Transitions

Transitions for some are scary, overwhelming and hard work. Others seem to float effortlessly from one transition to another, like a crimson leaf floating from its branch.  And then there are those that fall somewhere in between - some transitions are easy, others take a bit more effort.

Regardless of how we handle them, transitions - or change - are inevitable! This time of year, autumn, is perfect for looking within to study our inner workings, the "how" of who we are.  Everything around us is changing.  The glorious colors of the leaves, the animals scurrying around for acorns, kids back in school, holidays of all faiths and temperatures cooling off.  We can look within at our own inner workings not for judgement or making ourselves feel the need to be different, but for understanding. With this kind of deep looking we can gain an insight into how we work, our own process so that when we are confronted with a transition, big or small, we can be prepared for how we might handle it.  And often times, when we look deeply like this, changes within naturally occur. 

When looking inward, we can take note of the following:

1. Thoughts - what thoughts are present 
2. Feelings - what are the emotions present
3. Body sensations - what kind of physical reaction do I get and where in the body
4. Logic - what does the pragmatic side say
5. Gut instinct - what is intuition saying

These five aspects are perfect for making decisions but also work wonders just as an exercise in getting to know ourselves, who we are and how we function in the day to day.

As the windy, cool weather comes we may feel pushed to move forward fast and furious with events, kids, friends, family while we may also notice a heavier, slower, snuggle-on-the-couch energy creeping in.  I've written this post about how to keep yourself balanced as this season progresses and now we can take stock of how we are transitioning by looking within. 

Breathe. Smile. Look. Transition.

The photo for this post is from James Barker on Free Digital Photos.

Unsticking When We Get Stuck

Feeling stuck can be due to stretching ourselves too thin, poor diet, lack of sleep, fear of change, difficulty transitioning from one season to another or difficulty transitioning from one life "season" to another... the list goes on and on and on.

I feel defeated when I find myself feeling stuck.  I often have this feeling when I'm craving making a big change or doing something new or different and I feel a little intimidated or unsure of which way I want to go.  At the core, my stuck feeling is created from an over attachment to a desired outcome combined with a lack of trust in the universe and my path.

I find I can often unstick myself if I just let go a little and remember to connect back to the trust I have in myself and the universe.  Letting go doesn't mean I don't move forward or make that tricky decision, it just means that I try not to have a specific, detailed expectation for how things should go every little step of the way.  When I let go of the tiny details, I unstick a little.  That heavy weight of fear or indecision lightens and I can wiggle out and see more clearly what is in front of me.  I will make the necessary plans and decisions, but perhaps they don't happen this week, but next.  Or it manifests through someone I will meet at a future event.  

Trusting the universe is a big one.  For some people this is like the faith they have in their religion and God but for me it's about energy.  I believe very deeply that our intentions, the energy we pour into our dreams, needs and pure wants, is very powerful.  I have taken the time to either write or create a vision board, putting the energy towards a certain goal and then releasing my attachment to it and letting it go to the universe.  This doesn't mean that we just sit on the couch and wait for it to happen.  Our energy must be transformed into the actions that will bring us to our dreams.  And then the magic can happen.  You might meet someone when you go to a workshop that will lead to another opportunity and then ultimately to your vision... 

Years ago I wanted to have an opportunity to create and lead a Spanish language workshop.  I asked the universe and then let it go.  A few days later, my sister was visiting and an old family friend came over to see her.   I got to talking with this family friend and as it turned out she was looking for someone to create a Spanish language workshop for the employers in her company.  Coincidence? Some might say that's all it was.  I would say intention and the universe had something to do with it... 

I will do my best to unstick my mind and body when I find myself in the stuck zone!

Breathe. Smile. Unstick. Invision. Let Go!

The image for this post is from Dan's Profile on Free Digital Photos.

The Changing of the Seasons

The changing of seasons is underway, even though if you're in the Atlanta area there's been barely any change in the temperature since about mid-June: a near constant low to mid-90's. So you may think I'm mad to talk about the seasons changing. But what inspired this post was that I have noticed how the days are just a little bit shorter which means the sun is sitting just ever so slightly lower in the sky. If you open your awareness you can sense the subtle changes in the angle of the light, the shadows and where the sun sits in the sky. I believe wholeheartedly in the significance of honoring the change of seasons, eating according to seasons (even though I may not do it all the time), and allowing the change in the rhythms of the earth to guide our own biorhythms. It's easy with electricity and heat/ac, being indoors the majority of the time, etc, to become extremely disconnected from the earth and her cycles but when I do remember to open my senses to them I feel a great peace.

The upcoming fall season is probably my all time favorite of the seasons. I get such a strong sense of inspiration from the change in the sun's position, the stronger gusts of wind, the crisp mornings and evenings with still warm days and of course the ever magnificent colors the leaves become. There's an energy that is ignited that is just spectacular. It the season that I connect to the most.

I recently had a consultation with an ayurvedic doctor during which she determined my body constitutions or "doshas." For those of you who are not familiar with Ayurveda, each person's body is comprised of 3 dosha: pitta (heat/fire), vata (air) and kapha (earth) - this is a VERY simplified explanation of an unbelievably complex and amazing system of health that is from India. We are all dominant in at least one of these 3 doshas and some of us have 2 dominant and on some occasions there are people with all 3 having an equal amount of presence. I was found to be a vata/kapha dominant with pitta just behind almost making me tri-doshic. That being said, we all have all 3 doshas within us, it's just a matter of how strong or dominant each one is. In addition, any of these doshas can become 'aggravated' causing us to have different imbalances based on the dosha that's been aggravated. So, after a hellaciously hot summer like ours in Atlanta, most of us that have spent anytime outdoors probably have a pitta aggravation so we may not only feel overheated, we may have had some increased frustrations/anger/short-temperedness rise up and we may also have encountered skin rashes. Some quick off the top of my head suggestions for calming pitta are eating cucumbers, watermelon, cilantro and pears. I just recently learned that adding a tsp of rosewater to an 8oz glass of water and sipping on it during the day can calm a pitta aggravation too. When balanced, pitta is the energy that drives us to complete our tasks and get things done.

So, now that we prepare for autumn, my beloved season, we run the risk of aggravating vata. When vata is aggravated, we can feel spaced out, ungrounded, anxious or worried and feel very cold to our bones. So, as the temps begin to cool off, we can start to make and eat yummy soups, stews and other warm, soft, well-cooked, heavy and slightly more oily foods and dishes. Enjoying a cup of your favorite herbal tea is also really nice. Vata is the element that is connected to creativity and speech. To keep from it becoming aggravated, it is also important to have a more regular daily routine and eating habits and to get plenty of sleep.

At the end of winter beginning of spring is when kapha begins to become aggravated and it's right about then that we've all been hibernating in our homes during the coldest time of year and things have been damp, heavy, cloudy and of course cold. This is when we might feel extreme sluggishness or be getting over a cold or sinus infection. With this type of aggravation it's important to continue some kind of exercise routine, to vary your daily routine some, and eat lighter less fatty/oily foods. Kapha energy is grounding, and has the energy of structure in Ayurveda.

All that being said, enjoy the end of this incredibly hot summer but more importantly, start thinking of all the fun and joyous activities to do this fall as the weather turns to amazing autumn.

Breathe. Run. Jump. Sweat. Smile. Take Care. Observe. Breathe. :-)

The photo for this post is from Evgeni Dinev's portfolio on Free Digital Photos.

I got some of the info on the dosha's and their qualities from the Blue Lotus Ayurveda site.