 Ever feel like things are moving so fast it's hard to be present and enjoy life?
Maybe we feel our mind and emotions are out of balance and "controlling us". Slow down to relaxed presence. Slowing down sounds counter intuitive especially when we are busy / stressed / emotional. And yet - it works! As I talk about in Chapter Two of my book Reclaiming JOY, the emotional roller coaster is not sustainable and keeps us stuck. We react and often cause more turmoil. This simple presence practice, called BRFWA, (we love and use often at the Sanctuary) brings us back to a relaxed state where our emotions are in balance. From this place of emotional balance or equanimity, we are able to ride the emotional wave without drowning in it / losing ourselves for too long. In equanimity we find our way back to peace and clarity and perhaps even a chuckle. Once clear, we are able to take clear, focused action that keeps us on the path of peace as we move toward our goals. Let's go! BRFWA Explained (Give yourself at least 5 minutes to experience this). Breathe: As a wave of emotion comes over you, slow down your breath. Allow your breath to flow freely in and out. Relax: As you slow down your breath, your mind and body will begin to relax. Soften your muscles, let go of mental and physical tension. Feel: As you relax, you are able to soften into what you are feeling. Stay open to the sensations and emotions moving through you in this moment. Watch: While feeling, you watch your experience closely, neither grasping what is pleasant nor pushing away what is painful. Allow: As you watch, you allow the process to unfold. You accept yourself and your experience exactly as it is, dropping the need to change it in any way. BRWFA is the practice of being present. Being present is what we learn during meditation. Namaste, Stephanie  Many of us are experiencing the fatigue that comes with life -- and life transitions. With fatigue often comes other emotions that can derail us like frustration, lack of clarity...feeling disconnected and afraid.
How do we handle life and life transitions with courage, grace and curiosity? First, slow down! You might be thinking that's impossible with "so much to do". As the summer winds down we must as well. The "transitions" we and our loved ones are experiencing can be related to back to school, back to work, back to life in perhaps a "new" way. If we aren't mindful we will take on both what they are feeling in addition to what we are feeling!!! Yup, it's "a lot". As I've written about in the past, especially as it relates to "anxious energy", at times it is hard to discern what we are feeling and where / who it is coming from! In addition, times of transition and change often bring about this "anxious" energy. While it's not always pleasant, the discomfort that comes with newness and the unknown is normal! And yes, it's healthy. Rest assured, you are not alone. It is simply part of being human :) What else can we do? Embrace ways of being that return us to a state of emotional balance...also known as equanimity. As I talk about in Chapter Two of my book Reclaiming JOY, the emotional roller coaster is not sustainable and keeps us stuck. We react and often cause more turmoil. This simple practice, called BRFWA, (that we love and use often at the Sanctuary) brings us back to a relaxed state - where we focus on "being" and bring our emotions back in balance. From this place of emotional balance or equanimity, we are able to ride the emotional wave without drowning in it / losing ourselves for too long. In equanimity we find our way back to peace and clarity and perhaps even a chuckle. Once clear, we are able to take clear, focused action that keeps us on the path of peace as we move toward our goals. BRFWA Explained (Give yourself at least 3-5 minutes to experience this). Breathe: As a wave of emotion comes over you, slow down your breath. Allow your breath to flow freely in and out. Relax: As you slow down your breath, your mind and body will begin to relax. Soften your muscles, let go of mental and physical tension. Feel: As you relax, you are able to soften into what you are feeling. Stay open to the sensations and emotions moving through you in this moment. Watch: While feeling, you watch your experience closely, neither grasping what is pleasant nor pushing away what is painful. Allow: As you watch, you allow the process to unfold. You accept yourself and your experience exactly as it is, dropping the need to change it in any way. BRWFA is the practice of being present. Being present is what we learn during meditation. Looking for more support? Consider cultivating an on-going meditation practice or booking Sanctuary TLC.  Stephanie (on right) in post massage bliss after a 90 Minute BWS signature massage with Mercedes. "Transformation is through the body, not away from it. This is why no true master has ever advocating fighting or leaving the body, although their mind-based followers often have." -Eckhart Tolle
