Monday Mantra :: Blossom

HAPPY SPRING EQUINOX!

“And the day came when the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom.”

~ Anaïs Nin

This is one of my favorite quotes and there have been several times in my life where I could feel the truth and beauty (and challenge!) of these words deep in my being.... where I felt terrified to take that next step, but staying where I was felt completely unbearable.  It keeps playing itself in my head the last couple days, so it feels appropriate to share today.   

We have officially arrived in the season of spring!  Even though Mother Nature may grace us with more snow and cold, we are moving into a season of growth, expansion, planting, and blooming.  If we look to nature for cues, we will start to see buds on trees and the shoots of green plants peeking out of the dirt while the days get longer and the sun feels a little bit stronger and warmer.  

This week's mantra, in honor of the Spring Equinox, encourages us to look at what in our lives is ACHING to be born and to give ourselves permission to expand: 

What projects have you put off?  
What changes have you avoided that are finally ready to take place?
What healing work are you ready to dive into or what lifestyle habits are you ready to begin?
What heart's desires are you willing to honor?  
Where in your life can you open up more in order to allow space for your full self? 

Take a deep inhale and exhale. 

Feel your feet firmly rooting into the ground as you spread your arms wide.

Say to yourself: I AM BLOSSOMING.  

As you move about the next couple weeks, I invite you to reflect on what will nurture your blossoming this spring.  What simple action steps will nourish your growth and your intentions?

For me this spring, it is time to write that children's book that's been waiting to be born.  To nourish this intention, I am scheduling meditation and writing time into my life so that there is space for this creation to come into being.  You?? 

This week's mantra :: I AM BLOSSOMING.  

**If you are local to the Twin Cities, there are two opportunities to plant seeds with me this week to honor new beginnings with the new moon and the Spring Equinox.  Friday 3/24 will be a Breathwork Circle to breathe in spring energy and Sunday 3/26 will be a planting those seeds with reflection and intention in a New Moon Circle.  Hope to see you!

Monday Mantra :: Celebrate

Around this time last year, my siblings were gathering together from different states to celebrate the Spring Equinox and make the attempt to see each other more than once a year at Christmas.  Arriving at our chosen location first, my sister and I began to plan some ideas of what we would do over the course of the weekend.  Being the wise one she is, my sister brought it to my attention that when we get together, we sometimes get stuck in always talking about our goals and self-improvement-type conversations.  Not a bad thing, but besides "working on ourselves", what do we do for FUN?

I felt the truth ring in this observation.  I'm the first one to crack the whip on myself and to have my inner critic put in some over-time hours.  My book shelves are full of self-development books (I love self-help!) and I'm notorious for filling the pages of my journal with the things I need to work on and how I want to be better.    

Again, not a bad thing to be self-observant, HOWEVER!  It's also good thing to acknowledge HOW FAR I'VE COME.

As we make our way closer to spring despite the fresh snowfall on the ground (the equinox is NEXT MONDAY!!!), it's important to prepare for transitions by celebrating all the hard work we've done to get where we are.  

What was a success this winter in terms of your health and happiness and overall quality of life?  What worked well for you?  
What made you feel good?

...Maybe you were super consistent with your meditation practice.  Did you find new ways to move your body more this winter than you did last winter?  Maybe you found some solid tools to nourish your body (new recipes??) and feed your soul (new classes??).  Maybe you were less hard on yourself when things didn't work out as planned and maybe you set aside more time for self-care.  Did you schedule in more quality time with loved ones?  Or maybe you dealt with stress with more ease.  CELEBRATE!  Well done, you!

In honor of the full moon, this week's mantra will guide us to look at our fullest selves and to celebrate all that we are and all the hard work we have done so far in this life.  

Take a deep inhale and exhale.

Place a hand on your heart center and give a little smile.

Say to yourself: I CELEBRATE MY FULL SELF.  

This week, when you feel that inner critic start to creep in or when you feel overwhelmed with your to-do list, pause and take note of all your accomplishments big and small.  This is also a great way to begin and end your day when you wake up and before you go to sleep.  If you're having a rough go of it right now, just simply celebrate the fact that you are still inhaling and exhaling.  You got this!

This week's mantra :: I CELEBRATE MY FULL SELF.  

Monday Mantra :: Voice Truth

We experience many things in our bodies in our lifetimes.  

In our legs, roots, lower body, we feel our connection to the earth, to our family, to our tribe, to our ancestors, to our survival.

In our low belly, we feel our relationship to our creativity, sensuality, food, money, intimacy.

In our core, we experience our connection to our sense of self, our power, our will.

In our heart, we hold the stories of love, heartbreak, joy, loss.

In our head, we carry curiosity, thinking, knowledge, wonder, and insight.  

We feel things, see things, sense things, know things.  And then we also get to SAY things.

The throat chakra is the window from which what we experience within our bodies can be expressed to the outside world.  When you speak your truth, tell your stories, share your perspective, you honor all that you hold inside of you.

Sometimes it can be scary to speak your truth.  Sometimes it is easy and pleasurable to share your voice.  Your Truth can be shared with the pages of your journal, a close friend, your community, and/or through your creativity and art form.  This week's mantra guides us to bring our awareness to our throats and pay attention to when it's difficult to speak up and when it comes naturally and gracefully: 

Taking a deep inhale and exhale.

Bringing your focus to your throat, mouth, and jaw. (Is there tightness?  Are you clenching? Do you feel open?)

Say to yourself: I SET MY VOICE FREE WITH THE TRUTH OF MY STORY.    

Take a moment to do this when you wake up as a way to start your day, before you leave the house, in the shower, before walking into work, when eating a meal, before having a conversation with a loved one or friend, before sitting down to your paints/computer/camera/pottery wheel/dance studio/weights/yoga mat/journal/etc, or before you slip into dreamland at the end of the day.  

For extra credit, shoot me an email with some thoughts you're having, an experience you had recently, or a story that is important to you.  When our stories are witnessed (by yourself or another), healing can happen.   

This week's mantra :: I SET MY VOICE FREE WITH THE TRUTH OF MY STORY.  

Monday Mantra :: Pleasure

Yesterday, in honor of the new moon, we created mini-vision boards in circle as our creative intention setting for this new cycle.  One way to bring more self-love and self-care into our lives is by noticing, naming, and claiming our desires.

What lights you up?  What turns you on to life in an embodied, present way?  What brings you joy and fulfillment?  What makes you feel vibrant and alive?  Grounded and centered?  

When we embrace our pleasure, we allow ourselves to be connected to our authenticity, our life force, our unique gifts and talents.  We were given these urges and yearnings and special superpowers for a reason, so let's use them to color our life with abundance and empowering insight.  This week's mantra, adapted from one of Danielle LaPort's truthbombs, helps us to practice tuning into our passions and our creative center: 

Taking a deep inhale and exhale.

Bringing your awareness to your low belly, your 2nd chakra.  

Say to yourself: MY PLEASURE EMPOWERS ME.  

Bonus extra credit is to take a few minutes to make a list of your desires, create a small vision board of images, or set a new moon intention around how you can create more pleasure and play in your life this cycle.  

This week's mantra :: MY PLEASURE EMPOWERS ME.