Courage In The Face of Fear

Tags

Allow, Confront, Confusion, Courage, Distractions, Emotion, fear, Procrastination, Purpose, Resistance, Self, Value

Confused at why I have not been able to move forward on an important program I’m working on to serve my Purpose in this life and the world at large, I realized I had become prey to my Fears…

These past few days have been stirring up a lot of repressed emotions in me.  See, I know there’s nothing wrong with this because it’s all part of the healing process and getting to know your Self.  In fact, as time goes on, the more I’ve acknowledged, confronted, accepted, honored and allowed myself to process these feelings, the easier it has been to witness them occurring while recognizing their origin.  I allow them to come in so I may question them as to their source.

In order to heal in the present, we have to trace back to our roots ~ the roots of our deepest darkest pains, which highly influence our all too seemingly-realistic and present fears.

Fear tends to haunt the majority us even though we might disguise it with many other words or labels.  Merriam-Webster defines fear with this general description:

1 a : an unpleasant often strong emotion caused by anticipation or awareness of danger  b (1) : an instance of this emotion (2) : a state marked by this emotion

2 : anxious concern : solicitude

3 : profound reverence and awe especially toward God

4 : reason for alarm : danger

The link for the kids definition has a better explanation but still doesn’t explain where fear comes from.

1 a : an unpleasant often strong emotion caused by expectation or awareness of danger b : an instance of fear or a state marked by fear
2 : concern about what may happen : WORRY
3 : ¹AWE
synonyms FEAR, DREAD, ALARM, FRIGHT mean painful emotion experienced in the presence or expectation of danger. FEAR is the most general word and suggests great worry and usually loss of courage <fear of the unknown>. DREAD suggests strong unwillingness to face something <the dread felt by people awaiting bad news>. ALARM may suggest strong emotional upset caused by an unexpected or immediate danger <viewed the worsening food shortage with alarm>. FRIGHT suggests the shock of something startling and often suggests a short-lived emotion <the creaking door caused them fright>.

Ultimately, I find fear stems from a lack of self-esteem and trust in one’s own Self!  It goes back to both positive and not-so positive, or traumatic, experiences I had growing up as a child.  These experiences led me to develop certain behavioral patterns and underlying beliefs.  Although I know this and I strive so hard to uplift myself, I also easily forget I am vulnerable and fall back into old behavioral patterns.

Here’s an example.  Procrastination is the same thing as fear because there is some known or unknown confrontation on the mind that is being avoided.  This is one of my classic cover-ups for fear.  Even as I type this blog, I find ways to get up and distract myself from the task at hand.  I know I need to open myself up to being vulnerable to the unknown and allowing myself to be exposed, yet, I think “I need more water in my glass…need to go to the bathroom…oh, wait, I have to …”  and not to mention my getting distracted with emails or other sites I’m exploring!  It’s amazing what you can distract yourself with to keep from completing a task at hand; and, even a simple one at that!  I know because I’ve written on this before!  *** See Posts

Every Warrior of the Light has felt afraid of going into battle. Every Warrior of the Light has, at some time in the past, lied or betrayed someone. Every Warrior of the Light has trodden a path that was not his. Every Warrior of the Light has suffered for the most trivial of reasons. Every Warrior of the Light has, at least once, believed he was not a Warrior of the Light. Every Warrior of the Light has failed in his spiritual duties. Every Warrior of the Light has said ‘yes’ when he wanted to say ‘no.’ Every Warrior of the Light has hurt someone he loved. That is why he is a Warrior of the Light, because he has been through all this and yet has never lost hope of being better than he is.”

~ Paulo Coelho

Here’s how I face the fear when it sneaks in and I catch it ~  I embrace it! I know everything in this life happens for a reason; in the manner it is meant and exactly when it should.  It takes courage to step up, opening up and allowing the fears to just complement the knowledge, which without you may never have even considered trying to begin with.  Because, sometimes we need a challenge to re~ignite our internal flame!

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ 

So how do you handle your fear?  What keeps you trapped in the dungeon of your fear-based thoughts?

Can you put a finger on it or trace it back to its origin?  Do you know exactly what you are fearful of and why?

Well, I started writing this particular blog about facing fear because of what I had been dealing with this past week.  I looked around and realized I was getting complacent and lazy putting off the writing I need to be doing.  Let’s put it this way, it’s tough when you have to go inside and ask why when the response is simply “I’m afraid to fail and not be accepted, people will judge me, not speak to me, disown me, or dislike me for what I may have to say about them through my own personal experience.” 

I have to be real about this because I know not everyone will like me all of the time nor is it any of my business.  I’ve already lived a life where people disliked me for reasons I’m unaware of ~ this was their loss.  I’ve played the peacemaker and people pleaser most of my life and it certainly didn’t win me any special points.  In fact, sometimes it proved to draw in people who were not good for me or explicitly sought to teach me a lesson and, in the end, they did!  Some also showed me how I didn’t value myself enough.  See, everyone serves a purpose with the opportunity to see our truth and to tune into our soul.

If someone gets upset and no longer likes me or speaks to me, they’re the ones who have to live with whatever their reason is for the rest their life.  I know my truth will never be the same for another and it doesn’t serve me to rationalize or try to find a solution for them.  It can be a major upset, but sometimes others need to be confronted in order to led into their own soul searching.  That’s why it’s so important to have an open heart and mind throughout our lives!

