When you're ready, you're ready. When you're not, you're just not. There's an idea from child development that helps me illustrate this in a similar way. We offer young children stories that help them learn right from wrong, good and evil, usually in the form of fairy tales. Like some of the classic Grimm's fairy tales (not the watered-down Disney version), it can be somewhat graphic or vicious. But the child, in her infinite wisdom, will process such stories only to the amount she can handle and with her own imagination. What we might envision from a matter-of-fact slicing off a toe (Cinderella) could be bloody, painful and gruesome. What a child pictures in her mind from her own experience will not be so extreme yet impactful all the same. NOTE: showing a child the visual representations so that she cannot control her own imagination and threshold is NOT the same. Read aloud these stories without so much dramatic effect and she'll take in what she wants to take in.
She'll take in what she's ready for. How many helpful health tips have you heard that truly rang true to you? How many of them have you implemented sustainably? I accept that I have heard and wholeheartedly agreed with concepts from Ayurvedic lifestyles which make sense. When the daily practice of such health tips feel foreign to you or simply are so opposite of what you're used to, making change can be hard. And when it makes sense from a point of study but you haven't yet internalized the concept, it becomes simply an exercise that takes work because you must think it through each time. Well, you have to start somewhere. Sometimes it is this way and you must hear it over and over or try it over and over. And then it fades away. Then makes a comeback a month, a year, or many years later. Just be aware, challenge yourself (for growth!) and have self-compassion. When you are ready, you are ready. And then, it'll stick. NOTICE: every attempt, even failed ones, are steps needed in the process.
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Indeed, some of us don't know how to let go and let loose. It is very uncomfortable. But just as the polarity is, we mull in the dismal or constraint and we lose balance in life. We teeter into, dare I say, darkness.
So for those of you who are on the proverbial "dark side" of fun, let's start by acknowledging this. Awareness is the first step to all healing. Let's start to breathe-- l o o o o o o o o o n g, deeeeeeeeep breaths. Inhaling and exhaling through our nostrils. Feeling the breath press the diaphragm muscle down with each inhale, bringing that air deep into our bellies and then up to our chest and shoulders. With each exhale, allowing the chest to fall, drawing our navel towards the spine, pulling that diaphragm up for a complete breath out. And continue with this breath until you feel calm. Now keep breathing and ask yourself what's bugging you? Let's call whatever holds you back "fear". Be it actual fear of something or someone or an idea or negative self-talk or shame or guilt or anger or frustration, confusion, neediness or depression or some trauma or trigger that perhaps you cannot even pinpoint-- or maybe you can. Let's call it all "fear" for now. After that beautiful, calming breathing you've done (which you can continue for as long as you like), think about this "fear" from this safe space. Do be sure you are in a safe space! Keep breathing, bring the fear to your awareness and begin to notice the sensations and feelings that come up. What does it feel like? Where do you feel it? Can you name this feeling? Is it stress? Is it grief? Low self-worth? Imposter syndrome? Stay with this until you can get a good sense of what it is you're feeling. Ask this feeling, why are you here? What do you need me to know? What are you trying to protect me from? What happens if I don't listen to you? I know this doesn't sound like having fun but stay with me here..... Now, consider what the opposite of this feeling would be? The opposite of the negative feeling. What would it look like? Allow yourself to feel it as if it is happening. What sensations arise? Where do you feel it in your body? Cherish it. Believe in it. Hold on to this feeling. Stay here until you've embodied the feeling-- meaning you are getting all those juicy, positive vibes from this feeling you created with your thoughts. This is a little more fun, right? Now ask yourself, what do I need to do to get to here? Listen in the silent space for your answer. Allow it to come from your gut, your heart, your feelings..... in other words your Soul. The language of your Soul is emotions. If it feels like you are in your headspace (the realm of the logical ego), go back to your feelings and then ask again. What do I need to do? Oftentimes these answers will come instantly. And oftentimes your logical mind might voice its opposing opinion. Try to stay with those initial, instinctual responses. The ones from your