Left Side - Right Side & in between

A lot has happened since I've last written, let me catch you up. Last Friday there was a full moon (Snow Moon to be correct) and a lunar eclipse and a comet. Lots of celestial movement. In the week leading up to these events and the start of what many astrologers coin "eclipse season", I felt like some things were falling into place, things I've been wanting to fall into place for some time and they always seem to take longer than expected. For example, My morning rituals, making sure I'm eating regularly (and when my body gets hungry), drinking enough water during the day, making sure I get enough rest. Basic life things, but, unfortunately for many of us, not priorities and not always the top things on our life to-do list. I have found it challenging here in the city to do this, especially during my first two years when I was working full-time as a middle school ESL teacher and working on my masters at the same time. In a program designed by the city... hmmm something doesn't seem right here. So if I'm a full-time teacher AND a full-time student, when do I have any other time for anything, especially me?!

It was a challenging period, to put it lightly. And even though I made a huge change in my work and lifestyle by becoming the manager of my yoga studio, I somehow still found these "life basics" to be, well, not so basic. And then the shift began, and I embraced it. I felt a pull to spend more time by myself, to connect with my close friends, to devote time to create, to feed myself and rest, and just be kinder in general. I might also add that a benefit of working at the studio is that I have made friends with many healers; yoga teachers, massage therapists, Reiki masters, acupuncturists, cranioscral therapists. A few years ago, I didn't even know that some of these things existed, let alone have tried them, or do them on a regular basis. I now have the opportunity to incorporate them into my life, and have people all around me who have this wealth of knowdlege. I am constantly learning about these arts, as well as learning more about myself physically, mentally, and spiritually.

In the past few months I have noticed in these practices that there is pain on several places on my left body. I think I had not noticed before, or it wasn't to the point of irritation. Whatever the case, I found it peculiar that there were things on only the left side. I also became aware of other patterns having to do with right and left body patterns, even as simple as where I sit or which way I sleep. So what I am getting to is that I feel my left body has been worked too hard, had not been used in a gentle loving way, and had been a bit neglected. Left body corresponds to right-brain. Creativity, flow, ease, artistic expression. Whereas my right body is strong, right, tense and over worked. This corresponding to left-brain. Masculine, order, logic, structure, planning. Go, go, go. More, more, more. You see?

So with the pre-eclipse and post-eclipse I saw the shift in attention to my left body, specifically my shoulder. I believe I hurt it from incorrect positioning in several yoga poses and just generally overworking it. I also believe I caught it early enough to not have caused any lasting injury (though i will be checking it out!). Point being that I am now intentionally acting with focus on my left shoulder. Which class will i take today? What do you say left shoulder? No class? Okay, well then we still need to do our stretching. Gentle hatha? Sounds nice! Okay then. How about those downward facing dogs? Not feeling it? No worries, coming down to rest.

This seems to be a way of me listening to that quiet voice. My heart, my soul, that gentle, patient part of me that often gets skipped over or put on hold. What I've realized and am beginning to incorporate into my life is that I need to listen to my body and what it is telling me. If something doesn't feel right, I don't need to do it, NO explanation needed. If something feels good, like a warm cozy hug, go for it. I only have this one body and this one life here, I am meant to be happy. I am meant to be well. I am meant to be free from suffering. I can only be responsible for ME. My ONLY responsibility is to take care of my needs, and part of that is listening to my heart. What is it that I desire? What is it that won't leave me alone? If I ignore it long enough it will show up, as synchronicity, as aches, as pains, even as depression (if we really don't listen). So I am listening, really listening. AND asking for strength and courage to do what needs to be done, when the time comes. It's not time to sit back and be quiet, this is the only time I've got. I've begun to focus more on what I want. Not sure how or when these things will happen, but my focus will manifest them. And that I'm sure. So, that's that.

That's the update, for now. ❤️🙏❤
#listentoyourheart #healthyself #followyourbliss #beherenow #magiceverywhere #itsallhappening

You Get What You Need

You know how the song goes...

You can't always get what you want.

You can't always get what you want.

You can't always get what you want, 

but if you try sometimes, you might find,

You get what you need.

And that's really it. We have everything that we need. We have everything that we need. We have everything that we need. And to know this, to know that at this moment, at this time, we have have we need changes EVERYTHING. 

From my own experience, I have seen it very easily reflected back to me in my surroundings. When I am in the space of gratitude, of knowing that I have everything that I need in this moment, things align, things come to me that I've been thinking of, life flows. 

When I find things taken away, never feeling like there's enough, never being able to maintain a balance or a comfortable calm, this is when I'm focused on what I don't have, what I might have or could have, what is the next best thing, bigger, better, more, more, more!

Some would call it the ego, some would call it the collective culture, others would call it the zeitgeist, and still others a form of mental illness, perhaps depression or anxiety.

It goes further that things though, it's much deeper than that, it's about knowing who and what you are. It's knowing that you ARE everything that you need and you ARE everything you are looking for. You are Powerful beyond limits. You Are a Miracle. You are Here for a Reason. You Are Loved. You Are Love. That is what brought you here, that is what created you, that is why you are alive at this very instant. That inhale... Love. That exhale... love. 

Where else would it come from? It all serves a purpose, a divine, loving purpose. Much greater than you, much greater than me. We are made of the stuff of stars and this universe will provide for us all that is needed. Always. You will always get what you need, maybe not in the shape or form expected, but as it is supposed to be. Remember. Remember. You Get What You Need. You Have What You Need. 

#gratitude #givethanks #vibes #energy #resonance #knowwhoyouare #youareit #lovelovelove #divinity #beherenow #magiceverywhere #itsallhappening

I like the reminder of this message from Charles Bradley: I'm Just a Soldier Passing Through

Baby Steps

My messages from the universe today: have patience with yourself, everything is learning, be kind, be gentle, take it easy, step by step. As a recovering perfectionist, I recognize when my mind seeks to control and have everything just as it has imagined. When things aren't that way or seem to take longer than expected, I get agitated and second guess.

Maybe this isn't meant for me, maybe this isn't really what I want, maybe this is just not meant to be, this is just horrible, not good enough, it needs to be this way now!... the focus, rather, as I recover from these tendencies is on the process and the enjoyment of where I am at that moment.

Did I want to ask this person about something I heard them talking about? Did I enjoy a class and share my appreciation with the teacher or other students? Did I start a conversation and find our common thread (because there ALWAYS is one)? Did I find the beauty and perfection in the moment, whatever or how ever it looks like? It's coming to the realization that everything, when you fall, when you balance, when you laugh, when you cry, ALL of it, is just as it should be. When you recognize the ups and downs, the fluctuations of these brief and fleeting moments, you can begin to appreciate it all; the highs, the lows the excitement, and the mundane, because the truth is you are SO MUCH MORE than all of that.

The truth is you are being born everyday. You are learning every moment. By focusing on how you want to feel and where you want to go, you will be able to recognize the necessity of being kind to yourself. Life is a marathon, not a sprint. Take it easy, take care, listen to your BODY and what it is telling you. Keep your eyes on the prize and that will keep your day to day actions focused and clear. Whereever you are headed on this journey, know that all of it, ALL of it, is taken in baby steps. One step at a time. Be patient with yourself, everything will come to you in just the right time. Keep. On. Keeping. On.

#theuniversespeaks #trusttheprocess #followtheyellowbrickroad #patience #courage #babysteps #magiceverywhere #itsallhappening