“If a man has reported to you, that a certain person speaks ill of you, do not make any defense (answer) to what has been told you: but reply, The man did not know the rest of my faults, for he would not have mentioned these only.”

~ Epictetus from The Enchiridion

I know I’m not the only person out there continuously working to keep on keeping on in this life of unknowns.  I wanted to write about this to point out how fear is just an illusion we have all been conditioned to adopt as a part of our daily life.

I started looking for and decided to find ways to motivate myself.  As my life flows, I kept seeing signs validating I was on track in all areas of my life and in articles I came across.  One of my Kundalini Yoga meditations was for releasing emotions, just prior to the major feelings which resurfaced.  I had also surprisingly started on my very first fast of water, kombucha, and melon smoothies; of which, I’m currently on day 6.  Whenever you cleanse your body, you literally cleanse out the mind, as well.  Toxins of all forms will start to surface so you can heal from them to be flushed away.  The fact that I knew exactly what was transpiring was the key to going with it all and not reacting. 

Day 1 was easy because I hadn’t planned on fasting.  I just happened to be busy enough to keep myself preoccupied from eating.  Let me tell you it was the next couple days which were a bit more interesting!  On the morning of day 2 I felt a potential migraine surfacing but I squelched it with a magnesium drink called Calm.  On the evening of day 3 I felt a need to do some deep inner work by pulling together very old memories.  This all manifested on the morning of day 4 when severe stomach pains arouse to the point I nearly didn’t make it through my Gentle Amrit Yoga class.  I had actually often suffered from horrible stomachaches growing up and I know precisely where they originated.  What I find, is by knowing the origin of this anxiety, it allows you to release it much easier.  I recognized this old pain and it went away.

Later in the day, I listened to Lisa Nichols remind me how

“You can’t outrun your fears!
Everywhere you go, there you are with your fears.
When your fear is driving you, don’t try to outrun it.  Keep questioning your fear until it dissipates into the TRUE NOTHINGNESS it is!” 

What sound advice!

We pay a heavy price for our fear of failure. It is a powerful obstacle to growth. It assures the progressive narrowing of the personality and prevents exploration and experimentation. There is no learning without some difficulty and fumbling. If you want to keep on learning, you must keep on risking failure – all your life.”

~ John W. Gardner

I also happened to recognize how the current planetary influences and powerful solar flares highly influence us.  This particular period is all about going back home, to our roots, where emotions will be stirred in order to heal and make peace so we can forge a new life, more fulfilling and on Purpose! 

In order for the magic in our lives to occur, we have to be willing to open up old wounds and be vulnerable to the feelings we may have repressed, suppressed, or deeply hidden away.  The reason most of us aren’t living authentically to begin with is because we’ve avoided confronting and healing our past by stashing it away, and thinking “if I don’t see it, it can’t hurt me,” aka, the cognizant theory.  Put a spotlight on it and give it the serious interrogation it deserves to stamp out whatever power you’ve allowed it to have over you. 

You deserve the best in this Life; WE ALL DO!

A life consistent with your values makes you secure, confident and strong.
~ Meditations For Women

I have come to the conclusion my past is not who I am so I no longer let it dictate my path!  I’m here on this Earthy to live an abundantly fulfilled and loving life while not get caught up in the sadness permeating our current society.  I value myself more than this and you should, as well!

They say you should keep your friends close and your enemies closer so, instead why not make Fear your closest ally ~ Let it motivate and drive you to thrive and prove it wrong!  Consider your enemy needs the most compassion because those who are so outwardly critical of everything around them are only reflecting their internal critic; just as fear needs the same TLC.

I wish you a blessed journey of rediscovering your soul through your emotions while embracing all the feelings that arise.

Here’s to overcoming any resistance to your emotions and inviting fear in for the ride! 

Much love & Light from my Heart to yours!
Namaste’,

♥ Lana ♥

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The Child Within

Tags

Addiction, Change, Distraction, fear, Fears, Feel, Heal, Inner Child, Law of Attraction, Lesson, Life, Murphy's Law, Past, Purpose, Self, Trauma

The Child Within

Recognize ALL That YOU Are!

Past Pains, Shame, Betrayal,

Abandonment…You Are Not!

“Stepping back into your injured or traumatized child-Self is necessary for the healing to occur!  Recognize & Acknowledge it because it’s never too late to nurture that part of you you may have been hiding out of fear.  All physical, mental, & emotional pains manifest themselves in the body and this why we need to Tune back in to Self & FEEL because ~
This is How We HEAL!”
~ Lana A. LaBonte

As with everything in my life, there is a synchronicity and Divine Flow to what occurs.  It turns out reposting my previous blog I AM THAT I AM continued with more inspiration in the days following. 

We just had a rare Full Moon Penumbral Lunar Eclipse this past Saturday.  This means the Moon was the closest to the Earth ever.  If you understand that our body is made up of 70% to 80% water, you may also be aware of the effects of the Moon on our bodies ~ balance and emotions.  The fact is, the gravitational pull is greater as the Moon gets closer to the Earth and the surface point most visible will experience a stronger pull as it is not evenly distributed to the entire surface.  It doesn’t seem logical that scientists agree the tides are affected by the Moon but then claim the amount of water in our bodies to insignificant to affect us.  I would suggest looking at our body as a bigger entity and not just a small presence occupying such a large surface.  Here is a coincidence –>  The Earth’s surface is composed of 70% to 80% water!  In addition, we have had a significant amount of solar activity which affect our geomagnetic field and disrupt electronics, and us.  Click for some insightful information to aid those who have also been experiencing How Recent Solar Flares Are Affecting Humans.

