Meditation: Pressing the Reset Button

by Rebecca Sabine

What’s the first thing you are told to do if electronics don’t work? Unplug it and plug it back in! Here are some “do-it-yourself tips” that will get your energies flowing in a positive direction and make your meditation time something you look forward to every day.

A Beginner’s Mind… Set your intention to approach your meditation without preconceived notions or expectations. Unlike so many things in life, we’re not looking for results or achievements. Just being where you are and quietly sitting in meditation is an accomplishment in itself.

Get Grounded… Begin by taking 3 deep breaths. Sit comfortably with your hands in your lap and your spine straight. You can either sit in a chair or on the floor. (If you are on the floor, sitting on the edge of a cushion to raise your hips will keep you from slumping. This is advice from the top. His Holiness the Dalai Lama himself!)

 Settle in and Relax… Feel your feet where they touch the floor. Give kind attention to each part of your body. Starting with your toes, let go of tension though your feet, legs, hips, abdomen… all the way up to the top of your head. Listen to your body and just accept whatever you feel without judgement. Be as nice to yourself as you would be to someone you dearly love.

Focus on the breath… Notice each breath in detail as you inhale and exhale. The breath is your anchor, your lifeline. Your breath takes you back to your pure essence of peace and clarity. You don’t need to control your breath, just watch it. Thoughts will come, but as soon as you find yourself becoming lost in thought come back to the breath again and again.

The “Not Now” hack… I learned this valuable tip from teacher John Travis at Spirit Rock meditation center while on a 5 day silent retreat. Try gently telling yourself “Not Now”
when you become aware that you’ve gotten lost in thought. No matter how important it seems, it can wait.

Feel Good… I used to have a VHS tape where Kundalini yoga teacher Ravi Singh said “Feel what you feel and let yourself feel good”. Somehow that phrase has stuck with me. Neuroscience tells us that giving yourself permission to feel your emotions, no matter what is coming up for you in the moment, is a key to happiness.

Press GO… Think a thought of gratitude, smile and go about your day refreshed, grounded and reset!

Monumental Moments.

Be brave enough to break. It’ll set you free.

Some of the most monumental moments in our lives are the most difficult ones. The ones that break us open. The ones that throw us in a pit of despair. The ones that leave us gutted. It’s in those moments that we uncover fragments of ourselves that help reveal to us who we are. That is of course, if we choose to navigate in the direction of self-discovery and awareness.

There is no clear and defined path to the truth or the inner self; nonetheless, the journey is still worth exploring. Crack your heart open, embrace your suffering and navigate those monumental moments with courage. You will surprise yourself.

1. Allow yourself to break open.

Break. Fall apart. Bear witness to the dissolution of your reality. Pain can obliterate us. It can be so profound, so palpable, that all of our senses become amplified and command that we re-awaken to our very own existence. Pain can make us come alive in a whole new way. It can, and often does, rip us open, exposing us to places within ourselves that we’ve always needed to excavate. Those very places that for some reason or other, we never knew required our attention.

And so, there is only one thing to do when pain destroys any trace of our joy. Feel it. Embrace it. Sit with the pain. I mean really sit with it. Let it marinate in your heart. Swallow the bitter pill that it is and taste the acrid, nasty flavor as it burns in your chest. Accept that it is there indefinitely while also knowing that, although it may never fade or even be gone…possibly ever, it will become a great deal more manageable.

It’s a start.

2. See things for what they are. And be honest, no matter how much it hurts.

The human condition is fascinating and the only way to unravel its mystery is to unravel our own. And to do so, we must be willing to accept what was and what is. Life, whatever it has been to each of us, has gifted us our very own collection of scars and fears – made up of atoms rendered by supernova explosions in abundance. For some of us, that collection is vaster and more colorful, which is an unfortunate truth, but a truth that must be accepted. We cannot bear the burden of every pain that we have felt if we wish to emerge from our current fire relatively unscathed. We cannot allow our past experiences to muddy the perception of who we really are or what our life really is as we move through our pain and suffering. In all our flawed and broken glory, we must accept ourselves – including our mistakes – without crucifying judgment. We must do the same for our lives – as imperfect and jagged as they may be. Through acceptance, we can establish the truth as it exists in the now, and that, is where we must move forward from. Delusion, no matter how reassuring, is still delusion and ultimately our internal resistance to accepting life as it is.

