Wellness Wednesday: Initiating Growth, The Last Post

Good morning and Happy Wellness Wednesday, friends!

It has come the day to share this will be my last Wellness Wednesday post. The growth of life has become so abundant over the year that it was necessary I reflect on how much of the things I love can be held onto one plate. The decision to release my permanent classes at the studio and remain casual was difficult to initiate. My heart held such a big piece for the studio and community and it felt as though releasing my permanent classes was cutting the last heart string of the suburbs as I fully transition into the city.

We know life is about growth, which is wonderful, though not always easy. Many of life’s lessons can be painful or difficult. Yet, such challenges are often the ones that present the most opportunity for spiritual growth. Initiations for growth come in many forms. They may be unbearable at times or call us to step up to the plate in ways that we may think we are not ready for. At such times, it can feel as if the world is testing us and that life is asking more of us than we think we can give. We may feel uncomfortable, anxious and unsure of what to do. However, life isn’t so much going against us as it is often encouraging us to grow.

During these periods, we can grow stronger by moving one moment at a time, as we work through our challenges. We may be asked to let go of old safety restrictions, shift old patterns of behavior, or step into the abyss of the unknown. When we do rise to the occasion, we end up better off for having made that journey. Not only do we end up learning and growing, but we inevitably become more compassionate to the challenges of others and wiser in the ways of the world. Our faith in the universe also grows because, ultimately, we can’t help but realize how much we are supported and taken care of all along.

Special Note: With this said, I want to share my immense gratitude for the YBD community. Thank you for sharing your practices, your presence, your stories, your love, support and endless amount of hugs. For holding space and providing warmth. You have grown me as a student, a teacher and human being in more ways there are words and there is no other community I wanted to experience that growth with and for that I thank you deeply.

let’s flow and breathe together one last time this Sunday, July 4th in Glen Ellyn at 10am (pst…i’m also bringing vegan donuts post class!)

See you so soon🖤

Namaste,

Angie

Wellness Wednesday: False Evidence Appearing Real

Happy Wellness Wednesday, friends!

Our time anticipating uncertainty seems as if we have experienced the ebb and flow of every possible human emotion. There is no wrong way to feel and it is important that we acknowledge our attachment to our fears. Our anxiety can only create stagnation in our mind as we become fixated on ideas and behaviors, becoming a cozy home for fear and anxiety to thrive in.

The uncertainty leaves us in suspense because we cannot know for sure how an event will turn out. We may play every possible scenario in our head but our understanding that we do not know for sure what will happening in the future can allow us to let go of our attachment to uncertainty. When we live solely focused on what the future may or may not bring, we are more likely to live in fear. This is because of our natural reaction to protect ourselves. Our mind would not resort automatically to the joy the future may bring, but instead the possible instability of the next moment. If we remind ourselves that the future is always unsure we can find comfort in knowing that it is out of our control. This can motivate us to engross into the present moment, for this could help us ground and view our thoughts unattached. If we allow the space to find a proper perspective then we will realize ease will encompass us in the warmth of its arms. 

I once had someone explain to me that fear can be looked at as the acronym, “False Evidence Appearing Real.” Fears of being separated from what we feel we need for our security comes from a delusion-a distorted way of understanding ourselves and the world around us. When we understand that these thought processes are only representations of the energy we put to work then we realize we have the ability to shift our attention to a more productive place.

The only thing that is concrete in life is the present moment. While it is natural response to wander beyond the now about what the future will bring, it will always just be a conjecture. The more we acknowledge what we can and cannot control, the more clear our path becomes to accept the uncertainty. Our fears transform to shadows that slowly disintegrate when we focus our light on our fears . We can choose instead to direct our thoughts and creative power to things of great value as we learn to practice gratitude in the midst of the unknown.  Our ability to access these energies are always available to us when we place ourselves confidently in the ebb and flow of life. 

Namaste!

Angie

Wellness Wednesday : Power In Saying “No”

When our focus is largely external, it becomes difficult to determine where our world begins and ends when our inner and outer worlds often infuse. It becomes important to acknowledge a boundary must be set despite how much we adore the idea of being soft and overly resilient to our outer world. We must be confident knowing we are in control of how we respond to the world. 

We begin to learn the validity of saying, “no” and that saying yes when we want to say no can only lead to resentment. Fear can challenge us when we decide to set boundaries. We may worry that saying no will be seen as lazy or passive but to do so requires a great amount of awareness and presence. When we are nonjudgementally aware of our own needs and build the appropriate boundaries, we become better able to compassionately handle the emotional needs of others, becoming strong yet soft. 

But setting boundaries can require practice just like anything else in life. We may have difficulty accepting where our limits are or may feel sensitive to how people react when we present a new boundary. Once we establish what our limits are, it becomes comforting knowing how much freedom we truly possess.

Namaste!

Angie

Wellness Wednesday: Being Happy For Others

I often find myself at the lake front in awe of the amount of people that detach from the work day to spend a few moments in solitude with the people they appreciate most. This is shown through walks, snuggles, a picnic, a bike ride, field games, and the list can go on. Witnessing so many examples at once brings me so much happiness to see two or more happy people here on this earth because so often we compare ourselves to other’s happiness.

It is human nature to want to see how we measure up in comparison to others — especially if we think that they are better than us or have more of something that we want. Yet the truth is that it is not a good use of time to compare ourselves with others because there is no one like us and this makes us incomparable. It is sometimes almost easier to look externally and feel like we are deficient in comparison to other people rather than taking responsibility for our own progress in a sense of fulfillment of our life purpose.

Instead, if we can accept ourselves, appreciate the qualities that we alone possess, and realize that each of us is going through certain kinds of experiences for a reason, we are less likely focus so much on what other people have or are doing. Realizing and honoring that enables us to bring out the best in ourselves so we can get on with living rather than preoccupying ourselves with meaningless comparisons. If we avoid the urge to compare, it will come clear to what light we bring to the world.

Namaste!

Angie

Wellness Wednesday: There Is Still So Much Happiness To Experience

I had dragged myself to the lakefront right before sunset yesterday to continue my new summer tradition of practicing at sunrise. Without of doubt I would rather still be laying in bed but it was in this very moment I was reminded why these brief moments of ultimate peace has such an everlasting impact on the way we view life.

Somewhere along the pastel, glass skies that made me feel like I was in a parallel universe, the cool temperature with the right amount of warmth felt on my skin and the stillness and quiet of such a large city humbled me to appreciate the little things that occur. This presence that occurred during this realization made me acknowledge that life, in all of its fullness, is happening right now.

While our thoughts are sometimes elsewhere, beautiful opportunities and moments are being passed over and lost to the flow of time. And though we cannot possibly fully experience each beautiful moment, sometimes we get so attached to reaching our goals that we don’t pay attention to all that is around us. This way, we live in a world that exists only in our heads. There is so much to be enjoyed and appreciated that it is vital to remember to pay attention to the present moment, because it is the only space in which we can experience being alive.

Life must be tended to, and if we are mindful, we can enjoy it, too. We can begin again in the now by taking a deep breath and simply looking around. In doing so, we refocus our attention to our location in the real world. In balancing ourselves between the present moment and eternity, we can experience the reality available to us.

Namaste!

Angie