The words above came to me after floating in a pool of warm water and epsom salt for an hour.
This spa service is similar to the old style "deprivation tanks" and they are meant to isolate the senses and aid in meditation and relaxation.
My first experience was quite different (you can read about it here) and feeling how much more inner peace I have now was refreshing.
It is quite an experience and lovely if you enter with patience and are able to find deep relaxation.
I highly recommend to all, regardless of size, shape, age, religion, emotion, opinion, and hopeless abandon.
You will definitely find something in that tank that inspires you.
For me the biggest take away (which I tried to touch on in the words above) was the idea that we all have a glowing light that radiates from within and upon meeting someone for the first time, or seeing them after a long time, it is visible to our spirit and our senses.
Our lights may dance and frolic and play, or they may be seen as a threat to a person's comfortable darkness.
Whatever the case, I feel it is important to always keep aware of our spiritual light dances with each other and to try to keep our personal energy moving so that our relationships, no matter new or old, will always blossom and grow.
I have found my energy again and I feed it by juicing and eating a healthy diet, exercising, spending quality time with family and friends, and thanking God for all that I am blessed with.
In an effort to condense my life,
I invited my neighbors to shop in a store I created on my front lawn.
My front walkway transformed into the main artery of an outdoor trading post,
which was comprised of various card tables topped with trinkets,
boxes of books, DVDs, music, art and various clothing racks,
like one we made by lodging a long wooden bar in a knot of a huge maple tree
and propping the other end on a ladder. Classy!
Two days of selling and I would say I have found a new calling!
As one of my favorite female authors, Anais Nin says,
"good things happen to those who hustle."
Come to my sale and you're sure to leave with a treasure.
However, upon examining the remnants of the upheaval,
my attention was drawn to a vintage paperback book titled,
"Living Altars of The Ozarks," by Omer E. Creech.
It was published in 1973, and was originally titled, "Soul Talk of the Ozark Hills."
I have no idea where this book came from, but the title page had been autographed
directly below a stamp that read, "Look often toward the crest of the hills." I was sold.
I flipped the page to the Dedication. It was golden.
"To all living souls, who have the will and the courage to search for and discover a personal truth,
and follow that truth to it's destiny; I dedicate this book."
Ohhh, goosebumps. I hit the jackpot!
I read on to find a beautiful poem that has easily become the treasure of my day. Here it is for you:
WOODLAND THERAPY
Let me walk in the woods
away from the crowded thoroughfare.
Let me commune with living things;
Things uninhibited by the cares of men.
With unshod feet let me tread softly
upon the floor of the cool earth;
A floor carpeted by rich brown leaves
washed clean by the falling rain.
Grant me the privilege of listening;
Listening to the stillness of the eternal quiet.
Give unto me the sensitivity of response;
The response to the divine quietness
that whispers to the inner soul of man--
"Be still and know that I am God."
And having responded to this divine call
let me walk from the woods
a wiser and stronger man;
Capable of re-entering and
living in the mainstream of life.
When I read this, it felt like a spoken meditation that I could easily take with me and ponder on nature walks and hiking adventures with my dogs. I once wrote, "Greater than the test of society is the examination within," and Creech confirms my thought, "Every man's soul is his own sanctuary." -Creech
The most stressful things in life, popular opinion has it, are bereavement, divorce and moving house.
Unfortunately, I am in the midst of the latter and as much as I want to rejoice in this transition and all that I stand to gain once I get there, my body is having a freak out moment. Sleep is messed with, body is aching, emotions are bubbling up, and the to-do list seems infinite.
One week 'til I depart! One week! And so much to do.
My List
Go through my life. Creatively assess my new needs. Pack only the necessities. Sell the rest - either on Craigslist, or in a garage sale, or give to friends/charities. See as many friends and family members as possible during lunches, dinners, and just making them come sort through my life with me. Plan a going away party. Attend a going away party after having a garage sale all day. Try not to become too intoxicated and an emotional basketcase at my party. Hope to not wake up with a hangover. Continue garage sale. Play car Tetris with my carefully selected belongings, my dogs and myself. Try to sleep before I leave. Drive 12 hours a day for two days.
