Change, even when improvement, can be scary. Humans thrive in love. It is the lack thereof that stimulates the motivation for behaviors that seem not in alignment with such grace. The most effective and graceful way to foster change in yourself and in others is to hold space for that person (yourself or a loved one). Holding space means providing a “shelter” to explore the changes, rather than forcing the person to change.
Body positive. We’ve heard this term being bandied about for the past few years, and 2016 was no different. Though we’ve heard reed-thin models gushing about body acceptance and famous (and drop-dead gorgeous) celebrities blathering about accepting your true self – what is exactly does it mean to be not conventionally good looking and still being body positive? It’s easy for the rich and famous to say these things, for they fit into the mold of society’s definition of beauty. But what about us mere mortals? With our jowly chins and jiggly bellies, not so great skin or too tall a height?
I am a compulsive doer. It’s hard for me to sit still. I jokingly say I developed maladaptive stress syndrome because I burned out my adrenal glands from doing too much. But maybe it’s not a joke. It should come as no surprise then that I search far and wide for solutions to my problems. I devour every book, every method, every suggestion with frenetic fervor hoping this, this will be the answer. Thus far, the answer has not presented itself. There is nothing worse than telling a compulsive doer there is nothing to be done.
I’d never considered myself a “teacher” before teaching yoga. I’m TEFL certified, completed the so-called authentic way (which means 60+ hours in a traditional classroom in Latin America is under my belt). I taught sophomore supplemental courses during my graduate program because it halved my tuition. I taught Kindergartners in Seoul for a year in the afternoons, right on the heels of teaching executives in the mornings.
Flower essences have been around since the end of the nineteenth century and can help heal a number of emotional situations, such as fear, shock, jealousy, and even hatred. Perhaps the most influential person in the field of flower therapy was English physician Dr. Edward Bach, who came up with one of the first healing systems that utilized flower therapy. Thus, Bach Remedies was born - an alternative to traditional medicine that was simple, safe, and natural.
I’ve come to believe that to be alive means to experience trauma; and I don’t mean things like war, or car accidents (although those things too) — I mean things like death, divorce, and anything else that shakes us up and makes us feel unsafe physically or emotionally. Trauma can also be secondary, by the way. It can be induced by hearing or seeing someone else’s traumatic experiences. When you take into account the majority of news stories, I’m pretty sure we’re all walking around a little traumatized.
Fear is the enemy of peace. You cannot be in a state of fear and peace at the same time; one has to make room for the other.
In our modern world, stress and fear seem to be the ruler of the day. We fear our financial security. We fear for the safety of our children as they leave for school every morning. We are afraid of violence, being alone, never having enough.
There are also the deeper fears within us. The fear of others, the fear of being defined by others, fearing connections or lack thereof and fearing life’s challenges.
“...in a friendship you get to know the spirit of another person; and your values coincide. Friends may disagree, but not about serious matters. A friend will stand for you when you are no longer able. A woman can say to herself, If I die, I know that my friend, my sister friend will be here to hold up the banner. Now that's very profound.”
I propose a challenge to you, dear reader: take time to be kind to someone for absolutely no reason and without any expectation of return. Do this for one whole month and see how it affects or changes you and those around you. It is the simple acts of kindness that spread positivity throughout the world. A smile can be contagious and it spreads like jam over a warm piece of toast.
Holistic Health means to be happy in all areas of life. When we are happy life is easy to deal with. In the state of love, gratitude or joy we feel deeply connected; we regard our life as positive and our outlook on our future is optimistic. When was the last time you truly felt this way? For many of us these states are the exception. Around the clock we are busy coping with physical health, financial insecurity, relationship problems, emotional instability, mental worrying, addictions or spiritual isolation.