A Blissful Life 7/23/24: Coming Home

When I imagine ‘home’, I think of a safe and protected sacred haven. Something yoga has taught me is how to consciously come home to my body. When I was younger, I spent a lot of time unconsciously living outside of my body tangled in emotions created by stories that my mind was telling me. However, as I became more conscious and more embodied (I believe the two go hand in hand), I realized that I am not my thoughts, but rather the one watching the thoughts. This awareness was very empowering, as it made me understand that I get to choose whether or not I accept the storylines projected from my mind. Even in a challenging situation, I am the one who decides how I see and live my circumstances.

Are you aware of the stories going on in your mind throughout your day? It is important for us to recognize when we are allowing unhelpful thoughts to send us spiraling down a rabbit hole of negative emotions so that we can change the script. Taking just a short pause and a few conscious breaths can be enough to bring us back to the present moment. From a calm and centered place, we can then clearly examine the thoughts and get curious about their roots.

If you’ve spent years living in your head, coming down into the body and realizing that you are not your thoughts will take some practice. But, as with any practice, the more you do it, the easier it becomes.

We have the power to change our perspective at any moment. We can stop ourselves, decide to let go of whatever may have happened, take a breath, and land here fresh in this body. We can decide to release the old story and we can begin again from here, with a less clouded view of the future. We can choose to trust that we do not need to clench onto details of what may or may not have played out, and that by standing here today in full presence, we naturally embody the wisdom of our experiences, which will effortlessly help to guide us as we move forward. We can decide to fully accept and appreciate how and who we are in this moment. Moving forward from a place of acceptance and appreciation infuses greater ease and buoyancy in our step, and all of a sudden the path we walk down begins to feel and look more spiritually aligned.

Releasing spiraling thoughts and dropping into presence can sometimes be easier said than done. To help the process, I find it important to move the energy. Physical activities, breathwork, sound baths, massage, laughter, time out in the elements, good company, and doing something creative are all great ways to step out of old storylines and open your mind to something new.

I also think it is important to trust our journeys and to remember that we are constantly evolving. In the words of Winston Churchill, “If you’re going through hell, keep going.” Be as kind and loving to yourself as possible and as you move through the challenge remember that your pain is temporary and there is a future beyond it.

In closing, I invite you to reflect: What are your greatest difficulties or pains right now? If they had a silver lining, what would that be? What would it look like if you were to trust that you are exactly where you need to be and focus on the silver linings?

I invite you to join me for yoga, Pilates, sound baths, and more at Ocean Bliss Yoga Studio located on the 3rd floor of the Belle Harbor Yacht Club. Find the schedule at oceanblissyoga.net. Call or text me with any questions at 917-318-1168.