Saturday, September 17, 2016

A Time and Space All Your Own


A Time and Space All Your Own
          The following visualization is one we use often in the yoga classes and in the self-care and stress management presentations.  The inspiration for this technique comes from Elizabeth Frediani’s book titled, Where Body Meets Soul: Subtle Energy Healing Practices for Physical and Spiritual Self-Care.  Enjoy!
Circle Boundary Visualization
          1)  Visualize clearing your energy field
          2)  Imagine drawing a circle around yourself
          3)  See clearly the people, places and things outside that circle affirming that they can only reach you by invitation
          4)  Decide what you do want to invite into your circle and enjoy for as long as you choose         
          Imagine somehow clearing your energy field of all the debris and distraction that sometimes accumulates there.  Some people do this by imagining a cosmic vacuum cleaner that sucks up all the “stuff” from the energy field.  Some people imagine a huge lint brush that methodically brushes through the energy field collecting all the busy-ness and clutter.  Some people prefer to physically clear any unwanted energy in their field with hand movements.  Some people even imagine a big strong wind blowing all the clutter away.  However you choose to do it, take some time to intentionally clear your own energy field.  Once you have sufficiently cleared your energy field; then imagine drawing a big circle around yourself.  Make the line of that circle thick and definitive.  This circle is your personal boundary.  Make sure that there is no question as to where it is and what it represents.  Know in your heart of hearts that the only things that can gain access to the space inside that circle boundary are things that you personally invite.  Take a moment to be conscious of the things (people, places, things) outside your circle and remind yourself that they can only have access to you if you invite them into your circle. 
          Once you’ve cleared your energy field and defined your space, then take the time to decide exactly what you DO want to have in your inner circle and what you would like to experience and explore.  This is a great way to start a project (anything from meditation or a yoga class to studying or spending time with a loved one).  It is also a lovely way to end a day.  When you lay down to sleep, clear your energy field of all the debris you collected during the day, define your boundaries for your night’s sleep and invite what you’d like to explore, experience or manifest into your inner circle of dreamy sleep!

Stolen Acronyms


Stolen Acronyms
          In the spirit of full, immediate and unabashed disclosure: the following is lifted directly from the acronym laden, thought provoking, and helpful book titled Brainstorm: The Power and Purpose of the Teenage Brain by Daniel J. Siegel, MD. What follows is my interpretation (and not intended to mirror the intentions of their author) of a couple of the acronyms proposed by Dr. Siegel.
          SIFT: This acronym stands for Sensations, Images, Feelings and Thoughts and provides an outstanding means for presiding in the present moment.  In sifting through your experience - in other words, remaining mindful of your sensations, images, feelings and thoughts - you allow yourself that delightfully delicious experience of being fully present.
          To assist you in your exploration of the present moment, lest it become a less than desirable experience, I offer another of Dr. Siegel’s acronyms: COAL.  Coal stands for Curious, Open, Accepting and Loving – all attributes and attitudes that will help to enhance joy and pleasure as you explore what is happening now. 
          Since reading these two acronyms in Dr. Siegel’s book, I find myself interjecting them both into my personal yoga/meditative practice as well as into every yoga class I facilitate.  Mind you, I have not spelled out the acronyms – and quite frankly, perhaps I should so as to drive home the point – but I have included the concepts of exploring Sensations, Images, Feelings and Thoughts with Curiosity, Openness, Acceptance and Love.  It makes for a lovely time swimming in that delight filled river of now. 
          May COAL be your fuel you as you SIFT through your present!  Enjoy.

Sunshine, Lollipops and Rainbows


Sunshine, Lollipops and Rainbows

Working with Thought Forms

          Everything begins with imagination.  In any given circumstance, for the most part, your mind has assessed the situation and spun a story (aka: thought forms based on experiences from your past or on what you anticipate for the future) around everything you are feeling and sensing.  It is your way of making sense of the world around you so that you are able to function effectively within it. This process is so automatic that few of us stop to consider the process is even taking place, let alone dare to experiment with it.  

          Below is a playful, practical and surprisingly effective way to intentionally work with what your mind does automatically, create thought forms:

          1)  Imagine with as much sensation and feeling as possible pleasant images in your immediate surroundings

          2) Continue until you feel differently somehow (note: until YOU feel differently)

          This technique is best explained through example, so I’ll provide a few.  My mentor, Serge Kahili King, uses a story of when he and his wife were once travelling.  They approached the ticket gate at a busy airport only to discover that the entire itinerary for their two week vacation had been deleted from the computer system.  The airline representative was harried and not particularly invested in taking the time and energy necessary to recoup the extensive information and rebook every flight.  As I recall Serge King explaining it, he and his wife, Gloria, began to mentally surround the airline representative with pleasant scenery imagining the glorious scenes from their native Hawaii all around her.  They also mentally sent her blessings and affirmations of her competence.  As the story goes, they not only made a friend but she was kind, gracious and efficient in rescheduling every inch of their much anticipated vacation. 

          As another example, I offer a personal experience with this technique.  Just weeks before my mother’s death, I went (as I did regularly) to visit her in the nursing facility where she was living at the time.  There was never any question that she did not want to be there; nor was there ever a question as to how stressful the situation had become for everyone involved as the slow decline of her body and mind had been taking place over several years at this point.  When I arrived on that particular day, she was sitting in her wheelchair in the middle of her darkened room.  As soon as she saw me, she began to rant and rave in a manner that she would never have allowed anyone other than her closest family to witness.  “I hate living here”…. “This is not a nursing care facility but a concentration camp”.… “All I want to do is die”…. and on it went.  I took a silent and deep breath and began to fill her room visually with all the lovely memories I had of a previous visit to Hawaii.  I filled the room with waterfalls, rainbows, and lush landscapes all the while listening attentively to her vent.  Within a few minutes she became quiet and reflective.  She then apologized for the outburst, thanked me for visiting and we went on to have a pleasant visit.  If my imagining changed her in some way, I will never know.  (Remember the note above: until YOU feel differently)  But it did change me and how I might have otherwise reacted to the emotionally charged encounter with my mother who we both knew was dying. 

          The title of this article “sunshine, lollipops and rainbows” comes from a song I learned many years ago as a member of the high school choral group.  It is the song I often sing in my head when at work in a pediatric hospital.  When interacting with a patient, the song reminds me to fill the room with delightful child friendly thought forms: sunshine, lollipops, rainbows, puppies, butterflies, etc.  Whether it influences the kids is a mystery I don’t anticipate understanding.  I can say that it keeps my spirits lifted even in the midst of some pretty heart wrenching situations.  I am fairly certain that everyone in the room can “feel” the vibe as well.  Sometimes, when the situation warrants, rather than sunshine, lollipops and rainbows it is a quiet, peaceful lagoon I envision, or a peace-filled sunset or meadow, or maybe just a pleasant color.

          When working with this thought form technique, it helps to imagine them with as much “reality” as possible.  Make it so real in your mind that you no longer doubt that what you are imagining isn’t there.  And just to be clear, this technique is never about changing someone or something else.  At best you can influence others but never change them.  Working with thought forms is about consciously choosing which thought forms you entertain in any given situation, rather than letting your mind select the though forms for you usually based on mishaps of the past or fears of the future.  In working with thought forms, you stay present and open to new ways of interacting with your world.  Try it sometime and see what happens!  Enjoy!