Knowing your truth, is knowing it despite anything else..

I just read a very profound quote by author Cyril Connolly:

“Better to write for yourself and have no public, than to write for the public and have no self.”

This quote definitely struck a chord with me because I feel like I have been trying to let go of all practices where the self is undermined. It’s not an easy task. It is like learning how to walk again! It is so rewarding to look at our actions through the day and meditate on whether they are genuinely coming from our truth or more from someone else’s truth that is rubbing off on us? This can be from your perception of how you think your boss wants you to act, your father wants you to act, your students want you to act, and the list goes on and on. Freedom can only come from being in touch with your SELF. Tune in and see what the depth of your heart says. Make sure that all that you do is coming from an authentic place.

Being Wired

I sat down at my computer yesterday at 8pm and started playing around with Garageband and recording a cover  of a song that I really like right now. I kept at it and before I knew it, I was done and it was 1:30am!!! Time felt like it swooped by and when it came to finally getting some shut eye, it was impossible with my overactive mind and energy.

Now I know that when it gets to 9pm that it’s probably best to start winding down rather than wind up! It is difficult when you might get inspiration and then you are so excited to get things done. But inspiration can come at 9am if you sit down to work. Arriving at your pen and paper, at your keyboard, at your instrument, at your desk. Usually that is all it takes. Picking up your tools that help you to create and just holding them. That always leads to something….just makes sure it’s not at 11pm!

Change

“When the winds of change blow, some people build walls and others build windmills.”
~(Chinese proverb)

Impermanence, change, can be very scary for those of us who cling to our day to day with a firm grip. Let go of the hold that you have on life. Let it happen and don’t MAKE it happen. The sooner we become in tune with the rhythm of our days, the sooner we will realize that we are being guided and our inner wisdom is abundant. We just need to listen to it’s whispers.

Free Meditation Radio Station from Pandora.com

If you haven’t already heard of Pandora.com, you should really check it out. You can type in the name of any of your favorite artists or songs and it creates a radio channel with similar artists or songs. But for our purposes here on Nirvana Island, I went to Pandora today and typed in Meditation, Nature Sounds and Zen Garden and I was given three new channels with meditation music! What is also great is that your stations are saved so that when you come back each day, they are waiting right there for you! You might have to sign up real quick for free, but after that the music is endless! Enjoy!

No thoughts are good thoughts!

When we meditate, we are essentially letting go of all thoughts that stress us and that occupy and take too much space in the mind. The thoughts are taking residence and dragging us down. The wonderful thing about meditation is that it releases us from the hold of our uninvited thoughts. As they come into existence in our mind, we can observe that they are happening and let them go. This way, we don’t let them take hold of our emotions and worry us. For instance, if I was driving in my car and had a thought about a bill that I had to pay in two days, I would stop, become aware that I am having this thought, envision it floating away like a balloon would and go on with my drive. This way, the thought never creates anxiety or stress, it just IS. I acknowledge it and do not allow it to affect my mood or day. This lesson will keep us younger and happier longer!!

Debt

“Do everything you can to avoid debt. Remember that you are attempting to simplify your life,  so you don’t need to purchase more of what will complicate and clutter your life. If you can’t afford it, let it go until you can.” -Dr. Wayne Dyer

Even if you can afford something, it doesn’t mean that you should just spend your hard earned money on it. Let the way you spend reflect your intentions. Not your impulsive intentions, but the intentions that you are working to cultivate like love, compassion, helping others. If you notice that you are overwhelmed in your life, just see what liberating yourself from the clutches of “things” does to you. It starts to feel like you are chipping away at this shell and finding the heart of the matter inside. It truly is the heart of the matter. It is you in all of your awesomeness!

Meditation~One with the Ocean

As you practice meditation, quieting your mind and releasing all thoughts, practice Ujjayi breathing or Ocean Breath. To do Ujjayi, first breathe in with an open mouth and allow the sound “aahhh” to whisper out. As you exhale, allow the sound “huh” to whisper out with an open mouth. Continue on this way until you can create the sound in the back of your throat with a closed mouth. Now as you inhale, imagine the Ocean wave coming towards you as you stand on the sand and see it break at your feet and wash up with white foam around you, as you exhale, see the water rejoining the Ocean and becoming one again. Continue this way and as thoughts arise, watch them come in and allow them to go out. Concentrate on your breath and on your point of focus which is the Ocean. As the wave becomes one with the Ocean, you become one with your truth.

Ouchie!

When we wake up every morning, we might find that we have a little ache or a little pain that suddenly appears. Or maybe we have a pain that just won’t quit. Our bodies are direct reflections of our inner life. The thoughts and worries that occur in our minds, manifest in the physical body. Be aware of these aches (sometimes it’s hard not to!) and breathe into them, see what you can learn from them by meditating alongside the pain. In her book, You Can Heal Your Life, Louise L. Hay sites many ailments and their probable causes in the mind. You can find a listing of these ailments HERE. Find your ailment, see the probable cause and read the affirmation that you can say to yourself to massage the pain out of your body and help to resolve the underlying problems.

Daily Meditation~Tidy Up

Make it a meditation today  to clean up your desk space. Put some soothing music on and clean until you can feel the serenity and freshness come to life from getting rid of the dust bunnies. Dust, clutter and extra paperwork is a direct reflection of our minds. Cluttered desk equals cluttered mind. Help the energy flow by clearing the way for all that is new and getting rid of all that is old. Start with a clean slate on this Monday. Enjoy the weight that is automatically lifted when you can sit down to a clean and organized workspace.

Daily Meditation~Feeling Blocked

If you find yourself confused, unsure of where to turn or what to face, how you will get things done, what you will do with the next phase of your time, your talents, your day job, your relationships, your inner mind and body, wait it out……do not rush the process. There is so much information that we miss when we rush through everything, force ourselves to do things out of fear, chase what we want instead of allowing whatever we need to arrive. Pace yourself, know that it all happens for a purpose and we just need to allow it to unravel. Slow down and let it unravel……