Let’s Sit Together
And Have A Short, Slow Break
(Quote by poet: Li Po, Designed by me with Canva)
HELLO!! Dear Sweet Soul!!
And how are we feeling today, right now, in this brand new season? Happy New Year, to you!!
Taking a breath, are we? It’s ok. This is very good!
Take a moment. If you feel like it, place your hand to your heart. Go on… even if you are some where busy. Just take a moment to feel that you are alive, in this moment, right now, in a very regular moment, in your life. Participating in the mundane.
Do you feel it beating? This is you. What a gift! Continue to just breathe for a few minutes. Enjoy.
“Since every thought is a mantra,” like my teacher Guru Jagat, says, I have come to be a better listener when a certain idea keeps coming up and wants to be known. I tend to take my time in examining it to see if it suits me and is in flow with my constitution.
I’ve noticed, the idea of ‘slow living’ has begun to infiltrate my life. I’m finding it peaking through in many areas of my life. I’m beginning understand that it’s ok for me to take a little longer in whatever it is I may be doing in that moment. Or stopping to take a breath before rushing onto the next thing. Knowing it’s ok for me to take many breaks throughout my day. I think grief has been my teacher in this revelation. Instead of fighting it so much, understanding that grief is love. When love speaks, it’s important to listen.
Beginning this new year, it’s been a joy to embrace and savor the newness and not feel like it’s time to rush towards newly set goals. In turn, not beating myself up for not ticking off boxes I think I should do more quickly. I’m just not overloading myself with all the things. It’s about choosing less. Knowing it’s ok if I don’t want to do certain things. Understanding that it’s ok if I just can’t get to all the things. Doing one thing really well is better than doing multiple tasks in a half-hearted, crummy sort of way.
Even though I’ve lowered my expectations, considerably, I’ve already noticed how I’m repeating certain patterns, entering this new year. Adding extras onto my daily list. Then, looking at what I’m not getting done by the end of the day and focusing on that. Instead of seeing all the things I’m actually doing. It’s an ongoing effort. But, that’s the gift of mindfulness. We don’t become perfect people. We become more aware of how we operate. So, going slow and gentle is my daily practice.
My sweet kitty, Yin Yang, reminds me to slow down often throughout my day.
Slow living means letting go of the need to rush; and living a more intentional existence in all areas of life. Letting go and minimizing the need for more material things. Witnessing the material world in the things, places AND people around us. Understanding that we are spirit souls living in a temporary reality here on this beautiful Earth. When we become more aware, we recognize that ‘things’ don’t make us feel more safe. Our inherent value, lies within our own hearts. We have the ability to cultivate that feeling of safety by connecting to love, internally, ourselves.
demonstrates this beautifully with her Substack, Letters From Love.She spoke about understanding Slow Living, years ago in her book Eat, Pray, Love, when she journeyed to Italy and just simply ENJOYED all aspects of life. Taking in the rich Italian culture she was experiencing, gathering with friends, sharing in deep conversations and loving shared laughter. She savored the sumptuous, fresh, ‘made with love’ food and drink. Ending up learning more about herself and this material life.
I read this book almost sixteen years ago on my honeymoon and I’m finally just truly gaining a comprehensive understanding of this aspect.
I guess I’m in my Eat, Pray, Love Era😄
Slow Living has my full attention, now. Finally.
“Live simply
so that others
may simply
live.”
Mahatma Ghandi
Sometimes during these slow winter months we get to the point of feeling stuck. It maybe challenging to maintain that “slow” type feeling without falling into depressive states. That’s very common. I know I fall into that category. I’m excited to share an extremely special type of yoga that has been helping me with that ‘Vata’ type energy. Vata is a Dosha in Ayurvedic medicine. This type of medicine is a multifaceted philosophy, developed by Indian sages, 5,000 years ago, based on the earth’s natural elements. 1
The Vata Dosha is made up of air and ether energies. Light, dry, rough, cold, moving. Very Winter season type energies. It regulates the nervous system. 2 Hence, why it is so helpful during the colder months of the year.
This yoga is called Kundalini Yoga.
Kundalini is great for moving stagnant energy. It can entail some different types of movements, some you wouldn’t associate with yoga…waving hands, holding arms up for extended periods, calisthenic style movements. As my sweet teacher, Guru Jagat says, Kundalini is for Everyone. 3
It can tend to be a bit more challenging at times throughout the practice. But, it’s very encouraging. Coming in and learning from scratch, I found certain poses to be extremely hard to perform, now, for me, these poses are much more easily done and held for longer periods of time. There is also lots of breathwork! It is a very cleansing practice! What I have found through practicing it for the last five years, is it has definitively allowed me to understand that I Can Do Hard Things! I’m grateful to my past and present teachers that have gently guided me along my Kundalini path.
My first being Brit and Tara from
and my current space of learning…
(Photo of me mid-practice 2019 taken by my daughter)
Currently, inside my personal practice I’m working with the mantra HAR pronounced
H-U-D.
This is a mantra practiced for abundance. It means God or Infinite Source. We are doing an eleven day celebration of this mantra in the Life Force Academy. It’s really called an eleven day challenge. But, I like to think of it as more of a celebration. Taking time to recognize the hard and the good at the same time. It takes effort, but the benefits are tremendous!
Photo of my teacher Charlotte in Life Force Academy. Her Wednesday class is everything!!
Highly recommend!
Here are a few of my favorite artists and their renditions of this ancient mantra.
If you decide to chant along, sit comfortably, in easy pose. Cross-legged, perhaps on a pillow for support. Spine straight, this helps the energy flow through you more easily. Let your tongue strike the roof of your mouth, as you chant the mantra. H-U-D
Pull energy up from your navel, and flex it each time you say HAR. (H-U-D) Let the energy rise. Meditate quietly for as long as needed afterwards. Be mindful. Move slowly. Take your time.
There we are sweet friends!! I hope you found this letter valuable and soothing. Feel free to let me know if you found it helpful. As always, I appreciate you taking the time to read it.
Before I let you go, think back to what may have been your most favorite part of the last twenty-four hours, for yourself? A moment you are the most grateful for. Just let it wash over you. Sit with it for longer than necessary. I promise, it’s ok for you to take that time, just for yourself.
Wishing you a loving and SLOW start to this beautiful new year!!
Idiot’s Guides Ayurveda, Ketabi
Idiot’s Guide Ayurveda, Ketabi
Invincible Living, Jagat
So comforting to read this over coffee this morning, Mary Beth. Thank you! I have been feeling this exact need you talk about to slow way down and stop beating myself up over all the undone things. Thank you for putting your words out there with so much love.
I love this "“Since every thought is a mantra,” like my teacher Guru Jagat, says, I have come to be a better listener when a certain idea keeps coming up and wants to be known. "
I too write with paper and pen. looking forward to reading more.