Dear Living Room Yogis and Yoginis, This year more than any other (and that is saying a lot!) I want to send out my heartfelt thanks for trusting us with helping you with your well-being. I have always felt a strong connection to my students and clients whether I saw them once or for years. Even if I have not spoken to you in years, please know that you still cross my mind. And when you do, I root for you on the spiritual plane….Here is what I learned this year:
- I am grateful for yoga. Yoga has transformed my way of being in the world over the years, taught me to manage the unmanageable through presence, breath, and faith, and has made me resilient. I would not be coping as well if I were not a yoga practitioner. How are you coping? All the better for practicing yoga, I’m sure.
- Mindfulness is crucial. Whether it’s donning/doffing PPE in the right order, paying attention to the task or person right in front of me, or acknowledging the emotions and sensations I am experiencing in any given moment, mindfulness grounds me in the present moment and keeps me from being tossed and turned by the chaos around me. It alerts me to the first sign of “trouble” so that it can be addressed when it is small. What are you aware of right now?
- Rest is critical to manage stress. I have come to understand that my thoughts and emotions becoming more negative and paranoid are a sign I need to rest and not a reflection of reality. This year I have allowed myself more sleep than in the last eight years! Are you resting?
- Negative thoughts and emotions take up valuable energy needed for living a life of joy. I was introduced to St. Germaine and the violet flame this year by Intuitive Coach, Corinne Anderson. When my negative thoughts and emotions are triggered, I now call upon St. Germaine and the violet flame in that moment to simply burn it up. No need to analyze or “pick through the ashes.” This is an instant game changer. (To connect with Corinne Anderson, text me and I will send her contact information). What needs to be burned up in your life?
- Tapping shifts energy immediately. Practicing the Emotional Freedom Technique (tapping the meridian points) also reduces cortisol levels (stress hormone), improves sleep, increases productivity, reduces anxiety, and as in #4, does not require over-analyzing. Tapping puts well-being literally in my hands. What do you want to heal?
- MUDRAS are powerful. As I transitioned to doing zoom classes, using mudras has become a ritual for each class. I have two favorites: Ida Mudra – Thumbs to ring fingers, left palm up, right palm down with the joined thumb and ring finger of the right hand hovering over the left joined thumb and ring finger. This mudra activates the parasympathetic/rest and restore part of the nervous system. It also has the same affect lying down with the left palm up at your side and the right palm down at your side! To activate the sympathic/active side of the nervous system, switch the position of the hands, left palm down and right palm up. MAGIC! This is Pingala Mudra. Shunya Mudra – Bend the middle finger of each hand down to the base of the thumb. Hold the middle finger down with the thumb. Rest the backs of the hands on your thighs. This mudra creates space in the throat chakra and transforms issues and relationships when held in that space. What issue or relationship would you like to transform?
- Indecision invites doubt and steals energy. One of my favoriteAbraham Hicks quotes is “Make a decision and then make the decision right.” Barry and I waffled about getting married for… well… years with a lot of unsettled energy around it. Something about this year gave us the courage to get married. Making that decision brought unexpected calm, resolve, and peace. What decision will you make?
- “It is not your role to make others happy; it is your role to keep yourself in balance. When you pay attention to how you feel and practice self-empowering thoughts that align with who-you-really-are, you will offer an example of thriving that will be of tremendous value to those who have the benefit of observing you (Abraham).” Wearing a people-pleasing energy suit negatively affects every relationship. That suit is heavy! I am in the process of using my practices – yoga, tapping, calling on St. Germain – to dismantle this suit. I feel lighter already! What suit will you dismantle this year?
- When one door closes (or when a pandemic places a hard stop on your life), another one opens. Being off the hamster wheel allowed several doors to open – more time to rest, enjoy each other, complete a long dreamed of construction project, be present with friends, be creative, reflect on what we really want. What doors opened for you?
- Gratitude is life-giving and immunity-building. I am grateful for my husband, who cares for me on all levels of being and is so beautiful, my family of origin, my new family who has welcomed me with open and enthusiastic arms, the upcoming completion of our garage apartment, grants and loans that allowed us to stay in business, faithful students who continue to “show up” and give words of encouragement, clients who have hung in there with us, new massage clients for Barry, my cozy home, my healthy body, greater life balance… How about you?
- Be here now. Don’t skip ahead. Don’t second guess. Don’t try to figure out the future. It is impossible anyway and doing so takes me away from the present. Let it unfold. Let it reveal itself. Invite the spiritual realm to act on my behalf and let it go.
- My future is an inside job. My vision board for 2021 is different than any other year. This year my board is not about external goals but rather goals for my internal state. Making it was so empowering. I can’t wait to be it. Here I go…. Here we all go….
My you all be blessed and healthy as we move forward in a positive orderly direction into 2021!
Love,
Stacy