I suspect you felt this in some way but if you didn’t, you witnessed some extraordinary events around you.  I know I had a crying cat for the entire Saturday evening.  

For me, I felt this strong sense of “Coming Together” and this has dual meaning as I feel things, ideas, visions are coming together, as well as, people uniting!  It’s like things are speeding up and I feel more in tune with my Self, Purpose, and the next steps for moving forward on it.  Memories are returning and I feel so much clearer with the signs and confirmations of what I sense.

I discussed this with a couple others who had arrived earlier for Power Yoga on Sunday morning.  At the same time, they both expressed injuries and being out of balance the day before.  I happened to remind them by mentioning the Moon and how it is recommended to avoid extreme exercise or heavy eating during the height of the Moon Cycle, also for women on the height of their cycle.  Here is a good explanation of why ~ Should you practice on moon days?

Honor the Body = Water = Moon

For me, I’ve had to learn to humble myself by taking it down a notch because the majority of my life consisted of high-impact aerobics, weights, and running which, have attributed to spinal misalignment.  Fortunately, I do believe we can heal ourselves and I now honor my body by listening to it more and the Ego less. This is what Yoga has taught me
~ Tuning in More to My Inner Wisdom! 

Enjoy the Journey ~ Respect Where You Are Now, In THIS MOMENT!
Honor YourSelf ~ Mind, Body, & Spirit!

Continuing with this, there was a slim woman who arrived with strong muscular definition.  I noticed she had a frenetic energy about her as she began practicing on her mat with fly-backs into plank and doing pushups between down-dog and up-dog.  I recognized this as I know I was once very into my powerful and competitive exercise regimen – and, that’s what this was because Yoga is focused on moving with the breath and practicing the 8 Limbs of Yoga.  When the instructor began, she brought up practicing these 8 Limbs of Yoga to which I pointed specifically out Ahimsa (non-violence to Self & others) hoping this woman would understand when the instructor explained it.  Sadly, not.

I used to be more easily distracted but, because I acknowledged this person’s stuff was not mine, I was able to focus on my own practice than her continuous need to move into other postures out of the sequence.  It was clearly more distracting to others as complaints were made.  In the end, I felt it was one of my stronger classes working on my headstand!

After class, I met this woman who came up to me asking if I was an instructor and what type of Yoga I taught.  I explained how my practice evolved from the need to sweat in Hot Yoga to the need to move my body more fluidly outside of a strict routine leading me to incorporate other styles.  I hadn’t known until she told me she had injuries and maybe should slow down but how she gets bored easily ~ ah, yes, we do when we’re trying to avoid confronting something within ourselves!  This constitutes an addiction as it is a distraction from deeper seated issues.  I know, I’ve been there!  My suggestion to her was to come back later that afternoon for Yin Restorative Yoga because the instructor of the class is phenomenal in her guiding the us through realigning the body gently. 

Needless to say, she did not show up.  I had already planned to go, knowing I needed to work on some tight areas I’ve had ongoing issues with.

It is a shame she did not show up because JoAnn’s class on Surrendering really released a lot for me.  She softly spoke about breathing into any resistance or tension in the muscles while releasing into the postures ~ Surrender.  Her approach is so soothing with continuous reminders like “Relax the jaw and unpark the tongue off the roof of your mouth.”   She explains that Yin Yoga is the Surrender ~ relaxing of the body versus Yang Yoga which is more actively engaged maintaining core strength.

You can read more on it here:  What is Yin/Yang Yoga?

As class began, she had us focus on the color yellow for the Third Chakra; also known as, the Solar Plexus, Manipura Chakra, or Emotional Body.  During class she brought up and discussed ways to heal the Traumas of Shame, Betrayal, & Abandonment.   That these traumas reach down to the cellular level if they’re not healed properly and manifest physically.  I could definitely see this for me.  This brought up memories of how I’d experienced these traumas in my childhood and throughout my life. 

This is where I feel our inner child needs to be nurtured because I don’t believe there’s one person on this planet who hasn’t experienced these traumas.  My prayer for ALL is to find emotional healing ~ Self Love!  There are too many people walking this Earth dissatisfied with themselves and a low self-esteem.

Many of my own personal patterns go back to my childhood and stories I took on from others along with traumatic experiences I allowed to hold me victim only to continue to repeat the same unwanted experiences.  It wasn’t until I finally decided I was ready and it was time to change ~ I KNEW I NEEDED TO CHANGE!  I had always wanted healing but had no idea how to go about it until I desperately sought it out.  

When the student is ready, the teacher will appear.”

~ Buddha Siddhartha Guatama Shakyamuni

What does it take for us to clue into the need to change? 

