Navigating Through the Shadows

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Good morning from… by the brook♡
Do you remember the Mama and newly born fawn I posted just about a week ago? Here she/he is ♡. I have seen Mama roaming about often without her sweet baby, and finally baby has emerged, but without Mama. I am not too familiar with the behavior of deer; I hope that Mama is close by, as this little one is still so little♡
It’s so difficult to not project our human emotions onto nature and I can’t help to wonder if she feels lost, scared or lonely without her Mama by her side. Does the unpredictable world around her create a feeling of unsafety within her. What happens when storms blow in and lightning flashes; when the waters begin to rise? Or when a predator is not far behind? Is she prepared to face such dangers… at such a young age if she’s left all alone? How will she learn to navigate such chaotic occurrences without a steady, strong roll model by her side?
Alas, I must not cast my own shadows onto such innocence and that which can not be held to human emotional constraints ♡ though the walk inward has been insightful 🙂
My thoughts will be with this little one has she navigates through this beautiful, mysterious world that is filled with many opportunities. Both filled with excitement and danger.
Sending my love to you all,
Maureen~

Focused Thoughts ~ Weaknesses to Strengths

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Good morning♡
Each Sunday I offer my yoga class a Mantra or Meditation card. Each card offers a message to help focus our attention and direct our flow of energy… being our breath, our thoughts, and movement. Today’s message is, “My Greatest Weaknesses Have Become My Greatest Strengths. “On the card is a picture of a lotus flower. Above the murky dark water you can see its elegant beauty; below its roots travel down and are grounded strong and deep into the muddy water bed.What a lovely reminder that beauty emerges from the darkest of places. Our roots and the life experiences we grow through allow us an opportunity to use our innate strength within to create change and overcome challenges.The Lotus reminds us to focus on our innermost self, our very essence which is Love- Compassion- Kindness and the notion of transformation.

Giving ourselves Grace and Space to grow and learn from our murky-dark waters is an important part of transforming a weakness into a strength.

Embrace YOUR roots and allow your authentic self to shine through♡ becoming…
Wonderfully, Beautifully You♡

Photo taken at Innisfree Gardens in Dutchess County.

 

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Are You At Home (Part 2)

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Comfortable- Cozy- Safe- Loved- Welcomed

These words opened up the previous article, Are You At Home, (link to post here https://rootingtorise.com/?p=3586). We talked about feeling at home in your body by connecting your thoughts- emotions- and physically feelings.

I asked you to track this by jotting down any physical feelings throughout the day, (tightness in your jaw, lower back pain, stomach ache) then also any emotions that arose, (anxiousness, frustration, excitement.) At the end of each day comparing the physical feelings and the emotions and allowing yourself to be curious about any correlations.

What Do I Do Now?

Before we talk about the next action toward feeling at home in your body, I encourage you to continue to sense physical sensations and take note of emotional responses.

Adding to your physical and emotional tracking, begin to be aware of how you speak to your body. Watch and listen to the words you use and your tone.

Have you ever gotten into an argument or heated discussion with another member in your household? If their words and tone were not respectful or kind, how did that make you feel? In my experience, I wanted to leave the house because it became an unwelcoming space. This is a similar situation when you speak to your body in a negative way. 

“Why are you so lazy?” “How come I didn’t know that answer- I’m so stupid.” “I shouldn’t have eaten that- I have no willpower.”

versus

“Great job- great effort!” “You look beautiful” “You are so strong to be able to handle this situation”

Words and their tone are powerful tools that you can use to create a loving environment within yourself that will help you to feel safer.

Just as you jotted down physical feelings and emotions, now also notate how you speak to yourself or speak to certain parts of your body. Again, with no judgement, just notice and take a curious approach.

I want to congratulate you on taking this journey of awareness. I also want to encourage you to stay with it. It can be a rough road, but well worth some of the bumps or bruises along the way.

Our next step will be taking a glance into the past.

Live Well,
xo
Maureen~

 

 

 

 

The Rising Truth

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Every morning I open the curtains to watch the sun slowly make its appearance, as it peaks through the branches of the very tall trees that line the bank of the brook. Its beams give an iridescent glow to everything in its path, nothing but beauty abounds♡ Some mornings I open the curtains and there is no warm iridescent glow, just shades of gray, shadows everywhere I look. My common sense tells me that the sun has indeed risen, but all I can see is the grayness. On those days I long… almost in anguish to be doused in iridescent beams. But I have noticed if I just breath a little deeper and look straight into the dark shadows, shards of light begin to appear. For it’s deep within the dark dreary gray shadows that you will find the truth. A truth that will rise within you, gifting you your very own eternal iridescent glow morning, noon, and night.
Sending my love,
Maureen