depth of heart and soul. Alot of times, you are already starting to feel better and lighter, even before the solutions step. You may need to stay with these first steps for a bit or revisit them again before you can continue. The important healing has started: you are stopping to take notice. Your Soul needed you to listen and, feeling heard, you will begin to feel better. But let's finish this..... (If you need to do this multiple times to get past certain steps, it's totally alright!) Now, your beautiful mind gets to help with this last step. Take action. Heed the answers your Soul brought to light and figure out how to make it happen. Have compassion for yourself. Know that sometimes you might not take your Soul's advice but, if you do that, acknowledge that you are purposely choosing not to do that. Again, awareness is key. You might act against your answers because a) you're not ready, you're feeling fear again--maybe another aspect of fear or b) you feel better just from the earlier steps and so you no longer feel the need to act. Either way, know that this "fear" voice will persistently come to you until you listen and act. It may take another form, in another situation, at a different time, but heed its needs you must, at some point. You want to not only feel better at the moment; you want to completely heal. Now we're having fun. It's from this space of self-awareness, self-compassion, and self-healing that you build a strong sense of self-love. And from self-love --true love of yourself-- you can let go and have fun! You can strike the right balance in life because you don't actually want extreme highs and extreme lows. In your self-aware state, you can enjoy life on your terms, for your whole Self. And isn't that fun? Yes. It is. Inspiring, powerful, reflective, alliterative, genius. Not to mention a profound reminder of the power of art, voice, youth, and the message of unity. Thank you, Amanda Gorman, for this beautiful presentation of your insightful picture on our country and democracy.
I love to observe the parallels between our macro and micro worlds. Micro--our work on connecting with our inner compass; sorting through large and subtle internal, historical and ancestral traumas; finding our outward expression; and creating an empowered life aligns with all that must be done to unite our people, country and our place in the greater world--the macro. In the trials, the polarities, the conflicts seen in the world, if we pay attention we can see and feel these same struggles in ourselves. We work on ourselves powerfully to create powerful change beyond us, no matter what that looks like. Each of our contributions matter; each of us matter. As the newly sworn-in US President stated, unity amidst a deep divide is critical. Alignment and balance within ourselves require this attention as well. Notice your inner conflicts. notice the divides where your heart and mind are at odds. The inaugural poem. I've never truly felt the need to memorize and recite poetry but this one..... yes. With highest respect and hopes that I've captured it correctly,* I've transcribed the poem here: (edited 1/21/2021) "The Hill We Climb" Amanda Gorman, poet laureate When day comes, we ask ourselves: "Where can we find light in this never-ending shade?" The loss we carry, a sea we must wade, we braved the belly of the beast. We've learned that quiet isn't always peace; and the norms and notions of what "just is" isn't always Just-ice. And yet, the dawn is ours before we knew it, somehow we do it, somehow we weathered and witnessed a nation that isn't broken but simply unfinished. We, the successors of a country and a time where a skinny Black girl descended from slaves and raised by a single mother can dream of becoming President, only to find herself reciting for one. And yes, we are far from polished, far from pristine, but that doesn't mean we are striving to form a union that is perfect. We are striving to forge a union with Purpose to compose a country committed to all cultures, colors, characters and conditions of man. And so we lift our gazes not to what stands between us but what stands before us. We close the divide because we know to put our future first we must first put our differences aside. We lay down our arms so we can reach out our arms to one another. We seek harm to none and harmony for all. Let the globe, if nothing else, say this is true: That even as we grieved, we grew; That even as we hurt, we hoped; That even as we tired; we tried; That we will forever be tied together, victorious. Not because we will never again know defeat, but because we will never again sow division. Scripture tells us to envision that everyone shall sit under their own vine and fig tree, and no one shall make them afraid. If we're to live up to our own time, then victory won't lie in the blade, but in all the bridges we've made, That is the promise to glade, the hill we climb if only