Two weeks ago the clocks went forwards and you’ll already be feeling the lightness in your soul as the days become longer and the rays of the sun have warmed.
Born an Autumn baby I love the cold frosty mornings, the short days, the silence of falling snow and cuddling in front of a roaring log fire, but I also feel the sluggish effects of a long, dark, cold winter; day after day of dark mornings and gloomy afternoons begin to get to me, despite those lovely evenings curled up in my box cottage.
More recently the days have begun with glorious sunshine and you’ll have thrown your windows wide open to let the sun pour in, to find suddenly, that everything seems so drab, so tired and your winter woolies look embarassingly bobbly. Then it dawns on you how the world has seemed dark for such a long time.
Intuitively you begin to de-clutter your life. You bag up unwanted, tired clothes for the charity shops. You retreat to the garden and pot pansies despite there being the inevitable threat of frost. You wash the car, clean the windows and have a good sort out.
But do you take a good look at your life, look at the habits/repeat patterns that have held you back year after year? Habits or destructive repeat patterns are often invisible to us so are hard to identify, this is because they affect our thinking and they undermine us. They make us feel comfortable, we get in a comfort zone: 'Better the devil you know...'
In order to change our thinking, we must 'change' our mind, but in order to 'change' our mind we must understand what it is that isn’t working; when something isn’t working it is a clear sign that something needs to give.
To quote Einstein “ A problem is not solved with the same thinking”
To be able to do this we need to 'take out' our dusty old mind and examine its contents, like a handbag. When you have done this (and it is uncomfortable to do) write your findings down, commit to change.... then perhaps, this time, you will take a deep breath and march straight off the cliff...
Two years ago I did just that and as much as it was liberating what followed was 2 years of chaos as I began to unravel and identify years of habits, helped by my researching and identifying personality traits. I realised how much I was a dreamer as opposed to a stalker, (see my blog in 2 weeks time), I dug deep into my soul, I de-cluttered and re-balanced. I no longer wanted to be a prisoner to my own behaviour, and so began the most incredible journey.
I made a decision to take care of myself and de-tox my life, I had spent so long looking after others and I realsied a lot of them were toxic.
There was no going back, I'd made the decision for change and as I so often quote Ralph Waldo Emerson's words:
"Once you make a decision, the universe conspires to make it happen."
I hid away for a while and healed. Surrounding myself only with those who really understood me. I set goals, made vision boards, looked forward and had faith in the universe.
I recently retreated to a luxury Spa hotel, one renowned for its thermal suites - both wet and dry rooms that are designed to soothe, relax and detoxify the body. Weary after a long week we were drawn to their gentle looking Laconium suite - a beautifuly mosaiced, heated circular room with soothing music. Gazing at stars we lay on heated mosaic benches cleverly moulded to fit and heat body curves.
Once lying down I completely let go... drifting into a place; not of sleep, nor yoga nidra, but a place of blissful ecstasy; my body heavy as if in hypnosis and deeply warm as if a fire was burning deep inside. My subconcious mind talked to me. I saw my past, I was in Sigmund Freuds dark cellar and it was chaotic... then I saw the way out, I was walking the time line leaving my body on the heated slabs.
Intense purple lights flashed in my mind, my heart leapt and I felt so at peace with my new life.
Most of you will be reading this because at some point you made a decision to take the Yoga journey and you will be already on your way to change. But a cautionary note, be open minded, be aware of the chaos change can throw up at you but most importantly stay grounded and true to yourself.
As we are looking at change, and this takes courage, practice Warrior/Virabhadrasana II which is an earth pose.
As you practice Warrior feel your feet firmly grounded and with each exhale lower your body closer to the ground, stay firm,strong, focused, as you breathe for 10 breaths. Repeat on both sides.
The prospect of change may seem daunting but my message is simple: take the time to look at your life, take a good look at every aspect of it, and, if possible, write things down in a journal. Whether you are on your mat, out walking ..wherever you are make the time.
Yoga is a way of life but what a lot of people don't realise is that it is a long journey ....
Next week we will look at ways to identify the habits that prevent us making positive changes, we'll be looking at personality traits and we’ll find ways through meditatation to break them.
Viv
x
Vivienne Alves
Warrior at Work: Corporate & Private Yoga Training