Lot’s of changes during this autumnal season of change during an election year, when change is the mantra of many: bringing resistance and fear. So we invented the easy comfort and sensory meditation to bring us back to our ‘feeling” senses:   a way out of our “calculating” senses of our thinking mind whos purpose is to separate and categorize our experiences and back home to our feeling hearts where we remember our connection to each other and all things.  Hope you like it as much as I do.

YES  Charles did take this picture of my tea today. The final blooms of lavender are expressing themselves in our garden before winter and inspired the tea recipe in this weeks newsletter.

American Yogini’s Meditation for Navigating Change with Grace
Gather what you will need:
ü A mug of hot tea or hot water with honey and lemon
ü A warm blanket
ü A journal and pen
ü A comfortable non-habitual “seat”*
Be sure to turn your cell phone ringer off, and let others know not to disturb you for at least 30 minutes.

Step 1: with the blanket wrapped warmly around you, just sit holding your tea in both hands just enjoy holding and feeling warmth of tea in your hands without drinking it. You can smell the aroma, and feel the warmth of the cup permeate you—move inside of you.

Step 2: sip your tea only once, then count three long slow deep breaths – observing your body move as it takes in as much breath as it can and empty of breath as much as it can. After three such conscious breaths take another sip of your tea. Repeat this for 3 sips of your tea.
Step 3
3a          eyes closed and slightly rolled upward as though gazing softly into your forehead, – not enough to cause pain or strain, just very slightly to give you something to put your attention on besides your thoughts.
3b         Then “watch” yourself breath – that is –observe yourself inhaling and exhaling without trying to control it, by mentally – not verbally- repeating the sound “Sat” as you are inhaling, and “Nam” as you are exhaling. If you narrow the back of your throat slightly it is easy to audibly hear the sound of your breath. This gives you something to focus on so you can then allow your mind a much needed break from fearful thoughts. Continue for about 3 full minutes, or 80 breaths
Step 4: Do nothing.
Just “be”.
Listen to the sounds of life, be it silence, nature, activity outside your door, as you continue to cup your tea mug. Feel the warmth and goodness of this moment, the safety and comfort and enjoy it fully.
Continue for as long as you wish.

Step 5:
Pick up your journal and make a long list of everything you have which is good. ( do not confuse this time to list that which you are wanting, but keep your list to all of that which you already have right now in your life that is good)

Step 6
Smile

TIPS:
if negative thoughts appear go back to the warmth of the tea and blanket, perceive your heart beat, and just feel.

Here are some questions for you:

Q-Want to relieve stress?

A – Do NOTHING.

Q- What creates more illness: stress or poor nutrition?

A- Stress

Of these two stress is first. (Are you an “emotional” eater?)

Stress is the source. Stress is what lands within the nervous system when we experience conflicting beliefs.

Usually YOUR true inner voice conflicting with the voices of others who are around you. Parents, family members, friends, even the voices of the media: commercials and magazines telling us we are not right without certain products, and worse – certain drugs. Conflict arises when your own TRUTH speaks to you and you ignore it because you love these people and you want their approval and love back in return. FEAR of not being loved can cause us to ignore our own inner voice. Because your truth is your TRUTH, You will still feel this voice deep inside, so the resulting conflict is what shapes you. Literally: it SHAPES you. Your bodies are shaped by your truth or by your conflict. Your posture, the thickness of your waist or your hips, the face you see in the mirror each day. If you do not like what you see in the mirror, consider if you are living in a stress filled existence full of information and advice that is in direct conflict with your inner voice. Consider if you have even allowed your inner voice to be heard, not only by the world around your but by your very own self? Sometimes it’s hard to hear what our truth is, what we want, what makes us FEEL GOOD, through the cacophony of advertisements, well intended family, friends and co-workers.

Raw Juice Fasting is so much more than lightening up the body, although it is perfect for just that. Your juice fast is the time to just DO NOTHING. Relax into nothingness, let yourself just be yourself, let yourself quiet down and listen to what your body is telling you. Without the noise and distractions of your daily routine lives you can really drop down into yourself and learn who your are, what you want, tuning into YOUR OWN truth. This is the only way to eliminate illness-creating stress caused by information that is in direct conflict with our inner guidance. So do yourself a big favor and DO NOTHING.

Just let it be OK to BE for a few days while you enjoy your juice cleanse. When you come out the other side you will find yourself  confidently knowing your own truth and moving closer each time you come to this practice toward a stress free and happier life. 

Spring is coming…