Our Inner Critic

Are you aware of the inner critic voice within your mind that whispers or yells horrible things to yourself through out the day? 
For example:
“You suck” “your stupid” “nobody likes you” “your fat”

Now I want you to imagine a young child you love or maybe your child is grown but imagine them when they were young. Imagine that sweet sweet beautiful kind magical baby and ask... would you say the things that you are about to say to yourself to that child?

If the answer is no, do NOT say those words to yourself!!!!

The truth is we each have a little child within ourself. 
Speak to yourself, to the child within you with the same thoughtful kindness you would use when speaking to that child you love. .
“Stop trying to ‘fix’ yourself; you’re not broken! You are perfectly imperfect and powerful beyond measure.” ~Steve Maraboli

Wherever You Are...

Wherever you find yourself... riding a life high or low 🌊let it be an opportunity. An opportunity to soften the hard exterior we hold to protect ourself. However in this attempt to protect ourself we lessen our ability to love and be loved. And LOVE is Magic. It connects us and heals us. 🌈💗

How can you move through your current situation in a way that will help you love more and receive love more? 

One of my current situations is a sinus infection😤. Instead of just complaining about it (which I admit I do). I am also practicing responding to life with kindness even though I am in pain. (This is not my tendency.) And letting myself feel love that other people have for me and let that give me some comfort even though I am in pain. 

What situation are you facing?

A letter to my body

A love note to my body: 
First of all,
I want to say
THANK YOU!

For the heart you keep beating,
The lungs you keep breathing. .
For being a playground for my children. .
For carrying my babies through pregnancy,
For bringing my babies earth side 
For my the ability to care and nourish my children. .
For all of the adventures we have experienced. .
For healing me when I have been sick and broken. .
For loving me back
Even when I didn’t know how to love you.

For never giving up on me. .
I promise I will continue to learn how to treat you better. .

Sankulpa

This is the sankulpa mudra (hand position). Sankalpa means "wish" and "intention".

This is the practice of joining mind, heart and body to create a resolve that is in alignment with your deepest core. It is the most heartfelt desire within that takes form as one's own dharma, divine life purpose. 

Sankalpa is a calling to the highest remembrance of Self and the solid ground from which you fly. . 
A seed must first root to blossom, just as the human soul must root to fly. Sankalpa is the internal vow we make to support our highest purpose in life and the creative unfolding of our soul journey to serve the greater whole. 

To create a deep, heartfelt intention or sankalpa, sit quietly and reflect:

quiet your mind and ask, what do you most deeply desire?

What is your sankulpa?

Use this intention to inspire your practice, teaching, and the whole of your life!

Mine is to never stop healing and growing into my best Self and helping others overcome their personal obstacles. 

"I deeply wish to grow no matter what. The essence of this effort lies in the ability to focus our attention in our hearts without becoming tense or contracted. Whatever words you use, it is not something that you think but rather something that emanates from your heart." ~ Swami Chetanananda

I have a theory on Teflon and Velcro.

I have a theory on Teflon and Velcro. 

Have you ever gotten a negative critique? What about a positive comment? 

Where do you put these two kinds on comments? on mental Teflon, letting it slide off of you, or on mental Velcro, sticking it in place for years to come back and reflect on it? 

For me it’s very obvious. I get told many kind things about my teaching almost daily. I soak these in for a moment and then quickly forget about them. On the other hand I can list of the negative comments I have received about my teaching over the last 14 years. 

One of my current practices when I receive a positive comment is to mentally place it on the Velcro and purposely choose to recall that comment. When I receive a negative comment I question if it is coming from a reliable source, if I need to learn + grow from this comment and if so I work to make those refinements. Then I mentally put it on the Teflon. I watch it slide off. The next time my mind wants to recall it I remind myself it’s on the Teflon.. it’s gone. 

This is true for parenting too, more challenging moments I stick to the Velcro and the bliss filled moments slide away on the Teflon. 

I use the same technique. Mentally placing the good moments on the Velcro, like this loving sibling play time post swimming, and the hard moments I work to let slide away. 

As with most mindfulness practices it’s easier said then done but with intention and repetition I see a huge difference in my self esteem and happiness levels. 

April, turn in with inner spiral

April Alignment Focus: Inner Sprial, the third principle of alignment. This is to be done after Opening to Grace and setting the foundation (1st principle) and engaging the muscles with muscle energy (2nd principle).
Inner Spiral is an expanding energy that runs from the feet through the pelvis into the waistline area to rotate the legs inward, move the thighs backward and widen the pelvis. Inner Spiral in the arms draws the head of the arm bones into the shoulder sockets and widens the scapula's on the back. 

Inner spiral can be summed up in three words:

1. In
2. Back
3. Wide

As we move into April a time of rain and nourishment for the blossoms to come we can be reminded to draw IN to our self, move deep BACK into ourself, see what areas of our self need tending to so we can grow more optimally (think pulling weeds and fertilizing the soil of your soul) through these inward practices we WIDEN and expand our possibilities.