Wooo Hoooo!!! Not so bad now that I look at it. I can do this. Just gotta keep breathing. Stress is relentless and I found this list onwww.mayoclinic.com,
Top 10 stress relievers
1. Get active - Virtually any form of exercise and physical activity can act as a stress reliever. Even if you're not an athlete or you're out of shape, exercise is still a good stress reliever. Physical activity pumps up your feel-good endorphins and refocuses your mind on your body's movements, improving your mood and helping the day's irritations fade away. Consider walking, jogging, gardening, house cleaning, biking, swimming, weightlifting or anything else that gets you active.
2. Meditate - During meditation, you focus your attention and eliminate the stream of jumbled thoughts that may be crowding your mind and causing stress. Meditation instills a sense of calm, peace and balance that benefits both your emotional well-being and your overall health. Guided meditation, guided imagery, visualization and other forms of meditation can be practiced anywhere at any time, whether you're out for a walk, riding the bus to work or waiting at the doctor's office.
3. Laugh - A good sense of humor can't cure all ailments, but it can help you feel better, even if you have to force a fake laugh through your grumpiness. When you start to laugh, it lightens your mental load and actually causes positive physical changes in your body. Laughter fires up and then cools down your stress response and increases your heart rate and blood pressure, producing a good, relaxed feeling. So read some jokes, tell some jokes, watch a comedy or hang out with your funny friends.
4. Connect - When you're stressed and irritable, your instinct may be to wrap yourself in a cocoon. Instead, reach out to family and friends and make social connections. Social contact is a good stress reliever because it can distract you, provide support, help you weather life's up and downs, and make you feel good by doing good. So take a coffee break with a friend, email a relative, volunteer for a charitable group, or visit your place of worship.
5. Assert yourself - You might want to do it all, but you probably can't, at least not without paying a price. Learn to say no to some tasks or to delegate them. Saying yes may seem like an easy way to keep the peace, prevent conflicts and get the job done right. But it may actually cause you internal conflict because your needs and those of your family come second, which can lead to stress, anger, resentment and even the desire to exact revenge. And that's not very calm and peaceful.
6. Do yoga - With its series of postures and controlled-breathing exercises, yoga is a popular stress reliever. Yoga brings together physical and mental disciplines to achieve peacefulness of body and mind, helping you relax and manage stress and anxiety. Try yoga on your own or find a class — you can find classes in most communities. Hatha yoga, in particular, is a good stress reliever because of its slower pace and easier movements.
I had to do a little downward dog yoga today to get my back moving! ;)
7. Sleep - Stress often gives sleep the heave-ho. You have too much to do — and too much to think about — and your sleep suffers. But sleep is the time when your brain and body recharge. And the quality and amount of sleep you get affects your mood, energy level, concentration and overall functioning. If you have sleep troubles, make sure that you have a quiet, relaxing bedtime routine, listen to soothing music, put clocks away, and stick to a consistent schedule.
8. Journal - Writing out thoughts and feelings can be a good release for otherwise pent-up emotions. Don't think about what to write — just let it happen. Write whatever comes to mind. No one else needs to read it, so don't strive for perfection in grammar or spelling. Just let your thoughts flow on paper — or computer screen. Once you're done, you can toss out what your wrote or save it to reflect on later.
9. Get musical - Listening to or playing music is a good stress reliever because it provides a mental distraction, reduces muscle tension and decreases stress hormones. Crank up the volume and let your mind be absorbed by the music. If music isn't your thing, though, turn your attention to another hobby you enjoy, such as gardening, sewing, sketching — anything that requires you to focus on what you're doing rather than what you think you should be doing.
I also kept these YouTube videos playing while I packed.
10. Seek counsel - If new stressors are challenging your ability to cope or if self-care stress relievers just aren't relieving your stress, you may need to look for reinforcements in the form of professional therapy or counseling. Therapy may be a good idea if stress leaves you feeling overwhelmed or trapped, if you worry excessively, or if you have trouble carrying out daily routines or meeting responsibilities at work, home or school. Professional counselors or therapists can help you identify sources of your stress and learn new coping tools.
If you haven't already guessed, I am compiling this list so that I can refer to it throughout the next few weeks. It is my counsel for myself and is good to have it all organized in a spot to come to and remind myself how to de-stress.
Ahhh. I feel better already just knowin it exists. :)))
