Our Brains in the process of Transformation

If you've ever wondered about the neurological happenings of your personal evolution, this is a TedTalk for you. Joe Dispenza teaches how we can support ourselves as we shift from who we are to who we want to be. 


Metacognition is defined as knowing about knowing, our cognition about our cognition. In Yoga, this would be what called the Witness Self. When we observe our behaviors and beliefs we have more power to create changes in our brain and the ways we live. As we regularly reinforce thoughts we know will serve us, others that are a part of different neural networks will fade away. Joe illustrates how this leads to our nature becoming more, for example, compassionate. 


Check in with yourself right now. Take a few deep breaths. Sense your body. 


Witness what's happening now.


How does your authentic self want to be living? 


Create an intention to do one thing later today to take a step in that direct. (go to 12:15 in the video to hear about the brain and intention)


"The Master observes the world but trusts his inner vision - He allows things to come and go - His heart is open as the sky." 

~ Lao Tzu

Mantra for Compassion, Metta

I'm feeling on Deva Premal's Tara mantra right now. Notice what it's like to listen to it with your whole being. 

Here's the words so you can chant along:

Om Tare Tuttare Ture Svaha

This is a mantra of compassion and liberation. It came up in my awareness yesterday as I was having one of those being-a-paradoxical-human kind of times. I saw that while at times I feel at home in my body and connected to my truth and power, there are others when I'm restricted by negative self images. 

The beauty in allowing myself to be with pain is that it can be a river flowing towards an ocean of connection. I know I'm not alone in what I feel. How many other people share these ranges of being in relationship to themselves and the world around them? How can I embrace this opportunity to cultivate compassion for myself and all beings? I do my best to be with what's happening now as fully as I can in a welcoming way. I lean into my edges. I notice how the caring touch of a friend helps me soften into it with a sense support. I notice the actions that naturally want to arise. Of them is a practice of Metta, also known as loving-kindness or friendship.

Try this now, or the next time the waves of emotion have softened your armor. Use whatever words or phrases work for you right now. 

May I be truly happy, free and peaceful.

May all of us who feel inhibited by our body image be truly happy, free and peaceful. 

May all of us who notice restrictions in the ways we live because of harmful inner narratives be truly happy, free and peaceful.

May we all be truly happy.

May we all be free.

May we all be peaceful.

In Metta,

Namaste

Jessica

Everybody gets to play!...even the gross ones?

I'm doing my best to let everybody play today. Sounds fun right? If you're into being whole and sharing rich moments, then yes, I guess it was a fun day.

 Sharon Salzberg shared the phrase "everybody gets to play" while I was on retreat at Kripalu. I appreciate the all inclusive implication. Today emotions started arising that didn't align with my idea of how my day was going to go. I intended to be with them, inviting even these uncomfortable waves to play and maybe even teach me a something about myself.

There were heavy sensations calling attention to my chest. I made my way to my yoga room and put myself into a supported fish pose. The backbend allowed me to more fully explore what was arising in my heart space and in my emotional body. I stayed with the tears that were streaming, until a part of me felt like that was enough and decided to move on with my day.

I came across this video about Sacred Economics on Tad Hargrave's website. There I was trying to be "productive" learning more about marketing and economics and ended up being so moved by what I saw that I was back in a sea of tears. My dear friend arrived at the door as the video ended. It was such a blessing to get a hug right when I needed it! After I invited him in I noticed my face tensing-an indicator for me that I was masking up. I suggested some acroyoga. I knew it'd be a way I could get more into my body. I flew first. As much as I didn't want to be with the edgy emotions that were arising, I couldn't help it as my body was held in the air. I was reminded of the profound effect of touch. Breathing deeply as my body was stretched I was supported in my process of being present to myself. As much as I like to be an independent DIY kind of person, I'm always learning to embrace the richness of human exchange. Some things are just different, and at times more powerful, when someone else can hold down the fort and I can just let go.

 I'm grateful that I was willing to let myself be with the emotions that came up today. It was definitely edgy for me, but provided an opportunity to see more of who I am. On this journey towards wholeness I need welcome all the parts that make me both human and Divine.

Here's a Rumi poem for you. A friend of mine says that poetry comes alive when read aloud. Try it out, even (especially!) if it's edgy for you. You might get to know a guest of yours in a new and intimate way.

Free from Expectation or Attached to Outcome:How do you Give?

I believe everyone has a unique gift to offer. I feel it's our responsibility to uncover what it is so that we can share it with our communities. Living in such a stimulating culture and being bombarded with so many messages can make it difficult to be in tune with how we can contribute in a way that feels authentic. 

If you're like me, when you find something that really works for you, you want to share it with loved ones. Have you ever been really excited to give something special, only to be disappointed by the response?  I remember growing wheatgrass for my Dad. I had hoped it would help him get through his battle with prostate cancer. My gardening had a desired outcome-my Dad being cancer free. When he kindly declined my offer of this green healing juice, I felt helplessly deflated. 

One of the keys of a transformational Phoenix Rising Yoga Therapy session is letting go of expectations and desired outcomes to create the space for the possibilities unfolding moment by moment. Doing things with the process as the focus helps me to soften my grip on what I want to make happen. With an end point in mind, I can be blinded to the opportunities for discovery along the way. The desired outcome of my Dad's health improving restricted me from truly being present to him in the process of his illness. I feel there were opportunities for being in a spacious connection with him during that time. Often my attachments to doing something for him, and my disappointments at failing, blinded me from seeing them. 

What would it be like to give in a way that was free of expectations, to offer yourSelf for the sake of shining, trusting that the rays will ripple out in ways that are beyond our knowing?

Even this blog post: I sat down with the intention to write from an authentic place, without any end product in mind. The spaciousness I gave myself invited another wave in the grieving process to arise and be seen. 

Try this experiment: find something special do you. Offer it openly. Let go of expectations. What happens? 

“All life is an experiment. The more experiments you make the better.” Ralph Waldo Emerson