Well, for starters, I knew I was extremely unhappy with my life.  I felt everything was happening to me through the actions of others when it had so much more to do with my own perception and how I viewed things.  My reality was so skewed.  Now I know whatever I look for, I find but back then, but looking back, I only focused on the things I didn’t want.  That was the period of my life when Murphy’s Law ruled and the Law of Attraction was unknown to me.  I had an addiction to bad situations and relationships because that was what I’d been exposed to.  If you don’t know what real love is, you may very well find yourself in an abusive relationship.  If you don’t treat yourself well, others will follow that up with poor treatment.  I misunderstood a LOT about how influenced I’d been over the years.  The Blessing is in how Life will continue to repeat these same scenarios, Lessons, to test you and see if you’ve learned them, yet.  Even when you think you’ve got it down, it will reappear just to assure you know you are certain of this ~ sometimes just so you can witness it and the humor of the Universe. 

Nobody can tell you you need to make changes in your life when you’re so caught up in your head!  Only you can make up this decision and only then ~ everything in its perfect time!  

So, now the key is for you to look within YourSelf and see ALL that you are and to recognize You are not your experiences but those experiences were only a part of your path to better prepare you for your Purpose in this Life.  Acknowledge, Honor, Accept all your feelings and emotions because you deserve it to yourSelf to go through the process of mourning, grieving, and finally, releasing.  Allow your Inner Child to be guided to heal through whatever path you feel resonates with you.  It won’t be the same for everyone and you’ll know.  I will tell you, it’s a continuous journey that’s not always easy but over time, it really does get easier and Life is so much more Alive!

Can you do it?  If you can, you may find yourSelf with a Renewed Childlike Enthusiasm for Life, once again!  Can you believe this will slow down the aging process?  It will!

Many Blessings to YOU & Your Inner Child Reconnecting!
~*~ ♥ ♥ ♥ ~*~

~ Lana A LaBonte

From Forgiveness, A Clean Slate & New Beginnings

Tags

Behavior, Blessing, Embracing Inspiration, Enlightened, fear, forgiveness, Gratitude, Inspire, Life, Love, Manifest, Patterns, Present, Purpose, Self, self-love, Spiritual, Trust

Life isn’t as serious as the mind makes it out to be.”

~ Eckhart Tolle

How did you always imagine your life would be growing up?  What did you want to be or do?  Did you feel this in your heart and you actually come up with these ideas or were influenced by the ideas of others? 

I know for myself, I had a sense as a child.  For a period of time, I knew what made my heart sing because I loved creating and expressing myself through dancing, reading, writing, drawing, crafts, making, building, inventing, exploring, being out in nature, learning, and the like.  It was only through the influence of what my parents said or did, friends, culture, and media that my ideals shifted.  In fact, I didn’t even recognize it back then.  It took me many years to observe my life to see it. 

So, now, here I sit typing…wait, let me share that, in my former life, I spent over 10 years in the USAF.  I had successfully made a name for myself and went into US Government contracting as a Systems Engineer supporting the same systems I had worked on while in the military.  *Side note: most people are stunned to hear this about me!

One day in February 2008, everything came crashing down at the outburst and beratement of a US Navy sailor towards me.  It was a day where everywhere I turned, people were condescending, verbally abusive, and attacking me while labeling me a troublemaker.  He had built up so much frustrated aggression towards me he exploded at me – because I had requested he refrain from using inappropriate language several times and even worse, he had dropped the expletive but was still repeating this same mantra in the exact tone and expression of “What the ….!?”  as if he was actually using it.  To get a better understanding of the environment, we worked at cubicles in a large open space in a call center where anything spoken could be overheard by clients and customers on the other end of the phone lines.  Everything could be heard!

Basically, I had tapped on the cubicle plexiglass asking this sailor to lower his voice because I could not hear my client on the other end of the phone with his loud speaking voice.  It was a simple request.  He actually waited a good half hour before he stood up stating under his breath “I’ve had enough of this s#@*…,” and then, while standing up, looking over the cubicle and pointing his finger down at me to tell me how I “better watch myself…” claiming I had pounded on the plexiglass where all his pictures were but they never moved.   Unfortunately, all the other contractors in the office space just turned around and crawled into their cubicles so as not to get involved, out of fear from backlash.  Eventually, the new US Navy Chief stepped in and commanded this sailor to “Stop <insert name>!  Come with me!”

At that moment, I actually thought, no, I believed, someone was finally going to counsel him on his behavior in an attempt to better his career specifically with regards to how he had lost his military bearing and was being disrespectful.  Instead it was quite the surreal day as my contracting colleagues who knew better, and clearly knew, didn’t want to get involved and so, turned a blind eye to say they didn’t “witness” anything.  Instead, they all feared for their own job security as the tension had built up from upper mis-management levels despite our collective attempt to plead our case.  We were basically told to shut up and do our job and not rock the boat by our own company manager.  In the end, it turned out I was the sacrificial lamb because word came back through after lunch that management wanted me gone and shouldered the responsibility on me “being the cause of hate and discontent between military and contractors.”

But there was a huge blessing in all of this! 

At the time, I was truly floored.  The history of this situation was a doozy and with my reputation, it was the last thing I expected let alone anyone else who knew me.  What I realized months later was how unhappy I knew I had been in my work environment for a very long time and underneath it all, I was able to see how I’d manifested a way out of it, despite the means. 

I believe that if you’re truly unhappy and you don’t do something about your situation, something will be done to take you out of that situation, with or without your permission and choice! 