The amazing thing is that every atom in your body came from a star that exploded…it is the most poetic thing I know about physics – L. M. Krauss

As difficult as things may seem, accept them and see them as they are. See yourself for who you are. Cosmic brilliance.

3. Find your courage.

Do you take pride in your hurt? Does it make you seem large and tragic?…Well, think about it. Maybe you’re playing a part on a great stage with only yourself as audience. – John Steinbeck

We want so very desperately to be good and worthy which is an inherently fragile, yet incredibly beautiful way to be. In our desperation, we fail to accept that we have been imperfect. Or even that life did not stop, despite it’s grave injustices towards us as we strived for goodness. And this is why we suffer because it is a very precarious way to live. If we do not find the courage to shift the dialogue we have with ourselves to a more compassionate one, we can easily drown in our own internal chaos, fighting to deny our reality. No single human on the face of this planet is perfect or has it figured out. Not one soul. To be imperfect is to be human. And to be human is to feel, to suffer, to be right sometimes and to be wrong many times. But finding the courage to accept your pain and your reality is so important. Have the courage to let go of the pride in your hurt so as not to minimize your life to a tragedy.

Begin the work.

This is incredibly difficult. It is also absolutely necessary. Healing begins here. When we have been sucker-punched by life, we mustn’t give in to the depression, despondency, and difficult emotions. See what I did there? I tried to bring a fun alliteration into an incredibly heavy sentence. That is what we must try and do. Find love in even the smallest things. Love comes in varying degrees and forms. The ultimate joy of life is found in the love that transitions us from the negative to the positive. It is the contrast that reminds us how fortunate we are. Let me reiterate, the work is hard, but it is not impossible.

After we’ve found the heart to break open, the sense to see things as they are, and the courage to understand that our life is in fact, not the greatest tragedy to have befallen this world – we can begin the work of picking the pieces up. Our broken and shattered hearts will require reflection, time, and diligence to mend. We will have to take the time to understand, accept, forgive, and let go. And when we do, we will begin to find love in the little things. We will find it in every step forward and even in some steps backward.

But its only when we make an honest and patient effort that these things will happen. We all must do the work. Everyday. Some days will be easier than others.

Be here now.

Some may argue that this should be the first step in this list. I disagree. In order to tap into the infinite pool of awareness that is the now, we must first acknowledge that this is a step that must be taken. And that is radically different for each of us.

This belongs in our journey where we see fit. It is not a forced first step but rather a necessary one that is integrated where and when is appropriate in our lives.

Reader, I urge you to read Tiny Beautiful Things Advice On Love and Life from Dear Sugar by Cheryl Strayed. I then encourage you to explore, at your leisure, the wealth of information that is out there, detailing mindfulness, meditation, and all things associated. Take your time, and with an open mind, consider adopting a practice that suits you. You might surprise yourself.

Set yourself free by healing yourself. It is by far the most important thing you’ll ever do because it will become your gateway to the infinite

Photo by Miguel Guzman at Sedona Yoga Festival’s “Yoga for PTSD”

By Erin Byron

I am pumped about the Yoga for PTSD track at Sedona Yoga Festival.

That may be a weird thing to say because, let’s face it, trauma/PTSD is a difficult subject.

The SYF approach to the topic makes the whole thing easier. Compassionate community, inspiration, and the range of ideas uplift you. It was fascinating for me to experience a deep sense of well-being while at the same time reflecting upon terrible things.

This is a rare kind of magic. The ability to move through darkness feeling calm and heartened is so healing. That’s the tone SYF sets. “It’s okay,” Marc told us during the Yoga for PTSD intros. And the opposite? “That’s okay, too.”