we dare. It's because being American is more than a pride we inherit. It's the past we step into and how we repair it. We've seen a force that would shatter our nation rather than share it, would destroy our country if it meant delaying democracy. And this effort very nearly succeeded. But while democracy can be periodically delayed, it can never be permanently defeated. In this truth, in this faith, we trust. For while we have our eyes on the future, history has its eyes on us. This is the era of just redemption. We feared in its inception we did not feel prepared to be the heirs of such a terrifying hour. But within it we found the power to author a new chapter, to offer hope and laughter to ourselves. SO -- while once we asked, "How could we possibly prevail over catastrophe?" Now we assert: "How could catastrophe possibly prevail over us?" We will not march it back to what was but move to what shall be, a country that is bruised but whole, benevolent but bold, fierce and free. We will not be turned around or interrupted by intimidation because we know our inaction and inertia will be the inheritance of the next generation. Our blunders become their burdens but one thing is certain.... if we merge mercy with might and might with right, then love becomes our legacy and change our children's birthright. So let us leave behind a country better than the one we were left. With every breath in my bronze-pounded chest, we will raise this wounded world into a wondrous one. We will rise from the golden hills of the West; we will rise from the windswept Northeast where our forefathers first realized revolution; we will rise from the lake-rimmed cities of the Midwestern states; we will rise from the sunbaked South. We will rebuild, reconcile and recover. In every known nook of our nation and every corner called our country; our people diverse and beautiful. We'll emerge battered and beautiful. When day comes, we step out of the shade, aflame and unafraid. The new dawn blooms as we free it, for there is always light if only we're brave enough to see it, if only we're brave enough to be it. THERE IS ALWAYS LIGHT.....LET'S SEEK IT OUT CONTINUOUSLY, AND THEN "...LOVE BECOMES OUR LEGACY". *I'll edit once I see the poem released by Amanda Gorman. Ever since I read My Grandmother's Hands by Resmaa Menakem and started a book discussion group on it, I keep pondering his idea of culture and how do we change our culture? What even IS culture, and our culture here in the US? What do we like, what do we not like? Honoring the many great things that created this culture to which many immigrants fled to be a part of, what can we recognize as unjust and ill-conceived? What do we need to weed out, what do we want to change and how? From my interpretation on the reading, I believe culture starts from within. Trauma --both subtle and overt, current, historical and ancestral-- shape who we are, how we respond, and our view of reality. These traumas form what looks like our personality. Trauma that impacts the family looks like family traits. Trauma that impacts a people looks like culture. Changing a culture would require the desired change in "the tribe"...... and that change happens from a spark--one voice that projects and touches the hearts and minds of its neighbors and beyond. And, a major shake-up certainly helps create space for those voices to land. Enter our 2020 experience. What a shake-up to create the perfect environment for change!! Person by person, community by community, and in the age of the Internet, more potential for reach far and wide. Are you ready to open up to this change? A change for social justice and a culture that creatively loves and supports one another? Starting with self-healing and turning inwards to be truthful with ourselves and to know our Truth, we can begin to grow into a personality that values daily practice of love for all living things. The more of us that chooses healing and builds our own capacities, the more that spreads, and the more it can change culture. A culture that cares, supports and lives curiously with others through conversation, connection, public policy and more. MLK Jr said, "Every man must decide whether he will walk in the light of creative altruism or in the darkness of destructive selfishness". I think this is what we get to discover in ourselves in listening for our Truth. In healing and clearing so we can hear our inner voice of peace and equanimity and vision and justice for all. Personally, the more I listen to the many new voices creating podcasts and read the writings of the people who inspire me, the people I admire, the models who pave a path for me to see my own path, the more I know that if I listen closely and stay deeply connected with the true depth of meaning and value for my life, I will be like these people I admire. Only, it'll be in my own way and with my own voice. It's frightening and exhilarating at the same time.