The other thing I was later able to see was a pattern of how my deeply rooted unconscious thoughts were just as strong as my conscious thoughts; but, in this case, much stronger.  It was apparent that the more I avoided confrontation of something, the more I was drawing toward me and creating the confrontation.  In this particular scenario, I had been very uncomfortable working in the office space with a severe physical disability and then, I was dealing with a total lack of compassion from the military, their blatant disregard for rules and lack of respect for others, and especially toward their management who wasn’t reinforcing those rules.  (One can see how disrespect is created by not setting boundaries and limitations along with the fact that if you don’t have respect for yourself neither will anyone else.)  We had brought this up to management on numerous occasions but, in the end, we all feared loosing our jobs – for these reasons:
1) Government management did not like our Project Manager nor our Company;
2) Our Company wasn’t protecting us; and
3) The US Navy sailors did not demonstrate any respect for their management, rules, themselves, nor anyone else.
By witnessing this, it was recommended we come in for our prescribed work hours, do our work, and go home.  It was a hostile environment, to say the least. 

You can see the Blessing in being removed from this, right!?! ;~) 

So, despite all of this, I actually found myself moving home.  I started looking for ways to heal and try to change my old behavioral patterns.  I will tell you, it wasn’t always an easy road and I’m still working on it but it seems like I have been blazing through some serious crap.  I knew there were patterns but I saw patterns throughout my entire life that mimicked all the way back to childhood and even reflected my parents.  Yup!  I found myself in awe, utter shock, and a little mortified! 

You know what!?!  I also started to realize the things I found myself interested in at earlier years were starting to make a full-circle around.  For me, this showed me something else we take for granted: 

In our earlier years of developing, we have an innate and still naive sense of what moves us, which is not completely corrupted by conditioning or cultural programming. 

I was even more excited finding this out because it felt like I had something to look forward to I’d always been interested in and it was something I had always been passionate about.  It’s really like starting a new life ~ A Clean Slate & New Beginning!

Do you remember what you were drawn to in your earlier years or what moved you?  Are you stuck in a place you would never have dreamed you would have chosen?  Are you ready to start fresh and do you want to?  Can you let go of the old and make room for the new?  What if you had a clean slate?  How would you proceed with your life?

From my own personal experience, I believe a good way to start is to extend Forgiveness!  I would like to share with you something that was read in my recent Yoga Meditation class. 

Forgive 

     Whatever someone has done to you, forgive them.  Now.  No Matter what.  This has nothing to do with condoning their behavior or letting them be right.  It simply means that whatever pain someone has caused you, you refuse to be hurt any further. 

     Forgiveness is for you, not for anyone else.  It is a way of saying, “I release any energetic ties that bind you and me, and while I don’t condone your behavior, I no longer wish to be bound by it.  I am whole, free and full of spirit, and I leave your actions behind.”  Forgiveness raises your vibration and your energy.  The person doesn’t have to know that you’ve forgiven them, although that can be healing, too.  You are the only one who has to know that you forgive and let go. 

     I’ve been through intense pain in my life, and I believe that the power of forgiveness got me through.  Don’t make room in your heart for bitterness.  Fill it with love so you can’t waste any space.  It’s a constant choice that you have to make, and sometimes it can take several rounds of forgiving before you really feel done. 

My version of her meditation exercise:  Visualize the person or thing that was done to you connected to your heart with a silver cord.  Imagine them surrounded in love, forgive them from your heart, thank them for serving you in your life, and allow the cord to be fully released from your heart while sending them love and watching it retract back to that other person.  Then feel lighter. 

     Forgiveness gives you the freedom you seek.  And sometimes– and this is the key –the most important person to forgive is yourself! 

My personal belief is:

 ♥ We all have Angel wings to ‘Rise Above!’  Only some have forgotten or haven’t learned yet how to use them. ♥

Let’s learn to rise above what our minds or other people tell us and tap into our hearts!

We are all Love! We just need to start Loving ourselves first so we may truly understand what it is and feels likes; then, we can share it with others! 

God created you, therefore you should be hopeful.  Things will come at the right time, the right place, and the right reason.

~ Yogi Bhajan

Isn’t that the truth!  Try recognizing the Blessing in every scenario you experience.  Just because it isn’t going the way you want it doesn’t mean it isn’t working out.  Listen to your heart and it will guide you!

After writing this, I read another *sign* of this theme:

If we can let go of judgments, both of ourselves and others, let go of fear and open our hearts, we will realize that everything is a reflection of ourselves, that every experience is happening for our highest good and that we’re only ever being walked home.

~ Shayne Traviss
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/shayne-traviss/were-only-ever-being-walk_b_3268848.html

♥  Let your Day Be Filled with Love ~ Look & Find the Blessings of your path to A Clean Slate & New Beginnings!  ♥

~ Lana

Speak Kindly To YourSelf

Tags

Blessing, Divine Goddess, Embracing Inspiration, Energy, Enlightened, fear, forgiveness, Gift, Gratitude, Inspire, journal, Life, Light, Love, Manifest, Meditation, Mothers, Present, Purpose, Self, self-love, Spiritual, surrender

Last week at the end of a Meditation session the following was read aloud.

Talking to the Self:

When you talk to yourself in your mind which self do you address?  And how?  Usually people do not talk to their divinity, but to the most superficial aspects of their everyday personality.  And often it’s a stream of fears, complaints and mindless repetition of old things.  If we talked that way to another human being, we would have to apologize.  Learning to talk properly to the elf is a spiritual endeavor.  Thoughts from the past and worries about the future do not create good conversation.  Instead learn to talk to your mind as if it were a child.  Talk to it with Love.  If you just force a child to sit down, he won’t.  A good mother knows how to prompt her child into doing what she wants.  Be a good mother to your mind, teach it good positive thoughts so that when you tell it to sit quietly, it will.  Love your mind.  Stay Happy!