Photo by Miguel Guzman at the “Yoga for PTSD” track, at Sedona Yoga Festival

For those living with the frustrating and sometimes debilitating symptoms of trauma, the Yoga for PTSD track proves that we are not alone and gives us the chance to connect with friendly, like-minded others.

In so doing, there is a softening in our hearts. Somehow the atrocities we suffered or have been witness to spin a thread of connection between us. Connection is the key to healing trauma. Education, tools, and practices aside, SYF brings us this opportunity to rest in like-minded community

Yoga teachers, yoga therapists, and other service providers have the chance to build our toolbox, gaining new insights and techniques. The quality trauma education deepens our range and refinement in applying to the skills and practices we already use. The Yoga for Trauma track is a complete 20-hour certification offering a broad range of ways yoga benefits trauma survivors.

At the “Yoga for PTSD” track at Sedona Yoga Festival.

Want to develop resilience in a high-stress environment? A very special place is held for first responders, too. SYF Founder Marc Titus speaks openly of his experiences as a wildland firefighter and someone living with PTSD. Many first responders join the Yoga for PTSD track of the festival – some more than once!

It’s worth repeating attendance. The presentations change each year. Research on the impacts and best practices for PTSD is continually evolving. The attendees are continually evolving, too! Different people try it out each year while some people return again and again. Each Yoga for Trauma track is unique and rewarding.

Photo by Miguel Guzman, at the “Yoga for PTSD” track at Sedona Yoga Festival

Every year is different and we are different year-by-year, too. We gain new insight and learning more deeply each time we revisit the intention of healing trauma. For your own recovery and for those you love who are living with the aftermath of trauma, know that there are simple, concrete ways you can be part of the solution.

I am so looking forward to sharing ideas and receiving new perspectives at Sedona Yoga Festival’s Yoga for PTSD training this year!

Ever notice how pets stretch upon waking? And, remember when our basic instinct was to stretch – reaching for the sky with extended arms, along with a big yawn before getting out of bed? The natural instinct to stretch seems to take a turn as humans grow. Sleeping positions and stretching before getting out of bed should be a waking ritual. Natural waking instincts are ways the brain connects to the stiffness we feel from fascia laying dormant, when we sleep. 

Stretching in the morning is an organic way for the body to prepare the joints fluids and muscles to begin to move and fire up. The breath is helpful as well- a way to bring natural heat to the equation. A good night’s sleep mostly depends on conditions, such as the correct bed, and the sleeping positions. Side sleeping along with using lots of pillows under the head and shoulders, could misalign bones and muscles over time. Statistics remain high as back pain is linked to eighty percent of those who sleep improperly. Poor sleeping habits can change our posture, which invites pain. Taking a moment in the morning to return to the ritual of simply giving yourself a nice long stretch each morning, can go a long way. Take it from our four legged friends when waking, let it start with a big stretch before dashing out.

Note: The following was edited from a recorded transcript of the beginning of channeling session. To read the complete, unedited transcripts, see the link below.

Everybody has the ability to connect with Divine energy on some level. Some people do it through clairsentience (the ability to feel energy or vibration or spirit.) Some people do it clairvoyantly which is the ability to see energy or vibration or spirit. And then some people do it as clairaudient which is the ability to hear energy or vibration or spirit—and that’s what I do.

I developed clairaudience over a ten or fifteen year period. But what I always say to people is, there’s nothing special about me. Anything I’m doing anybody could do; it’s just whether or not you want to put the time into practicing it because that’s what makes the difference. Concert pianists for example do this, because they’ve put a lot of time, intention and attention into learning that skill. Communication with spirit is no different.

Anyone can develop these skills who is willing to put in the time, energy, attention and intention into the process. So, that’s what I do. I hear spirit. When I’m doing a channeling session, sometimes I get actual words from the Ascended Masters; sometimes I get blocks of thought or concepts that I have to break into words—so sometimes there’s a little fumbling on my part trying to get the right word or the right phrase so that the correct meaning is conveyed, and it’s because they’ve given me a concept instead of exact words.

