I thought I had a handle on all this mindfulness and living from the heart stuff, but just recently my thoughts and feelings have been regularly running amok. I feel like one minute I’m connected, walking by the river, feeling calm – the next I’m belly full of fear, or spaced out confused, just drained and having to lie down, or sobbing about things from long ago that I THOUGHT I’D WORKED ON, dammit!
Does this sound familiar? or is it just me?…..I don’t think it’s just me…I hope it’s not just me…when I manage to tune in again to my heart, my inner guidance….I’m told it’s all part of the changes we are all going through…..so how to navigate it all?
Some of the things I’ve found helpful –
1. Tapping or EFT – Ok, I confess, I was resistant to tapping for a very, very long time – I wanted the eyeball to eyeball empathy – it just felt too..well…cold to sit there tapping my face. However, I have discovered that tapping along to a video or audio does the trick for me. The friendly face or voice gives me the holding and compassion I need to be with yukky stuff and not sink into shame. I am making dents in my face but hey – the feelings shift! Look up Brad Yates or Nick or Jessica Ortner (www.thetappingsolution.com)
2. Mirror Work….groan, yes, looking in a mirror and saying, “I Love You”, bleah…sometimes I need to tap first to overcome my resistance to this – “Even though I don’t want to look in the mirror, I completely love and accept myself, you can’t make me do this….and I love and accept myself…look at those bags under my eyes…and I love and accept myself”. Actually tapping and doing the mirror work together is pretty effective, guaranteed to bring up lots of lovely stuff to clear, cringeworthy, but effective…https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VZFcN5qB8yM, or look up Louise Hay mirror work on you tube.
3. Phone a friend, make sure it’s a friend who knows how to listen. If you don’t have any of those then train them up..it will be a gift to both of you. For me as an introvert, I have to know I have a clear space to be heard in, I need to space to even find out what wants to be said before I can speak..I’m waiting for the cue beyond the first, “how are you”, ….waiting for the “how are you really, and I really want to know and I have the time and attention to listen.” So see if your friend is willing to share listening time with you, 5 minutes each way without interrupting…Or sign up for some Compassionate Communication or Co-Counselling classes where you will meet others willing to go beyond the superficial. (www.compassionatecommunication.co.uk, www.rc.org)
4. Go Outside…even if it’s only on your doorstep, the sky, the plants (weeds count), the birds…whatever you can see out there is aware of you and wanting to support you..yes, really.
This morning, thinking about writing something, my mind was like a scared rabbit with starey eyes running in circles saying…arghhh!…arghh!….arghh!…..
then I tuned into the Rose Bay Willowherb that I’ve been seeing everywhere… and I remembered….hang on a second…just a cotton pickin’ minute…..I don’t do this from my brain…relax there bunny rabbit….hands on heart…phew, yes, this is the place, let’s just slow down and listen in here for a minute…..then I feel a tangible warmth, a current of energy, my body relaxes…and words come..or not…it doesn’t matter any more. This is the gift of Rose Bay Willowherb, the reminder that our hearts know everything, our best guidance comes from here and everything IS held in love, whatever we are feeling at the time.
5. Watch Eckhart Tolle (youtube) or Miranda Macpherson (mirandamacpherson.com) both great for helping me get back in the present and observe my little self from a place of compassion.
6. Book a session with me…obviously!
with love to all of you,
Lynn-Amanda