Unsure who the author is and being of sound advice I wanted to share.

♥ ♥ ♥ Speak, Think, & Cultivate Love withIn YourSelf!  ♥ ♥ ♥

~ Lana

Let Your Love Shine Through

Tags

Complicated, Embrace, Embracing Inspiration, Emotions, Enchanted, Energy, Enlightened, Expression, fear, Feelings, forgiveness, happiness, Inspire, journal, Life, Light, Love, Manifest, Purpose, Self, self-love, Spiritual, TRUTH

Watching “Enchanted” with Patrick Dempsey and Amy Adams.
This scene struck me:

     Robert (Dempsey) is explaining to Giselle (Adams) how “Love is complicated…”  He’s been dating his girlfriend for 5 years and Giselle is perplexed that he doesn’t know if he loves because they’re not married already.  She has only known her Prince a couple days and was about to marry him before the witch pushed her into the wishing well.   He asks her how she knows and she says she loves her Prince because she knows his heart.
Giselle:  “How does she know you love her…”
Robert:  “Well, she knows…we just don’t talk about it…”
Giselle:  “What?  You don’t talk about it?  How does she know you love her…” & then she bursts into song.

So, why is it so difficult for us to express our love to others; suppressing what we feel?  Don’t you feel suffocated?  Just thinking about it makes me feel imprisoned!

Why do we resist what we all desire by denying our expression of it?
My personal belief is that the root of any “dis~ease” is literally suppressing our feelings to the point of dis~comfort manifested in the physical body. 

I recall what it felt like, at a young and innocent age, to be in love! How good it felt to express my feelings toward those I cared for but then, the pain of not receiving the same loving sentiments caused scars, memories, and patterns of holding back for fear of the same recurring rejection.  However I was very lovey~dovey, I realize how my expression was too much for those who had rejected me for who I am/was then.  Looking back, I see how this shaped and limited my relationships over the years but now I also see how my I’m returning to my true nature; kind of like a homecoming! 

I see a lot of ironies in my life regarding passions and interests I had as a child resurfacing.  Innocence is underrated!  When we’re young, we KNOW so much more; we KNOW WHAT PURE LOVE IS!  But we go through so much conditioning we’re not allowed to grow into our own knowledge.  We’re told how love is, how it should be earned, worked for, selectively given to only a few, & not squandered – as if there’s a limited supply of Love available to us.  Now doesn’t that sound absurd!?

~~> BE TRUE TO WHO YOU ARE! 

This is a time to come back to Self, allowing who you are shine to brightly!
Don’t allow anyone to tell you that YOU ARE TOO MUCH of anything, let alone too little.  Chances are, they’re not comfortable enough to be who they are – they feel scared, threatened, & fearful of what others may think of them; ironically, in exactly the same way they react to YOU!   There is a pattern in our behaviors & actions that reveal our inner world.

We’re literally all too concerned and consumed with what others think of us (when it really doesn’t matter and it’s none of our business) to the point we’re not even allowing the Sacred & Divine Flow of WHO WE ARE!  This is the only reason we forget who we are!  We fall into a cycle that’s unnatural because it doesn’t originate from within us, from our Heart.  Instead, we have allowed external sources to dictate the rhythm of our life and dancing to the beat of some unknown drummer.

How do you feel? Are you happy where you are in your life?  What about Love?  How do you communicate and express your Love to the people in your life?  Do you hold back or give it your all?  What have you got to loose with Love?  Do you ever consider the things might regret if you don’t do or say them?

True Compassionate & Unconditional Love is contagious!  Be the example, Shine on, & Pass it on! ♥

The next time you express your true feelings, shine forth your ♥ LOVE ♥ toward those who matter most.  There’s nothing more wonderful than the feeling of making another feel Love!  

♥ ♥ ♥ Embrace Love, Share Love, Be Love ~ Always know You Are Loved! ♥ ♥ ♥

~ Lana

Sweet Surrender

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Embracing Inspiration, Energy, Enlightened, fear, forgiveness, happiness, Inspire, journal, Life, Light, Love, Manifest, Meditation, Purpose, Self, self-love, selfish, Spiritual, surrender, Vibration

This is too often dismissed as Selfish because we’ve been conditioned to believe we must always think of others first.  You have to ♥ Love ♥ yourself first!  How can anyone else love you if you don’t lead by example by showing others how it’s done?  How can you love others if you’re not already versed in Self~Love!? 

True Compassionate & Unconditional Love is contagious!

Just imagine a time when you witnessed a sweet child with their mother and/or father sharing a touching moment that created a warm sensation in your body and bringing a smile to your face.  Why does this radiate with us?  Of course, it brings back those same loving feelings you have had in your past via memories ~ you know how YOU felt and that feeling stayed with you.  Don’t you always want to feel that way?

The other day I read something simply profound, “Death makes Life worth living!”  Although it may be true, I must point to the focus and choice of words.  It almost makes one unconsciously strive toward death or evade it (ironically, this is impossible), instead of simply living and removing this consideration.  The antithesis, “Love makes this Life worth living!” is a much more powerful and positive way to focus our attention, isn’t it!?