Whenever we do this we start by putting a field of protection around ourselves, and I’ll lead the group through this. We do that because we want to have the intention to communicate with the highest of energies.

When I was learning to channel many years ago, a dear friend of mine said to me (And it’s always stuck with me) “Just because someone is dead, doesn’t mean that they’re smart.”

If I’m talking to energies that are on the other side, I want to make sure I’m only speaking with the highest of energies, the ascended beings, rather than just anybody. So that’s why we put the circle of protection around ourselves and that’s why we’re very clear about the beings we want to communicate with because again we want ascended energies to communicate with us.

To start the session, what we do typically is open it up for whomever the beings are that join us —we open it up to them to speak. And then they generally talk for whatever it takes for them to deliver their message for the day, and then we open it up for the group for questions. Anybody is free to ask any questions that they want and I’ll do my best to get clear answers. And then if we have time—if questions are done and everyone’s feeling complete, if we have time we do a brief meditation where everyone goes into a short meditation and tries to connect with those energies for themselves. That’s how this session tends to work, and then we go from there, so I would invite everyone to get very comfortable. I would invite you to either—whatever is comfortable for you—sitting up, lying down, whatever feels best. And just taking a few deep breathes. A deep inhale and with each inhale we’re affirming that we’re breathing in Divine energy. And a deep exhale and with each exhale we’re affirming that we’re releasing any energy that we don’t need— any stress, any tension, anything that has been burdening us. We intentionally release it with each exhale. Once again, deep inhale, and again, a deep exhale. As we relax and as we open ourselves to Divine energies, we try and recall a time in our lives when we felt love, when we felt peaceful and loving, when we felt totally one with nature, with our surroundings, with other humans, with all of the world, when we felt complete and at peace, when we felt this oneness. Perhaps it was when we were walking in the rain, when we were watching a sunset, when we were holding a child or enjoying a pet, whatever it is we call to ourselves to our hearts, to our minds, that feeling of peace and love. And we use that feeling of peace and love now as our connecting point with Divine. We repeat our favorite prayer three times.

To see the rest of this transcript visit: https://www.healingpaq.org/channeling-list

Are You Feeling Disconnected or Uninspired?

Tap into a natural source of energy to increase your vitality and aliveness.

By Amalia Camateros

After the myriad of programs, processes, workshops and trainings that I have taken throughout the years, I have come to realize that keeping it real and simple is what works best for myself and my clients.  Whittling down the complexity and taking a look at what simply works!

In the busyness of the daily grind, we have become stuck in the entanglements of our mind and forgotten to observe the pure and natural way of being. To let go and drop our tension and let it rest in peace in the soil of the Earth.

Think of an appliance on the kitchen bench, it sits there ready to be used but unless it is plugged into the powerpoint, it cannot be activated, or used for what it’s function was designed to do….The same applies to us, unless we are plugged into the powerpoint of the Earth, we are not fully activated and connected to the fullness of our greatest purpose and potential.

In keeping it simple, a tree plunges its roots deep into the ground, stabilizes itself and draws nourishment from the abundant life force energy of Mother Earth. It then pulls this energy all the way up to the tops of its branches. We are like human trees, we have roots and branches too!  Our roots flow down our legs to connect to the Earth and our arms reach up towards the heavens.

Being centered, we stand between Earth and of Sky, so that we can invite the light of Spirit Force and of the Cosmos in through our branches, through our trunks and into each step along our path. We can also center ourselves between the dualities of our mind, from the tug of war between the right and the wrong, the good and the bad and all opposites that exist within us.

In our groundedness we can connect with our greater body, with that of Mother Earth and draw from a source of energy that is sustainable and secure so that we remain upright in any given situation.

In the simple truth as Mother Nature intends, let us put our roots down, our branches up high and stand, centered, grounded and present as a tree.

“For the Deeper the Roots, the Grander the Flowering!”