Mantra Motivation ~ Validation

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Mantra Motivation ~
“To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment,” Ralph Waldo Emerson
I began this Sunday’s Slow Flow yoga class with a mantra card. This week’s Mantra is, I need only My Own Validation in this life.
In the opening quote, Ralph Waldo Emerson refers to the difficulty of being solely satisfied with just our own validation. Feeling fulfilled by our own validation allows us to truly know who we are, what we like, and what we want to do.
At an early age we learn that pleasing others creates a form of acceptance and this is what we begin to place our value in.
What does it mean to Validate yourself?
Self Validation is being understanding to our own personal thoughts, emotions, and actions, and then accepting of our own internal experiences. This doesn’t mean that we insist that we are justified or correct in all we think and do, it means that we are allowing ourselves to be empathetic to our personal circumstances. We have a much easier time doing this for others, but when it comes to ourselves we become way more judgmental and look for outside sources to make us feel that we have value.
It’s so important to understand that no one, not even your parents are qualified to add value to your life- your mind, your body- or your soul. You are born with value. Seeking value outside of yourself makes you feel small and no matter how many compliments, “Great Job”- “Way to Go”- or trophies, certificates, or degrees you receive, it will NEVER be enough to fill you up with validation. Only You are able to give yourself acceptance, empathy, love…. Value.
So, for this week pay attention to how many times you are yearning, seeking, or asking for someone, or maybe something to make you feel valued.
Then each morning find a quiet space, focus on your breath as you breathe in… and out, and repeat to yourself, “I only need my own validation in this life.”
Much love to you.
Xo
Maureen

Are You At Home

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Comfortable- Cozy- Safe- Loved- Welcomed
These are words we usually say when we are feeling “At Home” in a particular place.
But, what about feeling “At Home” in your Body?
Do these same words, Comfortable- Cozy- Safe- Loved- and Welcomed evoke that sense of “At Home” when you think about being in your body?
I can personally attest to a time that my body was not a comfortable, safe place where I felt welcomed and loved. In fact I still have times that this is still true.
The good news is, we can learn to feel At Home in our Body & our Mind. I’m not saying it’s easy, but absolutely possible.
We have so many stories – memories- emotions- experiences that we store not just in our mind but also in our body that make it difficult or even burdensome to feel At Home. Our mind keeps track of everything and attaches a meaning to each experience and sometimes those meanings land in a space within our body where it lives until we realize it’s there and work on releasing it.
We are meaning makers; this is how we try to make sense of our world. These meanings aren’t always an accurate account. They can be derived from different viewpoints that may not allow us to take in the full understanding of an event; possibly through a child’s eyes, or viewing through the eyes of a painful experience, or something that created a sense of anger.
One of the first steps toward learning to feel At Home is paying attention to how your body feels throughout the day.
Take a piece of paper and fold it in half. On one side write down any physical feelings you notice– if you have shoulder tension, or pain in your lower back or tight hamstrings. Tightness in your chest- throat or jaw. Maybe your arms feel heavy or you have a stomach ache.
On the other side, jot down your emotions as you go through your day (angry, surprised, sad, scared, lonely, peaceful).
When you notice an emotion rising, if you are able to stop what you are doing and turn your mind toward your body to sense if you have a physical feeling, that is a plus.
At the end of the day compare the two sides of the paper and notice if there are any connections between your emotions and physical feelings.
Learning to notice this connection is the first step to understanding the bigger picture of how our Mind & Body relate to one another, and also an act of love toward ourselves for creating an “At Home” space where you can thrive and align with wonderfully, beautifully You.
Stop back next week for another step toward feeling At Home in your Body & Mind.
Live Well,
xo
Maureen~

The Dance of the Warrior Toward Integrity ~Warrior 1

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We all have an inner warrior, even the most quiet and meek of us. Our inner warrior speaks of challenges she has endured. She carries the scars of inner battles she’s wrestled. She has cried for painful losses. And danced and sang in celebration when she recognized her reflection… Love, beauty, and passion.

Your inner Warrior is more brave than you know. To summon her, just close your eyes and feel your feet firmly rooted into the earth. Place your hands firmly on your abdomen and take a deep breath in, filling your belly with air. Exhale slowly out of your mouth.
You are a Wonderfully, Beautifully Brave Warrior ❤

Tuesday Tips ~ Just Breath

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Just Breath~

It’s only Tuesday, you say to yourself as you slump down into your desk chair and seriously consider grabbing your 3rd cup of coffee. Your lower back hurts, you can feel the knots lining your shoulder blades and tension has a tight grip on your neck and shoulders.

Let’s take a five minute break and bring you back to life so you can finish the day with a smile and some extra energy for your evening.

Close your office door, if you have one. Push your “Do Not Disturb” button on your desk phone. And turn off the notifications on your cell phone.