So, how can we turn our focus around? 

What are you focusing on?  Is it something that radiates a warm loving feeling?  If it isn’t, try to trace back and center in on what is going through your mind.  Write down your thoughts and how they spiral into different directions.  Trace it back to what feeling you have and why.  You’ll probably find all sorts of emotions bubbling up.  Try not to label them!  Instead, honor them, cry if necessary to cleanse, and allow yourself to feel them before deciding if you’re ready to let go ~ because sometimes we’re not. 

To truly release these feelings, you need to make peace with the situation, people, event, pain, and, most importantly, YourSelf ~ find forgiveness in your heart and send love to all!  You can do this in a meditation or prayer but it may be more effective if you write it as a letter, even if it never reaches anyone, and you may release it symbolically by burning it. 

Keep a small notebook or journal with you at all times and you’ll find tracking and reflecting upon your feelings and thoughts quite effective.  Just start and watch how this simple little exercise can move mountains of fear out of your life! 

Do this for YourSelf!  People will notice the changes and you’ll also see them reacting differently toward you.  Focus on the positive and people will see the positive in You!

Let this day be a day of tuning into Self~LOVE ~ call it Sweet Surrender!

♥ ♥ ♥ Until next time, Find the Gratitude and Always know You Are Loved, ~ BE Blessed! ♥ ♥ ♥

~ Lana

Just Breathe!

Tags

Addiction, Aha, Attachment, Attention, Behavior, Change, Control, Defend, Distractions, Ego, Emotion, Energy, fear, Growth, inattention, Instinct, Judge, Meditation, obstacle, Primitive, Responsibility, Rhythm, Unknown

Pranayama ~ The science of breath which leads to the creation, distribution, and maintenance of vital energy.”  ~ BKS Iyengar

Over the course of my life I’ve noticed I have moments when I can’t get a complete breath, or cycle of a yawn.  The sensation of a heaviness sitting on my chest, it happens in times when I seem stressed and unable to keep focused.  Ironic!  This recently came up as I’ve been doing some Energy Work and working on my past by delving into areas to heal.

So, I realize many of us don’t take time to tune into our breath as we move throughout our daily life but it is what keeps us alive ~ it is the LIFE FORCE! 

If you’re one who actively meditates, does yoga, runs, or does any sort of exercise activity, you’ve probably noticed how important it is to pace your breath in order to continue with your activity.  Well, it’s just as important in all of our daily activities.  As an avid yogini, student and teacher, my focus during a practice is to move with the breath.  Just as when I meditate, it’s about tuning-in, connecting with the breath and going within.  But, this doesn’t always seem to continue outside of the studio.

I see how far I’ve evolved to being more patient and kinder to myself and I also recognize this is a constant awareness we need to tap into.  I no longer choose to allow things that once upset me to steal my breath, energy, or focus.  I do admit it took a lot of attention to the breath, personal curiosity, a desire to change my life, research and reading, speaking with others, and becoming more aware of old thought and behavioral patterns.  All of this required taking personal responsibility and acknowledging what I was manifesting in my life!

It is a lot of work but more importantly, I believe if you can start by becoming more aware of your breath, you will eventually start to recognize your thought patterns, which distract from slow, steady breathing.  If the breath flows smoothly, so does everything else in life!

Here are some questions you can ask yourself:

• Do you have trouble breathing or breathing problems?
• Do you pay attention to when you are holding your breath? Do you see the root cause of this? 
• Do you have trust in your own judgement?
• When you’re in a moment of crisis or stress, do you have a fight or flight reaction?  Do you allow yourself to step back and take a deep breath before you evaluate the situation or do you pounce on it with impervious fervor?
• What really gets under your skin and why do you let it steal your breath, energy, attention?
• When do you find yourself the most calm breathing in and out long, steady, and controlled breaths?
• Do you see how you may be able to be more focused?
• Do you have faith that everything will work out in the end?

“In the middle of difficulty, lies opportunity.”
~ Albert Einstein

When it all comes down to it, the breath is your life force and without it, you cannot live.  How your breath moves in and through your body is a directly reflected in your life.  How does your life flow – like mud, a rambling brook, or a smooth flowing river?  Look at how your life is and then key into if you’re actually breathing through it!  Are you engaged or are you going through habitual motions?  Tune-in, become aware of your inner world and how it’s reflected in the breath.

I wish you happy days filled with joy, laughter, & deep belly breathing!

Choose wisely where you place your attention/focus because your energy is precious and shouldn’t be wasted!

Love and Light Blessings,

~ Lana

What is your Fear?

Tags

Attachment, Attention, Change, Defend, Disappointment, Emotion, Energy, Expectation, Failure, fear, God, Growth, Heart, Illusion, Instinct, Judge, Love, Meditation, Perfectionism

I had intended to write up a New Year’s entry but upon reflection, well, it didn’t happen.  I must admit, this year I didn’t feel the need, nor obligation, to write any resolutions.  I’ve done it before and, honestly, I find it more important to live this year with less expectation and more detachment, from a place of Love and with Integrity, allowing my life to flow freely wherever the winds take me as I’m in a serious stage of transition and I don’t know yet where I will arrive!  Actually, that’s pretty exciting…

Throughout the past few days the recurring theme has been about “expectations creating disappointment.” 

