Tuesday, December 29, 2020

Reflect and Release

 

Billboard picture credit: GreenPeace. 

This beautiful quote by the wise Sonya Renee Taylor is truth.

On these last few days of 2020, I'm looking, listening, and feeling my way through to 2021. I'm sitting with discomfort, grieving the losses, and the injustice of many years culminating into this past year. This year has exposed a lot to unravel and will have mental and physical impacts on many of us in the future. In an effort to stay hopeful, I've been cultivating a gentle observance with myself and others, taking a long deep breath before I speak or react, consciously choosing non-judgment and neutrality over an explosive response. I listen and read to find understanding, to learn more, to help me parent two beautiful humans who have so much love, patience, and generosity to give. I tune in to how I'm feeling and use my senses as super powers to activate an awareness that is open hearted and trusting of my own gut instincts.

This look, listen, and feel paradigm is one I learned in school and work; a life or death assessment in some cases. Look, listen, and feel can also be a practical tool for coping with new and uncertain experiences. If a situation unravels, taking the time to look at it from different angles can be helpful. Listening to all sides and talking it out usually brings insight. Interestingly, the body can react differently than the mind in any given situation. The way things are said or taken in through our senses can stimulate emotional responses that the rational mind doesn't connect with. I know I've been quick to anger, feeling frustration or irritability that blocks my seeing a bigger picture scenario. I've also taken things personally, and felt hurt with harsh and insensitive words. This is a process, I make mistakes often, but I apologize and forgive. Take the time to feel the language of the body, it is a form of compassionate communication to oneself.

This year I have had uncomfortable conversations, held the hands of dying strangers unable to be with their family, watched my friends and coworkers struggle in situations that aren't sustainable, and made decisions that will change the way my kids learn and live. I've also seen the power of the human spirit thrive, that change and adaptability is possible, discovered that love continues to grow, found hope in unlikely places, and faced many personal fears along the way. 

Embrace discomfort

Choose courage

Reflect and release

Rest


Garland pose is a deep squat that opens the hips and knees, strengthens the calves, ankles, feet and toes. It creates more mobility in the lower body, tones the abdomen, improves digestion and supports release. 

Malasana is a sanskrit word that can be broken down into two words. Mala translated as garland, and Asana translated as posture/pose. Squatting poses connect us closer to the Earth providing a calm connection to free up stress and negative feelings that can gather in our hips and lower abdomen, further clearing what is no longer needed. This pose helps to engage our core and pelvic floor muscles protecting the low back from injury and strain. 

There are many variations of this pose. This image is a gentler version with the hands showing self holding techniques to the heart and low belly. Modifications and adjustments can be made with the heels down or lifted, a rolled or folded blanket under the heels can be a useful prop to support this pose.

This New Year has the potential to be transformative on many levels, it won't happen overnight, but change is constant. If we look, listen, and feel into each moment we can witness the unfolding of it, and become an active part of the process. 

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