 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.  "We are not limited by what we don't have. We are limited by what we don't use." -Bob Goff
Lately in my conversations with people there is a recurring theme: shift. More specifically, the need/desire/want for a shift in...something. What I am noticing in these interactions is how often we get caught in the false belief that shift happens outside of us. Meaning, we are looking to something or someone outside of ourselves to make it better (i.e.: make us happy, take away our pain, take care of us...etc.) so to speak. We often waste energy suffering while we "wait". We feel stuck, agitated, depressed. It's a rabbit hole that we can get lost in, and drag others into, if we are not mindful. Here's what I want to suggest. Instead of looking and waiting for the shift to happen outside (I.e: job, home, relationship, financial situation, family, etc.), look inside. Let me explain. When we shift our perspective and look within, we prevent further energy drain in the form of suffering. We open ourselves to receive clarity about what we can do. We move from ego/lack/fear mindset to divine/prosperity/love mindset. As we move from lack to prosperity, we discover we already have what we need inside of us to take action. The energy shifts from dis-connected /dis-empowering to connected / empowering. Why is this internal shift important? Shifting our awareness within helps us access the deeper "I", which is the place of stillness some experience during meditation, prayer, writing, running... When we access the deeper "I" we bring together the dimension of stillness and movement (thinking/action). We need BOTH stillness and movement to be powerful, transformative, and generative, to name a few. Accessing the deeper "I" opens the doorway to empowered action. Insights and choices arise that were once blocked when we were caught in ego/lack mindset. Personal Example: I don't have children. For a long time, I didn't want children. I chose to focus on building my career and becoming an "adult" myself, to say the least! Today, I enjoy children in my life. I am open to how it happens. At times when people ask me about having children, and then hear I am nearing 50, it can be "depressing" --- if I allow myself to get caught in the belief of what I don't have...children. Sometimes I create my own suffering with thoughts about not have/will never have/impossible etc. Following me? I trust some of you understand what I am saying here. Pretty much when we focus on what we don't have, and think we ought to have, whatever that is, we suffer. The greater the gap between what we don't think we have...and what we want...the greater the suffering. What to do? Mind the gap and work to reduce & close it. Return to inner peace & Soul Realignment®. In talking with people and reflecting on my own inquiry about children, I realized it makes so much more sense to focus on what we can do about it! I am a triple Leo so action is in my blood anyway. When I began shifting my attention inward, accessing the "deeper I", I got clear on what I am not using in my desire to have children in my life. From this I realized I want to help foster/adoption families deal with challenging feelings and navigating the parent/child relationship. Relationships are one of my favorite topics and I have many tools to offer in service to this. Voila. Stillness. Clarity. Action. If you are feeling the suffering of wanting something outside of you to shift, please, stop it. Try what I have explained here. Shift your focus within. Access the "deeper I". Discover what you have within right now that you can use in service to what you want to shift outside. Take empowered action. Be patient. Everything is a process. I support you. Namaste, Stephanie  Valentine's Day is Friday, 2/14/25.
It's one of our favorite occasions here at the Sanctuary. Why? We love to love & Valentine's Day is a reminder of why we are here. Taking care of our physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual self is an act of self-love that keeps on giving. From our own self-love, all other love grows. In fact, the ability to nourish ourselves first, enables us to effectively (aka without resentment) nourish others. Ways to plug into Sanctuary Love: Treat Yourself to a Sanctuary Service Enjoy the familiar or try something new! >>>View Services Give Sanctuary Love with a Gift Certificate >>>Purchase Gift Certificate  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 Sanctuary 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. Facial - Deeply nourish your skin! Next time you book a BWS Signature Facial, consider adding on a custom jelly mask to give your skin a healthy boost! It's great for super hydration or exfoliation, depending on skin type. Great for brightening, tightening and restoring that youthful glow! Shamanic Energy Healing - Energetic healing works holistically on the body, mind and spirit from the inside out. We dive into heart to set intentions for our life that align with present moment; clear obstacles / blockages that keep us stuck; uncover things in shadow; heal and integrate "lost/forgotten" aspects; create action plan to align soul with divine soul blueprint. Powerful for walking your path with truth, peace, joy, love, and grace. >>>View Our Services To Support Your Self Care >>>Book Now  "Your body is the temple for your soul."
At the Sanctuary, we think of our body as the vehicle which supports our total well being. In particular, physical well being is a cornerstone to living well and enjoying our life. Summer comes with a surge of outdoor activities: tennis, pickle ball, biking, jogging, swimming, hiking, volleyball, golf, paddle boarding... Great for your health? Yes! However, when taken on by storm, they often come with a price: think tennis elbow, shin splints, back pain… Massage can help. Tennis elbow, for instance, (a form of tendonitis caused by repetitive and stressful use of the tendons and muscles of the wrist) is helped by increasing blood flow to the area. Shin splints (brought on by overuse of weak leg muscles or ill-fitting shoes) are greatly relieved by massage on not only the leg, but the feet and ankles as well. Then again, the fact that it’s summer is the only reason you need to book a massage! Think self care. Our favorite, 90 Minute Deep Tissue/Sports Massage! We also offer a range of relaxing massage and specialty bodywork. >>>Book Now |
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