For sure, this is only done in concert with the necessary work of self-healing. It has taken some years to get here but, thankfully, within these years I have felt dramatic progress steadily along the way and very often it is this progress that motivated the next progress. You need not look that far ahead, simply the next step into "right action". These are ongoing practices and continued seeking of community and like-minded voices-- as well as those who do not think like me --are a cornerstone for momentum. It is, in fact, often the voices of the latter that give me deeper pause and reflection. For the dichotomy of thoughts or the polarities of life is what often creates the most clear spotlight on vital matters. It is that which evokes the strongest of emotions that sometimes was/is the necessary spark to create the most impactful change or shift in thinking. This year, in celebration of Martin Luther King Jr, I listened to a podcast with host Marianne Williamson and her guest, MLK Jr's daughter Reverend Bernice King. Through this interview, I kept hearing the message that activism is part of our work here and that MLK's words on sacrifice were akin to the sacrifice of Jesus and other such stories of heroic peoples. MLK said: "Human progress is neither automatic nor inevitable..... Every step toward the goal of justice requires sacrifice, suffering, and struggle; the tireless exertions and passionate concern of dedicated individuals". This makes me think of my recent journal writing on "what we give up" and the fear of losing privileges, comfort, convenience, and a way of life to which we've become accustomed. What must we sacrifice? Are we prepared to struggle? Can we understand that struggle can simply mean our own personal angst in dealing with any sort of change, and ultimately that struggle creates a positive change and depth within us? Marianne and the Reverend King end the interview with the idea that, while we look to our history of great people who sacrificed and led the way, these days the sacrifice and leadership is truly collective. Perhaps that can feel like a relief to those of us who feel yet ill-equipped for a huge, solo entry into boldness but still wish to pursue social justice and change in our world. But step forward we must. As a collective. As the Reverend Bernice King said, it must be a way of life, these steps for justice. What would that look like for you? Still the start of 2021 and things seem to be taking shape through positive vibrational currents in the minds of many more of us. I feel it and I see it happening. I see that collective altruism and multi-level leadership or leadership by abilities-- what is your best role? MLK Jr Day is a day of service and celebration. "Give voice to your heart"* especially on this day, but let it be a spark of renewal and commitment for the year going forward. It takes every one of us to change a culture. I trust that these are the individual steps within a collective that will create a brighter future for and with our youth. For and with my children and all the children of this and the coming generations. What a wonderful way to invoke the spirit of Martin Luther King, Jr. *My new 2021 calendar is from Istandforlove.com created by Sarah Love and today's message is "give voice to your heart". Apropros for this day. XO "Success is liking yourself, liking what you do and liking how you do it". -Maya Angelou For some of us, this comes naturally. For others of us, this is a tall order. It could feel impossible. For all of us, it is not only possible but the whole premise of life. It seems we go through life seeking the holy grail of "success". The truth is, success is subjective. Your idea of success might be to create and build a company, go public, make millions, and be famous. Others find success to be seeing your child graduate high school. And yet others are successful if they can just coax themselves out of bed every day to live a "responsible" life after years of self-medicating with drugs and alcohol. The common link in all of this is coming to a place where you feel you're meeting a meaningful goal; you're accomplishing something that takes inner strength, courage, and great effort. It is also about integrity. Some may accomplish a goal that seemed like "what they wanted" only to be unsatisfied, finding out that it was filled with inner conflict, guilt and/or shame. Integrity is key. These common links basically come down to: liking yourself, liking what you do and liking how you do it.
