 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.  Summer Self Care
Nourish Body, Mind & Spirit Summer is the perfect time to notice where you need to be "fed", aka, practice self care. Nobody can do this for us. If we don't do this for ourselves, we risk becoming resentful, contracted, and unhappy! We must feed (give to) ourselves in order to feed (give to) others. We are in charge of our own happiness and this includes on going self care. Give yourself permission to do what makes you feel good. You're worth it. Top 3 Picks to Nourish Body, Mind & Spirit: Massage - From therapeutic and deep tissue massage to relaxing massage, it's one of the oldest healing modalities. Massage helps relax muscles, soothe aches and pains, release energy blockages, rejuvenate body, mind and spirit. Upgrade Your Nutrition - Everything we eat and drink impacts how we feel, think, act and experience our world. Put the BEST in your body. Educate yourself if you aren't sure. It makes a difference. Shamanic Energy Healing - Powerful for assisting clients navigate major work/life transitions. Energetic healing works holistically on the body, mind and spirit from the inside out. >>>View Our Services To Support Your Self Care  "It's in relationship with self and other that we heal...when we have the courage to...cause it takes lots of courage to create peace. It's worth it." -Stephanie :)
Previously I have written about transformation and Shamanism. Today I want to revisit relationship success...and in some cases "pain". Relationships are one of my favorite topics. They have posed the greatest challenges for me, and have also been the most gratifying part of my life. Hmmm...a paradox? Yes! I love a good puzzle :) Note: Above picture was taken in 2021 on my birthday with sis, mom, and husband. These are examples of relationships I have advocated for, been insanely challenged by, healed, and totally appreciate today. Because of this, I want to help you heal your relationships!!! It's so darn worth it. Think about it: 1. At some point or another, everything we do involves others...relationships of some type, at some depth, for some period of time. You may erroneously fantasize you can do it all alone, forever. I respectfully disagree. Even if you do it alone, you still have to be in relationship with YOU. More on that... 2. Our ability to have good (peaceful, positive, prosperous, playful, present) relationships is a foundation for our well-being. I talk about this in more detail in my book Reclaiming Joy. 3. Relationships show us where we are on our spiritual path and can become our life long spiritual practice, aka our greatest teacher. Perhaps at some points in your life, relationships caused so much pain, you felt you "didn't" want to engage. Understandable, yet not sustainable. Maybe you experienced feeling like relationships were more trouble than they were worth. Makes sense. As humans we don't like "pain". And yet, pain, suffering, and trauma is how most of us learn. By learn I mean, "wake up". Why do we continue to do this to our self? Why are we so resistant to waking up? The cool thing is, we can choose to awaken. We can choose to stop having to experience so much pain!!! By awaken I mean we choose to become more conscious, aka, deal with our stuff!!! As you may have experienced, if we don't deal with our stuff...life has a funny way of dealing with it for us. And when life deals with it for us, it is often more painful than necessary. Something big has to happen to get our attention and then we act like something happened to us...when in reality, we simply have chosen to stay asleep at the wheel of our life. Perhaps this sounds harsh. Well, I am here to provoke your truth, and living your best self. That said, this isn't about right and wrong...good or bad.... It's not about judging ourselves and others and playing in that triangle of dis-empowerment I have spoken about --- victim, rescuer, perpetrator. Part of awakening means we understand, through personal experience (knowing) a natural human tendency to want to avoid pain at all costs, thinking it will go away. The flaw in this line of thought is...whatever we avoid, will ultimately surface. You know the line, "whatever we resist, persists". What to do? First, recognize the primary relationship we have--- and therefore have to heal--- is with ourselves. Re-read it. Truth. Second, commit to a daily practice to connect body, mind, spirit. You know I love meditation for this! Third, build your awareness of YOU & get support. Start paying attention to your self talk and therefore your beliefs about relationships. It's only through awareness that we can transform. Ask yourself questions: Are relationships painful? Are relationships joyful? Some? All? Depends on person, situation, what you want? Am I attached, expecting, judging? ***What is the relationship I have with myself? Love? Hate? At some point, hopefully not on our deathbed, we realize that we all need people, it's no so serious, and it doesn't need to be so darn painful...if we are willing to commit to awakening. Working with people on healing relationship to self and other is the foundation for my life's work. I do it with shamanic energy healing sessions and with my mentorship program. I see you. You matter. It's possible to heal & be happy! I did it. You can too. Namaste, Stephanie  Now available in Kindle!
In 2016 Stephanie published her first book, Reclaiming Joy: Your 4-Step Guide to Happy, Healthy & Free. It's now it's available in Kindle! She discusses how we spend much of our life "doing" and neglect how we are "being". We end up losing sight of why we are here, what's important to our well-being, and ultimately what brings us joy. This practical 4-step guide will show you how to reclaim joy. Check it Out>>>  Reading List - 3 of Stephanie's Faves
Elevate Your Mind, EnJOY Your Life, Let Go: A New Earth Reclaiming Joy The 4 Agreements |
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