To expand on my resolution post below, I want to shed light on kindness, grace, love and hope...and letting those things sink into our being, our skin, our conscious everyday. Sometimes I feel a bit Pollyanna-ish, or "Charlotte Idealist", or a Make-Love-Not-War Flower-Child-Type. But, I'm certainly far from being naive or ignorant.
I know life's full of ebbs and flows. One of my best friends, Jessica, and I remind each other to "whirl, whirl, whirl", which basically means to let it happen, go with the flow, release the worry, go with it, have fun. Even though we're on opposite sides of the country, we can sense each other's waves - tidal, whirlpool, or tsunami-like - throughout the day, week, month. We support each other and serve as reminders to keep things in perpsective. To laugh, to let go, to love, to give in.
How blessed I am to have her in my life. We're sensitive people, strong friends. Yet, I know we're not the only ones who feel the intensity of living, the weight of the world. Everyone has a story, and I hope everyone is lucky enough to have such rich, loving, tender friendships to make sense of the stories, the lifelines, the ups and downs, the questions, the joys, the sadness, the wonder.
Each time I go to my favorite yoga studio, when we're asked what we need that day, I mention my shoulders. Shoulders, shoulders, shoulders. Tight, sore, achy, overworked. Then, I usually mention I need the F word - Focus. (Gotta admit pretty proudly: I'm getting pretty darn good at asking for what I want!) Once in my safe space, I realize how much I truly need from that hour and a half.
See, I admittedly and frequently feel scattered (ideas, to-do lists, shoulds) and worried (ideas, to-do lists, shoulds). And, funny thing is that typically, my heavy stress is all a bunch of a Fluff. Things I can't control, things I shouldn't try to control, things that steal my being: my presence, my awareness, my consciousness, my grace.
What if, instead of worrying and weighing heavy with wonder, I let it go? What if I practice letting in more love and hope everyday? What if I actually do what I wish and hope and pray and write? What if I unlock the hope, the light, the possibility of all things good? What if I let it out of my head and actually let it settle into my bones, my cells, my muscles, my blood, my skin, my energy?
What if, instead of giving so much attention to worry and dread and negativity, I say a quick hello to the energy-drainers and just let them pass by like junkmail I don't need? How much room would that make for more of the good, the real stuff, the things that could actually serve as wheels to continue moving my life forward in the direction I want?
To do this, I know I must breathe. I can write the words, talk the talk, but as we all say, can she really walk the walk? And, a very wise person tells me that in order to really breathe, to consciously and carefully breathe, we must feel safe. Practice makes perfect, right? (or, we can aim for almost-perfect)
So, I'm suggesting a mantra for the new year. Or, why not a few mantras? Short mantras that when said aloud, will warm the lips, warm the mouth, warm the breath, warm the neck, warm the brain, warm the shoulders, warm the belly, warm the hips, warm the thighs, warm the heels, warm the toes - warm it all enough to safely release. Release the weight, release the filler. Inhale the grace, exhale the waste. Inhale and exhale until true awareness sets in to know your own truth, the good truth, possible truth, the loving truth.
Here are some short mantras I hope you can find useful in your own safe space and, hopefully, throughout your day:
Okay.
Ease.
Grace.
All is well.
Divinity.
Peace.
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