Previously I have written about the difference between knowledge and knowing. I shared my experience with Eckhart Tolle and how the only true way to "know" something, is to experience it. What are you noticing...knowing? This week I encourage you to become curious about what and how your physical body is trying to communicate with you. Our physical body is a portal to what is really happening deep within. By deep within I mean beyond the mind and it's thoughts/story/narrative. For example, ever notice how physical pain causes us to "do" something when it no longer becomes tolerable? The moment we feel "we have had enough of feeling sick/tired/achy/lonely" (i.e.: suffering) we can decide it's time to make a change. Time for transformation!!! Perhaps we decide to become conscious of our food habits and choose to eat better. Or, maybe it's time to lace up those sneakers and exercise. For some it's time to ease up on the physical body and get a massage or finally try yoga, etc. And still for others there's a sense of the inner body that feels "off". Anxious, afraid, alone...endless cycle of emotional up and down. Why does connecting with the body matter? From a practical sense, we need it in order to live so why not take care of it the best we can? On a deeper level, the physical body is a powerful doorway to access wisdom and therefore transformation. Can't change what you don't know/want to know :) Perhaps most importantly, the body is the vehicle we have been gifted with to transmit the song of our soul. While some wisdom traditions may teach denying the body and/or ignoring the body, in my experience, it is the exact opposite. We must pay attention, listen, learn, respect, and celebrate the body. Then we must apply these lessons in the form of action. How do we access the physical body, in a deeper sense? It varies. One thread runs through all of it and that is the practice of presence...awareness. A.K.A - paying attention. Some of us pay attention quite naturally and either choose to take action or not. Doing nothing is also a choice :) Others of us engage in movement practices - yoga/running/walking outside/dance... to help us get in touch/feel the inner body. And still others rely on meditation, massage, energy healing, and soul work to assist in bringing us into deeper awareness. There's no right or wrong way. And the "way" may change over time as you change. Nothing is permanent in this world of form. Ha! As I say-- the only "wrong" way to meditate is simply to not do it all. And so it is with life and dealing with change. We will either consciously choose to listen to our body or not. Regardless, life / transformation happens anyway. We can embrace it (peaceful path) or fight it (suffering path). I don't know about you. I rather the peaceful path. Namaste, Stephanie  What is the Endocannabinoid System?
The endocannabinoid system (ECS) has been called one of the single most important scientific discoveries of modern time. So why is it so significant? It does so much more than allow our bodies to interact with THC and feel the mind-altering effects of cannabis. As one of the 12 major systems in our body, it is highly involved in maintaining the homeostasis, or balance within the body’s systems as well as physiological functions such as modulating pain and inflammation. Why Is Homeostasis Important? Homeostasis refers to the body’s process of maintaining balanced conditions for the cells in our bodies to live and function. This is critical for the proper functioning of our bodies as a whole to keep conditions stable enough for all of our cells to thrive and do their jobs. To better understand the importance of homeostasis, think of it as needing our body systems to stay in the Goldilocks zone. For example, our blood sugar shouldn’t be too low or too high, but just right. The same thing applies to many other conditions within our body such as temperature, blood pressure, and more. The endocannabinoid system does just that! How Do CBD and the Endocannabinoid System Work Together? Plant cannabinoids are able to affect the body medicinally because of our endocannabinoid system and the interactions that happen there. Like some other neurotransmitters, cannabinoids such as CBD, interact with many different receptor types. This means that while the CBD is activating certain cannabinoid receptors, it may be interacting with other receptors as well. CBD has the ability to affect the overall levels of endocannabinoids in the body. This is referred to as endocannabinoid tone. CBD can increase the levels of anandamide by preventing the FAAH enzyme from breaking it down. Inhibiting the FAAH enzyme in this way has been shown to improve anxiety disorders. When the body does not produce enough endocannabinoids or is unable to regulate them properly, it becomes more susceptible to health issues that can manifest as anxiety, inflammatory diseases, or skin disorders. However, research has shown that CBD can directly activate serotonin (the feel good neurotransmitter) receptors that may decrease anxiety. Every mammal has an endocannabinoid system. This system is affected by internal and external factors, as it relates to inflammation, injuries, and balancing homeostasis. It also protects against cancers, diseases, and nerve damage. The ECS also balances and protects our Central Nervous System and Immune System responses. In return, when this system is activated properly it initiates pain control and calms inflammation. The ECS is critical to the life cycle of skin, fighting against skin cancers, eczema, psoriasis, dry skin, and internal/external inflammation. Psychologically, the ECS allows us to experience new perspectives. Evidence suggests that the ECS helps with subtle yet therapeutic shifts in the brain in the way we perceive the world. This allows us to relate to our internal bodily landscape, the way we think and feel about ourselves, and the way we interact with the people around us. CBD is a non-psychoactive part of the hemp plant. CB2 receptors communicate with our bodies when CBD is inhaled, ingested, or applied topically. This allows the CBD to work through healing pathways in our body. Note: Not suitable if you are pregnant or nursing.  Ocean Meditation - 60 Seconds of Relaxation
Meditation doesn't have to be complicated. All it requires is commitment. As you watch this video: Inhale Peace, Exhale Stress >>>Watch Here |
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