With that foundational, simple yet profound goal or mantra in mind, make choices in life that help support this measure of success. Use it to discern what matters to you and how you can support yourself to focus on those things. What activities, practices, ideas, beliefs, steps, connections, intakes, and other uses of your time and energy help you live in this success. Yes, LIVE IN IT, not reach for it. The mastery is within your NOW and living with Presence. It will get progressively easier and more automatic with the commitment or it can be a struggle each day until the switch flicks. You may slip back and forth into self-sabotage and self-esteem until its more esteem, less sabotage. This process -- if you can recognize that you are in it -- is part of that success. It is YOU living the journey itself conscientiously that can be liked and loved. What an adventure you are living! Keep going with compassion for yourself. BE in your success. Like yourself for living all your ups and downs. Own it. Feel full within yourself. Be success-full. "Your passion is your qualification. It is your leading qualification". -Danielle LaPorte "Desire is transformed into drive when a dream creates a passion for action" -Dr. Robert Anthony And excerpts from GuruMeher Khalsa's book Senses of the Soul: "Desire serves....to take you from needy to fulfilled". -and- "In Desire Consciousness, there is no containment and no contentment; but beneath it all the while is the Soul's Desire for you to experience complete fulfillment". -and- "...to let Desire do its job....Between unbridled expression and stifled suppression lies the ability to clearly discern our real needs". -and- "Desire is a powerful thing..... it is just pure energy that is there to help you get what you need. Where it takes you depends on how you use it". -and, from an interview of GuruMeher sharing his steps to success: "Follow your passion, but find a way to develop self-discipline." Your heart's desire is the call of your Soul to allow you the experience of Wholeness-- "complete fulfillment". We all have needs but only some of us are "needy". Those who escape that label are the ones that know their needs and how to get them met. And that is a matter of discernment and self-discipline. The outline or boundaries you set for yourself is the tool of that discernment and self-discipline. It's the container in which you can powerfully connect with your true desires and needs, as opposed to the free-floating, overwhelming and misguided desires of want want want. Passion is the energy of drive. To act. Upon the discerned Desires. As said by composer Yanni: "All you need is passion. If you have a passion for something, you'll create the talent". Whether you feel you have the talent or not, check in with yourself. Listen in silence, breathe and relax your mind and body, let go..... allow yourself to simply feel without judgment. Your feelings are your Soul's voice. What do you desire? What drives you? You may need to sort through other emotions --Anger, Fear, Guilt, Shame, etc. Your immediate need may be a base need: to feel safe, to survive (think Maslow's hierarchy of needs). Find a way to meet these needs. Create your container, like an imaginary pencil sketch with lines that don't limit you but holds you. Looking at the numerology, this year brings a focus on our personal power ("3" from '21 or 2+1) and our expression ("5" from 2021 or 2+0+2+1). Our personal power has everything to do with our drive, our passion, our action and ability to manifest. Aligned with our Soul's needs to bring us to complete fulfillment, the container of self-discipline helps us channel our efforts to project and express ourselves with passion. With zest! I've been drawn to my Passion essential oil these days, which led to this writing. DoTERRA's Passion includes the oils of cardamom seed, cinnamon bark, ginger root, clove bud, and sandalwood. It's called the Inspiring Blend and includes spiciness, digestive aids, and grounding. A beautiful, uplifting scent to connect with our Soul's Desires. I like to use the handy rollerball version "Passion Touch", before my meditation and throughout the day on my wrists and behind my ears, to spark joy and excitement around all that I do. Live your heart's desire, friends. If you're not there yet, find a way. You are worth it.
A lesson that weaved through my year was about living with embodied beliefs...and where I did and didn't truly embody an idea. It sounds good to be mindful but did I really do that? It's a forced exercise if not coming from deep within. Another major lesson was about the container that holds my ideas-- the healthy boundaries. The year before that was a deep immersion into personal emotions (my soul's voice). Altogether, I start this year in a clay pot of somatic living....listening, connecting and acting upon my Soul's wishes. I call this soulsomatic living. She's been ignored, repressed, denied, overruled by an Ego that thought it knew better, could protect better, and had my best interests at heart. No, that Ego voice was caught up in the noise and was simply louder as I smothered the sounds of inner friendship.
I'm beyond grateful for what the past years have helped me see and super excited for what my Soul intends to show me. So let's go! In grace, grit, compassion and light-- I'm ready for a soulsomatic life. Join me! A Look Back at 2020 with a bit of numerology.
