1. Take time to slowly stroke and massage your body – as you would a lover or a new born. Slow-soothing touch signals to the nervous system it is safe. (The whole body has an armor when we feel unsafe or stressed, so if you have time, touch the whole body – in the shower works well)
2. When you brush your teeth in the mirror – practice mirror work. There are many ways to do mirror work, an example being…look at yourself as if you were seeing beauty for the first time. Then appreciate yourself and all your features. Notice when/if judgement arises and rewrite the conditioning. BONUS: affirmations for every interdental contact while flossing.
3. FREEZE. while in activity or action freeze and be as still as possible. In that moment, try to still and slow everything like when kids play hide and seek, and become aware.
4. Sing a song in a super silly way to play with your inner child. Get really into it and move your body and your pitch and tone like a child to get full effects. As with any practice, if self-judgement arises, meet it, see it, and come back to wholeness and unconditonal acceptence.
5. Take a pose! Try standing (or walking) in a new way. For example, superman 🦸♂️ pose. Be mindful of your legs and chest. Are your legs supporting you if a good way that you have balance if someone were to push you – that’s a good sign your standing well. Most people become less conscious of their walk and it becomes shallow as they become busy, restore the joy of walking by being aware and expressing your legs (even a few cm’s) to make your stride bigger or smaller.
6. Tap your body. Especially your adrenals (on top of kidneys), the top of your head, your sternum (center of chest).
7. Practice putting your palms on your stomach (below or above clothes) and drawing circles while breathing into your palms. It will help you to breath into your organs and relax the body. (If you have just eaten, go clockwise.)
8. When you have a small desire….consider it, then don’t act on it. Even if you only delay it, the more conscious you can be of your desires will offer you more insight and power into your choices. – i like to ask myself before I eat more food, if this is going to give me the satisfaction I truly desire.
9. When eating, be sure to take in the smell, sight, and taste of the food. To breath in a relaxed manner while chewing. To be aware of your stomach and how full it is. To nourish yourself in a positive environment and with gratitude. Eating is how we recieve, and gratitude primes our parasympathetic system to actually recieve the nutrition we are putting in.
10. Dedicate a love-making session to just exploring and talking. – do you like when I do such and such? I have this desire. And don’t keep it just limited to the body, what feelings come up, where is the mind, and how can you two connect more deeply. Be sure to hold the space for your partner with love.
11. When you walk, move your toes as if your barefoot.
12. Try this prayer: I thank you mom (then say her name and envision her) and my dad (same thing), grandmas, grandpas, aunties, uncles, nieces, and nephews. I thank the four legged (see one) 2 legged, flying ones, crawling ones, swimming ones. I am thankful for the oceans (see them), rivers, mountains, fields, and forests. I’m thankful for the whole earth, and all the stars in space. And I’m thankful for my own heart. – then try and hold all of your relations just mentioned in your heart through your day.
13. Take a moment to remember that this life is short, even if you live 100 years when your time is over it will pass by in the blink of an eye. In this remembering, come to touch upon what is important. What values are worth taking with you into eternity. Take them with you on this strange journey we call life. Share them, and continue to pray. And I don’t neccesarily mean to bow your head and recite a bunch of words. Prayer is a way of action with inspiration of what is important in your heart. To live your prayers is to consciously create your life from the center out. There’s no more empowering way to bring about presence and a beautiful life then to create it.
I thank you for listening.
Remember the entire cosmos sustains you with every breath. If the planets weren’t orbiting in their perfect way the whole galaxy would topple out of order. Each breath you are exchanging a melody of molecules to sustain your body. And as your heart beats, remember that that same rythme beats in the hearts of millions of other beings, including the center of the earth. From birth to death, there is breath, and we are always connected.
Take care of yourself.
Love you
Aya
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