Chasing Beach Glass While Waltzing With White Capped Waves

Where I’ve Been Lately And Taking Time To Learn How To Use The Tongue Like A Magic Wand

Hello my Sweet Readers!

I know it’s been a little bit since I’ve written. I just realized, again, in real life, that healing is truly not linear. Think I’ve learned and relearned this lesson a few times over by now. I needed some time to regroup. It was completely unplanned. I hit a wall. It was crucial for me to take away expectations. I guess you could say, burnout. But, honestly, it was more brokenheartedness, than burnout. Coming out on the other side of this experience, the parent of a child, who is now well, from cancer, has been a more overwhelming experience than I’d expected. I felt so dis regulated. All of a sudden life was life-ing again. And I needed to catch-up. I could hardly even process. ‘What in the h— just happened?!’ I think I walked around with a stunned sort of look about me for a few months. I felt like an alien going out into public. But, gradually I started to feel my body again. I could think about normal life things, again, without ‘worry’ always being apart of the plan. Key take away was learning to let go over and over again.

I love writing my letters here and I wanted to keep that loving feeling going forever! But, I think I just couldn’t hold the energy. We have had so many challenges and I couldn’t keep up with everything. I appreciate your willingness to stick around and stay. Thank you for your grace. Rest was absolutely best, though. Pairing down has become a surprising, yet very loving, habit coming through this recovery journey. Processing our son’s illness and now wellness has been the most extreme challenge we never thought we’d have to endure. But, he is doing so well, currently, along with his siblings. We are almost there, ready to celebrate him ringing that glorious, golden bell! Two more months!! Whoo hoo!!

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Anyway…can we just go ahead and take a collective deep breath together? Take in the very deepest you can, fill up your body down to your pelvis. Suck in one last bit, all you can. Then, just release, let it all go! Audibly if need be. Just relax. Take another deep breath if you like. Let it go. We are here now. Safely. Allow yourself to feel that feeling of safety.

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I just spent the last hour chasing beach glass along the duney Lake Michigan coast. It was wonderful! This has become a bit of a ritual for me. Everything sort of fades away and I can just focus on what’s right there in front of me. There is no signal on my phone. Just the lapping waves, sea gulls, the cool breeze and the many kaleidoscopes of monarchs dancing down the beach. Something magical happens by going out into nature, instead of focusing on the never ending stream of to dos and future tasks. We take back our minds by turning off auto-pilot. We see the world as it is, in the moment. We can let go for just a little bit.

Keeping this special ritual just for myself was so helpful. Each time I walk, I love to get quiet, listen and converse with God. I began a practice of choosing three stones, one for whatever I wanted to let go of, one for how I wanted to feel and one for one thing I was in need of help with. I made it a point to speak in a clear, affirmative tone of voice. The waves would always speak back in loud crashes or quiet, calm laps depending on the day. Allowing me to leave feeling just a bit lighter and cared for in a very personal way.

Here is a little poem I wrote that arose through those sweet, contemplative walks.

This has been my grace. Knowing that feelings will always continue to try to come up, despite pushing them down. Becoming so layered in overwhelm doesn’t have to be your rock bottom. Learning to edit out what cannot be sustained and zeroing in on the practices that heal us is how we can love ourselves. How we can encourage ourselves. No one will be mad at you, and if those around you don’t understand, that’s not your problem.

Understanding personal value and worth takes time and effort. My yoga teacher, Jaidev’s voice, ring in my head often. He says, “fall in love with your breath.” Just sitting in the quiet, just listening to how you sound, makes an impact.

In leveling this idea up even further, reciting affirmations has been something that’s really helped me, through this quiet time. I needed to go back to the basics. Focusing in on what is possible has helped give confidence where there’s been lack. Speaking, even just thinking these affirmations, into existence, like I did during my walks on the beach, has seemed to create some movement. Magical movement. Some will from deep within began to rise up. I started to get back to a regular walking routine again! Like tracking my distance, kind of walking. Gosh, did it help bring back clarity, helping me continue to process. Also, just simple symbols and even colors and sounds. For a while I couldn’t even write…as you are aware. Then, slowly, but, surely, I started to come back. I started with writing down all the good things from the day in my journal. I needed to see the abundance. Anxiety is so annoying when it takes over the driver’s seat, ya know? Just picking out a specific color for myself was empowering. When I would see the color I felt a connection. I knew things were realigning. I felt a sense of control. My color was red. And it was everywhere! Even on the beach!

Coming back to this very joyful space feels amazing, and another syncronicity with this theme that has naturally arisen, speaking good things into existence. Completely, aligning with our continued Chakra Crawl journey. We are focusing on the Throat Chakra moving upward. Maybe I needed to be quiet in order for this message to come through. It always feels better when things work out naturally.

Throat Chakra:

The fifth chakra, the throat chakra center is located in the neck, throat area, of the body. Also known as Vishuddha, in Sanskrit, means “pure” or “purification.” I believe this special chakra, also, lives deep within our hearts. It takes time for each of us to understand our own unique voice. We decide our own inner narrative. Understanding our self-talk is vital to our mental health. Personally, seeking out talk-therapy has been one of the most important decisions I’ve ever made for myself. Being able to release and speak my heart out to someone in an intentional manner has really helped me to keep moving forward.

The throat chakra color is blue turquoise, or aquamarine blue. Eminating through the element of sound,¹ allowing the vibrations to emote across air waves through the miracle of the human voice. Visually, this chakra is depicted as a wheel with an upside down triangle inside, each point touching the outer circle, with another circle within it, touching each side of the triangle.

My sweet teacher, now passed, Guru Jagat, spoke about how there is a “tangible interconnectedness” ²between the chakras and the physical systems of the body. This makes so much sense. The Glandular System, aligns with the area in which each chakra energy center sits. The Thyroid, Parathyroid and Thymus are located quite close, just in front, of the throat. So, taking the time to care for this area of our body can be very beneficial, especially during these fall months in the Northern Hemisphere, as Winter approaches. By choosing to take a few minutes to enjoy a simple cup of tea with lots of honey and a journaling sesh, or a chat on the phone to your bestie may serve you more than you realize. It’s ok to take the time for yourself and allow your thoughts, needs, fears and desires to be heard.

A few throat chakra affirmations to help you along your path.

1. My voice is strong and meant to be heard.

2. I am learning how to speak up for myself more and more everyday.

3. I love my voice and it matters in both speaking out and also refraining as I listen to others.

Ok, then, my sweet readers, there we have it. But, of course I couldn’t close this letter without adding one more favorite thing. Since our current focus, is the throat chakra, of course, I must share some music. Enjoy!

Sending so much love your way!

1. www.chakra.info.com

2. Invincible; Jagat 2017