2020: A year that began as a hope for 20/20 vision and clarity through an open-hearted ("4") stance, powered by relationships (the "4" by way of double "2s" in "2020"). "4" relates to the heart and a balanced, neutral mind. "2" connects to the source of our creativity, our emotions, our protective energy, and relationships. (Side Note: There are people who have studied numerology far longer and in-depth so this is my personal interpretation of the numbers and, truth be told, reading their work over the years informs mine and self-interpretation allows me to embody and hold the meanings with a simplicity and clarity. I hope this lands for you-- as always, take it or leave it. Trust in yourself.) As I reflect back the year on this day, 12/31/2020, I notice today is an "11" (1+2+3+1+2+0+2+0). A significant, yogic number that makes the Truth discoverable for all with no judgment nor limits. It is a reminder that Trust in and Surrendering to the Divine Will of the Universe will lead to Truth. Yoga is the union of our Individual Consciousness and Universal Consciousness. This Universal Consciousness is within all of us. We are all connected. As one. What affects you, impacts me. What affects me, impacts you. In allowing Truth to unfold, without judgment, we are all touched by what is Universal and Divine. And so I surrender to what unfolds today..... Alot of yogi gobbledy-gook there. It means alot to me now but it didn't always. More in "everyday human language", I see this anticipated year of vision and clarity through open-heartedness and powered by relationships as somewhat of a twisted joke. But really, it has held to its promise. Just not the way anyone could've imagined. Let's be honest. The year was filled with Grief: sickness, loss of loved ones, cancelled plans & celebrations, disrupted accomplishments, separations and isolation. Grief comes from change; and sadness shows us what's important. How does that bring Clarity? How DOESN'T it bring Clarity? In its seemingly backward way, the loss, separation and disruptions allowed us to value more deeply our relationships and "our work". It also allowed us to become more creative so that we can GET those things we abruptly "lost". This year was also filled with charged polarities of light and dark-- of goodness and opposition. The extremes were so extreme that, again, we ask: How DOESN'T it bring Clarity? It does. It gave us exaggerated views that sparked strong emotions in each of us. It carried deep and loud emotions that shouted at us: "Look! Look! What Do You Think?! What Will You Do?!" It tore us apart but also brought us more together. Relationships. Clarity. Vision. Nature got a reprieve. We spent weeks to months keeping our cars parked and planes grounded. Thanks to the entry into our Summer (at least in the Northern Hemisphere), we walked and connected with nature more and benefitted from the change in pace, along with our green friends. We had another gift...... Last but not least (and maybe there's more), the year gave us Space. Space to process, to grieve, to get clear on how we feel....even if we haven't fully formulated all of it yet. We now know what is important to us, we know we can be creative in working within self-imposed and outside-imposed boundaries, and our vision has been shaped or has begun to be more clear. Powerful. Space of time is also a message to get quiet with ourselves. In the Silence, we feel our answers. What may have been 'discomfort' becomes Gratitude. It's good to stop the noise every once in awhile-- more often and longer if possible.... daily. We can breathe. (The irony of this statement amidst the BLM movement is profound). My teenager had this to say: "This year kinda sucked but it was also kind of necessary because everyone needs to realize they/we have major issues". Harsh and hilarious. Not untrue. Approach with self-compassion. A Tiny Look Ahead I think the new lens of 2020 is one we can all wear into 2021. Like a superpower. My superpowers? Mental telepathy and cosmic empathy is strong in me-- between me and my Soul. Sounds hokey but how's your communication with your True Self? Are you rid of and/or at peace with your inner conflicts and fears? Truth is my armor, cape and sword. It's like the Force. Even the dark side has Light....once it accepts Truth. More on 2021 in 2021. Happy New Year, Everyone! Today is December 31, 2020. What a famously wild and unpredictable year it has been! Filled with extreme "bad" and extreme "good". The polarities of dark and light somehow converging to create a crisper picture....Vision.