Today in meditation I was faced with my own fears!  I have always known one of my downfalls was my perfectionism and, in the past this held me back from trying new things for fear of not getting them exactly right.  Even as a child in school, I would write down my notes word-for-word to ensure I knew the exact answer the teacher wanted.  I was even so meticulous that if I wrote with pen and made a mistake, I would start over writing them neatly because I didn’t like a mess.  I was the child who was always cleaning and organizing her room!

See, here we are, [I am], again ~ at those illusions and expectations we conceive an outcome of which, an action hasn’t even been set in motion nor has it occurred!

Ok, so, as I understand that I have a fear of failure, underlying with that pesky Perfectionism, I know I need to hold myself accountable for expectations that do NOT exist.  If I don’t even try, how can I be so sure I’ll fail!?  Even if I do fail, I may find myself heading down a new path or I may learn something new!  Why is this so difficult?

Well, this goes back to where we/I learned the underlying source.  It stems from a number of things – some from school and some from home.  Heck, I even remember how I colored (maybe I still do), tracing the lines with my crayon before coloring in the pictures.  Mom taught me this, I believe.  The idea that if you traced it out first, you had a better chance of “not going outside the lines!”
It did seem to work.

Here is where I resolve to hold myself accountable and what came through in my meditation:

What is my Weakness here?  Lack of Trust in Self!

So, I choose Happiness!  I choose Love Over ALL!

“Love Encompasses patience ~ it’s passion, it’s compassion, it doesn’t need to be perfect and it occurs always in its perfect time!

Love Embraces ~ it accepts ALL pains, hurts, and sufferings!

Love is in ALL ~ it illuminates, it shines, and it uplifts!

I AM LOVE!

YOU ARE LOVE!

If God is Love, we’re all of God~Love connected eternally by this internal flame!

I am Grateful for Love because it’s what takes me out of my head and into my Heart!”

So what evokes Fear in YOU?  Will you resolve to choose love over it?

Love and Light Blessings,

~ Lana

Distractions ~ “Energy Flows Where Attention Goes!”

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Addiction, Aha, Attachment, Attention, Behavior, Change, Control, Defend, Distractions, Ego, Emotion, Energy, fear, Growth, inattention, Instinct, Judge, Meditation, obstacle, Primitive, Responsibility, Rhythm, Unknown

In continuing with the themes of the past couple days, I was paying closer attention to my distractions during my meditations.  I had also noticed how it spilled over into my living waking life ~ kind of like one of those AHA Moments!

There are distractions all around.  Some are external noises or theatrical displays, while some are situations occurring in and around our lives with others we associate with; but then, there are those we create ourselves.  The latter are usually the ones you could also call the story we create.  What does that mean?  Well, let’s look at this closer.

What are distractions, really?

Well, a distraction takes our “attention” away from what is right in front of us that needs tending ~ what needs our attention!  A distraction is avoiding responsibility and,  ultimately, what we are afraid to face ~> an underlying fear.  Distractions may start out innocently enough but then, there are times when they become so addictive we fall short of our unmet responsibilities creating havoc in our lives.  

I had to stop to search to see if I could find a clear definition of what distraction really is.  The closest I could find was: “an obstacle to attention; drawing someone’s attention away from something; inattention” (http://www.thefreedictionary.com/distraction).

So, 

• What is the underlying fear? 
• What creates this fear and how does it hold us back? 
• Why do we allow distractions? 
• Why are we so afraid to face this false expectations appearing real?

Well, for each person, this may appear to be different but when you really get to the root,

it is the fear of Change and the Unknown!  Because change is like death, we associate this with discomfort.  So, we return to our primitive instincts of fight or flee basically finding every excuse, or distraction, to avoid it.  We are so attached to our ideas we create the illusionary expectation of any outcome = the idea that anything else we’re currently experiencing would be uncomfortable and, therefor, it must be avoided at all costs.

We are so attached to our livelihood that we become complacent in our daily comforts and routines that the mere idea of moving forward keeps us stuck so, instead of allowing the change to happen, we create distractions to avoid dealing with it!  How do I know this… ha ha, well, that’s my AHA Moment right there!  I’m spilling the beans on myself and owning up to this right now because I know from witnessing what my own patterns have revealed.

A friend recently mentioned how she was finding herself overeating and how much it perplexed and bothered her.  I found myself reflecting on this because I, too, was doing the same on and off.  Now, I won’t say I was necessarily overeating so much as burying myself in one of my passions of inventing new food creations, to avoid working on my writing.  I can get my own distractions in creative ways that seem perfectly innocent as they do yield results but not necessarily the ones I really should be focusing on.  Does this make sense to anyone else out there?

So, how many of you out there see how you create distraction in your own life to avoid doing what you know needs your immediate attention?
If you are able to witness how you are responsible for blocking your own forward growth and progression, will you take action even if it means you cannot predict the outcome?

Action is a great restorer and builder of confidence. Inaction is not only the result, but the cause, of fear. Perhaps the action you take will be successful; perhaps different action or adjustments will have to follow. But any action is better than no action at all.
~ Norman Vincent Peale

Previously, I wrote: 

The key ~ not to get attached to the outcome of these expectations.  Because the root of suffering is in expectation!  Emotion lies behind all of this ~ emitting a feeling or attaching to an outcome!

“Choose wisely where you place your attention/focus because your energy is precious and shouldn’t be wasted!”

Love and Light Blessings,

~ Lana