Welcome, Friend. Thank you for checking out this post. May it be of service to you.
The mind can fluctuate so tremendously. I can be on cloud 9 one moment, exuberant and full of confidence, on fire and flowing with ease. Then I have an experience (maybe I read something, have a conversation, or I simply interpret something that happened), and suddenly can drop into a state of feeling almost paralyzed, so heavy and afraid to move forward. I’ve recognized that a lot of this shift stems from how I am perceiving my experiences, what labels I put on them, and how I judge them and myself. This often contributes to feeling under pressure to take certain action, or triggering limiting beliefs about myself.
In the Yoga Sutras we find the message: “Yogas chitta vritti nirodha,” which means that yoga is the cessation of the fluctuations of the mind. It’s such a daily practice.
This practice for me is one of working to observe without judgement, to be present. And yoga is the union of everything. So my daily practice encompasses my movement, stillness, interactions with others, self-talk, food, energy, community, activities, thoughts, environment, how I respond to Life, my Soul experience across time, space and dimension.
Some components of the whole that I am finding helpful when my mind goes buckwild (and, to help me experience a greater sense of balance in general) are:
Breathing. Touch my belly and feel a deep inhale and exhale. This instantly helps me to come back to the present moment.
Language. Be my own cheerleader! Use my words in a helpful way, reminding myself that this, too, shall pass. Remind myself to let go of assumptions before jumping to conclusions. Encourage myself and celebrate how far I’ve come.
Meditation. While sometimes I don’t even feel like I have the energy to sit with myself when I’m mentally cluttered and overwhelmed, each time that I choose to be still and go within, it helps. I really enjoy visualizing that I am releasing all the shenanigans with my exhale, and breathing in all the good stuff with my inhale. There are countless ways to do this, but that’s one technique that helps me to energetically, mentally and emotionally empty out and replenish my vessel. ***I’ll soon be offering guided meditations on this site so stay tuned!
Movement. Mobilizing my body in ways that I love helps to shift my mind in a powerful way. Endorphins, moving stagnant energy, releasing tension, feeling that I am connected with my body, having fun, works WONDERS.
Healthy foods. The sugar and junk only make my mind heavier and foggier. When I choose to eat clean, I clear space for my everything to function better.
Community. Spending time with loved ones helps to lift me up tremendously and also to release and ground. My loved ones often help me to come out of my mental rabbit hole.
Nature. Connecting with her is liberating and healing.
Prayer. Asking for support from the Highest Good and all forces that serve the Highest Good helps me to tap into the Universal web of support that exists for me across time, space and dimension.
The coming together of all of this is part of my Yoga.
If you could use a little more headspace, community support, movement that helps your energy flow more freely, stillness, gentleness, deeper breathing, uplifting and eclectic music, self-love, and a safe space to show up as you are without expectations, then join me at EmergeSoul Boutique tonight (Tuesday, Sept. 4) from 7:30-8:30 PM for my Emerging Flow class. Let’s go within and come out feeling more connected to our true selves, beyond the mental cray.
*Like EmergeSoul on Facebook. 🙂
Peace,
Anne Michiko
tangiyoga 