A Reflection on Boundaries Just like any day, this day is no different. Except..... It is a largely-recognized "day to note", as are major holidays, the solstices, the equinoxes, and other specially-noted days. For me, these are days for reflection. What is the symbolic significance of this day? What does it mean to me? In a way, it sets a symbolic boundary for us. A bookend to a year of unbelievably heart-wrenching and touching stories alike. In general, I've often struggled with overwhelm and a sense of "free floating" (not in a good way). As a creative --which, by the way, we all are-- I've come to understand that setting our own restrictions around a project, a practice, a goal, etc. is important to the process. These are not limitations of the Self but healthy boundaries that keep us rooted and stable, and from which our ideas and creations can emerge and flourish with an amazing sense of freedom. I've also come to understand that the tools we've picked up through lessons of life-- intentionally and by chance --are part of our personal boundaries. As babies and toddlers do, we use our senses and our will to feel and test the boundaries. What are the limits? Where am I comfortable? Where do I (ad)venture to push across those lines? What do I do if what I thought was right for me, in and out of my boundary (or comfort zone), actually isn't? And when you feel yourself looking at other people's boundaries-- and/or perhaps feeling judgment on yours --breathe and honor the feeling. Then find a way to let it go. Feel your inner fire burn it up and, like a phoenix, turn the ashes into a radiant bird of self-love. Bottom line: your boundaries are personal. I feel myself currently riding that edge as I process the revelations that have come to light this year about this transformational yoga I practice and teach. And the concepts connected to it. Like a lifeline for me and many others I know, it has given me the tools to turn judgment into birds of Empowerment, to know Truth where I used to only see lies disguised as reality, causing pain and self-deprivation. Ideas and practices that have been masterfully synthesized by a predator but, in pieces, are not his original work. I know the effectiveness and I focus on what I know has worked. Still, a process to sort through some levels of blind acceptance to get to what is real and right for me. In truth, we blindly accept in many aspects of life where we have given over our power to another-- not in a negative sense but as an awareness. For instance, to our doctors, the farmers, our government..... We can always take this power back. Akara Numerology is one of those gray areas for me in terms of how it came to be. (Perhaps you, Reader, are familiar and can shed light for me?). In any case, it has always resonated and landed for me, better than astrology. Plus, I love numbers. It is, in fact, an effective boundary for me-- it can expand or look different beyond me but here, now, for me, it is what it is and it's enlightening. I accept its structure and meaning and use it to help me reflect on life. It can create powerful connections to make difficult situations, thoughts, and ideas palatable and, even more, divinely rich in depth and breadth. Such a wonderful tool to reflect on an insane year and contemplate what comes next....... Aligned with the numbers of 2020, my relationships, connections, clarity on what's important to me and, of course, big open-heartedness highlighted for me "boundaries". Healthy boundaries feel like a swaddle of warmth and motherly love. Truth. A lesson from 2020. Do you know what I love about winters?
Getting to see the sunrise later in the morning. Observing the sunrises and sunsets are a random occurrence for me where, when caught at that moment, always put me at awe. When I lived in a high-rise building facing west many years ago, I used to watch the sunsets often. It's only now that I am beginning to seek out the rhythms and rhymes of this amazing universe. Today, a remarkable sunrise. Did you know that the sunrise happens later and later in the Northern Hemisphere until early January? If I had to guess, I would assume that Winter Solstice was the turning point for the sun to rise earlier. Apparently it is not. The mismatch is due to the Earth's rotational axis being 23.5 degrees off from vertical to the plane of our orbit around the sun, and the Earth's eccentric orbit causing it to travel fastest in January and slowest in July. According to my source for this information, EarthSky, the exact date for the latest sunrise or sunset varies by latitude. The sequence, however, always remains the same-- holding true for both Northern and Southern hemispheres: Earliest SunSET > Winter Solstice > Latest SunRISE Earliest SunRISE > Summer Solstice > Latest SunSET This morning as I watched the dark pink/purplish light on the horizon, I felt a deep sense of gratitude for its beauty and wonder. I checked the time and it was maybe quarter past 7am. Never a joyful earlybird (like the Amrit Vela time between 3am-6am-- ugh!), I appreciate the sun's later rise. At least another week perhaps until it does start to wake earlier. This may be a good week for sun salutations. |
AuthorI am the Essential Soul Mama. I am a mama, a soulful-spiritual teacher, an intentional storyteller, and a lover of stories of all kinds, in all forms. I write about emotions, parenting, natural health options, mind-body-soul connections, and anything that elevates our lives. Archives
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