you are ready, you may open yours eyes. Many blessings for a "Happy New You!" Don't forget, every thing you need is around you. Yoga and massage available. E-mail or call for schedule.
Peace and happiness are my wishes for you,
Sharon Lee
