Hello!
Happy Monday!
It’s a beautiful fall day on Long Island. A perfect day for a walk outside. (Cue the Brady Bunch – and if you’re too young for that reference – which technically I am also but I’m a child of the 80’s so we (think we) know everything – go look up “It’s a Sunshine Day.”) Phew. Ok, I got my fix for a run-on sentence out of the way. Let’s begin with the good stuff.
How’s life going? Are you remembering to set aside time for you? Have you found a practice that works best? This wellness journey is all about gathering tools that resonate with you. It’s not a one size fits all. As we learn and grow, we find what works for us and we strengthen in the practice. Then, when we really need them, those tools are ready for us.
I had several opportunities this week to put my own tools into practice. It’s beautiful when we can look back at a situation and see how far we’ve come. It’s not always obvious in the moment. We arrive at the mat, or the pillow, or the practice and we do the work and we hope it’s helping. Then we find ourselves in a situation of stress or discomfort and we remember what we’ve cultivated and see it play out in real time. That’s the reward. It’s not that every time we sit to meditate all our suffering goes away, just like every time you exercise you don’t immediately have bigger muscles. You grow stronger over time. Then you’re asked to lift a heavy box and you say, “Hey, that was a little easier!” It’s the same with your practice. You create strength over time, and the next time the emotions or the body gets triggered, you see how your response is different than it was before. It becomes easier to stay grounded and flow back into the calm.
The most important tool we can cultivate, I think, is learning to listen to ourselves – to recognize our own needs and nurture them. When we show up for ourselves first, we learn how to show up more wholeheartedly and authentically in the world!
We each hold within us a wisdom, a guide to show us the way on our path. It’s in stillness that it speaks the loudest. I offer you the opportunity today to take a few moments to pause and see if you can hear what it’s telling you. Where are you meant to journey today? What tools might you need to gather. Whatever it is, it’s perfectly perfect if it is what is right and for you and your intentions.
I’d love to offer a new guided meditation to help you with this but I missed posting last week. Forgive me. I needed a reset after the Halloween madness, so I gave myself what I needed – a little reprieve before the busy-ness still to come with the end of the year. I feel more ready for it now. I hope you do too!
Instead, and in honor of my walk on this sunshine day 😉, here’s a walking meditation.
And before I go, I’d also like to announce that I have one spot left for my community offering at Fire and Ice Wellness Lounge. It’s this Thursday, Nov 9th at 6pm in the community salt room. The session includes a balancing acupuncture treatment, guided meditation and sound healing. I’d love for you to join us.
I’m also offering private guided meditation sessions and group events. Send me a message if you’re interested. Or if you’d just like to connect – I’m always happy to chat over email or DM @cutlivateyourwellness on Instagram.
Ok, my friend. I hope you have a beautiful week. More to come soon.
Be well.
Bye for now!