Put your earbuds/ headphones/ AirPods in and click the link 🙂
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FoyHpn-oR_M&t=2199s

First, Push your chair away from your desk. Rest your hands on your lap. Sit up tall.

Step 1- Slowly inhale in through your nose and allow your breath to go straight down into your belly. Let your belly expand out like a balloon; don’t worry- no one is watching. 🙂

Step 2- Slowly exhale your breath out of your mouth completely, allowing your belly button to sink in toward your spine. As your breath is leaving your body, allow your shoulders to melt down away from your ears.

Step 3- Slowly inhale again bringing your breath right down into the belly and then allow it to fill your ribcage, feel your ribcage expand.

Step 4- Slowly exhale focusing on the breath first leaving your belly as it deflates, then your ribcage as your ribs move back together. Allow your chin to gently drop toward your chest for a count of 5,4,3,2,1.

Step5- One more time, Slowly inhale, filling the belly, then the ribcage, and lastly the last bit of breath filling your upper chest as you feel your heart rise up.

Step 6- Finally, Slowly exhale from your belly feeling your belly button move inward toward your spine, then your ribcage as they knit back together and lastly from your upper chest as your heart rests back into your chest.

Now with one big inhale raise your arms up over your head. Reach your hands up as high as you can… wiggle your fingers. Then as you exhale, wiggle your fingers as you rain them back down to your lap. Slowly turn the corners of your mouth upward 😉

I hope this has helped take some of the work day stress away and gives you a little boost.

Sending you love&light~
Maureen- Yoga&You

What is Your Focus for 2022 – Establishing Your Gaze~

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What will you focus on for 2022- Establishing Your Gaze

It was about six years ago that I began taking large colored index cards and writing particular phrases as a reminder of certain emotional wellness qualities I wanted to inhabit as well as goals or intentions that I wanted to achieve. I began to incorporate this into my morning prayer and meditation in order to establish a mindset with a more positive productive direction each day. 

Fast forward to today, I still have those same big, pink, purple, and green index cards, but they have a lot more writing on them. As time moves forward, the world changes, situations change, and I change- thank goodness! Some of those cards have basic principles that apply to life no matter my age or the point in life that I am at, but other cards have been expanded upon with broader concepts. 

As we begin this new year, I would like to share one of my colored index cards with you, the original concept, and the reason behind it and then the expanded version as well.

When I created these cards six years ago, the card pictured below in particular, my main focus was “I.” I was seeking safety, strength, confidence, courage, and love from within myself. As you can see this card firstly reads, (I AM.) As time moved forward, as it always does, and I began to embody these concepts, my thoughts began to broaden past, “I Am.” 

About two years ago, in the beginning stages of the pandemic, I was relieved to be isolated. For me, the world felt like it was spinning way too fast and I was beginning to lose my balance. It was that quiet isolation that moved my, “I Am” to “We Are.” When I sat with my cards and read the words, “I Am”-  I began to hear the words, “We Are” in my mind. 

I think we can all agree that the last couple years has created a climate that has induced fear, confusion, lack of safety, an overall consensus of unknowing and separation. As I sat with the words, “”We Are”, I could feel the deep need of families, communities, states, countries- the human race to feel strength- courage- confidence- wellness- LOVE. 

With eyes closed and an open heart I now sit with this green card  in hand envisioning a beautiful ribbon flowing from me out into the world, touching everything and everyone-

“We Are- Strong”

“We Are- Courageous” 

“We Are- Confident”

“We Are- Well, Mind & Body”

“We Are – Safe- Grounded”

“We Have- Abundance in all areas of our lives”

“We Are – LOVE”

For the new year, which will be filled with an abundance of beautiful opportunities, moments to cherish, and celebrations, but also with difficulties to overcome, I will be focusing on the WHOLE- “We Are”, for there is strength in unity. May we each bring our beautiful differences together and create a year of unity and strength and lots of LOVE. HAPPY NEW YEAR!

 

The Small Quiet Voice

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Poetry… by the brook ♡
Listen…
Do you hear that small quiet voice?
It’s muffled by fear, though she means no harm. She wants to protect you, keep you safe from harm.
She has become your filter for all that you see. She reminds you to play it safe, don’t be too carefree.
But that small, quiet voice is calling to you. Lean in closer and open your heart.
It’s your spirit that’s been with you right from the very start.
Its message is simple, somehow fear, she’s made it so complex.
The ripples are there to nudge you, not to make life so perplexed.
There is joy in the unknowing because a journey is underway.
Where love and trust will guide you to your purpose that’s not so far away.
It’s really just that simple, but you must hush the filtered voice.
Just calm your breath and get real still… then smile and rejoice. ♡
MLPinckney♡
Poetry & Pictures… By the brook